Jane Addams was America’s first social worker. She founded Hull House, which can be compared to a modern day community center. Through Hull House she provided needed services and cultural events to the immigrant working class in her Chicago neighborhood. Through this website, I want to reach out to any stigmatized population, including refugees, religious and ethnic groups, those identifying as LGBTQ, and the physically and mentally disabled.
Thursday, November 19, 2020
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
The Failures of Modern Psychotropic Medications, Yet No Alternatives Exist
As published in the November 2020 issue of Buffalo Healthy Living
Bipolar Disorder Challenges
Medications, Compliance, Side-Effects
By Helaine Sanders, LMSW, JD
I live with bipolar
disorder (bipolar), a mental health condition that
causes episodes of mania, depression, and severe mood
swings that can result in serious consequences, including psychiatric
hospitalization. Having lived with bipolar for the past 30
years, I can tell you that it’s not easy. Managing bipolar
requires lifelong maintenance,
professional treatment, and coping with
sometimes overwhelming side effects of medications.
My bipolar manifests itself with episodes of depression and
mania, and the side effects of
my medications require that I plan my day carefully. An
antipsychotic mood stabilizer I take causes excessive sleepiness rendering me
unable to perform any activity after taking it.
If I force myself to stay awake at bedtime, I become so tired I am unable to
fall asleep immediately. When this happens, I divert my
attention by flexing my leg
muscles in order to fall asleep. I must also sleep an average of 8.5 hours each night in order to
function properly. Not getting
enough sleep results in loss
of balance, and I have slipped in the shower
several times because of this. My side effects
prevent me from being able to work a paid job. Thus, I make it a point
to participate in volunteer
activities, which I schedule for afternoons or early evenings.
On top of all of this, the anti-anxiety medication I take to feel
more relaxed exacerbates my
sleepiness, so I have to make
sure that I take it at the appropriate time each day. The anti-seizure
medication I require to stabilize my
moods makes me so dizzy that I must take it in a
lower dose. Last year, when my son
suffered a prolonged illness, my doctor prescribed an anti-depressant which has worked
well. However, its side effect is anxiety, so when I attended a
meeting several weeks after taking the
anti-depressant, I found myself interrupting others and ended up crying in the hallway. The incident
underscored how hard I have to work to control my reactions.
Most of the drugs I take also cause
constipation and weight gain. Medications
to control these symptoms are especially challenging while raising two active teenagers. Despite all of
this, I have come to learn that my
medications help me, and I am stabilized to the point where I only see my psychiatrist for
medication-management. However,
it is my greatest wish for others who have
loved ones struggling with bipolar to understand the monumental effort it
takes to manage it. Simple daily life activities most
people take for granted like sleeping
long enough, eating healthfully,
and compliance in taking
medication at the appropriate time require
a great deal of thought and planning, along with a commitment to being
compliant.
Helaine
Sanders has an MSW and JD. She teaches a class to
local refugees, and is the author of the blog, www.JanesPlace.org, which focuses on mental health issues and other topics relating to
stigma.
Monday, August 24, 2020
Let Me Speak - Zack
Personal Note: I’m really tired of saying “OK” when people ask me how I’m doing. I’m not really OK; I’m struggling. I’m doing fine professionally, but personally, I’m sad, lonely, anxious and isolated...and I’m an introvert. (Yes, introverts can get lonely). I know others are struggling as well. As alone as I may feel most of the time, I know that I’m not actually alone in this.
Sometimes I see these memes pop across my feed to promote mental health awareness. Maybe they do some good; I certainly hope so. But I think what might matter more is to just reduce the stigma of depression, anxiety and other mental health issues. People need to be open about their struggles without fear of judgment.
For those that don’t know me well, I might appear to be thriving. Social media can be deceptive. We try to eat well, and I’m always coming up with ideas for weekend adventures. But it’s hard. I feel drained and on edge. And I just don’t know how to recharge my batteries.
I honestly don’t want anyone to worry about me. I just need to deal with my own crap in my own way. I may reach out to some of you, and while I really do appreciate others touching base with me from time to time, right now I’m just kind of spent. I’m grateful to have enough work to provide me with energy, focus and the opportunity to help other people deal with their problems. But immersing myself in work is not a long-range solution for me; in fact, it’s not a great short-term solution either.
The point of this post, to the extent there is one, is just to encourage anyone else who might be struggling to reach out. Sometimes I don’t have the energy to actually talk, but I’ll always listen.
Wednesday, August 5, 2020
Let Me Speak - Hannah's Mother
Even now, she needs to be careful to maintain her mental health regarding her eating disorder. It can be triggered (mentally), not in behavior, by so many things. She lives in NYC, ground zero for eating disorders. Most of her friends have disordered eating. Many of her friends take 3-4 exercise classes A DAY, EVERY DAY, wearing their Apple watches to check their calories burned each hour.
Anorexic fashion models people the streets. And everywhere, people talk about food ad nauseum. Not in terms of how delicious something is, but is it “healthy," is it “good” food ,etc. all euphemisms for diet culture whether they know it or not. That would not trigger you maybe, but it sets off alarms in the minds of someone with disordered eating. I usually write how happy we are about Hannah’s recovery, but today, I thought it might be better to talk about her recovery. Hannah volunteers for NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association), talking to people who have called the hotline. She has become a resource for many friends who have this mental illness.
If you know somebody who needs help or someone to talk to, please let me know me and I’ll give them Hannah’s number.