Tag: mental health

Posted in depression, mental illness

Some encouraging mental health news & then…

Posted on by Penny Wilson Writes

Please Read this important piece, written by Minnesota Prairie Roots. Help end the stigma!

Minnesota Prairie Roots

This message refers to the struggles associated with mental illness. (Minnesota Prairie Roots copyrighted file photo)

WE’VE ALL SEEN THEM—fundraisers and GoFundMe campaigns to help individuals and families who are struggling. Perhaps you’ve even been in that spot of needing financial help following a devastating event or a major health crisis. You’ve likely attended many fundraisers and/or donated online. I am thankful for such generosity.

Typically, these pancake breakfasts, spaghetti dinners, silent auctions,…crowdfunding efforts follow a diagnosis like cancer, a car accident or a major event like a house fire. Missed work and overwhelming medical and other bills all too often deplete finances. And if not for the assistance of caring family, friends and even strangers, many could not get through the challenges.

Yet, in the all of this, I’ve often wondered why individuals who’ve experienced a mental health crisis are not fundraising also. When they’ve been hospitalized and/or…

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Posted in mental illness

World Teen Mental Health Day

Posted on by Penny Wilson Writes

Being a teen is hard enough.  If you add mental health struggles to that, makes life for some unbearable.  In this world of social media, peer pressures can be amplified.  Anxiety and Depression are the most common issues dealt with. 

Depression and Anxiety should not be taken lightly.  Teen suicides have increased dramatically since 2019.  

What can you do to help?  

*Be watchful of behavioral changes in your teen.  Are they isolating themselves more?  Have they lost interest in things that used to bring them joy?  Is your teen sleeping more or have a change in their eating habits?  

*Listen without judgement.  So often, people will keep the signs of Anxiety and Depression hidden for fear of being judged.  The feeling of shame is strong among those that suffer because of the stigma attached.  

*Talk to your teen.  Be willing to start the conversation.  We, as parents, don’t always know what to do, so we hope they will “grow out of it”, or that it’s “just a phase” they are going through.  Because your teen is keeping things to themselves, you will often need to make the first move to start the conversation about what they are struggling with.  

*Reach out.  Seek help in dealing with your teen’s struggles.  If you don’t know where to start, often your family doctor can help steer you in the right direction for resources in your area.  

*Educate yourself.  Being aware of the issues and their symptoms can be a huge help.  There are many helpful websites for this.  This is a good place to start: https://988lifeline.org/

The Suicide Prevention Hotline Phone # is 988. 

You don’t need to be experiencing a crisis to contact a crisis hotline. At most of these hotlines, the volunteers and counselors who answer calls, texts and chat messages are trained to help someone in crisis. But you can also reach out if you’re feeling sad, anxious or stressed and don’t know where to turn. 

These hotlines also serve friends, family members and loved ones of someone who is experiencing a mental health crisis, domestic violence, abuse, addiction and many other issues. 

Even if someone at a crisis hotline cannot help you with your specific needs, they can point you to the right resources that can. No one will ever make you feel bad for trying to get help, and no concern is too trivial or small. If it feels hard for you to manage, it’s worth reaching out.

For more information and other helpful resources and articles, please visit my Mental Health Help Page HERE.

Copyright (C) 2023 Penny Wilson

 

Posted in depression, Uncategorized

Depression-A Killer

Posted on by Penny Wilson Writes

How long will this subject remain in the shadows?  How long will it have such a stigma attached to it that people dare not even use the word ‘Depression’?

Life has no value to depression.  EVERY DAY 121 Americans commit suicide.  50% of those people suffered from depression.

More than 38,000 people a year commit suicide.  Yet 80 to 90% of those that seek help for depression are helped  using therapy and/or drugs.

The problem with that, is the fact that only about 50% of those that suffer from depression seek help. Why?  Because it’s a dirty little secret that no one wants to talk about!

Kurt Cobain, Robbin Williams, Mindy McCready, director of the movie Top Gun Tony Scott, linebacker for the Kansas City Chiefs; Jovan Belcher, actress Lucy Gordon and Jonathan Brandis-star of The Never Ending Story.  These are all people that committed suicide.  I could easily fill a page with names.

Depression is sneaky and deceptive.  It creeps into your life in such subtle ways, you don’t even know it’s happening until one day, you look around yourself and your entire word has gone grey.  What I mean by grey, is that your world no longer has any color to it.  It has no life.  NOTHING matters any more.  NOTHING brings you joy.  Depression has stolen that from you.

(this is one of those things that No One wants to talk about or admit to) I am one of the lucky ones.  I’ve struggled with depression off and on for most of my life. I never attempted suicide, but I did think about it at times.

Right now, I’m good.  Hell, I’m great!  Life is wonderful, alive and quite rich for me.  But I never know if or when it may come into my life again.  I hope never.  But I can’t be certain of that.   

WEB MD says that some of the signs of depression are:

  • Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day
  • Feelings of worthlessness or guilt almost every day
  • Impaired concentration, indecisiveness
  • Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) almost every day
  • Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities nearly every day (called anhedonia, this symptom can be indicated by reports from significant others)
  • Restlessness or feeling slowed down
  • Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
  • Significant weight loss or gain (a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month)

If you know of someone that might be depressed, reach out to them.  Start a conversation.  Let them know that it’s alright to talk about it!  Let’s bring depression out of the shadows and into the light.  This is the only way people are going to feel safe enough to talk about it and seek help.  

* I found my information/statistics at various websites.  Here are a few that have wonderful articles on depression and how to seek help:

WEDMD

SAVE.ORG

Mental Health America

Copyright (C) 2018 Penny Wilson

Please be sure to check out my Mental Health Help Page for more helpful resources.

*I know that this is a repeat of an older post, but I felt that it was worth repeating. ❤

Posted in depression, mental illness, Writing

Emotional Intelligence Developer Website

Posted on by Penny Wilson Writes

The nice people at the Emotional Intelligence Developer’s website have asked me to be a contributor on their blog.  What EID says about their site:

“Emotional Intelligence is all about developing your mental and emotional control (EQ)

Read Self-help content published by writers who promote (EQ). Our messages are broad. The work shared on this website comes from writers who are passionate about helping people grow.”

My first post on EID’s site is called No Shame.  Please give it a look, spend some time on the site and show them a little love.  

Thank you! Penny ❤

Posted in Life, mental illness

Counseling Services Available

Posted on by Penny Wilson Writes

In November of last year, I did a post about Affordable Mental Health Counseling.  You can see that post HERE.

I asked my readers if they had information about Affordable Counseling services to please let me know and I will add it to my Mental Health Help Page.

The nice people at Boca Recovery Center contacted me about their services.  They have 4 locations.  2 in Florida, 1 in Indiana and 1 in New Jersey.  

When it comes to affordability, they offer a program called the Badgley Scholarship where people can write a letter to Boca and one bed is covered free of charge a month at their facilities.  They also have a free 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-516-4357. 

If you have more questions, there is a wealth of information on their website HERE.

There is a growing need for Mental Health Services, especially for those with lower incomes.  If any of my readers has information about these types of services and would like for me to add them to my Mental Health Help Page, please contact me, through my Contact Page, and I would be happy to add the information. 

Copyright 2023 Penny Wilson All Rights Reserved

Posted in depression, mental illness

I’m not fine

Posted on by Penny Wilson Writes

The truth is, you see, I’m not fine.  What the world sees is a lie.  A lie to help them cope.  A lie to help me cope.

My lies serve me well.  Sometimes.  They hide the demons that fly under the radar to steal my mind.

I keep a careful watch.  But, they come whether I want them to or not.  I must be ever vigilant, to recognize them before they pounce.  Their disguises vary with each encounter.

There is a sense, a feeling, that they are coming.  Sometimes.  Other times, they attack without warning.

I lose the will of pretending at times.  I give in to them.  They are stronger than I am.  My resolve to smile and continue the lies wane.  I will retreat to my little cave under the covers.  If I sleep, I then find respite, a reprieve from the continual onslaught.  The darkness of sleep is preferable to the darkness I am subjected to by the demons.

Then, miraculously, they’re gone.  They’ve retreated back to where they came from; to the dark, dank recesses of my mind.  Perhaps they are gathering forces to come again.  Perhaps they are gone forever.  I don’t know.  I won’t know until they return, if they return.

For now, my days are brighter.  I can look forward to tomorrow.

Copyright (C) 2022 Penny Wilson

*This is a work of fiction, my friends.  I am well and doing fine.  I haven’t written about Depression in a while and wanted to do so.

*If you or someone you know needs help, Please TALK to someone.  Please see more helpful resources on my Mental Health Help Page HERE.

Image by Constance Kowalik from Pixabay

Posted in depression, mental illness

Stephen “Twitch” Boss

Posted on by Penny Wilson Writes

EllensGOG-S2-CastBioImage-tWitch-450x450.jpg (450×450)

You may or may not be aware of the passing of Stephen “Twitch” Boss.  He was a lot of things to a lot of people.  Father, husband, dancer, and actor.  He was the Executive Producer of the Ellen DeGeneres Show.  He was also Ellen’s DJ and dance partner. 

Sadly, Twitch lost his life to suicide on December 14th, 2022.  

By all outward appearances, he was a happy, successful person.  I read that one of his friends said that “You never know what’s going on between someone’s ears”.   So true. 

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to the Suicide Prevention Helpline at 988. 

On my Mental Health Help Page, you can find many sources for help and articles on the subjects of Depression and other Mental Health issues.  HERE is a piece I wrote regarding the link between Depression and Suicide.  

Every day, approximately 130 Americans die by suicide. (CDC)

There is one death every 11 minutes in the U.S. by suicide. (CDC)

Suicide takes the lives of over 48,500 Americans every year. (CDC) 

Nearly 800,000 people die by suicide in the world each year, which is roughly one death every 40 seconds.

Is talking to someone too much for you?  There is a Crisis Text Line.  Text 741741 and you can text with a counselor.

The bottom line is to TALK.  Please, just reach out and TALK to someone.  Anyone.  There is help available.  Just reach out a hand. 

Copyright (C) 2022 Penny Wilson

*Image found online. Acknowledgements to the owner of the image. 

Posted in Life, mental illness

Help Needed – Therapy Information, Please

Posted on by Penny Wilson Writes

I Need Your Help.

I recently had a conversation with a friend who is in need of therapy, as her benefits will soon be expiring.  Where can she turn?  

I’ve been in this situation.  Through my previous employer, I had 3 sessions with a therapist available to me covered by insurance.  3 sessions, didn’t even begin to scratch the surface.  After that, I was on my own to figure out how to pay for it.  

So I started digging into Affordable mental health therapy.  After a few Click Bait websites, I basically found nothing.  I did find one site that would offer me online sessions based on my income.  But even that was too expensive.  

I have a Mental Health Help Page where I have listed contacts for those in crisis, and other resources and articles for those struggling.  BUT… I have NO information for options of Free or Affordable Therapy.  

So I am asking for your help with this.  If you have information on this Much Needed Subject, would you please do what you can to get that information to me?  I’m in the US, but I need info for those not living in the US as well.  Anything information that you can come up with would be appreciated.  

Please, either leave the information in the comments below, use my Contact Page, or simply email me at psnw123@gmail.com

Thank you!!

Posted in mental illness

World Mental Health Day

Posted on by Penny Wilson Writes

Please be kind to yourself.  

Today is World Mental Health Day.  If you or someone you know needs help, please don’t hesitate to seek out that help.  I have a page where I have compiled some great sources and articles on the subject.  You can find that page HERE.  

When you are kind to yourself, you are also being kind to the loved ones around you.  Please speak up, say something! 

Posted in depression, Life, mental illness

Depression’s Frequent Companion

Posted on by Penny Wilson Writes

A diagnosis of Depression is enough to handle, but in many cases depression can be accompanied by the unwelcome companion, Anxiety.

Anxiety can be just as debilitating as depression. 

Most people think of depression on the lower end of things.  Things like the feeling of sadness, hopelessness, finding no joy in things that you once took pleasure in, not wanting to get out of bed, etc.   

On the higher end of depression is anxiety.  The symptoms of anxiety can include: excessive worry, restlessness, problems focusing, feelings of fear, and dread or avoiding everyday activities. 

Anxiety can also show itself in physical symptoms, such as: frequent sleep problems, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, and shortness of breath.  

If anxiety is left unchecked, it can interfere with job performance, schoolwork and relationships.  Anxiety can also lead to Panic Attacks and Phobias if untreated.  

If you recognize yourself in the symptoms I’ve listed above, I strongly urge you to seek help. 

HERE is an article I found on ways to reduce your anxiety. 

HERE you will find my Mental Health Help Page that will list several helpful links to seek help. 

*An added note: What I write here is based on personal experience and research that I have done on my own. I make no claim to be an expert on this subject or have any type of medical degree. My writing is simply a way for me to put a voice to my own experiences and perhaps help others along the way.  

Copyright 2021 Penny Wilson