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.

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

NOT… “just another walk”

As most of you know, we just had a very successful NAMIWalks in Tucson on March 27th. NAMIWalks Southern Arizona is the single biggest fundraising, awareness building event in this area promoting advocacy, support and education for people with mental illness and their families. A NAMI associate and friend of mine manages the Walk in San Diego that is scheduled for this weekend and was able to assist in coordinating a simultaneous walk in Iraq. Please read the following article from the NAMI website:

Army Troops in Iraq to Hold 5K Run to Promote PTSD Awareness and Ending Stigma of Mental Illness

April 14, 2010

Arlington, Va. — An Army platoon in Iraq will run five kilometers (5K) in full body armor on April 17 to raise awareness about posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the need to end stigma surrounding mental illness.

Forward Operating Base Echo in ad-Diwaniyah, Iraq will hold the event at the same time the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) affiliate in San Diego holds a NAMIWalk at a more leisurely pace.

NAMI San Diego will move out Saturday at 8:00 a.m. (PT) while 3rd Platoon, Baker Company of the 3rd Infantry Division’s 3rd Heavy Brigade Combat Team and others begin the 5K run at 19:00 hours (Iraq time).

“This is an incredible event,” said NAMI National Executive Director Mike Fitzpatrick. “NAMI is honored that Army soldiers in a war zone have synchronized their commitment to public education with our San Diego affiliate.”

“NAMIWalks across the country are about hope, recovery and community. They are fun events, but they support serious work.”

“As the U.S. Army has taught me, not all wounds are visible,” said Army specialist John Bell, who is organizing the Iraq event.

“As tough as a U.S. service member may be, many still suffer the effects of having endured life in a combat zone. The most prominent effect is PTSD. Not every combat-deployed soldier has been in a firefight, or had their vehicle struck by an IED, or even lost a friend by an enemy engagement. But the trauma they endure is nonetheless significant to them.”

* One in six veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan is affected by PTSD, depression or anxiety. Only about half seek treatment.

* One study has reported that 25 percent of Iraq veterans seen at veterans’ hospitals receive mental health diagnoses.

* Approximately 40 percent of homeless veterans have some form of mental illness.

For two years, NAMI San Diego development and events manager, Annie Dunlop told Bell, a friend, about NAMIWalks. Deployed in Iraq, he was unable to participate. This year he didn’t want to miss out. The 5K will honor NAMI San Diego’s work and NAMI efforts to help veterans nationwide through its on-line Veterans Resource Center and other programs.

If you believe, as I do, that mental illnesses are illness just like any other, than why was this man, who supposedly treated other people with brain disorders, not receiving treatment himself?  Did  anyone not notice how he was struggling?  According to the “God Blogging” post on this site, NPR interviewed others at Walter Reed who said he was. 

Which brings us back to the same problem, the same issues that continue to plague people with mental illness and their families.  Because of the stigma, because of the inattention by our health care system that doesn’t think the mind is part of one’s physical health, because of an overburdened mental healthcare system, because people suffering from a mental illness can feel isoloated and abandoned by their support structure, people with diagnosable brain disorders are falling through the cracks.  One again, as President Obama called this tragedy, “a horrific” catastrophe has occured in this country.

Who knows what was going on in Hasan’s head……Certainly listening to war stories from our returning Veterans experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was not an easy thing to do, but why is it that no one saw the signs, especially when he was set to deploy at the end of the month? Maybe Major Hasan will be able to shed some light on our questions.

If you are a family member or loved one of someone who has a mental illness you undoubtedly have experienced one if not all of the feeling listed above.  I know I have.

When my son was first diagnosed with a serious mental illness I blamed everything from the flu I had while I was pregnant with him to the bug spray I used in the house when he was growing up.  Could it have been my parenting?   Was I too permissive or over-protective?  Did I spoil him, or not give him enough? Should I have re-married after his father died in a car accident? (one very cruel psychiatric nurse suggested that) Did I not handle the grief properly?  (Both my children went to grief counseling) What about the early signs?  Did I ignore them or was it that I was just ignorant of the symptoms?  Did I get him into treatment early enough? 

The questions can go on forever, but now I know something that anyone with a family member with a brain disorder should know……….IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT!!!  It never was and it never will be.  You certainly cannot blame yourself if mental illness runs in your family.  Yes, there is a genetic component, but who says that’s your fault?

All family members of those living with mental illness can do is support and love them.  Be encouraging, but don’t pressure.  Especially after a serious crisis……it will take your loved one time to heal – just like an injury to the physical body takes time. And, don’t feel guilty because you may have pressured  him, quarreled, or  not understood what was happening before.  Be empathetic and put yourselves in their shoes.  Imagine what it must be like to have the rug pulled out from under you and your reality.  And, then imagine what it will be like when a sense of balance returns. Your relative is in recovery and he’s able to feel your love and support and you’ve been there to assist him in his journey. 

If I’ve said it before, it needs to be repeated.  It’s important to educate yourself about mental illness.  It’s not an easy road to be on……actually it’s more like a roller coaster with the ups and downs and sometimes terrifying sense of no control.  So learn what you can and remember to take care of yourself as well!  If you are not doing well and your guilt is making you ill, you can’t be there for your loved one either. 

For me, my protective Mother role kicked in and I immediately called my daughter who was living here at the time and told her to come over.  I waited to talk to my son until he came over later that afternoon as I was concerned it would be too difficult for him to come to terms with given his serious mental illness at the time – I wanted to be present for him in case it caused too much anxiety. I called repeatedly to Hoboken, New Jersey where my step-daughter lived at the time and was relieved when her friend finally got in touch to tell me she had spoken with her and all was fine as my step-daughter hadn’t gone into the City that morning.

As awful as it was for us, I  can’t imagine the horror those intimately involved experienced.  I think their grief, like those of a combat soldier, is more like post traumatic stress disorder.  And, although they are both similar in that they show many of the same symptoms,  through a normal grief process we learn to adapt to the change -  in the case of PTSD the process is overloaded.

As we mature we learn to accept change as part of being human.  We expererience the death of a grandparent and learn to accept the change,  but when our entire view of the world changes, as it did on 9/11, our foundation, our reality of the world being a just place  is challenged.  For someone intimately involved in a tragedy of that magnitude, the anxiety and panic can be  overwhelming.

I know people that moved away from New York City after 9/11.  Some of those that stayed still get reminded of the trauma when fire alarms go off and they have to evacuate their high rise building. My thoughts go out to them.  I have experienced tragedy and unbearable grief in  my life, but I have always known that my world would continue and life would go on.  For them, their world no longer exists.  Like the twin towers, they were brought to their knees and like the twin towers they are slowly rebuilding in a new world.

The Community Partnership of Southern Arizona, (www.cpsa-rbha.org) the regional behavioral health agency, offers classes on suicide prevention.  Obviously, depression plays a big role in someone contemplating suicide – about 2/3 of the people that complete suicide are depressed at the time of death. I believe for my son, it was most certainly his schizophrenia.  As I have said…..I believe it was the mental illness that took his life. 

Most people that do attempt or complete suicide have some sort of mental illness.  It’s an act of desperation for someone that doesn’t see the alternatives.

Individuals who are depressed and exhibit the following symptoms are at particular risk of suicide.

• Extreme hopelessnessIf you or anyone you know if thinking about suicide…..please get help.  Speaking from experience, the survivors never get over it.
• A lack of interest in activities that were previously pleasurable
• Heightened anxiety and/or panic attacks
• Insomnia
• Talk about suicide or have a prior history of attempts
• Irritability and agitation

IF YOU ARE IN CRISIS AND
NEED IMMEDIATE HELP,
please call 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

www.sostucson.org

Suicide Prevention Week is September 6th -  12th 

As an owner of a wonderfully perfect (in my view) mutt that is some cross of terrier, German Sheppard and who knows what else, I know that she loves me unconditionally. I know that when I’m feeling a little lonely or blue, she can make me smile  if I let her and she’ll leave me alone when I want her to. Maybe they do have some kind of sixth sense. She follows me around the house, even when I have guests and she doesn’t complain when I forget to give her her morning “treat.”  Of course, I eventually remember and apologize as I rush to the pantry to complete our morning ritual. My dog is so special, she’s even killed a scorpion or two! (we won’t talk about the birds she’s caught and brought in through her dogie door in the middle of the night.)

Studies have shown that pets absolutely have a positive impact on our mental health. They can even help to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels! Just the act of petting your dog can have a soothing effect. Gazing at fish in an aquarium can also have a calming effect. Taking care of a horse has proven to be therapeutic……it’s just not easy to care for one in your living room! Better to get a cat…..

When my son was inpatient at the National Institutes of Mental Health his favorite part of the week was when a couple of dogs were able to visit the unit. They call it “Animal Assisted Therapy.” In the last photo I have of him he is petting a beautiful black lab – they both look very content.

Daniel (my son) had an aquatic turtle that his sister now cares for. (they can live 30 – 40 years). He used to always tell me how he related to his turtle. I thought it was a delusion, but now I know. That funny little reptile, “Thumper” is his name, does have a personality and he has brought joy to the entire family!

Pets never judge or complain. When we are sick, they know whether they should  leave us alone or snuggle up. When we’re excited, you can bet your pet is, too.

Professionally trained dogs have proven to be a wonderful support for people with physical as well as mental handicaps.

So, the next time you’re feeling blue, why not take your dog for a walk? If you don’t have one, ask your neighbor to borrow their pooch for thirty minutes. Pets are natural attitude adjusters.

I’m talking about the Army’s plan to train 1.1 million of it’s soldiers in emotional resiliency and I think it’s a step in the right direction. Never tried before, the training is meant to improve performance in combat and (hopefully) deter mental health problems that affect at least 20% of returning troops from Iraq and Afghanistan.

Another pilot program currently planned for bases in Hawaii, Alaska and Washington removes a requirement that soldiers getting mental health treatment notify their commanders.  As discussed in previous posts, stigma surrounding mental illness is pervasive everywhere and the army is no different. 

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder resulting from combat has been linked to violent behavior including homicide and suicide. Naturally there is some resistance to this kind of therapy, but I think it’s a step in the right direction.