Odd headline of the day
“Cameroon: When Laughing Becomes Abnormal”
The story’s about schizophrenia. And that, my friends, is no laughing mattter.
Read more here.
liz | 2:08 PM | Uncategorized
Open mouth, insert foot … er, fries.
I just got a new phone, and I’m so baffled by the new technology, I may never hear from anyone again, ever. Were it 20 years ago, I’d probably say, “I’m too retarded to handle this phone.” But you know what? It’s 2006. Get a new word!
Morgan Spurlock, who used the word “retarded” and mocked special-ed kids at a recent high school assembly, is such a schmuck. I disliked his lazy, stupid movie, Supersize Me—which would have made for a good Saturday Night Live sketch at most—though I have to give him credit for a good gimmick. I wish I had thought of it.
Spurlock has apologized for his horrible remarks, but I’m not buying his remorse.
Hatboro Horsham Not Lovin’ It [Philadelphia Will Do]
Morgan Spurlock Apologizes To Helmet-Wearing Kids The World Over [Philadelphia Will Do]
Super embarrassment? [Doylestown Intelligencer]
liz | 12:03 PM | Uncategorized
Northern Ireland suicide rate
From RTE News:
“A report on mental health has revealed that a quarter of young gay or bisexual men in Northern Ireland have attempted suicide.
“Nearly two-thirds considered killing themselves and 30% self harmed, according to the survey, which was carried out over three years by the Rainbow Project in Belfast.
“The survey of 190 young gay or bisexual men revealed one third were diagnosed as having a mental illness at some time in their lives with almost as many having had a potential psychiatric disorder.”
For more:
NI survey shows extent of gay suicide issue[Photo by Stuart Clarke]
liz | 12:59 PM | Uncategorized
Latinos and mental health care
Sometimes researchers do what’s called “a review of the literature,” which means they go back and read numerous studies on a given subject and then distill the results and observations into a book review of sorts. I love those. It means I don’t have to read the studies myself, but I still glean interesting information. Below, Humberto Marin, M.D., Javier I. Escobar, M.D., and William A. Vega, Ph.D. review the literature on Hispanics and mental health. Here’s what they found:
“Although Hispanics are the largest minority in the United States, we have only fragmentary information and scarce guidelines on the frequency, recognition, and treatment of mental illness in this population.
“In reviewing the literature on this issue, the authors found that Hispanics are younger, poorer, and less educated than the average American; have an average unemployment rate; are heterogeneous in aspects such as race/genetics, health care access/utilization, acculturation, and legal status; differ in risk of some mental illnesses and in risky behaviors according to birthplace/ acculturation; are at increasing risk of behaviors and health issues that complicate mental illness and its treatment, such as obesity, diabetes, and sedentary lifestyle; have less access to health and mental health care and receive less care and lower-quality care; tend to receive mental health care in primary care settings, often face linguistic barriers, and are more likely not to have mental disorders detected; seem less likely to suffer from depression and anxiety but tend to have more persistent mental illnesses; are more likely to somatize distress and to report psychotic symptoms in the absence of a formal thought disorder; do not appear to differ from Caucasians in drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics; seem to have lower medication adherence, which could be a function of socioeconomic and linguistic or educational factors; seem to respond well to adapted psychotherapeutic and psychosocial interventions and receive significant additional benefit from supplemental services such as case management, collaborative care, and quality improvement interventions.”
Wow. That’s a lotta semicolons.
liz | 11:52 AM | Uncategorized
International news: Morocco
 |
From the Angola Press, of all places:
300,000 Moroccans suffer schizophrenia
About 300,000 out of 30 million inhabitants of Morocco suffer from schizophrenia, according to a psychiatric survey published Monday in Rabat.
Schizophrenia, which is still an unknown disease, remains more mysterious in the collective imagination of Moroccans, “from which the taboo must be removed as it leads to social rejection.”
“In Morocco, people point at schizophrenics and their parents,” says the survey, adding that professionals treating this “universal” are stigmatised.
According to the study, schizophrenia, which is a “democratic” pathology, as it affects all social and occupational categories in society, can be cured if it is treated very early.
Hence, patients suffering schizophrenia should be accompanied, their communication improved, and consultation and family support reinforced.
“The Moroccan society is still united compared to societies, where the family is increasingly nuclear,” the study notes, adding however that late diagnosis may be the cause of the failure of treatment.
liz | 2:16 PM | Uncategorized
Another sad ending to another sad tale
From the Associated Press:
A woman charged with snatching her children from their beds during a home invasion at their grandmother’s house died after being hit by a bus, police said.
Nora Montano [pictured], 35, was riding a bicycle when she ran a red light and was hit by a school bus about 7 a.m. Monday, police said. Montano was airlifted to Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood, where she was pronounced dead from head trauma.
Montano, a U.S. Army private, lost legal custody of her two children in November 2002 after she began suffering from bipolar disorder, according to court records. Her mother was given custody of the children.
Montano and husband Jose Montano spent about 18 hours on the run with their children, then ages 2 and 3, until authorities caught them at a motel in the Florida Panhandle in June 2003. The children were unharmed.
Nora Montano had been found not guilty by reason of insanity.
She had been living in a group home until a couple weeks ago when she was kicked out for not taking her medication and losing control, according to her attorney, Patrick Rastatter. She was living with caregiver Martha Paret while her guardians found a new group home.
She left a note for Paret about Monday morning saying she was biking 3 1/2 miles to a store.
“I think they let her leave the hospital too soon,” Paret said.
For a more in-depth look:
School bus kills troubled mother
liz | 2:28 PM | Uncategorized
Website of the day
Baruchito’s HomeCage
Oh my God, I’m so in love with this website. It tells the story of a family of hamsters, narrated in their voices. The father of the group, the lovable Baru, has passed on, sadly, which is a shame because his voice was the most endearing of all. (Go back and read all his posts and you’ll feel like you know him.) The hamsters all talk about their doting “Papa,” a Spaniard living in Japan who cares for them better than I ever cared for my dog. Papa’s English isn’t always perfect, but that just makes his hamsters all the sweeter.
Here’s a typical entry, this one today from Flan, who’s pictured here eating toast:
I need to lose weight
“Papa thought that I’m too fat, so last week he took me to see Dr. Ozawa just in case. The doctor said that I’m fat and that I need to diet.
“That’s why Papa now only gives me very few seeds and more fresh food like lettuce and tomato. It is a pity, because I enjoyed eating toasted bread very much, and now I think I’m not going to taste it again for some time.”
It’s no wonder the site was featured on Cute Overload. It really is just too much to take.
Flan runs on her new wheel, Nana escapes, remembering Baru, and more…
liz | 12:53 PM | Uncategorized
Bush wacked
Here’s a very sad story of a guy with bipolar disorder who became somewhat, shall we say, interested in Lauren Bush, the president’s niece (pictured).
Thirty-two-year-old Lucas Schloming has been incarcerated for nine months—and hasn’t had any medication protocol the whole time. His father, Skip, is frustrated. He says, “What illness in the United States is left untreated for nine months when the treatment is known?”
A crime, penalty and illness [NorthJersey.com]
liz | 10:22 AM | Uncategorized
Hot, for teacher: Part II
Earlier this week we talked a bit about Debra Lafave (pictured), the teacher who had an “affair” with a 14-year-old student and who now claims bipolar disorder made her do it. I was skeptical, but it’s interesting to note that this isn’t the first time the bipolar defense has been used to excuse a female teacher’s bad behavior.
In the other case, detailed in the Ocala, Florida, Star-Banner, it sounds as if the teacher, Liesl Oatman, was suffering from some kind of serious mental derangement, hence her use of the insanity defense.
The article makes a more persuasive case for Lafave’s illness, but also asks if bipolar disorder can, in fact, be used as a rationale for inappropriate sexual overtures.
Woman used insanity defense in similar case
liz | 10:57 AM | Uncategorized
Contest results!
 |
Wow. This was so hard! The submissions for this contest were all so good.
Here are some things I particularly liked:
• From beagles: “This can be an adventure. You get to see the doctor’s waiting room. You will see the fish tank; what the receptionist is wearing…read about Eminem or Heath Ledger in People mag … hey, can I come along?”
• From Sean: “You’re assuming that you’ll be given medication. That’s not necessarily the case. There are now non-medication options that can be helpful.”
• From Natalie: “In the meantime, don’t be ashamed. Easier said than done, but we all have shame about our bodies and a mind that is a little out of control at times.”
• From Gena: “If you had allergies, would you hesitate to get them treated?”
• From Penny: “Keep a journal of your mood experiences … Writing it all down may help you identify patterns you haven’t noticed otherwise.”
• From Brian: “You very well may not need medication, just someone to help you understand your mood swings and how your period affects them. Some good advice or a shoulder to lean on couldn’t hurt.”
From Uma: “Please don’t worry about the stigma. … You are more important than any shame over this.”
The winner is Amara, who offered solid advice in a voice a 16-year-old could relate to.
Below is the actual advice given by “Ask Amy”’s Amy Dickinson (pictured above):
“Dear Roller Coaster: I gather that your mother isn’t a physician. Neither am I. So it isn’t for either one of us to suggest anti-depressants for you. You really do need to see your doctor.
“You might in fact be depressed, but it sounds to me like you could have a galloping case of premenstrual syndrome that causes this sadness and moodiness. Many women suffer from crying jags and mood swings caused by PMS each month. Your physician might recommend that you try some natural or over-the-counter remedies (a recent study of 3,000 women shows that vitamin D and calcium can help).
“You are right to realize that exercise can make you feel better when you’re sad. So can Joni Mitchell’s Blue album or Nickelback’s latest. The only thing that won’t help is to keep these feelings to yourself. When things bother you, you really need to talk it out with someone you trust. ‘Cutting’ is not the answer and would only make matters MUCH worse.”
liz | 2:15 PM | Uncategorized
