May is Mental Health Month, and in honor of it, Mental Health America is encouraging all of us to “Live Your Life Well”. We are being challenged to promote health and wellness in our homes and our communities. Everyday, Americans are affected by a myriad challenges, stresses, and demands on their lives, and every day, people seek help for them.

Live Your Life WellSM is a national public education campaign dedicated to helping people better cope with stress and enhance their well-being. Stress can take a huge toll on a person’s health, mood, productivity, and relationships. The good news is that specific, evidence-based tools can help counterbalance these effects.

Here are 10 tips for how to “Live Your Life Well”

1 . Connecting with others fight stress with friendship. Learn how to strengthen old bonds and build new ones. 71 percent of people surveyed turn to friends or family in times of stress. Humans are social animals; We crave feeling supported, valued, and connected. As well, connection helps to increase happiness. In one compelling study, a key difference between very happy people and less-happy people was good relationships.

2. Stay Positive. Changing your thinking can change your life. Take steps to increase your optimism. It’s likely that our species survived because of our knack for detecting danger. But our worry filled thoughts can present dangers of their own : Thinking negatively can drag down our moods, our actions and even our health. Experts say it’s worthwhile-and possible—to learn how to think more positively. Trying to be optimistic doesn’t mean ignoring the uglier sides of life. It just means focusing on the positive as much as possible, it gets easier with practice. If you want to pump up your optimism, you might write about a positive future, search for the silver lining in the clouds by looking for the positive in any negative situation, and practicing gratitude.

3. Get physically active. Exercise can make you happier. Lots of us have proof that it can be tough to stick with exercising. Pump up your resolve by considering that exercise can: prevent heart disease and high blood pressure, lower your risk for stoke, osteoporosis, colon cancer and diabetes, improve your sleep, increase your energy, decrease some kinds of pain, boost your immune system, and help with weight management. Exercise matters for your mood too. Millions of people have found it decreases stress, anger and tension, reduce anxiety and depression, and offers a great sense of well-being.

4. Help others. If you lug your neighbor’s groceries up her steps, clearly it’s good for her. But did you know that it’s likely good for you too? Research indicates that those who consistently help other people experience less depression, greater calm, fewer pains, and better health. They may even live longer! Research shows that students who performed five acts of kindness a day increased their happiness. Doing good can make you feel good. It helps to remind us how fortunate we are, provides avenues for connecting to others, distracts our minds from our own worries, and add a sense of purpose and/or meaning to our own lives.

5. Get enough sleep. Being tired can affect your health and your relationships. Sleeping may seem like a waste of time—you could instead be answering e-mail, doing the dishes, repairing the deck, or decking the halls. But research shows that you’re more likely to succeed at your tasks–and enjoy greater well being-if you get some serious shuteye. Of course, it’s not easy to sleep when you’re feeling overwhelmed. In fact, nearly two-thirds of Americans say they lose sleep because of stress. That’s especially unfortunate because sleep combats some of the effects of stress!

6. Create joy and satisfaction. Feeling good is good for you, so have a laugh, find a hobby or just kick back Studies show that laughing decreases pain, may help your heart and lungs, promotes muscle relaxation, and can reduce anxiety. As well, positive emotions can decrease stress hormones and build emotional strength. Also, leisure activities offer a distraction from problems, and a sense of competence. You can keep it together by cracking up: It’s hard to be irritated, worried, or glum when you’re rolling in laughter. And gentle humor often helps defuse a tense situation.

7. Eat well. The right foods can fuel your mind, boost your mood and fight disease. Mom was right: You’ve got to eat well to function well. Just in case you didn’t gobble up Mom’s wisdom, here are some useful tidbits. Healthy and nutritious food can boost your energy levels, lower the risk of developing certain diseases, provide fuel for your brain, counteract the impact of stress on your body, and affect mood-related body chemicals.

8. Take care of your Spirit. Prayer, meditation, or just connecting with your deepest self can enrich your life. For lots of people, being spiritual means observing rituals, studying texts, and attending religious services. For others, it’s not about traditional structures or notions of a higher power. You can think of spirituality as connecting to whatever you consider meaningful and holy. You can find it in a higher power, in yourself, in other people, in nature, in art or in kindness. Whatever you focus on, spirituality offers many benefits, including better mood, less anxiety and depression--and even fewer aches, pains, and illnesses!

9. Deal better with hard times. Coping tools can help you through a rough patch. At some point in our lives, most of us will face times that are extra stressful or that even shake us to our core. At those times, having strong coping strategies can make a huge difference. Of course, exercising, focusing on your spiritual life, and getting enough rest— and all other Live Your Live Well tools— can be great supports in difficult situations.

10. Get professional help if you need it. Don’t hesitate to seek professional help and learn about therapy, medications, and other treatments. If the problems in you life are stopping you from functioning well or feeling good, professional help can make a big difference. And if you’re having trouble, know that you are not alone: one in four adults in this country have experience with a mental health problem in any given year. If you or someone you know is feeling especially bad or suicidal, get help right away. You can call 1-800-273– TALK (8255) to reach a 24-hour crisis center or dial 911 for immediate assistance. Of course , you don’t have to be in crisis to seek help. Why wait until you’re really suffering? Even if you’re not sure that you’d benefit from help, it can’t hurt to explore the possibility.

We each have a story to tell in life, and telling our story is a personal, intricate, complex process. Sometimes the story is short, and other times long. Sometimes we leave out every-day details and sometimes we include each mundane aspect of our experience. When listening to Sue Santel-Fenner tell her story, I was struck by the idea that, while each of us has a life full of experiences that are uniquely our own, there are some common threads that often weave throughout: hope and perseverance. Sue’s story is no exception to this rule. After working in a hospital for 22 years, Sue says that one day she “just couldn’t get out of bed and go to work.” At the age of 38, Sue experienced her first hospitalization and received a diagnosis of Severe Depression. Despite medication, Sue continued to experience depression and return trips to the hospital. Feeling as though “nothing was working”, a doctor suggested that Sue try ECT, or electroconvulsive therapy. Sue calls this a “blessing in disguise”, because the ECT definitely helped with her depression. In fact, it vaulted Sue into a manic phase. While this in and of itself was not a blessing, it allowed her doctors to correctly diagnose her with bipolar disorder. This correct diagnosis, and subsequent proper treatment, was the blessing.

After Sue began experiencing symptoms of mental illness, she was not able to work anymore. “I had to reinvent myself, because I just wasn’t the same person and wasn’t doing the same things.” Sue saw a blurb in the local newspaper about a support group. She first went to a meeting of the Depression Bipolar Support Alliance in 1996 and has been facilitating these support groups since 1998. Aside from facilitating groups, Sue has been a member of the Wayne County Consumer Advisory Council, on the DBSA and NAMI Metro Board of Directors, edits the DBSA newsletter, has testified for Mental Health Parity, and is a participant in the NAMI In Our Own Voice program.

When asked what the keys to her recovery are, Sue has a long list. At the top of this list is positive self talk. Also on the list is music, keeping busy, her broad network of friends, and her husband and cats. Being a part of support groups has been an invaluable part of Sue’s recovery, as well. “Just being with people who know what it’s like, to know that you’re not alone and to not have to explain to somebody what it’s like not to be able to get out of bed. Others might not get it, but everybody in the support group gets it, and that’s so empowering.” Speaking to others has helped, as well. Sue says that it “lets people know I’m a real person…and just like everybody else.”
Looking back, Sue thinks that she probably dealt with the symptoms of her illness for a while before she was diagnosed, she just “didn’t know what it was.” Despite the struggles Sue has encountered, she is extremely proud of her work and relationships. And while life is full of surprises and “things don’t always stay the same”, Sue can see that each of these struggles and triumphs are life’s blessings in disguise.

I like to think that make good choices when picking my friends. The friends that I have are kind, genuine, caring, and always willing to help those in need. We are like a big family. Despite this, I was recently shocked to find out some troubling things about a very good friend of mine.

A few weeks ago, my friend and I were spending some time together, and began talking about the restoration of the City of Detroit. I said to my friend “I wonder what will happen to all of the homeless and less fortunate individuals once things start to develop? I think this should be a concern!” To my surprise, she responded by saying, “not my problem…they can round them all up and put them in a corner for all I care”. When I asked her why she had that opinion she said, “none of those people are worth the time and money to help. All they are going to do if they do get money is go get their drugs or alcohol…what they really need to do is get a real job.” Having been at CNS for a few months, I have learned a lot about these kinds of things, and I tried to share some of my new-found knowledge with my friend. I explained to her that neither homeless nor poverty are a crime. I also let her know that it is possible that some of these individuals may have an undiagnosed or untreated mental health challenge and do not have the resources to get the help they need.

Unfortunately, too often in our society, we are afraid of things that are different than us. When we get scared, our tendency is to push it away and not deal with these things instead of pulling them closer and learning more about them. It is these types of actions that keep mental health stigma alive and well. Stigma is so strong that it has become a way of life in our society. People are blind to the truth. Since the beginning of time, people have judged others without really knowing who they are. People base their opinions about people solely on mental health, financial status, or even physical ability. It only takes one person to make a difference and to change the this cycle in our society. We need to speak up and break the mold. We need to lead by example and be the first to pull closer those things that scare us instead of pushing them away. We need to help others to see that it can be safe to get involved. Knowledge is power—the more knowledge we spread, the stronger we will all be!

OAKLAND COUNTY MENTAL HEALTH AUTHORITY IS HOSTING A SERIES OF LIVE WEBCAST SERIES IN MAY

Time for all Webcasts: 5 – 6 pm
Location: Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority, 2011 Executive Hills Drive in Auburn Hills 48326 ( NE corner of Opdyke and Executive Hills Drive )

To register for attendance: please call Deborah Wisser at (248) 858-0929.   

The first live webcast and discussion is this Wednesday, May 5th.  The topic is Understanding Depression.  A light dinner will be served. Other programs include: May 12, Understanding Anxiety Disorders; May 19  Understanding Psychosis, and May26  Understanding Substance Use Disorders. A live discussion with mental health professionals will take place immediately following each broadcast. The webcasts are sponsored by the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare.

Also coming in May:

6TH ANNUAL WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES –
RALLY AT THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING IN LANSING –

Tuesday, May 11, Check –In begins at 12:30 PM, Rally from 1:30 to 2:30 pm. : Every participant will receive a Rally logo-Oakland County T-shirt to wear at the Rally. Let your provider agency know if you would like to attend.   We still have room on the busses. Make signs and bring them to the rally! Last year there were over 200 Oakland County Participants. Let’s do even better this year! Check out our website at www.occmha.org for more detailed information or call (248) 858-0929.

Jacqueline Castine is the community education specialist at the Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority . Her fall class schedule is posted at www.jacquelinecastine.com. She is the author of I Wish I Could Fix It, But. . . She can be reached at castinej@occmha.org and 248-975-9684.

Spring is the time that we always set our clocks ahead so that we can “spring forward”. That is exactly what the team did this past April. We were involved in over 20 different activities and presentations this month. This has to be an all-time record for the team.

We were able to make significant strides in our outreach efforts to the schools. We introduced our program to the staff of South Lake Schools in St. Clair Shores. We also presented to the Jewish Academy of Metro Detroit, and did four programs for the students of Orchard Lake St. Mary’s Preparatory School. We got a chance to reach a younger audience, as well, when we presented to three classes for a Career Day sponsored by Brace-Lederle World Languages School in Southfield. We also presented for students at the Warren Butcher Community High School. Overall the response has been very favorable, and we are very excited to have made several new, and lasting connections with the youth in our communities. We are so happy to have made these new connections, and are looking forward to working with them in school years to come!

We were also very pleased to present for the staff Macomb County Rotating Emergency Shelter Team (MCREST) in Roseville. We will do an additional program for all of their volunteers in the near future. We participated again this year in our third Healthy Affair VIII Health Fair sponsored by the Greater Pontiac Community Coalition. We were very pleased with the interest that was shown. The number of depression screenings performed at the event increased by 66% over last year, which was very exciting. We want to promote this event more next year among the CNS staff so that the people we serve can benefit from the free health screenings and other good things that’s given at this event.

And if all that wasn’t enough, we also did workshops/presentations at three conferences, one on Recovery for the professionals of the Michigan Marriage and Family Therapy Association, and two workshops for Oakland County Community Mental Health Authority’s Annual Recovery Conference. As well, we were very honored to be the keynote speakers at the “Healthy Body, Healthy Mind” Luncheon sponsored by Kadima, Inc. This occasion was also a very fitting memorial in remembrance of Miya Jo Must, a beautiful young lady that died much too soon in 2007 from suicide. The strength and dignity that the Must family showed during this affair was truly inspirational. It was a very moving experience and one that won’t be soon forgotten.

After our busy April, we are very excited about our new connections, and are looking forward to making more as we continue to speak and touch communities in the coming months throughout the State of Michigan.

To book a presentation call 248-409-4227 or email mmaisha@cnsmi.org

May is Mental Health Month.

Every May we honor persons we serve who have made progress in their recovery during the past year and whose lives have improved as a result. We recognize a few individuals who are nominated by the case manager, or another person who knows them, and appreciates their achievements. These folks are our heroes and we truly need them to inspire us and help us move forward.

Sometimes we may find persons whose progress is less obvious. Someone described the process of “wood shedding” – where a person appears to be doing nothing but is really getting ready and practicing in their mind actions for recovery. The term comes from jazz musicians who “wood shed” prior to an innovative performance. Can we give folks the benefit of the doubt and presume they are doing the best they can? We need to honor every person who deals with a mental illness and respect where they are on their individual recovery journey.

Research has taught us that recognizing people’s strengths is the major force in promoting recovery. Long ago. a very experienced social worker filled in the blank on a form that asked for “strengths” with “none.” Everyone is a person and everyone has strengths. It is our job to find and foster these strengths both—our own and the strengths of those we serve.

“Given the choice between changing and proving that it is not necessary, most people get busy with the proof.” John Galbraith