Featured Advocate: Susan from Helping to Reduce the Incidence of Suicide 2/13

Susan: I have been interested in preventing people from taking their life since I was very young having listened to a radio New Zealand program in the 1980’s about the impact on those left behind..

My path took me to study Psychology during which I became a single parent and now experience long term unemployment. During this time I became involved with an organisation providing crisis support which I was involved with for over two years. After this I volunteered (and still do) with Personality Disorders Awareness Network to help improve awareness of personality disorders.

My interest there is the need for professionals to greater recognise and understand the impact these disorders can have on others, for example partners and children. Late last year I set up my own page dedicated to suicide prevention, awareness and to provide online support.

Helping to Reduce the Incidence of Suicide:
This page is here to provide peer support around all factors which contribute to suicide not just mental illness. Please inbox or comment on a status if you would like a topic for support or discussion.The group is supportive and experienced and will not judge you.

The page is run by a professionally qualified person but advise that if you are in need of ongoing support to contact a general practitioner / family doctor who is best to advise you on treatment.
There are links to crisis supports and charities posted at regular intervals for specialist support.
Mission Statement
Our overall aim is to contribute to the global suicide prevention effort. The strategy that we will employ to do this is three fold
a) By facilitating peer support.
b) By facilitating discussions on and around suicide, providing information and resources at a level all can take from.
c) Conducting outreach work and training with healthcare professionals, within schools, the criminal justice system and social services. Engaging with the wider community to ensure the continuous learning and the development of initiatives to help reduce the incidence of death by suicide.

Featured Advocate: Anonymous from The Misadventures of a Bipolar 20-Something 2/12

Anonymous: think I’m an advocate because of the memes I make in support of mental health

The Misadventures of a Bipolar 20-Something Crazy talks, normal balksI share my poems, memes and otherwise disordered remnants* left behind while living with a mood disorder. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do 🙂

*Content pertains to mental health, drugs, sex, and other mature themes that are not meant to be viewed by people who would be offended.

I love having an outlet for my mental health related stuff.  If I shared this stuff with my real life people they would quickly tire of all of it. Thank you for your love and attention, however fleeting it may be 😀

Featured Advocate: Julie from Voices 2/11

Julie: I am an advocate because it is what has to be done. I have mental illness, I have family with mental illness . I also worked for Crisis Services including answering the suicide hotline. In our community Decatur Morgan County it is next to impossible to get treatment in a timely manner and with out insurance or stacks of money you go without completely. I am resolved to change this for the better. I am determined to be a voice for those who cannot speak up for themselves.

Voices All people need access to affordable timely mental healthcare in Decatur Alabama and surrounding area. Together we can fix this problem.

Featured Advocate: Autumn from Raising Awareness for Dissociative Identity Disorder and DID Support 2/10

Autumn:  I’m an advocate because I am an alter of someone with DID. I’m trying to raise awareness for Dissociative Identity Disorder and get people to understand it’s a real disorder and not what is shown so much on TV and movies.

Raising Awareness for Dissociative Identity Disorder:  Raising awareness to show people who have DID (or any other mental illness) that they aren’t alone, nor are their loved ones. ♥ Dissociative Identity Disorder is a mental illness characterised by the presence of two or more separate entities living inside one body that recurrently take control of the person’s behaviour, feelings and actions. Despite various research studies and the fact that DID is listed in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (previously known as Multiple Personality Disorder), there are many psychiatrists and mental health professionals who still do not believe in the diagnosis. Speaking from experience, the illness is REAL.

On average, many people spend 7 years in the mental health system before being correctly diagnosed with DID, often having various misdiagnoses beforehand, e.g. schizophrenia, borderline personality disorder, mood disorders, PTSD and eating disorders. To make things even more complicated, people with DID often have several diagnosable co-morbid conditions and can also have dual diagnosis (mental illness/illnesses combined with a drug/alcohol problem).

People with DID have often been through various treatment programmes, tried various medications, and spent many occasions being admitted to various psychiatric hospitals making little to no actual progress. We want to raise awareness of this disorder and to campaign to get this disorder recognised more widely within the mental health system so that people can get the treatment needed.

DID is not curable, but it is manageable and can be treated; with long-term therapy and medication to target specific symptoms.

Our mission is to campaign to make this disorder more widely known and to make psychiatrists accept that the diagnosis is a severe and sometimes debilitating mental illness and needs to be treated, just like any other mental illness. We also want to help those with other mental illnesses, as most are often comorbid with DID such as PTSD, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders etc. You’re not alone. We’re fighting the stigma. We can change the world, one footstep at a time.  Blog

DID Support For multiples, by multiples.

Featured Advocate: Kerys from Mental Health – You Are More Than Your Diagnosis 2/9

Kerys: I am an advocate of mental health because my family and I have struggled with mental health problems for years, and I want to be able to help others who are in similar situations and help to reduce the stigma faced by people with mental health issues daily.

Mental Health – You Are More Than Your Diagnosis Our page is here to support people with mental health issues, worries, and to share your stories. We are here to help.

Featured Advocate: Jessica from Mental Illness Support Page and Challenge Yourself (Group) 8/4, 2/8

Jessica:  I’m an advocate because I have struggled with Mental Illness my entire life and I wanted to help people that struggle with it too. Also I want to help end this stigma that’s built around mental illness. I’m trying  to create  awareness out their for mental health.

I’m 25 years old from Upstate New York. When I was 12 I was first diagnosed with Bi polar 2, major depressive disorder, borderline personaility, schizoeffective disorder, & general anxiety disorder. As a kid I always knew I was different then other kids around me.

I always wanted to be alone and different have many friends. Through the years my mental illness made it difficult for me to live a “normal life”. Despite the fact that I was called “a highly functioning bi polar person”. Meaning I was able to go to school, drive and work. What I was unable to do was finish school(dropped out of college, stress got the best of me), work(have had multiple jobs in the past 10 years due).

I have been through many relationships and was divorced at 24 years old. When I reached my twenties I developed bad social anxiety causing me to withdrawal myself from the world. After therapy didn’t work, I decided to start my own “support group” to find people out in the world that were going through the same things. I wanted to let them know they are not alone. I want people to know that we are not victims, our disorder doesn’t define who we are inside.

Youtube :  I share videos about my take on different mental health topics as well as my personal tips and journal videos.

Mental Illness Support Page

Mental illness is a long hard battle to go through. Lets fight this battle together!

To help people who are dealing with similar issues like anxiety and depression and other mental illnesses! Also wanted to show support for mental awareness:)

Hi Everyone, My name is Jessica and this is a online support group page for anyone that is dealing with issues related to mental illness. There are already support pages for people dealing with anxiety and depression but none for dealing with other serious mental illnesses, which is why i wanted to create a page where people like myself can relate to other people battling the same thing!

We are not professionals nor should be considered replacement for your actual Doctors, medicine, and other professional authorities. This is simply a group designed to discuss topics and problems so we can all grow together!

Challenge Yourself Group

Hi Everyone! My name’s Jessica and I’m 25 years old from Upstate New York. We all have are own goals that we set for our selves and it may take us awhile to get there. With hard work and determination we can accomplish anything that we set our minds too. This group is for anyone and everyone that has something to accomplish whatever that something may be. Don’t give up, you will get there!

Featured Advocate: Debra from The Art of Autism 2/7

Debra: I’m an advocate for people with developmental disabilities and mental illness because I believe the people who come into our lives are there for a purpose. My son is autistic, an artist, and also has a mental illness diagnosis. He’s proud to be autistic. To not advocate for others like him would be to deny that we’re all connected. By helping others, I help him as well.

The Art of Autism Over 450 artists from around the world participate in The Art of Autism. Artists participate in exhibits, blogs and our online gallery.  The Art of Autism  Website  is an international collaborative of over 450 artists, poets and entertainers on the spectrum. Debra (Hosseini) Muzikar is the author of “The Art of Autism: Shifting Perceptions” released in 2012. Keri Bowers is the producer of Normal Films. Together they have started a collaborative featuring entertainers and artists across the world. The Art of Autism has had over 25 exhibits across the U.S. and Canada from 2011-2013

Autism Unveiled seeking submissions for forty-day advocacy project culminating on World Autism Day

Featured Advocate: Michelle from Michelle May Krack 2/6

Michelle: I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder 25 years ago, age 31, I was married 12 years and my children at the time were 11, 9, 7, 2. I want to help fight the amount of stigma involved with mental illnesses.

I want to help fight the amount of stigma involved with mental illnesses. My experiences as a mental health patient made me realize there needed to be more support for myself and others with mental illness.

I am a peer recovery advocate at the PEACE Zone peer-run recovery center helping others in the community with mental illness. It’s a safe haven to offer support for hope and recovery. I am involved withNAMI, as a presenter for its Family to Family Program, and I was recently awarded the Mental Health America of Indiana 2014 Consumer Advocate Award

I share my story of hope and recovery at local hospitals with the PEACE Zone outreach program. I have written a book, “Michelle May Crack”, a story that shares advocacy along with life struggles with mental illness and offers hope for recovery. Twitter

Michelle May Krack – Author Mental health advocate, bipolar recovery. Author of “Michelle May Crack” (November 2014 release).

Featured Advocate: Sheri from Depression 2/5

Sheri: I am an advocate because as a survivor of domestic violence, I suffer from severe depression and PTSD and believe it is my duty to try to reach as many people as possible. I want to share my story and make them realize they are not alone and they have no reason to feel guilty or ashamed.

Depression

We are people with a passion to help our fellow man, we are people just like you that have been through Depression, and through our struggles in life we are dedicated to help you no matter what you’r background / religion / race. Our views and opinions are our own and not that of others, we are not Doctors nor Psychiatrists we are just people that love life.

 

Featured Advocate: Chris from DEAD – Drugs End All Dreams 2/4

Chris: I was driving my car down a major road in Sydney, Australia in the middle of the day in December 2012. The next thing I remember was being woken by a crash and a bang and the sound of the “jaws of life” cutting me free from the wreckage. I had blacked out at the wheel, highly intoxicated and had a head on collision with another vehicle. I was taken to hospital where I spent five days in recovery from broken ribs, whiplash and head cuts. Anyone would think that something like this would immediately stop me from drinking and learn from my mistakes. Not I, the power of addiction was far too great for me to change my ways, at this point in time. It wasn’t until March 2013 that I received a call from the police to say my blood tests revealed a High Range DUI reading of .204. I would be charged accordingly as well as charged with Dangerous Driving causing GBH, and would be required to attend court.

At the courthouse I received no sympathy from the judge, and nor should I have. The judge told me that I was looking at a custodial sentence and at best an ICO (Home Detention), and adjourned my case for 6 weeks while I sought legal advice and subsequent meetings with Probation and Parole Officer, who would explain the process required to be undertaken to see if I was suitable for an ICO. I sought professional help through Detox and Rehab programs, Relapse Prevention, Living With Addiction, Counselling sessions and AA meetings. I read and re-read and re-read the Big Book and any other literature I could get my hands on to get an understanding for my addiction and educate myself properly to ensure I didn’t go back to my past ways.

I believe changing my life and acknowledging I had a problem with alcohol, showing remorse and understanding my actions was a big factor in me escaping a custodial sentence and receiving a more lenient sentence. I didn’t realize it at the time, but i know now that substance abuse of any kind is dangerous. Persons of all ages can quickly, or over a period of time, become victims of their own negative behavior. Substance abuse becomes substance dependence. Once my dependence crossed over into full blown addiction, I began to lose control of various aspects of my life. I began to see a deterioration of my personal appearance and hygiene. My job performance began to decline. My relationships with family and friends changed as my focus increased on acquiring the substance. I was physically and emotionally dependent on alcohol. Recovery from any drug and alcohol addiction is a process and it all starts with a desire to get sober. What followed for me was a personal commitment, a lot of effort and time. The road to recovery isn’t easy and there are challenges in various forms on a daily basis. However, with the right support a successful recovery can be achieved by anyone.

And today after all I have gone through to get where I am at this point in time today, I decided to put my energy back into the very thing that brought me to my knees – drug and alcohol addiction counselling and support. I lost everything to alcohol and was within an inch of losing the last meaningful thing in my life, my kids. That’s why I want to help others understand that life doesn’t have to be that way. There’s an opportunity to get your life on track and be a better person. I no longer hold anger or resentment toward others; I live life on life’s terms and accept that some things can’t be changed but at the same time make effort to change the things I can. I made amends to those who allowed me to do so and I spent time on understanding and recognizing the people who are valuable to my life and my recovery and those who aren’t so good for me. I worked on understanding my vulnerabilities and triggers and take things “one day at a time”. I’m not ashamed to admit my mistakes because that is no longer the person I am.

Since starting this page in August 2014 it has grown steadily and has reached people of all ages, male and female from many different cultures, backgrounds, religions and countries. Most, but not all, have themselves been affected by addiction, or by someone else who is active in addiction. During this time people have messaged, some have asked me personally, while others have probably wondered why I am so passionate about spreading the message about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse and addiction. Well here it is – the life changing moment that would start a chain reaction of events and send me down the path of freeing myself from addiction and toward a path of sobriety and redemption.
My page is all about creating awareness about the effects of drug and alcohol addiction on individuals and the wider community. Substance abuse of any kind is dangerous. Persons of all ages can quickly, or over a period of time, become victims of their own negative behavior. Substance abuse becomes substance dependence. A person’s choice of abused substance is often determined by age, economics, social or ethnic group, peer pressure and other personal and societal factors.

DEAD – Drugs End All Dreams Creating awareness about the effects of drug and alcohol addiction on individuals and the wider community.

Substance abuse of any kind is dangerous. Persons of all ages can quickly, or over a period of time, become victims of their own negative behavior. Substance abuse becomes substance dependence. A person’s choice of abused substance is often determined by age, economics, social or ethnic group, peer pressure and other personal and societal factors.

Once dependence crosses over into addiction, the user begins to lose control of of various aspects of their life. You will begin to see a deterioration of personal appearance and hygiene. Job performance will begin to decline. Relationships will change as the focus increases on acquiring the substance.

Recovery from drug and alcohol addiction is a process. It starts with a desire to get sober. What follows is personal commitment, a lot of effort and time. The road to recovery isn’t easy. There are challenges in various forms on a daily basis. However, with the right support a successful recovery can be achieved. For many people, this process begins with alcohol or drug detox, followed by rehab.