Quote of the Day

“Others imply that they know what it is like to be depressed because they have gone through a divorce, lost a job, or broken up with someone. But these experiences carry with them feelings. Depression, instead, is flat, hollow, and unendurable. It is also tiresome. People cannot abide being around you when you are depressed. They might think that they ought to, and they might even try, but you know and they know that you are tedious beyond belief: you are irritable and paranoid and humorless and lifeless and critical and demanding and no reassurance is ever enough. You're frightened, and you're frightening, and you're "not at all like yourself but will be soon," but you know you won't.” 

― Kay Redfield Jamison, An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness

What It Really Means to Have Bipolar Disorder

It means being told your feelings are wrong, stupid, invalid.  Whatever the situation, you're always told you are overreacting.  As if your broken heart is something to be ashamed of.  As if your anger is misled. As if your happiness is abnormal. And yes, maybe it is.  Maybe it always is.  But you take any one person and tell them over and over that they overreact to everything, that they're "not supposed to" feel that way, and what does it do?  That's right. It chisels the life out of them, chip by chip, until they don't trust themselves or anyone else.  And there's no pills to fix that.

Applying for Disability Benefits with a Mental Illness

Those who are unable to work due to a severe mental illness can potentially qualify for disability benefits from the Social Security Administration (SSA). In order to do so however, you must meet the technical requirements for eligibility and also have the necessary medical documentation to prove that your mental illness prevents you from maintaining gainful employment.

The SSA’s Disability Programs

SSD programs administered by the SSA include:

• Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which is a program for disabled workers, and sometimes their dependents. SSDI requires you worked long enough, and recently enough, to build up the required “work credits” by paying into the program through Social Security taxes (FICA).
• Supplemental Security Income (SSI), which is a need-based program designed to pay benefits to those who need them most, including disabled workers and individuals who cannot qualify for SSDI. SSI requires you have very limited income and other financial resources with which to support yourself.

For more information on the disability programs, please visit: http://www.ssa.gov/disability/

Mental Illnesses and Proving Disability

The SSA recognizes a number of mental illnesses as disabilities. The conditions in the following section are among those listed in the SSA’s Blue Book. This does not mean you automatically qualify for SSD benefits however. You must still prove your condition is so severe that it prevents you from getting and keeping a job in which you can earn a gainful living. You must also support your claim for disability benefits with substantial medical records and other documentation.

Conditions that May Qualify

Many mental illnesses can qualify for disability, though in order to do so, they must cause severe and persistent symptoms, despite consistent treatment. In other words, you must follow the treatment regimen prescribed by a doctor and still suffer from severe limitations in order to qualify for benefits.

The following are just a few of the primary conditions listed in the Mental Disorder (12.00) section of the SSA’s Blue Book, which is a manual of potentially disabling conditions, including the medical documentation required for proving disability with each.

• Organic mental disorders, or those caused by a physiological issue, like a brain deformity or brain injury
• Schizophrenia
• Affective disorder
• Personality disorder
• Bipolar disorder
• Substance addition disorder

For more information on applying for benefits with a mental illness, please visit: http://www.disability-benefits-help.org/disabling-conditions/mental-disorders

Medical Records

If you suffer from a mental illness, you need consistent medical care to live as full and “normal” a life as possible. You also need to regularly see a medical doctor or a psychiatrist regularly in order to obtain a formal diagnosis, build up your medical records, and to follow a treatment protocol, all of which are essential components of satisfying the SSA’s medical eligibility criteria for SSD benefits.

Applying for Benefits

While you can apply for SSD benefits online, at the SSA’s website, you can also make an appointment and apply in person at your local SSA office. When submitting an initial application you will have to provided detailed medical documentation, as well as documentation showing your financial situation and your work history.

Don’t be discouraged if you application for disability is denied. Over 60% of initial applications are denied. There is an extensive appeals process through which you can obtain the benefits that you deserve. If your application is denied, you should strongly consider hiring a disability attorney or advocate to help you with the appeals process.

Article by Ram Meyyappan

Social Security Disability Help

www.disability-benefits-help.org/blog

Mixed Messages about Alcohol and Depression

© Jorge Royan / http://www.royan.com.ar / CC-BY-SA-3.0

Wine can help with depression. Or make it worse. Or kill you. Depends on the flavor-of-the-week study.

Research published Aug. 30 noted lower levels of depression with drinking “two to seven small glasses of wine per week.” I found it in – wait for it – Wine Spectator. The Spanish study also was reported on other medical news sites, however. And the report could be the loophole a drinker may use to avoid quitting, or the justification an ex-drinker may use to slip out of sobriety.

First, to credit the authors of the study, the research followed more than 5,500 men and women over age 55 for seven years, specifically looking at amount and type of drink and level of depression. “Moderate” drinkers of wine were found to have lower levels of depression than either abstainers or problematic drinkers. Lead author of the study, Miguel A. Martínez-Gonzále of the University of Navarra in Spain explained, “Problematic alcohol intake may be associated with depression not only because of increased intake of ethanol but also because of other alcohol-related unhealthy lifestyles or because of the social environment surrounding problematic drinkers (job loss, family problems, financial problems or other addictions). Any of these circumstances may be a potential trigger for depression, even in the absence of a specific detrimental role for ethanol.”

Other research from February this year contradicts that message somewhat, noting that a third of depressive episodes are tied to alcohol abuse of the disease of alcoholism and the periods of depression are “different from depressive episodes caused by other life events.” The February study, lead by noted alcohologist Marc Schuckit of the University of California, San Diego, focused on the problematic drinkers avoided in the University of Navarra study.

Heavy drinking causes depression. Light drinking alleviates depression. That seems to be the message. The question on the table is how to distinguish between heavy and light, and whether the individual can drink at all. Physicians define light as 1.2 drinks per day, moderate as 2.2 drinks a day, heavy as 3.5 drinks daily and abusive drinking was defined as 5.4 drinks a day.

Those with the disease of alcoholism have one choice: Zero drinks per day. Total abstinence is the only way to keep the disease in remission.

Experts have long known that heavy drinking can spur temporary episodes of depression while many with alcohol use disorders use alcohol to relieve depression. They self-medicate. "I don't know that the average person realizes that heavy drinking can induce mood problems," said Schuckit.

However, yet another widely reported Sept. 2013 study claims alcohol has no connection to mental depression in men, even though alcohol itself is central nervous system depressant. The University of Western Australia's three-year Health in Men Study lead author Osvaldo Almeida said the association observed between alcohol and depression could be explained by other factors, but not by alcohol itself. "The conclusion is that alcohol use neither causes nor prevents depression in older men. Our results also debunk the view that mild to moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the risk of depression.”

But Almeida was quick to add, “It doesn’t mean alcohol is entirely safe and people can consume it in whatever way they like. We know that alcohol when consumed in excess does create a lot of health problems – but what we now know is that one of those problems is not depression.”

There is one additional consideration stemming from a Norwegian study, also from February, that point to the health risks regardless of the relationship between alcohol and depression. “The evidence of the harmful effects of alcohol outweighs data on the benefits of drinking,” a physician wrote in an online issue of the journal Addiction. In a critical analysis of the health-boosting, disease-preventing characteristics of alcohol, Norwegian psychiatrist and addiction researcher, Hans Olav Fekjær, notes in the journal, “Altogether, the evidence for alcohol's ability to prevent diseases is considerably weaker than that for alcohol causing several kinds of harm.”

Fekjær also noted claims that moderate wine drinking has health benefits. “Wine drinkers generally had more formal education, better dietary and exercise habits and more favorable health status indicators. Altogether, there is ample evidence that groups with different drinking habits differ in several other ways than their drinking, making it difficult to separate the effects of drinking habits from other factors.”

Other evidence-based studies on diseases demonstrate increased health risks with alcohol consumption. For example, Boston University's study in the Feb. 14 Journal of Public Health concluded when it comes to cancer, “No amount of alcohol is safe."

While there is observational data that light or moderate drinkers have a reduced risk of several diseases which are influenced by lifestyle factors, whether or not the lower risk is due to alcohol is a more complicated issue. “Taken together, the existing evidence does not seem to meet the criteria for inferring causality. For almost all the diseases, we do not know of any plausible biological mechanism explaining a preventive role for alcohol. Alcohol's possible ability to prevent diseases should probably not be considered as an established fact.

“The absence of definite knowledge leaves plenty of room for wishful thinking, which we observe frequently on this topic,” Fekjær concluded.

Don't drink the Kool-Aid … or in this case, the wine. Consider other possible consequences of the "cure" for depression while evaluating studies of alcohol’s connection to depressive illnesses.

Scott Stevens is the journalist and award-winning author behind the alcoholism recovery bestseller Every Silver Lining Has a Cloud: Relapse and the Symptoms of Sobriety. www.alcohologist.com

What Is Involved In Taking Part In A Clinical Trial?

Clinical trials are an important part of medical science. Drug testing is imperative to check the safety and validity of medicines and practices in combating illness and disease control. To take part in a clinical trial is to assist scientists in this battle and perhaps help others alleviate suffering, or, in some cases, even save lives.

Who can take part?

There are many different types of clinical trials. Some may be gender specific, age specific or even illness specific. It is important to gather the information beforehand regarding which volunteer demographics are applicable if you are thinking of volunteering for a specific trial. If you dont have a specific trial in mind, there is normally something suitable for most people who are interested in taking part.

The Process

Before any clinical trial is undertaken, you will need to undergo a medical (commonly called a screening visit). Volunteers generally need to be healthy and tests are in place to ensure your safety and the tenacity of the ongoing trial. If this test is failed you will be unable to partake in the clinical testing so if you catch a cold a few days before your screening visit it would be a good idea to call in and arrange a new appointment for a later date.

Possible risks involved

As with most things in life, there is an element of risk involved, but clinical trials are heavily regulated and the safety of volunteers is always the primary concern. Should you have any worries, it is important to discuss these at your initial assessment. The people carrying out the trial will provide you with a booklet containing information about the trial before you take part, and at no point are you under any contractual obligation to carry on with the trial. Clinical research companies are happy to answer any questions you may have about the trial, and you will be closely monitored throughout the entire duration.

Payments for undertaken trials

In general, most clinical trials last from between 1 and 30 days and may take up precious time that you would have otherwise spent working. Volunteers are paid between £500 and £3000 for taking part in a trial; the payment is directly proportionate to the length of time committed to the trial. There are also expenses to take account of for travel costs. Volunteers are paid up to £100 to account for the costs of travelling each time they need to visit the Clinical Research Unit (CRU).

Things to consider

For their own safety and the tenacity of test results, volunteers can only partake in one clinical trial at a time. After undertaking one clinical test, you will be unable to take part in another trial for 3 months. The 3 month cool down period begin from the date your last trial ended.

Smoking may be allowed in some clinical trials within a designated area, but some trials prohibit smoking entirely. If you are a smoker it is therefore a good idea to check before applying for a particular study, in relation to whether or not smoking is allowed.

Consider the length of time you will be required to stay at the CRU. You may need to arrange childcare, or for a friend to look after your pet. A travel itinerary is a good idea if you don't drive and are dependent on public transport. Also, ensure you pack for the duration of your stay. Trials are carefully planned and rarely go over the designated duration allotted.

Make notes of any questions you may have for the initial screening stage. If this is your first clinical trial, it is important to note all concerns and ensure you are happy moving forwards.

There are plenty of opportunities for clinical trial volunteers. All new treatments and existing treatments that have been modified need to go through the clinical trial process before they can apply for licensing and be made available for prescription. Volunteers, therefore, are an exceptionally important part of medical science. To be a part of this process could make a huge difference in quality of life for someone else, possibly even a loved one. Whilst there is a financial motivation for volunteers to take part, creating safer or more effective medicines is in itself the reward for many admirable people.

Featured images:

•  License: Image author owned 
•  License: Image author owned 
•  License: Image author owned 

By Nick Davison

This post was written by Nick Davison, Nick writes on a number of topics including Health, Psychology, and Medical Development.

Quote of the Day

"The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen." 

~Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

The Psychological Factors Of Back Pain

                              

Do you find yourself dealing with recurring bouts of back pain? If yes, you are part of the eight out of ten people who experience this condition at any point in their lives. But you don’t have to deal passively with the pain – there are steps you can take to avoid it, including exercising regularly and keeping your back and abdominal muscles strong.

But did you know that your pain can also be psychological or emotional in origin? There is evidence showing that underlying emotional issues and unresolved trauma can have a huge influence on your health, specifically as it relates to physical pain.

Back Pain Can Have an Emotional Component

In a 2004 study, 100 patients were monitored for four years – none of them had back pain at the onset of the study. Instead, they underwent psychological tests, which were compared to see which types of people developed back pain, and which ones remained pain-free.

Unsurprisingly, those who fared poorly on the psychological tests were three times more likely to report having experienced back pain by the end of the research.

Many health experts have emphasized your emotional health – and your ability to effectively manage stress – as a major influence on whether or not you will effectively eliminate your pain.

For example, Dr. John Sarno is a psychiatrist who uses mind-body techniques to treat patients with severe low back pain. He specializes on individuals who already have had surgery for low back pain and did not get any relief. Despite the given difficulty of healing this group of patients, Dr. Sarno has a greater than 80 percent success rate using tools such as the Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), which works like acupuncture but without the use of needles.

How to Fight Back Pain Effectively

Aside from psychological or emotional stress, there are other factors that can contribute to back pain, including accidents and sports injuries, poor posture, obesity, poor physical conditioning due to inactivity, internal disease (kidney stones, infections, and blood clots), and osteoporosis.

Here are some quick tips on how to relieve back pain:

• Avoid slouching when standing or sitting.
• Sit in chairs or car seats that offer good lumbar support.
• Switch sitting positions often, and periodically walk around or gently stretch your muscles to relieve tension.
• Avoid bending over without supporting your back.
• Lift with your legs, keeping your back straight.
• Wear comfortable, low-heeled shoes.
• Always stretch before any strenuous physical activity – A regular stretching program like active isolated stretching (AIS) is recommended.
• Sleep on your side to reduce any curve in your spin. Always sleep on a firm surface.
• Manage your weight.
• Quit smoking, which reduces blood flow to your lower spine and causes the spinal discs to degenerate.

Chiropractic is considered a good first line of defense for acute back pain. Chiropractic philosophy highlights your body’s innate healing wisdom and far less reliance on Band-Aid approaches such as drugs and surgery.

Chiropractic management has been shown to be much safer and less expensive than allopathic medical treatments. Its practitioners – chiropractic, osteopathic, and naturopathic physicians – receive extensive training in managing musculoskeletal disorders during their graduate healthcare training, which typically lasts from four to six years.

For pain and stress relief, you can also explore the benefits of massage. This age-old relaxation technique releases endorphins, which help relieve pain, induce relaxation, and reduce levels of stress chemicals such as cortisol and noradrenaline. Stronger massage stimulates blood circulation, improving the supply of oxygen and nutrients to body tissues and helping your lymphatic system flush away waste.

Massage simply eases tense and knotted muscles and stiff joints, helping improve your mobility and flexibility.

Last but not the least, keeping your spine strong requires sufficient amounts of calcium and vitamin D. Get adequate healthy sun exposure to optimize your vitamin D levels safely and naturally.

Jonas Gardner is a health writer who researches the underlying causes of chronic conditions like back pain. He uses independent natural health sources such as the daily newsletter of Dr. Joseph Mercola.

All Kinds of Sickness

I'm not back to 100% yet (more like 55%) but at least the depression isn't as severe now. I have been physically unwell today, dealing with upset stomach and vertigo. It may sound odd, but I like being sick when I am depressed. It adds "proof" that I need rest and comfort/space. It shouldn't be that way. It would be great if invisible illnesses like depression were respected as much as physically noticeable ailments. And it's not like I want attention or pity. I just want what I'm going through to be taken for what it really is, and not some form of laziness or weakness. Plus, it's easier to admit "I'm sick" than to try to explain "I'm depressed" to ignorant ears.

Simplify, Simplify, Simplify

I have to reevaluate my life frequently. I have a (major) tendency to take on too much, and then I find myself overwhelmed and in mandatory need of simplifying to prevent complete mental breakdown. I also have a tendency to consider this a weakness on my part, and depression ensues. But being able to recognize when you've bitten off more than you can chew is NOT a weakness. It's pretty damn impressive when you think about it. Sure, we'd all like to take on every project full speed ahead and succeed at everything, and limits are frustrating! But just because you have to take a step down every once in a while (or very often like me!) it doesn't mean you are going backward. You're not even standing still! Remember the tortoise and the hare: slow and steady wins the race.

And now, here are some of my favorite quotes about living a more simplistic life:

“Sometimes our stop-doing list needs to be bigger than our to-do list.”
― Patti Digh

“Free yourself from the complexities and drama of your life. Simplify. Look within. Within ourselves we all have the gifts and talents we need to fulfill the purpose we've been blessed with.” 
― Steve Maraboli

“Overcoming procrastination is not, I repeat, not about cramming additional work into your day . . . overcoming procrastination is about simplifying your life to make space for the activities that matter most.” 
― Richie Norton

Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify, simplify! I say, let your affairs be as two or three, and not a hundred or a thousand; instead of a million count half a dozen, and keep your accounts on your thumb-nail.  
― Henry David Thoreau

"I think people want very much to simplify their lives enough so that they can control the things that make it possible to sleep at night."
― Twyla Tharp

Moods, Decisions, and Why I May or May Not Disappear

Here's the deal with me.  I am in a horrible mood.  If you have ever found yourself in that cynical, withdraw-from-everyone depression, you know the mood I speak of.  I went to bed last night, slept solidly for three hours, and then woke up at 2 a.m. wide eyed and determined to delete my blog and Facebook page.  I fought hard not to do it, not really knowing exactly what I was fighting for.  I do want to help people.  Obviously, that is why I started the whole fiasco of writing about mental health and creating a FB to go along with the same topic.  I should be happy:  nearly every day I have someone write to me and thank me for the job I'm doing.  This always reminds me of my purpose and it lessens the blows of the more critical emails and comments I get.  But sometimes those critical ones are really hard to get over. But, that just comes along with being in the public eye.  Sure, I play a very minuscule part in the cyber world, but apparently not small enough to avoid pissing someone off every once in a while.

Yet, I don't know why I woke up with such a pressing need to delete my whole existence off the internet.  I am still debating it, to be truthful, but that doesn't bring me any closer to the subconscious reasoning behind it all.  Maybe I'm just tired.  It's true that I am at the most extreme end of introvert, and I'm as antisocial as they come.  Maybe this "job" is too social for me.  Maybe I should just...crawl into a hole and never been seen or heard of again.  That would certainly take less effort.  But would I feel any better than I do now?  Do I want to try it out and see?

I don't know.

Sometimes I think it's enough to simply focus on being an awesome mom and let the rest of the world deal with itself.  I'm raising the future here.  Leave me alone.  Maybe that really is what I should do.  When the kids are older, then I can give more than 45% of myself to the Stigma Fighter role.

That sounds noble enough to me.

Of course, I will probably completely change my mind as soon as this cynically depressed mood lifts.