Latest Post from our Blogs
Written by: Stephanie Price on Mar 5 2010 in our Inspiration Blog
Our current mental health awareness and empowerment campaign, Phoenix: The Rebirthing, has really been stirring a buzz lately. At this point we have three posterchildren, Stephanie, Rachel and Kayla. Their interests and accomplishments range from the fields of film to business to entertainment. Ash will be our fourth icon, she is still working on the production of her video.
We did our best to pick a diverse group of individuals, since all people with borderline personality disorder are different. The videos showcase diversity, challenges faced by those diagnosed with mental illness and the hope for recovery and success. We are still looking for more posterchildren with both bipolar disorder and BPD. Send a link to well-produced youtube video, professional picture and …
Written by: Alistair McHarg on Jan 20 2010 in our Bipolar Blog
An Unforgettable Trip
A review of Alistair McHarg’s “Invisible Driving” based solely on its literary merits would yield effusive, well-deserved praise, for everything about it from a technical standpoint is flawless: compelling, fluid storytelling; wildly inventive use of language; beautifully crafted narrative. However, to do so would also be missing its most important, and I believe central, point: to communicate the visceral, raw power and energy of the human psyche, stretched and twisted to its most extreme.
To say that I was moved by Mr. McHarg’s memoir of a particularly harrowing Manic-Depressive episode isn’t quite right. Stirred, shaken, rattled to the teeth…would all be more accurate. Mr. McHarg’s gift for poetry draws you straight into his head with utterly compelling emotional …
Written by: Stephanie on Jan 8 2010 in our Inspiration Blog
I know it’s a bit late for this but it’s still the first week of January. I want to begin this year with an inspirational post for all my wonderful readers.
Did you make a New Year’s resolution? Or maybe even goals? Share them in the comments space below so I can encourage you!
There are several things I learned last year which I would like to share with all of you.
First, focus on quality over quantity. In today’s fast-paced, multitasking world we can easily get caught up in staying busy and forget to scale down our daily activities in order to give more time to each task. Minimalism is chic so par down your to-do list, clean your house and toss …
Written by: Brenda on Dec 6 2009 in our Inspiration Blog
Soemtimes we go through such difficult times and feel like we can’t go on one more minute. But I believe the struggles are there to teach us, help us grow and also for us to be able to help others in the long run. This is a little story I wanted to share with you to give a different perspective on the struggles.
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly and he kept it. One day a small opening appeared. He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force it’s body trough that tiny hole. Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as …
Written by: Brenda on Nov 30 2009 in our Anxiety Blog
I heard this joke a long time ago; “A blonde went into a beauty salon for a haircut. As she sat down at the stylists chair, the stylist noticed she had headphones on. ‘Mam, please remove your headphones’ he asked. To which the blonde replied, ‘I can’t, I’ll die.’ ‘You must remove the headphones for me to give you a haircut, they’ll be in the way.’ the hairdresser insisted. ‘Seriously, I can’t take them off! I will die!’ Exclaimed the blonde. Frustrated over her lack of cooperation, the hairdresser yanked off her headphones. Within a moments time, the blonde fell over-dead! The hairdresser out of his curiosity put the headphones to his ear; “Breathe in. Breathe out. …
Written by: Brenda on Nov 28 2009 in our Depression Blog
Numerous studies have been done on the effects of sunlight on seratonin and melatonin in relation to changes in mood. One researcher; Shia Kent wrote; “We found that among participants with depression, low exposure to sunlight was associated with a significantly higher predicted probability of cognitive impairment. This relationship remained significant after adjustment for season. This new finding that weather may not only affect mood, but also cognition, has significant implications for the treatment of depression, particularly seasonal affective disorder.”
This explanation has been used to determine why there is more depression in winter months when sunlight is not as abundant in some areas.
So what about when there is no direct sunlight–like overcast winter days? One help, according to …
Written by: Brenda on Nov 28 2009 in our Self Help Blog
I think it’s time we all (including me) did our homework! Don’t worry, there is no math, english composition or science involved!
Read (don’t memorize) these statements each day until they become second nature. Or even focuses on one each day, a different one the next day and so on.
1. I am a unique and precious human being, always doing the best I can, always growing in wisdom and love.
2. I am in charge of my own life.
3. My #1 responsibility is my own growth and well being. The better I am to me, the better I will be to others.
4. I refuse to be put down by the attitudes or opinion of others.
5. I make my own decisions …
Written by: Brenda on Nov 24 2009 in our Self Help Blog
This is the handout I used in a presentation I did on stigma last year. Unfortunately, stigma is just as common now, if not more, than it was just a short year ago. Education never ends.
STOMPING OUT THE STIGMA AND MYTH
MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTION
1) WHAT IS STIGMA?
A. A HISTORY LESSON
B. WHO DOES STIGMA AFFECT?
C. WHAT ARE THE COSTS OF STIGMA?
D. VOCABULARY
2) COMBATING STIGMA
A. KNOWLEDGE IS KEY
B. OVERCOMING FEAR
C. SMALL STEPS
D. AS A SOCIETY
E. YOUR PART
3) RESOURCES
A. RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITY
B. ORGANIZATIONS
4) A WORD ON ADDICTION
Mental illness has been present for centuries. It is reported that the first psychiatric hospital-known then as “insane asylums”, was built in Baghdad in 705. Probably the best known asylum was founded …
Written by: Kayla Kavanagh on Nov 23 2009 in our BPD Blog
Thanks to all your support and encouragement I’ve just released the single!
This post was submitted by Kayla Kavanagh.
Written by: Brenda on Nov 21 2009 in our Self Help Blog
One of the most important, if not the most important thing we can do is learn to accept ourselves. We must learn to love who we are as individuals. Does that mean we just stop trying to better ourselves and stay the same even though we may not like it? NO.
If there are things we don’t like about ourselves we need to take steps. First, is it something we have the power to change? For example, if we are not the weight we want to be, it is in our power to change that, if we don’t like some of our personality traits, we have the power to change that too. But right at this …
