Advocacy
NAMI 2012 National Convention
01/26/12 12:33
The 2012 NAMI National Convention will be held at the Seattle Sheraton Hotel, June 27-30.
This year’s theme: Think, Learn and Live: Wellness, Resiliency and Recovery, highlights this year’s focus on developing effective programs and resources to increase resiliency and advance recovery.
Early registration guarantees lower fees for the conference. Very reasonable fees are available for “consumers” of mental health care; we need to advocate for ourselves and keep up to date on new research and treatments!
The Sheraton is located in the heart of Seattle, an area rich with restaurants, shopping, attractions, and the world famous Pike Place Market.
Visit this link: NAMI 2012 National Convention for detailed information. These conferences draw 2,000+ individuals or more -- mental health care professionals, researchers, advocates and consumers. Plenary sessions, lectures, “Ask the Doctor” sessions offer wonderful networking opportunities. There of course is special entertainment, a party or two, and a chance to visit one of the most wonderful cities in the U.S.
This year’s theme: Think, Learn and Live: Wellness, Resiliency and Recovery, highlights this year’s focus on developing effective programs and resources to increase resiliency and advance recovery.
Early registration guarantees lower fees for the conference. Very reasonable fees are available for “consumers” of mental health care; we need to advocate for ourselves and keep up to date on new research and treatments!
The Sheraton is located in the heart of Seattle, an area rich with restaurants, shopping, attractions, and the world famous Pike Place Market.
Visit this link: NAMI 2012 National Convention for detailed information. These conferences draw 2,000+ individuals or more -- mental health care professionals, researchers, advocates and consumers. Plenary sessions, lectures, “Ask the Doctor” sessions offer wonderful networking opportunities. There of course is special entertainment, a party or two, and a chance to visit one of the most wonderful cities in the U.S.
First DP Network Television Interview - A Milestone
06/04/11 12:43
Stranger to My Self author Jeffrey Abugel discusses depersonalization on Channel 8's “Let's Talk Live, Washington DC. The first live discussion of DPD on a major television station. This is a major milestone in getting the word out about DP/DR. Thank you Jeff!
Must Have Book for Advocates
03/25/11 17:16
I began my journey with mental health advocacy by speaking out about my own mental illness, then focusing on the stigma surrounding all mental illnesses. Recently I have become keenly aware of the severity of our broken mental health care system which has abandoned those with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar, and schizoaffective disorder.
The following book will shock you to action and is really required reading for anyone who wants to understand why the Los Angeles County Jail is now the largest mental health “asylum” in the United States. “Asylum” used to mean “safe haven.” There is no such place for most severely mentally ill individuals. This has major financial and public health ramifications that will come to a head in the next few years.
Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness
Pete Earley, 2006 Read More...
The following book will shock you to action and is really required reading for anyone who wants to understand why the Los Angeles County Jail is now the largest mental health “asylum” in the United States. “Asylum” used to mean “safe haven.” There is no such place for most severely mentally ill individuals. This has major financial and public health ramifications that will come to a head in the next few years.
Crazy: A Father’s Search Through America’s Mental Health Madness
Pete Earley, 2006 Read More...
CABF Wins $250,000 Pepsi Grant!
01/05/11 19:19
CABF is a national, parent-led organization that provides information, support and advocacy for 500,000 website visitors annually. CABF advocates for youth with depression and bipolar and is highly respected for its scientifically credible information. Early intervention can save lives!
The Next Frontier: One Mind For Brain Research
11/09/10 20:46
Fifty years ago, President John F. Kennedy challenged Americans to redefine the realm of possibility by sending a man to the moon and returning him home safely before the decade was out.
Today we face a scientific challenge of even greater magnitude. Nearly 100 million Americans live with a disorder of the brain or central nervous system.
The torch on this mission has been passed to Patrick Kennedy.
More information at MOONSHOT.ORG
Prepare for the The Next Frontier: One Mind for Brain Research, May 23rd-May 25th, 2011.
Now is the time for emergency science. Now is the time for a moonshot to the mind.
NAMI Walk 2010
09/27/10 13:59
I am so thrilled to have walked in the 2010 NAMI Walk on the BC2M team.
Thanks to everyone who made donations as well as those who spread the word and offered encouragement and support.
Read More...
Thanks to everyone who made donations as well as those who spread the word and offered encouragement and support.
Yet Another New Book!
09/02/10 12:19
Click on the Amazon Link to See: Overcoming Depersonalization Disorder: A Mindfulness & Acceptance Guide to Conquering Feelings of Numbness & Unreality
Fugen Neziroglu, Ph.D (Author), Katharine Donnelly, M.A. (Author)
June, 2010
I have not taken a look at this new publication, but it looks like a good self-help book for DP sufferers. “Acceptance” and a Buddhist approach to “living in the moment” complement a holistic approach to living with DP. All brain disorders need to be treated on all levels from medications to behavioral therapy to self-care strategies. Try whatever works best for you. Read More...
Fugen Neziroglu, Ph.D (Author), Katharine Donnelly, M.A. (Author)
June, 2010
I have not taken a look at this new publication, but it looks like a good self-help book for DP sufferers. “Acceptance” and a Buddhist approach to “living in the moment” complement a holistic approach to living with DP. All brain disorders need to be treated on all levels from medications to behavioral therapy to self-care strategies. Try whatever works best for you. Read More...
Participate in Editing the DSM-5
08/31/10 12:48
The American Psychiatric Association is again revising the old Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV, 1994). The DSM-5 will hopefully be published in 2013.
Certain brain disorders are being redefined and their diagnostic criteria being clarified. Depersonalization Disorder, for the first time, will be recognized as a disorder that can be COMORBID with other disorders -- not simply a secondary symptom.
We all need to participate to support this change, and reiterate the need for education of physicians and other mental health professionals who seem very ill-informed on our disorder. It is important we speak up in numbers. Depersonalization Disorder is far more common than believed. Help make this known to the APA. This will subsequently affect (and be reflected in) the updated ICD (International Classification of Medical Disorders.)
We must be heard! Read on and follow the link to participate. Read More...
Certain brain disorders are being redefined and their diagnostic criteria being clarified. Depersonalization Disorder, for the first time, will be recognized as a disorder that can be COMORBID with other disorders -- not simply a secondary symptom.
We all need to participate to support this change, and reiterate the need for education of physicians and other mental health professionals who seem very ill-informed on our disorder. It is important we speak up in numbers. Depersonalization Disorder is far more common than believed. Help make this known to the APA. This will subsequently affect (and be reflected in) the updated ICD (International Classification of Medical Disorders.)
We must be heard! Read on and follow the link to participate. Read More...
Equal Rights For The Brain! NKM2 PSA
04/13/10 18:38
Public Service Announcement from "No Kidding, Me Too!"
Equal Rights For the Brain!
Elyn Saks - Professor with Schizophrenia
01/21/10 16:54
Elyn R. Saks has schizophrenia -- and you would never know. After revealing her illness, many close friends rejected her saying, "Had I known you had schizophrenia I would never have hung out with you." She is a mental health advocate, law professor, and author.
Link to her memoir: The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness
Link to her memoir: The Center Cannot Hold: My Journey Through Madness
Bring Change 2 Mind
01/15/10 18:41
Visit: Bring Change 2 Mind
“1 in 6 adults and almost 1 in 10 children suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. Yet, for many, the stigma associated with the illness, can be as great a challenge as the disease itself. This is where the misconceptions stop. This is where bias comes to an end. This is where we change lives. Because this is where we Bring Change 2 Mind.”
Visit this extraordinary stigma-busting site and view the PSA produced by Glenn Close (her sister has bipolar disorder), directed by Ron Howard, and individuals who gathered in Grand Central Station, NYC to “come out of the closet” with their brain disorders.
Say What You Need To Say
Behind the Scenes: Making the PSA
“1 in 6 adults and almost 1 in 10 children suffer from a diagnosable mental illness. Yet, for many, the stigma associated with the illness, can be as great a challenge as the disease itself. This is where the misconceptions stop. This is where bias comes to an end. This is where we change lives. Because this is where we Bring Change 2 Mind.”
Visit this extraordinary stigma-busting site and view the PSA produced by Glenn Close (her sister has bipolar disorder), directed by Ron Howard, and individuals who gathered in Grand Central Station, NYC to “come out of the closet” with their brain disorders.
Say What You Need To Say
Behind the Scenes: Making the PSA
"Minds On The Edge"
08/24/09 12:53
The centerpiece of the project is a television program that will air on PBS stations in October 2009. This video component is part of a national initiative that includes an extensive web site and an ambitious strategy to engage citizens, professionals in many fields, and policy makers at all levels of government. The goal is to advance consensus about how to improve the kinds of support and treatment available for people with mental illness.
The television program MINDS ON THE EDGE: Facing Mental Illness effectively illuminates challenging ethical issues as well as systemic flaws in program and policy design, service coordination, and resource allocation that are contributing to a mental health system that is widely acknowledged to be broken. MINDS ON THE EDGE also provides a glimpse of many solutions that are currently being implemented across the country. These innovations, many shaped by the guidance and expertise of people with mental illness, offer promising solutions and hopeful direction to transform the mental health system.
Become Involved! Educate Others.
Visit the Website: MINDS ON THE EDGE