Take 5 Minutes: Call Your Senators and Rep Now!
Tell them You are Counting on Them to Deliver
All five Congressional committees of jurisdiction have passed a
healthcare reform bill. Several provisions of interest to community mental health and addiction providers have been included thus far but now, it’s crunch time: negotiations are in progress that have a direct impact on whether these provisions will remain in the bills to be voted on by the House and Senate.

Today is National Call-In Day for Health Care Reform. Take 5 minutes to call your Senators and Representative to tell them that you are counting on them to vote YES on health care reform and deliver a bill that includes comprehensive mental health and addiction benefits. Don’t postpone until later in the day: CALL NOW!

The deal with Maia is that, after years of erratic behavior, a new video of such behavior went viral in the beginning of September. And despite her mother’s work on mental health issues because of Maia’s illness, and despite former reports of Maia’s being in the hospital for the illness, the gossip media lay the whole thing at the feet of drug use. And not sympathetically, either. TheHollywoodGossip.com put it this way:

Remember Maia Campbell? Yeah, we didn’t either. But apparently years ago she was in Tyrese’s “Lately” and “Sweet Lady” videos, and starred on LL Cool J’s sitcom In The House. As one of the main characters! She was a solid C-lister! Maia Campbell was also featured in a regular role as Nicole in the short-lived FOX series South Central, playing Larenz Tate’s girlfriend, and was on Thea.

Then she just disappeared. Well, Maia Campbell is back today. Apparently as a foul-mouthed prostitute who will do anything for drugs. Crack in particular. … Whenever it was filmed, it certainly does not portray Maia in a very flattering light, as she appears to be under the influence of narcotics such as crack.

Interesting that the first assumption people make about her erratic behavior is that it’s related to crack. Is that because she’s African-American? I believe when Britney Spears started talking with a British accent and behaving strangely (and similarly), crack didn’t enter the picture as a hypothesis.

But I digress.

It’s unfortunate that the below video was leapt upon with such vitriol and assuredness of Maia’s situation, when no one really knew a thing about what was happening with her.

Okay, so you see the people laughing at her. Very nice. The comments on the video over at YouTube are awful. The attitude online on blogs and gossip sites was pretty nasty as well, at least at first. Andrew Belonsky from Defamer (of Gawker parentage) posted the video and other facts about her and said, “Shit, man: this girl’s spouting absolute nonsense. Even her companion’s stupefied” and then went on to chronicle her criminal record. Later, he wrote: “Meanwhile, earlier this year some fans saw her sleeping on a beach and smoking meth. They say she smelled like a bum. We would laugh and point fingers, but, c’mon, this is just sad.” Hmm. Why do I get the feeling he’s not that sad? Then again, can you expect empathy from someone who writes about a woman smelling like a bum? And: Do people even understand what it means when another human being has strong bodily odors? It means they haven’t had appropriate access to sanitation resources. Don’t take your white porcelain toilets and showers for granted; you know how quickly you’ll smell like a bum if you have to live without them? I give you about three, four days. And can you imagine the feeling of having urine run down your pants leg — the grave humiliation, the hopelessness of your situation — and then have people laugh at you: “Damn, she smells like a bum!”

But I digress.

After the hostility about her situation — as well as significant concern from some genuinely kind fans — Campbell’s father and grandmother wanted to clear all the confusion, and did so by posting this on Bebe Moore Campbell’s website:

As a family, we have been struggling with Maia in her illness for quite some time. We continue to hold fast to our faith and hope that some day she will realize that healing will begin when she decides to reach out and accept the help and treatment that have been offered to her. We all have challenges in life that we must face, but when compound problems such mental illness and substance abuse are prevalent, it can appear that there is no way out. However, our sustaining faith and trust in God compels us to believe differently. We strongly believe that Maia will be healed.

We also know that Maia”s mother, the late Bebe Moore Campbell, who devoted much of her later years in life to mental health awareness and education, along with her family members and friends would welcome your prayers and support for Maia”s sustained recovery. In addition, we urge your support for efforts to diagnose and treat mental illness in our community.

We ask that you not only pray for Maia”s wellness, but also commit to understanding this insidious disease, which is devastating our loved ones and community. Help erase the “stigma” of mental illness, which is a very serious barrier to treatment, so that we can help those with the disease to live wholesome lives. Call for more treatment options and prevention strategies, have compassion for those stricken with this illness, and help guide those who have been unable to find their way to appropriate treatment. Additionally, support those families who are struggling to cope with loved ones with the disease because mental illness affects the entire family.

Finally, we ask that you support Bebe Moore Campbell National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, which was established by Congressional Resolution, H. Con. Res. 134, in April 2008 and is celebrated during the month of July each year. It was established to enhance public awareness of mental illness, especially within minority communities. Please join us in this effort to bring attention to this problem, to identify resources and to strengthen the focus on treatment along with research relative to minorities and mental illness. This is the work that we continue on behalf of Bebe Moore Campbell.

Pretty amazing, right? Very powerful message. Something good is coming from this, after all. And the best of all, at least for now, is from the Daily News‘ Dan Gross:

FINALLY, SOME good news in the ongoing saga of Maia Campbell, the long-troubled actress whose drug use and bipolar disorder have kept her off television and made her the subject of Internet ridicule.

Campbell, the daughter of late author Bebe Moore Campbell, has been placed in a treatment facility, according to an interview that her father, Ellis Gordon, Jr., and her grandmother Doris C. gave to Essence.com.

I hope this is the beginning of a new journey for her, but ridicule or no, the combined demons of drug addiction and mental illness can be incredibly hard to battle. For more truthful, solid information on what are called co-occurring disorders, try the below links:

Co-Occurring Disorders: Integrated Dual Disorders Treatment [SAMHSA]

Co-Occurring Disorders [about.com]

Diagnosis Dictionary: Co-Occurring Disorders [Psychology Today]

“We’re seeing a lot more people now,” said Colleen McCarthy, a volunteer with Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, a nonprofit group that provides hot meals in McPherson Square every Thursday. “Many of them are the most mentally ill.”

The rise in the population may be due to the mayor’s reform agenda, which was supposed to help the homeless. In fact, he was planning to institute a Housing First program, but was unable to due to budget issues.

“If you come through here on Saturday or Sunday, it’s wall-to-wall homeless people,” said Marquietta Henley, an officer with the Downtown D.C. Business Improvement District, who was herself homeless until a few months ago.

… Councilman Jack Evans, D-Ward 2, who represents downtown Washington, defended the mayor’s approach.

“The program that the mayor has used is absolutely the right one — we should not be warehousing these people in these decrepit shelters. I’ve seen a real decrease of people out in the streets in the last two years,” he said. No matter what, Evans said, “you’re still going to have people out on the streets because they’re resistant to outside help.”

Many Washingtonians have become numb to homelessness and think little of picking their way through public parks over and around the homeless. That’s part of the problem, experts say.

“Really, homelessness has become part of the public and retail space environment, much like parking meters and vending boxes and alleyways,” Lynch said. “It’s just part of the landscape.”

Yeesh. People who are like parking meters? I’d say that’s a problem.

K Street corridor: Where homeless, business meet

Depression was associated with risk for mortality but not progression in patients with cancer, according to data from a meta-analysis. Mortality rates were up to 25% higher among patients demonstrating depressive symptoms and 39% higher in those diagnosed with major depression.

It’s a review of the literature.

Meta-analysis: Depression independent risk factor for cancer mortality

On Wednesday, the university finally released the documents that were “lost” after the shootings. They reveal a great consistent gap in the psychiatric system, and one that can’t easily be remedied. Though the documents attest that Cho was interviewed several times, he was lucid and able to say that he wasn’t a threat to himself or others. This is typically the standard that merits commitment, and if a person avers that he’s not a danger, we have to take that at face value. We can’t just go around virtually incarcerating people for being strange.

In the case of one incident, a roommate reported concerns of suicidal ideation on Cho’s part. But Cho voluntarily went to the counseling center to discuss it, and was clearly not psychotic or delusional. He was, to all appearances, under control. Much of what was done (physical tests, etc.) is standard and mandatory, and some might say detracts from really engaging. But on the other hand, if the person is suffering due to a physical problem, this must be discovered.

Here are two pages from that incident report (sorry for the formatting issues):

In this case, I don’t see particular misconduct. Which is the problem. It’s impossible to know a person’s state of mind with any surety. And maybe that’s good, in an existential way. But a later communication breakdown seems to have been a concern. From the New York Times:

A state panel convened by Gov. Tim Kaine faulted the campus center for failing to “connect the dots” related to the dangers of Mr. Cho’s mental condition.

Investigators from that panel concluded that campus officials were not aware of the judge’s order requiring that Mr. Cho receive treatment.

As for those missing documents, the director of the center who “inadvertently,” he said, took them home, was fired. No surprise there.

What’s sad about looking at the records is that it’s not clear what could have been done for this agonized young man. I know from my experience teaching and that of my friends in academia that students write bizarre shit, and you can’t assume that every one of them will kill people on your campus. You don’t know when to worry, and what about. And when does it stifle creativity?

Some of the documents indicate that Cho was seen with frequency, and that should’ve been a red flag. There was clearly knowledge that something was wrong. But again, what to do? Was a 302 (involuntary commitment) in order? That’s a slippery slope, to say the least.

This is not to say there weren’t major, major red flags, in these yellow pages (not all of which are downloaded here) in particular. Note the things that changed — that’s always a key question people in counseling take note of. When habits change, something is wrong, and Cho knew this, which is why he was seeking help. The designation of “Troubled” was ominous, and the deferral of filling out a form was a mistake, obviously — perhaps why the director of the center thought it best to accidentally take things home with him.

I’ll be interested to hear what you all have to say. Oh, and to those who might say that I’m giving too much space to a sensational, violent case — which of course represents a freak episode in the life of people with mental illnesses — I see your point. But this can’t go unremarked by me. The mainstream media has their say; I won’t be silent just because I don’t like the fact that this happened.

The willowy star was admitted to a psych institution, putting production on the new CW series Beautiful Life in question. One report said she was involuntarily admitted for a 72-hour hold. It’s kind of strange that she’s going through this shortly after ending work on the horror film Homecoming, in which she played a person with a mental problem. Her co-star Jessica Stroup had this to say to TV Guide about Mischa in the movie:

It’s so interesting to me to play “crazy.” There’s such a fine line between playing it and really believing that your character thinks nothing is wrong and that they’re in the right, that everything they’re doing is for the betterment of whatever. I kind of got to play with that on 90210 this past year, and that’s what Mischa did in Homecoming.

Co-star Morgan Freeman told Extra! that he doesn’t believe her playing “crazy” affected her negatively, saying she was very professional throughout the film shoot.

Here’s how the Germans are writing her situation:

Mischa Barton’s friends were worried she was suicidal, it has been claimed. Pals close to ‘The O.C.’ actress – who was sectioned on Wednesday after being placed under a 5150 hold, a piece of US legislation which means she poses a danger to herself or others – were convinced she would try to commit suicide unless they forced her to get help, BANG! Showbiz reports. A source told the New York Post newspaper: “She’s in very bad shape. She’s running out of money and can’t find love, so now she is looking for a good time to escape her misery. She is on a downward spiral. She is a mess. She is a suicidal, uninsurable mess.”

Poor girl. Sounds troubled. Good luck, Mischa.

I feel strongly about two things: 1) I’m lucky to have a platform, which most people do not; 2) If I put it out there, I should be able to take it. That being said, I do sometimes feel tempted to ban a person. But I feel that the person who gets banned usually hangs himself by his comments, and it’s not even necessary for me to censor him. Obviously, he’s out of control. People who read here will get that.

That’s a larger discussion, but we’re all adults here. We can be civil and agree that the most important thing is to foster conversation that may illuminate these issues. Don’t forget, commenters, that many people who read this blog may be coming here for the first time and want to learn more about mental health. The more we can educate, the better. That means personal attacks and cruel words about other websites are utterly useless to the larger world. The “crazier” we look, the more it damages our credibillity.

My love for her will never end. We just forgot how to be friends. She has now chosen a public career and one that brings both accolades and public scrutiny. There will be more of this sort of thing to deal with as time goes by… both good and bad.

“Divorce is hell, I remember it well and we deal with it every day. And if you think about it, we both have our ‘what-ifs’ and ‘why-nots,’ but it’s no cheaters’ story and all I ask is to not see her cry.”

Scott Weiland’s Soon-To-Be Ex-Wife Releasing A Tell-All Book

1. Connect with others
2. Stay positive
3. Get physically active
4. Help others
5. Get enough sleep
6. Create joy and satisfaction
7. Eat well
8. Take care of your spirit
9. Deal better with hard times
10. Get professional help if you need it

Why doesn’t anyone ever have anything really radical to say? How about: “masturbate often,” for instance. Or: “fantasize about punching a cashier if you’re in a long line.”

Let’s make our own list, people! This is a call for submissions. Bring it.

[Photo of the Sex Pistols meant to inspire anarchy.]

Deadline for Mental Health Consumer Nominations Fast Approaching

Don’t forget to join with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to recognize mental health consumers who give a voice to people with mental health problems. The Voice Awards honor consumer leaders who inspire us with their contributions toward promoting the social inclusion and recovery of people with mental health problems.

If you know of mental health consumers who have led efforts to promote social inclusion, demonstrated that recovery is real and possible, and made a positive impact on their workplaces, communities, and/or schools, there is still time to nominate them for a 2009 Consumer Leadership Voice Award. Additional consideration will be given to nominees who have made a positive impact within special populations such as culturally diverse groups, young adults ages 18 to 25, and those who have worked to prevent suicide.

Nominations are open to anyone, are free, and there is no limit to the number an individual can submit.

The Voice Awards will be presented at a gala ceremony in Los Angeles on October 14, 2009. Please visit www.voiceawards.samhsa.gov for more information about the Voice Awards and updates on this exciting event.

If anyone wants to nominate me, that’s great, ’cause there’s nothing I love more than having an excuse to spend time in a hotel room with cable TV while I eat a box of Hot Tamales.

Go here to nominate people.

A family friend said last night: “Nick wasn’t just the baby son of Plath and Hughes and it would be wrong to think of him as some kind of inevitably tragic figure. He was a man who reached his mid-forties, an adventurous marine biologist with a distinguished academic career behind him and a host of friends and achievements in his own right. That is the man who is mourned by those who knew him.”

So his parentage, and any parallels, aren’t what matter now. Jeers to the Daily Kos, one of my favorite sites, for the headline “Like mother like son.” Tacky.

What prompted my meltdown was that I moved to a new place, alone, thereby disrupting my routine, my solid relationship, my daily contact with my hamster … I could go on. The only positive is that my dog and I are back together after a long time apart, and I can now talk to her all the time. Like, “So Hannah, should we call Comcast and yell at them for completely messing up our account? Or will we have to cancel altogether, despite their monopoly?” Then she lifts her lazy head from her pillow and looks at me as if to say, “I’m sorry we’re having so much TV trouble. I, for one, would really like to watch Animal Planet.” (She’s pictured here yelling at me for putting her in a fisherman’s sweater.)

So it’s a big adjustment. I haven’t lived alone since 2000 or 2001. Wowza. Having time to myself, without TV, just encourages me to think sad thoughts. The difference between being crazy in the old days and being crazy now is that it gets under control at some point — usually when I take the Seroquel and the world comes back into focus. Say what you will about that drug, but Lordy, it sure works for my psychotic episodes.

Forgive me, then, for posting less regularly right now.

According to police, Fritzl held his daughter in the windowless, soundproof cellar beneath his house in the town of Amstetten, and raped her more than 3,000 times, fathering seven children with her. He is alleged to have drugged her in her bed when she was 18 and dragged her into the cellar which he had purpose-built over several years.

Three of the children stayed in the cellar with their mother, while the other three were taken upstairs to live with Fritzl and his wife Rosemarie, who was told that Elisabeth had run away to join a sect and, unable to cope with her children, had dumped them on the doorstep.

The crime came to light at the end of April this year when Elisabeth’s 19-year old daughter Kerstin became gravely ill, requiring hospital treatment. Elisabeth persuaded her father to take Kerstin to hospital where suspicious doctors called the police.

Following a nationwide appeal for Kerstin’s mother to come forward, Fritzl released Elisabeth from the cellar and she was able to tell police her story. The three children who had been held in the cellar were released on April 26, when they saw daylight and breathed fresh air for the first time in their lives.

Very uncharacteristic of me to support negligence on the part of the guards, but there’s a possibility he’ll only be convicted of incest, coercion and sexual abuse, in which case he wouldn’t spend more than six years in prison.

Six years for this guy, who shows an absence of remorse? He’s a danger.

Fritzl last month told a psychiatrist that he was “born to rape” and that his treatment of Elisabeth was a direct result of his experience of an abusive mother. He told her he had hatched the plan to incarcerate Elisabeth while he was serving a jail sentence for rape in the 1980s.

On the other hand, perhaps he will be convicted of a murder charge. See below.

I hate to say it, but I’ve rarely seen stories like this that don’t end up with a mental health “angle” — most recently, I’m thinking of Virginia Tech. Keep your eyes peeled.

I don’t clinically have SAD, but I’m certainly subject to a darkening of the mood in the winter months. So when Daylight Saving Time hits and we spring forward, I’m generally quite relieved. But an article on MSN.com cautions those with SAD not to put away those lightboxes just yet.

Daylight saving time has always been a difficult adjustment for night owls, who need several mugs of coffee or caffeinated tea to feel human in the morning. Unfortunately, the adjustment became a lot harder in 2007, when we started making the shift a full three weeks earlier—the second Sunday in March instead of the first weekend of April. The change means that many of us will spend the rest of March waking up in the dark.

This is especially bad news for people suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) ….

SAD is most common in northern latitudes where days are very short in the winter, but researchers are starting to realize it’s not the total amount of daylight that triggers the disorder—it’s having to slog through dark mornings. …

Even for those whose winter blahs don’t quite reach the level of clinical depression, the next few weeks may be tough. You may end up hitting the snooze button a bit more often, or taking naps during the day. Luckily, naps have been shown to improve productivity, so you can full rationalize getting some extra shut-eye.

I posted this a couple days after the DST switch because, um, I was napping.

[Get yer T-shirt here.]