Psych Week on Discovery Health

The key is telling your body there won’t be any more famines. There are two primary ways of doing this:

1. Eat real food. When you’re eating quality food and it’s assimilated efficiently, the body begins to receive what it needs to function at its best. This is one very important step in turning off the famine response. The presence of nutrient-dense food in the diet signals to the body that there is plenty of food available and there’s no need to pile on fat stores. Digestion is also an important part of this equation because you want to make sure the real food you eat is assimilated properly. Including raw and cultured foods in your diet on a regular basis can improve your digestive health and ensure you’re getting the most out of your food.

2. Reduce stress. Another folly of modern society is the intense level of stress most of us are exposed to, often since very early childhood. Stress induces the famine response as much as dieting. After all, the body doesn’t distinguish between types of stresses; the same biochemical reactions occur whether you’re stressed by your work, a difficult marriage, lack of real food, poor sleep habits or any number of stressors. So it’s very important to address this and take the appropriate steps to reducing and managing the stress in your life. Read more about the stress connection to weight loss here and here and here.

Without addressing these two components, a healthy body composition is virtually impossible to achieve. Plus, healthy food choices reduce stress, and reducing stress makes it easier to choose healthier food. So making one small change at a time really can add up, and the right choices will come more naturally over time. Granted, this involves patience and won’t produce results like “Lose 10 pounds in one week!” But it will set you on the path to lasting health.

I wrote a comment on 4/26/10 on the website “stop drugging our children”. I will not go into the sorrow that it will bring; however, my child was diagnosed with “childhood schizophrenia” at the age of 5, because she would not stay in a classroom, she was a happy, otherwise, normal child, who wanted to stay with her mom. All families are “different”, parents do not come with a set of rules, their own “complexes” or “power plays”, whatever, will sometimes set the scene for an unknowingly “selfish” attitude towards their child, usually their first born. They may be outgoing and in need of praise or workaholics, who have not been taught how to raise children. They love their child but are not entirely devoted to it, many times they feel the child is “in the way” and can be annoying when they want to have friends over, whatever; some children will not be affected by this type of behavior; however, an intensely emotional child can and will,feel unloved and unattended and will do things purposely to get the attention of the parents, who will, in return, show anger and more resentment towards their offspring, then, of course, there are the relatives, who will give their advice, which is usually bad, and start “comparing” their “overly intelligent son or daughter” to your hyperactive child who is now the main focus, throughout the family and friends. This is the beginning of a downward spiral for all involved. By the time the child is ready for school,without the self confidence, that has not been instilled, he is a complete failure, ready for the “child psychology team to “evaluate” him. Of course, the child will not react favorably and the first offer to a parent is “what they call “tranquilizers”, drugs so toxic that they can change the brain in no time at all, it affects (and damages) all parts of the brain necessary for cognition, emotion,everything that makes you human, although these drugs are also used on animals (remember the ape that attacked its owners best friend, tearing off part of her face). Before you allow any so called “expert” to analyze your child, do a little research. THIS IS YOUR CHILD! It’s worth it. Read what the drugs contain and you will be shocked. I found out too late for my daughter, the people involved were getting big bucks for all of the visits and meetings, etc. and prescribing poison for my child, just to keep her down, well, if you hold back the hands of a clock, eventually it will stop ticking, and that is exactly how these drugs work, they hold back the brain from working normally. Look, we are all born with different genes, my in-laws were extremely hyperactive, even as adults, my own husband cannot sit still for a minute but he was never drugged to stop that behavior, yet he became a great builder, he had to use his hands, he had to keep busy. I beg you, before you consent to drugging your child, listen to parents who are “against” drugging. My child was put on Stelazine and Thorazine at 6 years old. She swallowed an entire bottle of “pretty blue pills” simply because I told her not to touch the bottle. The child will react to any form of criticism so you must distract him in a positive way, no matter how he pulls away from you, never show anger or hostility. You are the adult. This little girl in the documentary reminded me of my little Helen, so innocent and so lovely and so damned..remember, the advice they are giving you is putting money in their pockets, if your child gets worse, they will never blame it on the drugs (in fear of a lawsuit) they will even suggest a “residential” setting,where, I am sorry to say, usually employs child predators and the like. If you can afford to have one parent stay at home, do so and home teach the child, it is now available but please do not drug your child. I cried when I saw that darling little girl exhibiting the same drug related actions that my girl did. My daughter is now a woman and has been drug free for 27 years. It took 10 years to merely stabilize her, it is not easy,but, its penance for your lack of understanding and tolerance, although unknowingly, you have submitted your child to a life worse than death. My child is now 47 years old, looks like Brooke Shields, never had a friend, never had a relative, except my Dad, that loved her and, although I found out why she became worse on the drugs, it was already too late. I would like to write a book about her experience but I think she has suffered enough. She now knows we love her, she now is no longer afraid, she now trusts us and she can now live alone, in our former residence. We live nearby and see her daily. She is happy but has lost her youth, due to the selfish teachers and “professionals” that do not want to work with a child but would rather “drug” them into a world of “madness”. I beg the Schofields to slowly withdraw this dear little girl from those toxic drugs, do things that make her happy, sacrifice your social life and be the parents you could have, and should have, been. May God Bless you and your family and help you to heed my advice.We have been to hell and back, you still have time. Listen to what your futures will be if you keep her on drugs. I fear, somehow, that the father is already showing signs of extreme discontent. We did and are now paying for it. Good luck! A sorry mother.

It would benefit the mental health community and people overall if the series included those who appear to have a normal level of mental health, but who struggle each day to get out of bed, or isolate, avoid relationships, or who have low life quality despite “appearing” functional or successful.

People with depression, dysthmia, schizophrenia, adults with bipolar, and anxiety disorders – but who are functional, who are trying to be good parents despite their illness, have careers, are getting educations, doing great things, are caring people, etc.

These types of documentaries can add to the stigma and further prevent mental illness from being talked about in a mature, open manner. People are afraid of discrimination, losing jobs, being blamed as a bad parent, being veiwed as less than, scared to tell the new girlfriend he is taking antidepressants, or losing friends.

I think its important to highlight schizophrenia and other less common disorders, but the majority of the topics chosen are not the most common ailments people suffer from. Highlighting “the Woman with 15 Personalities”, the “Enraged” and “Strange Addictions” only leads the less-informed to develop their already negative views of the mentally ill by showing only the most provocative cases. It reinforces peoples’ fear and the “strangeness” of the mentally ill, which leads to ostracization, while ignoring the millions who work and live right alongside the mentally healthy general public – those who are suffering silently, with an invisible illness, but who cannot seek support or have the dignity of understanding from those surrounding them due to societal views.

It’s gotten better, but the media still needs to change its course for the benefit of our society. The mass media, such as TV, could really make a difference if it portrayed popular characters with a leading role with depression or bipolar, for example, instead of the source of jokes or entertainment from the rest of the cast or casting them as criminals, drama queens, or totally dysfunctional people.

Basically mental health in a way can be divided into two categories, behavioral (like borderline), and physiological (like schizophrenia or depression). Some, like sociopathy seem mixtures of both (due to different brain activity compared to “normal” people). Often treatment is a one-two punch, drugs to combat physical effects, and therapy to “retrain” detrimental behaviors.
I’d like to say some people can do with out medication or minor therapy (and some can), but unfortunately for more heavy duty cases, like paranoid schizophrenia this may not be an idea to flirt with (see John Hyde). I really hate to see people hold a “myth” that if they can love/nurture, ect. ect. enough it will correct or totally prevent everything. These are usually the families that go through the most denial or self-blame when a mental illness strikes their home. Look at the case of Jasmine Richards, she had a seemingly loving and involved family, yet she was a conduct disorder (i.e. a budding sociopath) that resented them and wanted them killed, and in fact went on the become the youngest killer in Canada so far.
Also few people realize a disease like schizophrenia can actually cause a sort of brain “shriveling” and is a considered degenerative. One purpose of the medicines is to try to stave this off, and early detection is recommended. Unfortunately they also come with hefty side effects.
Believe it or not, heavily medicating someone is still a last resort of sorts. With long term cases in treatment facilities or “half way” houses, I’ve seen the question of “does this medication need to be continued with this patient” frequently posed. Sometimes a drug is pulled, and left off their “roster” permanently. Sometimes it’s deemed that they fared better with it and are put back on.

AFTER POSTING THE ARTICLE I REALISED THAT MY EMAIL ADDRESS DID NOT APPEAR. I WILL SHARE IT.

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i am bipolar, and so is my 12 year old daughter. she’s always had issues with temper and being stubborn. we thought that she was just an extraordinarily difficult child, but about a year and a half ago, I was diagnosed bipolar.

Once medicated and feeling much more balanced, I noticed the similarities betweeen me and my daughter.

Shortly thereafter she was diagnosed and medicated. Needless to say, the medication has changed her life. She had set herself up with a reputation of being mean and bossy, flying off the handle and none of the kids at her school wanted anything to do with her, and she was kicked out of one school.

We tried for so long to understand the problems that she had, blaming on behavior issues that could be corrected by scolding or teaching.

Now that she is medicated she is a different girl. She has friends, she enjoys herself, has a social life. I implore all those here screaming about not medicating their children understand that there are cases where it is beneficial and necessary. My daughter is much happier now that things are under control. She always knew she had issues but couldn’t help herself before.

“Sad Parent”, Haldol is not a drug that you are “put on,” it’s a “tranquilizer”. It’s sometimes used when someone becomes a threat to others or themselves.
As someone who has been on medication at a couple points in my life, I can say there is a fine line and a point where not getting someone (like a minor) mental health help can be a form of cruelty in itself. Mental health professionals can be subject to corruption just like doctors who are supposed to be caring for our health, but that doesn’t mean that the process of going to a doctor is detrimental.
Mental health (unlike sociology, I’d say) is a very scientific field. It’s often closely tied to neurological studies; how the brain works, and what happens when certain areas of the brain function abnormally. The human body and brain produces a lot of hormones and chemicals. Sometimes things don’t function like they should. When we have problems with the hormone insulin, we call it Diabetes. The same thing can happen to chemicals of the brain that affect mood and cognition.
If it’s a purely behavior disorder where someone has essentially learned to be a “brat,” you might be able to change it. However, you cannot “love” away a true mental illness.