FYM has a new contributor.

Jack.

(Welcome Jack!)


Jack has commented on the following previous Free Your Mind blog posts:



'Sleep Disorders'

'What is Borderline Personality Disorder?'
Jack's reply to this post is in two parts; One & Two



'What is Bipolar Disorder?'
Jack's reply to this post is in two parts; One & Two

What Purpose Does Stigma Towards Mental Illness Seek to Serve?

Stigma is defined by sociologist Erving Goffman as, ‘the process by which the reactions of others spoils normal identity.’ Stigma is attributed to those individuals whose behaviour goes against societal norms.

Stigma aims to serve society in the form of supposedly providing protection for the people part of that society. Along with the aim to serve the ‘stigmatiser’ – in that it is meant to make them feel better about themselves as they look down upon the stigmatised.

In relation to mental illness; it promises to protect people from the stigmatised (i.e. those with mental health diagnosis’s) – as diagnostic characteristics are (wrongly) generally viewed as being ‘dangerous’ 

However; when 1 in 3 are affected by mental health problems, the stigmatisers are likely to be affected by the very issue they stigmatise and find themselves lumped into the very group they stigmatise, who benefits? 

It could be argued that stigma exists to serve the larger portion of society. But when such a large portion of society (1 in 3!) are affected this stigma can only serve to have a negative impact on our society as a whole.

Stigma towards mental illness does not serve the purpose it aims to in order to be useful to society as a whole. 

Stigma creates/contributes to mental health problems.

Take for example, stigma by association in regards to mental illness. Which is the negative impact stigma has on those people, who don’t necessarily have a mental health diagnosis themselves, whom are known to be in contact either personally or professionally with those who do have a mental health diagnosis.

The impact of this stigma on the stigmatised.

The negative impact this stigma has on the stigmatised include, limited job and career prospects; social isolation; decreased access to treatment, including general medical care.

I fail to see how this could serve society as a whole in a positive way.

The impact of stigma on those whom are already suffering from a mental illness is unhelpful. It does not protect people, like it ‘aims’ or ‘promises’ to.

Who exactly benefits from this stigma?

I would say that nobody does. Not when 1 out of 3 of us are likely to be affected by mental illness at some point during our lifetime.

Edit (05/02/2013): Statistics show that 1 in 4 are affected by mental illness. According to this 2010 Guardian article, there is no 'hard evidence' to support this statistic. Personally, I suspect mental illness is more prevalent than the current statistics show (I suspect that more than 1 in 3 people are affected!).

My Current State of Mental Health (continued)

My Current State of Mental Health (continued)...

"Rant" (originally) posted to Tumblr (posted 19th November 2012):

Tumblr Post: "Ranty, Rant."

I’m not allowed to share the thoughts on my mind, because they’re violent ones.

I’m not allowed to talk about suicide because apparently that is “attention seeking”.

I’m not allowed to harm myself, because apparently that is, also, “attention seeking”.

People try to use the fact that a peado groomed me, used me and pimped me out, against me. I’m supposed to feel disgusted about that, apparently. Whilst the man himself is regarded as some sort of “hero” around Croydon. Never hear a bad word against him. Seriously?? He rapes children. But apparently I’m the disgusting one, whom should be ashamed of herself.

Got to love the Rape Culture.

NOTE: Heavy use of sarcasm.

People are disgusting. And they all seem to think suicide is easy. LMFAO. I wish!!

Ah; but of course I am nothing but an attention seeking whore. Why the hell should anyone listen to me? Since when did I decide to get above my station? I should know my place, right?

Above: Originally posted to Tumblr, 19th November 2012.


Aaand...

This is a personal post from Facebook:

I have been ostracised from my entire family. Cut off from every single member (including my brother). My cousins have come to a point where they have turned on me, and I feel as if I am being bullied by them. My parents have a restraining order against me. 

In short: I feel as if I do not know these people, at all.

I do, however, have an amazing and supportive small group of close friends (some who've been there for over 15 years).

They say you can't choose your family. But I have chosen my family; they're just not biologically related to me. 

It's going to be hard -- but I need to forget about those people who produced me, used me and abused me.

My friends are all that I will ever need.

Above: Originally posted to Facebook, 21st Novermber 2012.

My Current State of Mental Health

Hello.
For all those who don't know me; I'm Nicola Edwards, the founder of Free Your Mind.

This blog has been severely lacking in posts; and the campaign, in general, has lost some of its momentum. I feel like things went a bit too fast for me to keep up.

I'm the sole-founder of this campaign; and my current state of mental health is holding me back.

My problem is that I am battling many demons, which I have not yet had the chance to deal with.

But do not get me wrong; this is, by no means, me giving up.
Both Free Your Mind, and me, are going nowhere!

But, currently, my top priority is the need to battle these demons; so that I can truly start living.

Some of my problems have escaped my head and have found their way onto the Internet, most notably across social media sites. Below are some of those posts (across Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr).

They're not all doom and gloom, mind. You will find some positives in there too!

Thank you reading; and for all of the amazing amount of support I have received these last few years. Thank you.
~Nicola E.


Twitter Feed:
From my personal Twitter feed @TitchBNikkiE

17th Oct. 2012 - Read, bottom to top

19th October 2012

25th Oct. 2012

26th Oct 2012 - Read, bottom to top

26th Oct- Read, bottom to top

13th Nov. 2012 - Read, bottom to top

21 Nov 2012 

21 Nov. 2012

My Current State of Mental Health (continued)

THE BLUE VEIL (book) by Leigh Turgeon

THE BLUE VEIL, by Leigh Turgeon, is an honest and emotive account of a young woman - Leigh - and her struggle with depression. Keeping her depression a secret, Leigh hides behind a facade which she has created for herself; the Blue Veil.

Leigh takes us on her journey, allowing us to look behind the veil.

She has posted a video about her project, THE BLUE VEIL:

Blurb to THE BLUE VEIL:

The Blue Veil causes a self-induced social isolation.                                                        -The Blue Veil, 2012, Leigh Turgeon

When I was younger and somewhat more carefree, if I went ‘off the grid’ for a bit it was usually because I had met a guy and was chillin’ with him for a bit. As the years wore on though, and my depression got so much worse, if I was unreachable by phone for a bit, there was a problem. I started avoiding all calls, all conversation and just stayed at home not speaking to anyone.

My girlfriend Amber was the first one of my friends to actually notice this. When a major relationship of mine went bad I literally didn’t speak to anyone for weeks. One day, Amber showed up at my door. At the time she lived in a city 5 hours away and had decided she had to come to town to get me out of my apartment and out of my pit of emotion.

As the years went by I started to recognise when I was doing it, over and over again. Frankly I’m surprised I still have the caring friends that I do! I would practically hibernate in the winter, and then feel like a vampire coming out into the sun come spring. I won’t know where I would’ve been if it hadn’t been for Amber that first time, when she actually pointed out that I had been isolating myself.  I hope everyone has friends as observant as Amber…perhaps from this people may start to take notice?

THE BLUE VEIL can be purchased using the following links.

Kindle:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Blue-Veil-ebook/dp/B007733C8K

Kobo:
http://www.kobobooks.com/ebook/The-Blue-Veil/book-XRoN7buNKkWXmRbVgqma7g/page1.html?s=S09sR_pmNkCf330NCg8gxA&r=1

And all other forms:
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/131171

Leigh has also created a crowd funding project for the release of THE BLUE VEIL.

http://www.indiegogo.com/TheBlueVeilTour?a=881595 
“I did this so I can print the book and take it on tour, while organizing speaking engagements .... to spread depression awareness.” - Leigh Turgeon

Apologies for no posts

Dear Readers,

My apologies for no posts to the blog last month.

Unfortunately, personal circumstances took the driving seat.

However; Free Your Mind will be back this month.  :-)

Thank you for your continuing support (and patience!) - it is greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Nicola Edwards.

Understanding PTSD (Part Two)

This is a continuation of Understanding PTSD (part one) which was posted to this blog in May this year.

Read "Part-One" here.

Symptoms of PTSD may not be present for a while after the traumatic event or experience.

Forcing a person to talk about a traumatic experience before they are ready in increases the likelihood of that person developing PTSD.

After being raped in 2009, I went to the police; where I had to talk about the experience, in great detail; before I felt ready to talk about what had happened. This was not the first time I had been raped; but this was, however, the first time I've reported an experience like this to the police.

I believe talking, about this particular experience, before I were ready, could have brought the PTSD, (which I believe I did already have, despite not yet receiving a diagnosis of such from a qualified mental health professional) and it's symptoms, to the forefront of my behaviour.

Triggers, or reminders, of the experience, can not only bring back extremely vivid memories of the incident (flashbacks), and bring back feelings related to the trauma. It can also, even, cause physical "re-experiencing" such as an itching, and/or, a throbbing or stabbing pain, in an area of the body for seemingly no reason and possibly not in a place on the body associated with what happened.

With PTSD a person may find themselves avoiding situations and locations which are reminders of the traumatic incident or experience.

Complex PTSD

"Complex PTSD" is a diagnosis which given for a reaction to prolonged and repeated trauma which, generally, involves a person being held in a state of captivity - either physically or emotionally.

In these situations a person is under the control of the perpetrator and is unable to get away from them.

I found myself in this type of situation between 2005 and 2007.

I were in an abusive "relationship" spanning almost two years.

This abuse included:

• Emotional abuse - name calling (directed at myself); being told that I were a "Bad girlfriend"; when I cried, usually after he had hit me, he would accuse me of "Blackmail" and of trying to "Guilt-trip" him; and, him convincing me that I was worthless and that he could do better.
• Sexual abuse - he often had sex with me without my consent, when I was unconscious and/or under the influence; and, sometimes, when I was unconscious, and/or in a "drugged-up" state, he would invite his friends to "Join in."
• Physically - he would lose his temper over all issues with me, no matter how tiny, responding by punching or slapping me.

During this period I remained in denial about what was going on - I would refer to him as "My boyfriend" - but, in reality, I felt trapped by him; I felt scared and unable to escape.

The memories of him make me feel sick, shameful and anxious. Often flashbacks, to my time with him, are followed by a panic attack (sweating, heart palpitations, and shortness of breath).

The symptoms of Complex PTSD are identified as:

• alterations in a person's control on their emotions - which may include, persistent sadness, thoughts of self- harm and suicide, and explosive or inhibited anger;
• alterations in a person's state of consciousness - which can include, forgetting traumatic events; reliving the traumatic experience; and feelings of dissociation (feeling as though one is detached from their body and mental processes);
• changes in self-perception - which may include feelings of helplessness, shame, guilt, and a sense of feeling different from other people;
• alterations in how a person perceives the perpetrator - examples, of which, include attributing power to the perpetrator, becoming preoccupied with the relationship to the perpetrator, or preoccupied with getting revenge on the perpetrator;
• alterations in a person's relations with others - which can include distrust, isolation, or a repeated search for a rescuer;
• changes in a person's system of meanings - which may include a loss of sustaining hope and faith, or a sense of hopelessness and despair.

During the two-year abusive relationship I often experienced "out of body" feelings - where I felt as if I were looking down upon my abuser and myself - I would disassociate myself from the situation so that it often feels as though what happened during that time, happened to somebody else.

Since the abusive relationship, I have developed a distrust of men, particularly  of those who are "romantically" interested in me. 

I have developed a negative perception of myself. Often, during moments of anger, I refer to myself as a, "Whore" - a perception of myself which I project onto others as if it is their opinion of me. 

I used to see my abuser as a "Boyfriend." It has taken me a very long time to come to terms with the experience. I have only, just recently, been able to admit the truth about what happened out loud, despite the relationship ending in 2007.

Stigma towards PTSD*

Stigma towards PTSD often ignores the deep level of impact a traumatic experience has on a person; which can lead to people, who don't understand the complexity of PTSD, to make unhelpful off-hand comments, such as, 

"Get over it."

"Move on."

"Stop living in the past."

PTSD can - and often does(!) - go ignored, due to others' disbelief of the occurrence of a traumatic event, or experience.

Common stigma towards PTSD also includes a "Blaming the victim" mentality. A person who has experience abuse repeatedly is sometimes mistaken as being of a "weak character". Survivors have been unfairly blamed for the symptoms they experience - i.e. survivors may be accused of having a self-image of victimisation. 

They may have, also, been misdiagnosed by mental health professionals as having Borderline, Dependent, or Masochistic Personality Disorder.

PTSD affects survivors for years and often has a deep impact on a person, affecting their self-perception and their relationships with others. But, despite its impact, the symptoms of PTSD may not be apparent to those who are around a survivors of abuse, leading to people underestimating the effect the abuse has had on the person. 

It has been found that PTSD can be overcome; with talking therapies - such as CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) - being shown to be the most effective treatment.

*After furthering my research on PTSD I found stigma towards PTSD to be more prevalent than I first thought.

5 Signs of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Signs of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

A person with obsessive compulsive disorder usually has their mind stuck on a certain thought or image and simply can’t get their mind off of the thought or image, because it keeps replaying in their mind! That might be a lot to take in, but imagine being on the other end of this observation. If you think you or someone you know might have this condition, there are several helpful tips that can help you determine whether or not your hunch is on.

1. Anxiety Attacks 
Reoccurring anxiety attacks can be a sign that you have a compulsive disorder. Usually, when the brain or body is feeling many emotions at one time and does not know how to react, the brain sends out a warning system to the rest of our body, which causes us to feel anxiety. We experience anxiety because the brain is telling us we are in danger and need protection, when we may in fact need nothing of the kind. It might just be our mind stuck on one image or thought. Remember this if you’re feeling jumpy, anxious or worse.

2. Feeling without Reason
Another important sign to recognize is persistent feelings without justification. When you are feeling sad, angry, anxious or fearful for no reason, this may be because your brain is lying to you. If you are suffering from OCD, you brain wants you to feel these emotions, but it does not have a reason. It can be torturous actually, and don’t just brush off feelings like this.

3. Obsessions 
Typically, anyone with an obsession has a compulsive disorder. However, this doesn’t mean you need treatment. What does determine this is the severity. If you find yourself doing tasks or activities repeatedly throughout the day, and it’s inhibiting your ability to live your live, you have may have this disorder. If you find yourself thinking the same thoughts repeatedly, or become obsessed with a person, place or object and cannot get it off your mind enough to live life normally, you may need to speak with a physician or other specialist. For instance, many with OCD often are CONVINCED that they are sick with some serious illness when something small comes up, like a cough or a headache.

4. Inability to Socialize 
A person with OCD can sometimes have a hard time socializing, because they are too focused on the object or thoughts that are going through their mind repeatedly. The person is too focused to even think about other people in a room. People with OCD simply do not care about anything else other than the object or thought in their mind. Yes, the word obsession is quite literal here. Remember that people often don’t realize that they are being unreasonable.

5. Confusion 
Those with OCD also suffer from confusion. They aren’t able to focus on daily activities such as work or school, and may even forget they are supposed to be somewhere, take medicines for an illness, or even eat and bath daily. Sometimes, people with this disorder will not remember names, people or conversations with others. If you find yourself suffering from confusion like this and you’re not sure why, you could be suffering from OCD.

Bottom Line 

OCD is a varied disorder. There are numerous symptoms as diverse as the global population. For instance, other warning signs include feeling like you always have to be perfect, the fear of losing control, causing harm to yourself repeatedly, repetitive cleaning and pacing. The good news is that there are ways to be tested for OCD, and there are even more treatments out there that can help you. You just have to find the right doctor and therapist. Never be afraid to ask for help, or help out a loved one.

Bathilda Jorking writes about health, wellness, personal finance & www.homeequityloan.net

What you should know about dyslexia

What You Should Know About Dyslexia

There are several things that a person needs to know about dyslexia. If a loved one suffers from this condition, read through the following info ASAP.

1. What is it?
Dyslexia is a combination of a Latin word meaning difficulty and a Greek word meaning words. Therefore, the word dyslexia means that a person has difficulty with certain words. However, it specifically refers to how some cannot read letters or words as they appear. Instead, they seem backwards. This can be very confusing, for example, when it comes to the word body. It is a LEARNING DISABILITY – nothing more and nothing less.

2. Family History
If a child has any history of dyslexia in their family, then they are more likely to have dyslexia. The chance of onset is about 50 to 75 percent more likely if only one of the parents has dyslexia. If one child suffers from dyslexia, then any siblings of the child are probably going to be dyslexic too.

3. What to Look Out For
There are certain signs that a parent should be on the look out for. Some signs of dyslexia are delayed language acquisition, trouble learning nursery rhymes, mispronouncing words, difficulty learning the names of letters and not knowing how to spell his or her own name. If a child has any of these signs and other kids their age do not, it would be worth consulting a doctor.

4. Misconceptions
There are many misconceptions about dyslexia that many people believe. For instance, the most common misconceptions are that people write words backwards, all have bad handwriting, are clumsy or tend to be left-handed. Many also believe that dyslexia can be fixed if a person starts to take vitamins. Most of the time, these myths will come from the lack of knowledge that people have about dyslexia.

5. Diagnosing Dyslexia
There is no actual test that a doctor can use to diagnose dyslexia, but there are plenty of tools that doctors can use to monitor children (and young adults) that they think might have it. If a child is older than seven, then they will have to go through several tests before the doctor is able to diagnose dyslexia firmly.


6. Treatments
Several treatments can be given to a child to help improve symptoms of dyslexia or at least help them to deal with it. Some of these treatments include educational planning, speech/language therapy, oral administration of tests and presentations in school, and even the use of electronic spelling devices. The best thing that a parent can do for their child is to get a tutor or a counselor with a specialty in the condition.

7. Help
Encourage anyone that you think might have dyslexia to get help. Let the child or adult know that just because they have dyslexia, it does not mean that they are not smart, crippled or anything else beyond dyslexic. Dyslexic people are normal too, and in this day and age, there are many tools to make their life just as successful, productive & happy as anyone else’.

Troy Glover writes about health, parenting & saving cash at www.dentalinsurance.net.

Guest posts contributed to Free Your Mind

The following two blog entries this month are guest posts which have been contributed to FYM.

Regular contributor, Nicola Edwards, will be back in July with "Understanding PTSD (Part-Two)."