Mental health resources to use if you are in crisis or just need a helping hand
October 8, 2020September 29, 2020
By New Day Northwest, Dawn Boughton
King5
https://www.king5.com/article/news/health/list-of-mental-health-resources/281-728afee6-c1ca-45a2-90dd-4649f5229bea
SEATTLE — You are not alone! The team at Premera Blue Cross compiled this comprehensive list of local and national crisis and mental health resources to help you get whatever kind of support you need starting today. The volunteers and organizations on this list are there to help you when you call. They WANT you to call. Reach out for yourself, your friends,
more » Read More- Look for rocks in your own backyard, online, or from a landscaping business or big box home improvement store.
- Wash rocks with soap and water.
- Make sure rocks are completely dry.
- Use acrylic paints, (they don’t have to be expensive or high quality to work). Craft acrylic paints that come in small upright bottles work well,
Mental illness treatment varies widely among American adolescents within and across ZIP codes
Sept 21, 2020
By B. Rose Huber
Princeton University
https://www.princeton.edu/news/2020/09/21/mental-illness-treatment-varies-widely-among-american-adolescents-within-and-across
Using a national database of insurance claims, Princeton University researchers investigated the type of treatment adolescents — most of whom were around the average age of 12 and suffering from anxiety or depression — receive after a first episode of mental illness.
more » Read MoreJoin NAMI this Mental Illness Awareness Week to Raise the Voices of Lived Experience
Oct 5, 2020
NAMI
https://www.nami.org/Press-Media/Press-Releases/2020/Join-NAMI-this-Mental-Illness-Awareness-Week-to-Raise-the-Voices-of-Lived-Experience
Arlington, VA – This year we’ve seen the numbers of Americans impacted by mental health conditions on the rise as a result of the pandemic and more people than ever need help. In honor of Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) on Oct. 4-10, 2020, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and participants across the country are raising awareness and educating about mental illness warning signs and symptoms.
more » Read More5 Things I Wish My Loved Ones Knew About Dissociation
Oct 6, 2020
By Allie Cotterman
NAMI
https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/October-2020/5-Things-I-Wish-My-Loved-Ones-Knew-About-Dissociation
Have you ever been driving and suddenly realized you didn’t remember the last ten minutes of your drive? Have you ever been in a conversation and recognize you haven’t heard a word the other person just said? Ever daydreamed through a lecture at school? Almost everyone has had their “autopilot” activated at some point in their life. It is a regular function of the human brain to be able to detach from reality and cling to something reassuring to avoid anxieties.
more » Read MoreMental health providers concerned about kids during pandemic
August 24, 2020
By Holly Ramer, AP
SeattlePi
https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Classes-underway-at-NH-colleges-unemployment-15510509.php
Mental health officials said Monday that children are a particular concern during the coronavirus pandemic both as patients and as offspring of providers working from home.
The pandemic has exacerbated existing workforce challenges in behavioral health, Cynthia Whitaker, interim president of Greater Nashua Mental Health, said during an online discussion organized by U.S. Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H. She and others said many providers are juggling their jobs with overseeing their children’s remote educations.
more » Read MoreDepression, anxiety spike amid outbreak and turbulent times
September 3, 2020
By Lindsey Tanner, AP Medical Writer
SeattlePi
https://www.seattlepi.com/news/article/Depression-anxiety-spike-amid-outbreak-and-15537641.php
Mental health therapists’ caseloads are bulging. Waiting lists for appointments are growing. And anxiety and depression are rising among Americans amid the coronavirus crisis, research suggests.
In the latest study to suggest an uptick, half of U.S. adults surveyed reported at least some signs of depression, such as hopelessness, feeling like a failure or getting little pleasure from doing things.
more » Read MoreHow Early Intervention Impacted My Life
Aug 26, 2020
By Katharine Hartleb
NAMI
https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/August-2020/How-Early-Intervention-Impacted-My-Life
I remember the first time I experienced the feeling of not being able to get out of bed. Not because I was too tired, but because I was too sad. It was during a time in my life when I was coping with a lot: My parents were getting a divorce, I had been in a car accident and one of my classmates died by suicide.
more » Read MoreU.S. Senate Passes The Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Improvement Act
On August 5th, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Commander John Scott Hannon Veterans Mental Health Care Improvement Act, S. 785, bipartisan legislation focused on efforts to reduce veteran suicide and improve mental health outcomes through improved access to care, better diagnostic tools and increased oversight of VA programs.
more » Read MoreHow to Paint Rocks for the Community
NAMI SW WA serves individuals with mental health challenges and those who love them.
How to Paint Rocks for Your Community:
An Antidote for the Pandemic-related Mental Exhaustion You’re Feeling
AUG. 28, 2020
Original article: https://buff.ly/2QAXdOo
“It’s nice to see all of you — virtually of course. How’s everyone doing?”
It’s noon on a weekday. I’m in a Zoom meeting with a compassionate committee of individuals doing community work to support our local Philadelphians through this time of difficulty and uncertainty.
I want to say that I am overwhelmed and exhausted but working on staying positive.
more » Read More