Mental Health Notes - News, Education and Advocacy

Saturday Sanity: Responsibility Abounds

by Alicia Sparks, Mental Health Notes on October 11th, 2008

So…there was no Saturday Sanity last Saturday. Actually, there were no posts at all last weekend.

Why, you ask?

Because it was freaking gorgeous outside and I said to myself and anyone who would listen, “You know what? I am not getting on the computer today.”

Very uncharacteristic of me.

I’m actually not on the computer today, either, and won’t be tomorrow. I’m off celebrating my birthday this weekend. Yeah, it was Wednesday, but who can properly celebrate during the work week? Not I. However, I’m back to being responsible and have prepared this week’s Saturday Sanity ahead of time.

Enjoy!

This week at Mental Health Notes, I told you about California’s $8 billion bill for new medical and mental health facilities in prisons, pointed you in the direction of a poem relevant to World Mental Health Day, and did a lot of talking about the Paul Wellstone-Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008: the text of it, my initial thoughts about it, and some concerns many folks may have now that it’s passed.

Regarding mental health advocacy, Mental Health America is calling for breakout session proposals for their Centennial Conference, “Celebrating the Legacy, Forging the Future,” the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance is accepting registrations for their next live webinar “Moving From Peer to Peer Provider,” which is on October 14, 2008 and is part of their Peer Specialist Continuing Education (CE) program, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness is providing “Stuck on the Rage Road,” an excerpt from bp Magazine, Fall 2008. Oh, and the Metro Coffee Company in Wyoming recently played host to an exhibit of the photographs taken by and the written words of children with mental illness: “Photovoice: Giving Voice to Youth and Families with Mental Health Needs.”

In the world of mental health news, survey findings suggest survivors of adult cancer are more likely than other adults to suffer severe psychological distress (I wonder if they really needed a survey to figure that out), research shows children who were born after only 25 or fewer weeks are more likely than babies who stayed in the womb for the full term to have behavioral and emotional problems, and researchers at John Hopkins think ginko can help prevent damage to brain cells after strokes. Teens with mental health problems are being dropped off at hospitals under the last “safe haven” law in the nation, University of Toronto psychologists have created what they think is a “fake-proof” personality test, and some researchers believe we can count on narcissists to lead the way.

Here at b5media’s Health & Wellness Channel, we’ve lost of one of Healthbolt’s bloggers (Liberty Kontranowski has left, but this is bittersweet news as she’s had some exciting job opportunities and life changes!), but we also have:

• Kristina Chew on a panel discussing Dr Paul Offit’s Autism’s False Prophets.
• Kristen King hosting her October Prizeapalooza at Lively Women.
• Over at Healthbolt, Liz is holding a contest for…wait for it…Harry Potter’s Candy Cauldron!
• Pink Ribbon Review’s Karen Lynch discussed reducing the risk of breast cancer on the Women’s Day Magazine talk radio show.
• Mary Emma reminds us about Blogtober Fest over at the Lifestyles Channel.
• Angelique offers eating disorder warning signs for parents.
• Grace Ibay tells us that premature ejaculation isn’t all in the mind, after all.
• Marijke discusses music easing stress and depression during pregnancy.

Now, go out and enjoy your Saturday!

Image: SXC and Mateusz Stachowski.

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POSTED IN: Government & Politics, Resources