Certain groups of people are more likely to develop dangerous responses to high temperatures, including heat stroke or certain medical conditions. Children and older adults fall into this category, but people of any age who are living with mental illness also need to be very careful during extremely hot weather.

Staying out of the heat can be difficult for our homeless population, many of whom also live with mental illness. I have seen a homeless person on more than one occasion totally overdressed during our 100 degree plus days because he either doesn’t realize how hot it is, or he’s afraid to leave his few possessions, including his clothing, behind.

Stay Safe

Educate yourself about the symptoms of heat stroke , such as:

* An extremely high body temperature (above 103 degrees Fahrenheit)
* Red, hot and dry skin (no sweating)
* Rapid, strong pulse
* Throbbing headache
* Dizziness
* Nausea
* Confusion

Individuals living with mental illness may be more prone to heat stroke because some medications alter the body’s response to heat. In addition, people taking specific medications may be at a higher risk of developing Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) , a serious condition that may be connected to high temperatures and the dehydration that can result from heat stroke. NMS and heat stroke have similar symptoms, so it is especially important that people with mental illness inform their doctors of all medications they are currently taking.

Stay Informed

The National Weather Service is the hub of information about heat alerts. The Weather Channel offers a free service that will send updates about heat advisories to your phone.

Stay Inside

On extremely hot days, limit your exposure to the heat and sun, especially during the hottest part of the day. Don’t walk long distances if you don’t have to. Some public transportation systems offer free bus service on days with a dangerous heat index.

Stay Cool

If you do have an air conditioner, change the filter and perform other maintenance that will keep the unit working at peak capacity. If you don’t have an air conditioner, try to spend a few hours a day in an air-conditioned public place like a library or mall. Look into area programs that may provide air conditioners for people with disabilities for free or at a reduced cost. In the past, some local United Way chapters have collected donated units and redistributed them to people with the most need.

Here’s a list of some of Tucson’s Homeless Shelters.  I don’t know if any of them have room, but hopefully they can provide a respite from the heat for our city’s people on the streets.

Brewster Center for Victims of Family Violence (602)880-7201

Joshua House 520-512-8448

www.ourfamilyservices.org <http://www.ourfamilyservices.org/> ,  phone number is 520.323.1708.

Open Inn (602)571-9253

New Beginnings For Women 520-325-8800

St. Vincent De Paul Society 602-622-2822

The Primavera Foundation (520)623-5111

Casa del los Ninos 520-624-5600

Gospel Rescue Mission 520-740-1501 ext. 222

According to Wikipedia “burnout” is a psychological term for the experience of long term exhaustion and diminished interest. It is not included in the DSM IV (the psychiatric Bible), but it is included in the ICD-10 which is a coding of diseases and symptoms, complaints and social circumstances etc.

“Burnout” was first coined in the 1970’s and is now used more often than the older terminology “nervous breakdown” which was commonly used for some of the same kinds of symptoms. The big difference as far as I can tell is that “Burnout Syndrome” applies mostly to work related exhaustion, while “nervous breakdown” applies to symptoms caused by an abnormal amount of stress.

As a teenager in the 70’s I remember hearing the term “nervous breakdown” frequently. A few friends over those years told me they had someone in their family that had a nervous breakdown and needed time to rest. I don’t know if they ever recovered or if their nervous breakdown required more intensive treatment. Many psychiatrists today think that a nervous breakdown is sometimes a code for something more serious like an episode of severe depression or psychosis.

“Burnout syndrome” seems to be less of a psychiatric illness and more of a general feeling of being drained physically and emotionally. I know of people who have worked themselves to exhaustion. Different situations can lead to burnout including overwhelming workload, hard work and no clear goals, powerlessness to change something important to you, conflict between your personal values and the values of the company you work for, and hitting the “invisible ceiling.”

In both cases, it’s important to try and be aware that you are headed into a burnout situation so that you can make the appropriate changes before it happens. Psychiatric care may or may not be needed, but chances are that drastic changes in life style and attitude will be.

Memorial Day: Honoring the Heroes Fighting PTSD (from the National Alliance on Mental Illness)

Nine years of war in Iraq and Afghanistan have taken a great toll on soldiers who are serving repeated and longer tours of duty. USA Today this month reported that mental health disorders resulted in more American soldier hospitalizations in 2009 than any other reason—and that depression, substance abuse, anxiety and adjustment problems such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder cost the Pentagon 488 years of lost duty in 2009.

On Memorial Day, we remember veterans and active duty service members, those who have sacrificed much in their service to our country. It is also a good time to remember those who struggle with PTSD—some of whom have never served in the military.

PTSD doesn’t just affect those who have enlisted; studies suggest that anywhere between 2–9 percent of the population has had some degree of PTSD, but the number may be higher among people diagnosed with another serious mental illness.

The consequences of untreated mental illness both within the military and in the civilian population are staggering: unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, broken families, inappropriate incarceration and suicide. But these tragic outcomes are preventable. Treatment works and recovery is possible.

NAMI’s online Veterans Resource Center offers a variety of mental illness, policy and health care resources for veterans and active duty military members, as well as their families, friends and advocates.

Visit the website at:  www.nami.org