Closing of mental health centers

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Yesterday, Chicago’s public health commissioner announced that the city was closing four mental health centers because of a shortage in state funding.

Many people depend on these facilities for help with severe mental illnesses.

Those who are suffering from life issues like poverty, domestic violence, and drug abuse aren’t able to receive the help they need without these facilities. If people can’t receive help for these problems, it becomes easy for them to end up on the street or eventually have to seek other types of government funding in order to survive. Their mental illness becomes so debilitating that they can’t get jobs, and they can’t lead productive lives.

Without the help of mental health services, many individuals will end up homeless, ultimately affecting the community as a whole. These individuals are losing their emotional and psychological support systems. Being forced to discontinute therapy sessions with counselors who have been so invested in their progression to psychological well-being is a devastating thing.

The closing of mental health facilities in Chicago may help the city save some money in the short term, but I have to argue that the costs will eventually present themselves in the form of crime, domestic violence, and an increase of homeless people on the street. 

It frustrates me that social services are always the first thing to be cut when the economy is suffering.

Foods for a better mood

Sometimes diet is the most overlooked thing when it comes to mental health. We know that the food we put in our bodies is important for physical health but we shouldn’t forget that these foods also affect our brains! Certain foods have an impact on the levels of neurotransmitters in your brain and can actually improve your overall mood. Here are some options to consider:

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Folic Acid: This is a type of B vitamin that is essential for mood and proper nerve function. Low levels of folate have been associated with depression in women, and dementia in elderly people. Try foods like broccoli, spinach, and lentils.

Soluble fiber: it will actually help smooth out blood sugar levels so you don’t experience extreme highs and extreme lows. Oatmeal is a great choice and help you start off your day better than sugary cereals.

Chocolate: It can help raise both your serotonin levels and increase endorphins. Yes, this is why girls crave it during that time of the month. Not to mention it’s just plain delicious all the time.

Image from Leslie Beck, Leading Nutritionist

Omega-3 fatty acids: these will actually help your brain cells and neurotransmitters function properly. Almonds have actually been shown to decrease depression in certain individuals. Other foods to consider would be salmon and flaxseed. Buy loaves of bread that have flaxseed added to them. Check out healthy brands like kashi. The GoLean Crunch is a great breakfast option.

Selenium: Studies have shown that a selenium deficiencies have been linked to depression in individuals. Try foods like whole grain, fish, and garlic.

Caffeine: Yes, caffeine is a fine line. Too much can make you nervous, and give you horrible headaches if you go through withdrawal. But if you stick to a moderate amount each morning, it has been shown to boost your mood. Tea is the best option as it’s lower in caffeine than coffee and has other health benefits like cancer-fighting antioxidants.

Vitamin D: This is huge, and is the reason many people who live in places with long winter seasons suffer from seasonal affective disorder. Vitamin D helps increase levels of serotonin in the brain. Not only can you get it from sunlight but through foods like salmon and fortified milk.

Be conscious of what you’re eating, and you will feel the benefits!

Male vs. female brain

I’m sure you’ve heard the stereotype that men do better in science and math while women do better in language and writing. Although scientists often say there is more diversity between individuals than there are between the sexes, there may be some truth to this stereotype.

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A study from UC Irvine found there to be a difference between men and women in certain areas of the brain. Women were shown to have significantly larger (nearly 10 times the amount of) “white matter” in their brains, whereas men had significantly larger (nearly 6.5 times the amount of) “grey matter” in their brains.

Grey matter represents “information processing” and white matter represents “networking” or “connections between processing systems.”

In easier terms, men may be better at math because it involves a localized process, and women may be better at communicating because it involves the integration of information.

However, it’s important to note that there is no difference between levels of overall intelligence in men and women.

I have to say, that in my own experiences, I have seen this to be true. Calculus was a huge struggle for me in high school, and it seemed impossible for me to get through without having my guy friends help me “get it.” And usually “getting it” involved memorizing some formula, but not actually seeing the bigger picture. I never understood new concepts on the first try.

Then in English classes, I end up writing a book and my guy friends would write a paragraph. It just seemed like the words would flow out of my mind and they would struggle even filling up a page.

Many of these differences between men and women could be due to social constructs and parents indirectly teaching their children these sex differences however. For example, whenever I needed help on a math problem, it was always “Go ask your dad!” and if I needed to know how a word was spelled, I had to “Go ask mom.”

However, brain imaging studies, like the one above, show that there may be some truth to major biological differences between the brains of males and females.

Eating disorders and body image

Since middle school, I have been confronted with issues of body image. It was usually the girls who were already skinny that I heard throwing up in the bathroom or saw starving themselves. I would see one girl consistently pick at a Nutra-Grain Bar each day at lunch, and another girl get a quadruple shot latte instead of food. Caffeine helps you lose weight.

Image from Preemptive Karma

The girl who picked at her food was 5’10 and about 110 pounds. This obsessing over food and body image starts to get in your head especially when you realize that you’re the same weight and only 5’3. The sad thing is that you don’t realize your thoughts are completely unreasonable because they seem normal considering the influence from peers and the media.

According to The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awareness, 1 in 5 women struggle with disordered eating, and eating disorders affect about 70 million people world wide. Of those with an eating disorder, 90% are females between the ages of 12 and 25.

The media has a huge impact on disordered eating, and there have been numerous studies showing a correlation between exposure to media images of skinny women and disordered eating and exercising.

When America’s Next Top Model became a hit show, my roommates and I became obsessed with watching it. It’s one of those reality shows that hooks you in because its so mindlessly entertaining. But I started realizing how every time I watched, I felt like I wasn’t as pretty, not tall enough, and that I needed to lose weight by eating less and exercising more. Although Tyra Banks tries to educate her audience about eating disorders and healthy behavior in the modeling industry, her show has a huge impact on the development of these behaviors.

For example, Tyra told the shortest contestant (I believe she was 5’7) that she could “NEVER wear flip flops.” Imagine what that message can do to someone who’s 5’3. It’s like saying, “You’re not good enough, and must always attempt to make yourself taller.” The most important thing to note, is that the average height for women in the United States is 5’3.8″.

Image from Marshu

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team is another show that focuses on body image. These girls are all tall and beautiful. The worst thing was when the coach cut one of the girls because she was “bottom heavy.” As my roommates and I watched, our mouths dropped. This girl was not bottom heavy. She was tiny just like the rest of them, but just not AS tiny.

The biggest issue I’m witnessing in my generation is the rise of “disordered eating.” This simply means you don’t meet the criteria for an eating disorder but you have disordered behaviors such as obsessively counting calories, weighing yourself, skipping meals, etc. A SELF poll from April indicated that “65% of American women are disordered eaters.” I have noticed this behavior in many of my friends and even myself. I don’t want to be a person though, that becomes a prisoner to this type of thinking.

As women, it’s sad to see how we can so easily be broken by society. We become trapped in a mindset we can’t escape, and lose valuable time that we could be enjoying life. Enjoying meals even, and not experiencing excessive anxiety and guilt surrounding them. This type of thinking ruins self-confidence, and if taken too far, can ultimately take lives. I hope that by becoming more aware, we can overcome this cultural idea of “thinness = beautiful.”

Risk for Alzheimer’s disease

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U.S. News.com had an article on Monday about the discovery of a gene variant on the X chromosome that increases the risk of developing Alzheimer’s. This means that women may have a higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s but scientists aren’t sure how big that risk is. Sounds scary to me especially because my grandma has Alzheimer’s.

We recently moved my grandma into a nursing home. Living by herself wasn’t exactly the most practical living situation anymore. She couldn’t do simple tasks like use the stove anymore, and she was constantly paranoid.

The other day she was telling my family a story about one of her nights in the facility. She said that she woke up at 2 am, left her room and started following this hallway, went down 3 flights of stairs and eventually through a tunnel. She had no idea where she was going but kept following a bright light she saw at the end of the tunnel.

“This story is starting to sound like Alice and Wonderland,” said my dad. Once she reached the end of the tunnel, she said that all of these “mentally deranged people” were walking around.

“Those are called maintenance guys,” my dad said, trying to lighten what could be a seriously scary conversation. The nurses have had to call my mom on several occasions because of this type of behavior. Of course, my grandma ended her night adventure by “following the yellow brick road” all the way back to her room.

My grandma sees things differently these days.

I always thought Alzheimer’s was a disease I would never experience. It was something I saw in movies but not in my own family. Some people in my family are having a very difficult time coping with it, and others seem to handle it okay…notice my dad’s funny remarks.

I have to admit, the gene variant on the X chromosome scares me a little bit. But there are so many new studies being done with limited implications that it’s really hard to know which ones to live by and what to take with a grain of salt.

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On Monday, new research was released from a collaborative study in Stockholm and Helsinki showing a negative relationship between coffee consumption and the risk for developing Alzheimer’s.

The press release from Karolinska Institutet says, “Coffee drinkers at midlife had lower risk for dementia and AD later in life compared to those drinking no or only little coffee. The lowest risk (65% decreased) was found among moderate coffee drinkers (drinking 3-5 cups of coffee/day).”

So…drink up! Maybe my Starbucks habit will pay off after all.

Choice theory?

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William Glasser, psychologist and founder of Choice Theory and Reality Therapy, says that we choose to be depressed and that we choose to be anxious. At first glance, his theory seems very insensitive and absolutely untrue for cases of biological mental illnesses. Glasser was from a generation that was limited in its understanding of the biological and physiological cause for mental illness.

However, after reading his book called Choice Theory, I was really inspired by it. Instead of viewing his theory as insensitive, I saw it as liberating.

It was somehow freeing to believe that I had a choice over my own mental well-being.

Consider this point of view. The argument in the psychology world often says that a person is depressed because they have a deficiency of available serotonin in their brain. Taking an SSRI, such as an antidepressant like Prozac, can alter the levels present in the brain and make a person happier.

Glasser’s theory however says that people make choices that cause them to have low levels of serotonin and ultimately cause them to be depressed. If someone chooses to sit in their house alone and withdraw from all of their close relationships, they will probably have lower levels of serotonin and become sad and lonely. They didn’t have to make this choice. They could have chosen to go for a run in the morning, and meet their friend for lunch. The main idea is personal choice and responsibility.

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So which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Finding one cause for depression is impossible, but what we do know is that there’s a relationship between depression and serotonin.

Glasser’s theory is bold because he gives people sole responsibility over their own mental condition. We can consider him insensitive in one respect, but sensitivity only goes so far when a person needs change in their life. Blaming someone, and giving them a choice are two different things. See the difference here?

The choices we make in our daily lives naturally affect the neurotransmitters in our brain, which in turn affect our mood. Whether we become happy or depressed.

I think that the diagnosis of mental illness is sometimes debilitating for people. A psychologist tells someone they have depression, they believe they have depression, and therefore live a lifestyle that is depressing.

Trust me, I understand that it is not easy, and that there are certain people that have depression so badly that its extremely pervasive in their life. I can’t understand what that’s like and I don’t blame those people. Those people absolutely need counseling and antidepressants to get by.

However, a large majority of the population does not have depression so badly that they can’t do something about it. They can change their lifestyle to somehow make things better. Even if someone has a biologically-caused depression, I think Glasser wants to challenge them. So what? Okay, yes, you have depression. What are you going to do about it?

I’m not saying that Choice Theory is my bible, or that I think it can apply to everyone. Honestly, it tends to be very reductionistic in it’s thinking, but I also tend to be pretty optimistic. I think it has a lot to bring to the table.

Glasser also gives advice on relationships, issues of control, and personal freedom. Interested? Check it out: Choice Theory.

A New Hope Social Services, P.L.L.C.

Ever heard of a PSR specialist? Neither had I because I live in the state of Washington.

A New Hope Social Services, located in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho is an organization that offers therapy to individuals with mental illnesses. As a psychology major, the organization interests me not only as a potential employer but for it’s unique services for individuals with mental health illnesses.

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The organization hires psychosocial rehabilitation specialists (PSRs) that provide therapy to individuals with mental illness. Psychosocial rehabilitation focuses on changing the behavior of a person with mental illness, rather than trying to analyze the underlying emotional issues or the cause of these behaviors.

In other words, it’s very different than typical therapy. And doesn’t involve laying on a couch.

This type of therapy is described as “preventative treatment.” The goal of therapy is to prevent individuals from ending up in residential treatment centers or hospitals, and to help each client be successful in his/her community.

The most common types of behavioral problems for kids and adolescents are typically adjustment disorder, PTSD, depression, and bipolar disorder. PSRs help clients cope with these disorders by teaching anger management, basic coping skills, educational strategies, family functioning, communication skills, etc.

Overall, the goal is not to touch on emotional issues (the why), but to help these children and adolescents live productively (the how). Solutions to everyday situations are most valuable, and intervening early is the key to preventing these behaviors from becoming worse.

PSR’s meet with their clients about 4-8 hours a week in community settings such as schools, shopping malls, parks, coffee shops, libraries and even their own homes. PSR’s help clients learn how to cope with stressors, and to live productively in these environments by managing their behaviors. For example, a PSR worker might take a child with social anxiety to a shopping mall and work on altering intrusive thoughts and modifying unproductive behaviors.

Who can receive PSR services? Those who have been diagnosed with a mental illness, wish to receive counseling, or have been referred by a therapist, parent, school, or the court system. The Department of Health and Welfare authorizes the number of hours each client will receive from PSR specialists, depending on the level of need. Not only do PSRs give individual therapy sessions, but they work with the foster care system, child protective services, teachers, primary care physicians, and often appear in court for many of the clients’ cases. A New Hope Social Services is also available to clients with medicaid.

The most fascinating thing is that PSR specialists are the primary contact for clients 24/7. PSRs carry their own personal company cell phones with them that clients can call day or night if they have thoughts of suicide, or feel they are in a crisis. This is definitely not the case with a private therapist.

Even more fascinating is that Idaho public school districts hire PSR specialists to work in their schools. Public schools!

Why doesn’t Washington have something like this?

Mental health crisis?

Mention the word stress, and we all can relate. For me, there’s the stress of trying to make rent each month, homework I can’t seem to ever catch up on, and that constant shoveling of snow that seems to pile up in my driveway. I think yesterday my heart was beating a little faster than normal. Maybe I should just take Prozac. Everyone’s doing it, right?

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According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 118 million antidepressant drugs were prescribed in visits to doctors and hospitals in 2005. This number has tripled since 1994, making it comparable to the treatment of heart disease. Taking a drug does seem like a quick fix to all of those problems we face. And by all means, who wouldn’t want to a take a pill that could magically make you happy?

With the current stress from the economic crisis, PTSD from the war in Iraq, increase in divorce rate, adolescent suicides, and skyrocketing antidepressant sales, our society seems to be in a mental health crisis.

According to the Canadian Press, “Counselors are reporting a rise in the number of clients threatening divorce, while mental health experts warn tough economic times often lead to higher rates of depression and family violence.”

Personally, one of the biggest concerns for me is how these hardships are affecting children and adolescents. The stressors of our society are impacting families in a dynamic way, putting children and teenagers at risk psychologically more than ever before.

Last Friday, there was an article published in the San Francisco Chronicle, titled Economy takes a toll on mental health. Psychotherapist, Susan Regan, said, “I was with this family in a family session and one of the kids turned to the parent and said, ‘Mom, how’s your job going? Are you OK?’ “

Those typical “grown up” anxieties are being passed on to children who are starting to worry about financial situations and the happiness of their families at a much earlier age.

Depression isn’t something that is usually talked about until early adulthood or until a person takes a psychology class in high school. However statistics have shown that children are developing extreme feelings of sadness, worry, and distress at a much earlier age.

Children with parents suffering from depression and anxiety are the biggest worry for me. How are they able to cope with a dad who takes out financial frustrations on his family through abuse, or a mother who neglects her children because she is stressed?

Do we have enough resources available for for those who need help?