Saturday Sanity: Stress Abounds
I’ve been fairly stressed out this week.
The state of the American economy, the housing market, health insurance (or lack thereof), my yet-to-be paid off student loans - in other words, money (or again, lack thereof) - all have me freaking out just a bit about my future and my country’s future.
I didn’t used to worry about things like this. Of course, I don’t remember a time in my life when things ever seemed this bad.
Anyone else feeling the stress? Have some suggestions for mellowing out? I’d love to hear them.
In the meantime, let’s check out what’s going on in the world of mental health.
This week at Mental Health Notes, I told you about National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month and our blogging event to raise awareness, as well as shared my two spins on the second and ninth steps. I also pointed you in the direction of an article about pharmacists’ secrets, told you where you could get free, condensed summaries of health books, asked you what you thought of electronic medical records in light of Practice Fusion’s new program, and shared a funny.
Regarding mental health advocacy, the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) has made it easy for us to urge Congress to get moving on Mental Health Parity, the Consumers Union shared the story of Kim, a lady who struggled to get health insurance because she dared to use the mental health coverage her former policy offered, and Mental Health American released its Fall 2008 issue of The Bell.
In the world of mental health news, Ireland campaigners believe their government is seriously lacking resources for suicide prevention strategies, researchers claim pregnant women who experience even moderate amounts of stress are putting their babies at risk for lowered intellectual development, more teens are putting their brain development at risk with a rise in oxycodone and hydrocodone abuse, and the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (NSBRI) is developing self-guided, computer-based depression treatment.
Here at b5media’s Health & Wellness Channel, many of my fellow bloggers participated in our little event for National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. Check out b5Media Salutes National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month to check out what they had to say!
Enjoy your Saturday (and if it’s anything like mine, i.e. rainy beyond belief, you’ll appreciate all the reading material).
Image: SXC
Tags: 12 Steps, America's future, American economy, computer depression treatment, Consumers Union, dbsa, depression and bipolar support alliance, Electronic Medical Records, free health books, Health Insurance, housing market, hydrocodone, mental health, mental health america, mental health blog, mental health news, mental health parity, mental health research, mental health resources, mental health website, National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, National Space Biomedical Research Institute, NSBRI, oxycodone, Practice Fusion, pregnant women and stress, prescription drug abuse in teens, suicide prevention in Ireland, The Bell NewsletterPOSTED IN: Addiction, Government & Politics, Resources
5 opinions for Saturday Sanity: Stress Abounds
Kat
Sep 27, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Stress relief…2 things.
1. Romance novels. I’ve read 3 Nora Roberts trilogies in two weeks. I don’t know why it helps, but it does. Always has for me. Maybe it’s because of all the things I’m blowing off while I inhale love and sex.
2. Sad movies. I know what this one is. Sad movies make me cry, and provide a physical release for the tension that has gathered in knots in my body. Moulin Rouge is a favorite…when Christian gathers the dead Satine in his arms and screams at the sky…man!
So, that’s what helps me. Reading is more covenient, because I never have time to sit and watch a whole movie unless it’s rated PG or lower.
Thea Gilbert
Sep 27, 2008 at 10:55 pm
Alicia:
i have been reading about the cymbalta withdrawals and i am experiencing them now. i might be pregnant (like barely) and my doctor told me to go off cold turkey which i did but i don’t think i can take this for a month! any ideas about where i can research how to detox if i’m pregnant? i can’t take this.. please help if you can and thanks for everything you do.
Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes
Sep 28, 2008 at 12:01 am
@ Kat - Watching sad movies - those that are sad enough to make me cry - definitely help. A good cry is so….well, GOOD sometimes, haha.
And you already know what my guilty pleasure of choice is in the, um…”literature” department, LOL! (Oh, if these people only knew….muahahaha) That’s definitely stress relief for me. Especially over the past several weeks. It’s good to be able to escape to another place.
Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes
Sep 28, 2008 at 12:04 am
@ Kat again - I forgot - I know I’ve read at least one Nora Roberts book. I just can’t remember the name of it (if I weren’t so lazy, I’d go downstairs and look at the bookshelf). I went to her website, thinking I’d browse the titles and jog my memory, but it didn’t.
I’m thinking of starting on ol’ Stephanie Meyer. I keep saying that. But really, I think I’m going to.
Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes
Sep 28, 2008 at 12:22 am
@ Thea Gilbert - There are several pages here at Mental Health notes, as well as other websites, you should check out (some of them you may have already seen, but I don’t know for sure so I’ll list them all):
Cymbalta: The Withdrawal Symptoms From Hell - Probably the most popular post at this entire blog, with over 650 comments from people who went through, or are currently going through, Cymbalta withdrawal. There are also some links within the post of other sites that deal with Cymbalta withdrawal.
Cymbalta and Pregnancy - A post I wrote after a woman asked me about taking Cymbalta while pregnant.
Depression Hurts…Yeah, So Does Cymbalta - This is just basically me being snarky, with links to lots of articles about Cymbalta being ordered to halt their commercials last year.
I Can’t Stop Crying - A post I wrote in the throes of Cymbalta withdrawal.
Interview With A Cymbalta Withdrawal Survivor - Last month I interviewed a Mental Health Notes reader who went through Cymbalta withdrawal.
CymbaltaSurvivors.org and CymbaltaSurvivors.com - An awareness group and their message board, all geared toward bringing public awareness about Cymbalta. (I’ll be interviewing one of the ladies who helped found these sites in a few days.)
You may find comments in any of those posts or on that message board that give you ideas on how to manage the withdrawal symptoms.
With all that being said, the best place to find out information about detoxing (withdrawing from Cymbalta) while you’re pregnant is your doctor. Tell your doctor that you’re scared, tell him/her about the withdrawal symptoms you’re experiencing, and make him/her help you through this tough time. In other words, make your doctor do his/her job. Since I started blogging at Mental Health Notes, I can’t count how many people have told me their doctors have said things like “do whatever you want,” or “do this” yet not offered any advice or support. This is not acceptable behavior from the medical professionals to whom we pay good money. You deserve good care, so please make sure your doctor gives it to you. And please feel free to keep me updated on how it goes!
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