Mental Illness Archives - Page 2 of 4

What Are ADL’s by Kartar Diamond

When a person is seriously mentally ill, health care providers will take note of something referred to as “ADL’s.” This stands for “Activities of Daily Living.” People with serious mental illness often have trouble accomplishing these activities of daily living, most of which the non-mentally ill take for granted. Activities of Daily Living include: bathing, brushing teeth, other aspects of personal hygiene like washing and combing hair, changing regularly into clean clothes, and eating sensible meals on a consistent schedule. ADL’s can also [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2021-08-22T21:28:20+00:00August 22, 2021|Advocacy, Mental Illness, Treatment|0 Comments

Gravely Ill Versus Danger to Self and Others by Kartar Diamond

There are a couple of terms or phrases which get the attention of law enforcement, as well as mental healthcare providers. One phrase is “gravely ill.” Anyone can assume correctly that this implies someone is very sick. In a medical context, it means that a person is very close to death. In a mental health context, “gravely ill” implies that a person is so disabled by their mental disorder that they could easily be vulnerable to a variety of circumstances which could result [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2021-05-31T17:45:16+00:00May 31, 2021|Mental Illness, Treatment|0 Comments

Do Euphemisms Help When It Comes to Mental Health? By Kartar Diamond

I try to make a point of referring to myself as a mental “illness” advocate and not a mental “health” advocate. Why? The reasons are varied, but the literal truth is that I advocate for those who suffer from serious mental illness and who cannot advocate for themselves. The rest of us who enjoy reasonably good mental health, and as highly functioning individuals, we know how to seek professional help when or if we have a set-back or psychological issue we cannot resolve [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2021-05-28T01:37:20+00:00May 28, 2021|Advocacy, Mental Illness, Treatment|0 Comments

What Is SSI? by Kartar Diamond

SSI stands for Supplemental Security Income. It is a monthly Federal stipend provided by the United States Social Security Administration (SSA) to those who qualify. You can also find out about SSI from the Social Security Administration website, but this article serves as overview with some editorial comments. Disability benefits can be granted to those with either physical disabilities or mental illness, or both. In order to qualify, Social Security has to verify that a person legitimately has a serious disability which prevents [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2021-05-16T22:31:26+00:00May 16, 2021|Mental Illness, Policy|0 Comments

Cannabis and Mental Illness by Kartar Diamond

The subject of marijuana and mental illness is a very touchy, controversial topic within the mental health community. This article will highlight just a few of the issues, but I’ll say at the outset that I see both sides of the arguments for and against. Everything has to be taken into context and factoring in the unique situations for each person, should they choose to “self-medicate” with weed. After attending years of NAMI Family Support meetings, hands down virtually all parents in attendance [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2021-05-16T14:46:48+00:00April 9, 2021|Mental Illness, Treatment|0 Comments

Adolescents with Mental Illness by Kartar Diamond

These days it seems like more kids are struggling with mental health issues. Perhaps we are just more willing to talk about it openly in society, with mental illness is a little less stigmatized than it used to be decades ago. However, there is a wide spectrum and ranges in severity when it comes to mental illness. When mental illness emerges in teenagers, the odd behaviors can sometimes be written off as just caused by teenage hormones. General anxiety and personality disorders can [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2021-05-16T14:51:28+00:00March 23, 2021|Family, Mental Illness, Treatment|0 Comments

What is NIMBYISM? by Kartar Diamond

Simply put, the acronym N.I.M.B.Y. stands for “Not In My Back Yard.” It refers to an attitude or stance taken by many people in that they will protest or campaign to keep anything or anyone deemed objectionable out of their neighborhood or community. The objectionable situation or person can cover a wide variety of demographics, but sometimes the objections people have are understandable and not just a case of prejudice or elitism. In the case of mental illness and homelessness, which are often [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2021-05-16T14:54:25+00:00March 18, 2021|Advocacy, Mental Illness, Treatment|0 Comments

The Twinkie Defense and Mental Health by Kartar Diamond

In 1978, a former San Francisco elected official named Dan White killed then-Mayor George Mascone and former fellow Supervisor Harvey Milk. The whole story was quite sensational and if you are not familiar with it, you can get the Cliff Notes on a Dan White Wikipedia page. Part of the defense, which resulted in murder charges being reduced to manslaughter, was the evidence that Dan White was severely depressed. Most depressed people don’t go on a killing spree, and any violent actions usually [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2021-03-15T21:25:43+00:00March 15, 2021|Mental Illness, Treatment|0 Comments

Speaking of Britney Spears and Mental Health by Kartar Diamond

The long-standing conservatorship over Britney Spears has been in the News lately and her ardent fans assume it is an injustice against her civil liberties. The general public does not know all the details of her conservatorship or even her mental health diagnosis. What is most obvious, is that Britney Spears is not a typical conservatee within the mental healthcare system. Whatever happens with her case should not be construed as a blueprint for others who need to be conserved or those disputing [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2021-05-16T14:59:48+00:00March 15, 2021|Advocacy, Family, Mental Illness|0 Comments

The Schizophrenogenic Mother by Kartar Diamond

What is the “schizo-phreno-genic” mother? This is a term that was used many decades ago to describe the personality disorder, attitude and detrimental actions of the mother who produced a child with schizophrenia. Supposedly, this was a cold, unaffectionate mother, who also micro-managed her child and the result somehow blamed for the severe mental illness in her offspring. This notion about how and why people develop schizophrenia was eventually retired since it was proven not to be true. It caused needless harm within [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2021-05-16T15:03:53+00:00March 7, 2021|Advocacy, Family, Mental Illness|0 Comments