Carnival of Depression, Bipolar Disorder, and Mental Health Journeys
I will just be listing the entries that I had selected for this edition, instead of the long-winded commentaries that I’m wont to make in previous editions. I have not been feeling well and have not been at the computer very much these days. Nothing to lose sleep over - I just need to take a protracted rest and get some strength back. Wishing you all well… Jane.
Welcome to the May 22, 2007 edition of carnival of depression, bipolar disorder, and mental health journeys. During my ‘resting period’ I’d like to offer this carnival up for guest hosting. If you want to be a guest host for an upcoming edition of this blog carnival, please email me. Read more
Depression or Melancholy, Getting Through Pain, and Virginia Tech
Trent announced an interesting article that is published in the May 2007 issue of Harper’s magazine that has a provocative premise: “true depression is actually an extremely rare event and the prevalence of depression in America is manufactured.” Three factors that were listed included 1) people who are melancholic were often diagnosed as depressed, 2) the fallacy of tests currently used to diagnose and measure depression, and 3) an often visible placebo effect in depression treatment when compared with the actual medication treatment.
Trent shares his tips for managing a melancholic state without drugs and much financial investment. For me, medication was an important jump start in my depression treatment, but I have also had subsequent good results with non-medication modalities, and have been doing well over the past few years on a regular routine (sleeping enough, eating regularly, getting enough sun, and having some social interactions all helped me). Read more
Mental Illness and Abuse, Suicide, Introversion or Isolation
Talia commented about a woman’s experience with abuse at the hands of a mentally ill sibling, and asked a very good question: “how much sensitivity do the mentally ill deserve?” This and the original article from the abused woman hit home for me, because I know both sides. I have experienced depression, and the type of hurt that I can inflict or have inflicted on people around me when I was knee deep in it. As a small child, I have grown up with the wounds (mostly emotional and an occasional physical trauma like getting my fingers squeezed by a pair of pliers as punishment) of abuse from a mentally ill parent. Read more