Is Mental Health as Important as Physical?

Been in the Special Ed and Drug/Alcohol/Mental Health world for 15 years now. If you're interested in taking time to look at mental health and the challenges with Bipolar specifically, PBS just aired a great documentary. Yes, I have cars...yes, I like some nice things in life, and yes, paying attention to the mental health needs of teenagers has been a vocation for me.

Best of luck and support to anyone looking into this or working on issues with a family member or him/herself.

The documentary is "God Knows Where I Am".

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/god-knows-where-i-am/

 

One of the most disturbing things I see on a regular basis, is the notion that bipolar disorder=crazy, or crazed, or incapable of coping. People toss bipolar around as a catch all without having the least little bit of understanding of what bipolar disorder is all about. Did anyone here know there are a variety of bipolar conditions? It's not a one size fits all. And that medicating it is extremely complicated? You see ads on TV ofr a new bipolar drug and they make it sound like a single med will fix it up. Not the case.

And it's not just bipolar disorder, obviously. Most of the various mental illnesses are assigned as labels for all sorts of everyday behavior that has nothing to do with mental illness, and also to describe aberrant behaviors that may or may not be associated with them.

There's a minimal understanding among most folks of mental illness, and I don't think those same people understand how damaging and hurtful it is for people who do deal with mental illness to have their disorders used as labels.

I'm going to watch this today, will report back later as to my thoughts.

D

 

dm_n_ stuff--Couldn't agree more. It's a fascinating world and I'm always learning, so that might be what keeps me working with high-functioning Autism boys (who also happen to have a mix of co-occurring diagnoses--ADHD, OCD, Tourette's along with incredibly high IQ's). Rewarding field to work in and also scary what some people are going through. Not hoping to change the tone of this website--I love it all!!!--just wanting anyone out there to know there is hope and support.

 

Have you read Gut And Psychology? The Second Brain?

 

My youngest works with special needs kids, often autistic, and getting them placed into foster homes and out of dangerous environments.

The level of abuse these kinds of kids suffer is unbelievable, and getting them OUT of danger and into foster or group homes where they are protected is a large part of what he does. He covers the spectrum from high function to almost zero function. The biggest difficulty is that once he finally gets them, their development has been arrested to the point where they'll never really catch up.

The main issue I have is he's often getting beat up by these kids. No doubt a reflection of their frustration and environment, but he came home yesterday telling us how "Bobby" (not his real name) tried to choke him to death WHILE MY KID WAS DRIVING HIM TO SCHOOL. He's been to the hospital 3 or 4 times in three years, and had the ambulance crew look him over several more.

But there's always hope. If he doesn't get discouraged by what happens to him, how can we? And by learning what goes on with folks with mental illness or a disability, we can promote understanding instead of derision.

D

 

No. Recommended?

 

I think mental health is more important than physical health. Each can obviously affect the other, but if your mental health is bad it can get to the point it doesnt matter how good your physical health is (extreme example is suicide in someone who is otherwise healthy). If your mental health is good, bad physical health won't affect you as much imo.

 

I do not believe that a person can live a meaningful life long term without a healthy mental capacity. We create relationships based on our ability to relate and interact with others on an emotional level. I grew up in a family with a mentally ill parent and am a parent of a child with a chronic neurological disease which keeps her from interacting with the outside world for much of the day. No amount of working out or playing Nintendo can replace a successful relationship with the outside world.

 

Your youngest is a special person to go through all that. Just watch out for him. Dealing with these situations constantly over the years could lead to mental health issues of their own, primarily depression.

 

One of the reasons he understands these kids as well or better than most is he already has clinical depression which he manages very well with a couple medications and a very good local psychiatrist. (Originally he was diagnosed with Aspergers, but turned out to be depression, it seems to give him some insight that others might not have.)

He's a good kid, has some issues of his own but busts his butt for his clients.

D