Contrary to what some think, mental illness isn’t the same as mental retardation. Retardation stems from a learning and intellectual disability. Mental illness is a biologically based brain disease that hinders a person’s ability to reason or relate to reality. Mental illness is far more common than cancer, diabetes, heart disease, or arthritis. One in…
Author: nowwhat
Mind Games – Criminal law
Insanity is used as a defense against responsibility for a crime. The first modern test of insanity was the M’Naghten rule (1843). It held that a person was insane if he or she had such a defect of reason at the time of committing a criminal act that he or she did not know…
Mind Games – If a loved one threatens violence
Don’t think you can handle it alone. Contact a mental health organization, such as NAMI, and call a friend or neighbor to help. Don’t leave the person alone. List all peculiar behavior and behavior patterns: times, dates, length of pattern. List questions, suspicions, and fears to ask professionals. If the person refuses to see a…
I Am Bipolar
Meeting God in the pit of depression. by Nancy Hagerman The door swung shut behind me, and the automatic lock clicked on. Shoes and socks, watch, purse, and even my wedding ring were confiscated at the front desk. The uniform — sweat pants and t-shirt — was doled out, and I changed under the…
Mind Games – Additional Organizations
Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry 800-826-2950 Grief Recovery Helpline 800-445-4808 Information Referrals & Crisis Helpline 800-233-4357 National Depressive and Manic-Depressive Association 800-826-DMDA (3632) National Foundation for Depressive Illness (NAFDI) 800-248-4381 National Institute of Mental Health Information, Resources and Inquiries Branch 800-64PANIC (72642); provides information on panic disorders. National Mental Health Association 800-969-NMHA (6642) National…
God Gave Me a Sound Mind
From hate to wholeness. by Gayle Threlkeld as told to Muriel Larson “Gayle, your husband called me,” my gynecologist said over the phone, “and he seems very worried about you.” “About what?” I asked, well aware of what the answer might be. During our last big battle, I completely lost control and attacked my…
I Almost Committed Suicide
What would Jesus and others think? by Kathy Collard Miller As the train rumbled past the East Coast countryside, taking my daughter and me to New York City for a vacation, my thoughts were as piercing as the train’s screeching wheels. Why did Greg take his own life? Greg was a distant relative I…
What to Do If You’re Depressed
If you think you’re depressed, be sure to get help: See your doctor. He can test for illnesses that can cause depression, such as low thyroid, mononucleosis, anemia, diabetes, and hepatitis. He can also prescribe antidepressant medication. Talk to a pastor. The most effective treatment for depression is a combination of medication and psychotherapy….
God and the Blues
by Bonnie Doran “It’s organic, and there’s nothing you can do about it.” My shoulders sagged as I absorbed my doctor’s statement. My problem was not burnout, PMS, or low thyroid; my problem was chronic depression. I had suffered from mild depression for years. At times I denied the problem and fought it like…
Facts about Depression
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, more than 17 million Americans suffer from depressive illness each year. About twice as many women are affected as men. Although medication and psychotherapy can help 80 to 90 percent of depressed people, only one third of them will seek treatment. Depression is likely present when a…