Treatment Archives - KARTAR DIAMOND

Paranoia by Kartar Diamond

What is paranoia and what causes it? According to one dictionary definition, paranoia is: “A mental condition characterized by delusions of persecution, unwarranted jealousy, or exaggerated self-importance, typically elaborated into an organized system. It may be an aspect of chronic personality disorder, of drug abuse, or of a serious condition such as schizophrenia in which the person loses touch with reality.” We may wonder why a person would feel persecuted or suspicious that others mean them harm. But haven’t we all had fleeting [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2023-04-11T22:11:39+00:00April 11, 2023|Mental Illness, Treatment|0 Comments

From Gifted to I.E.P. by Kartar Diamond

It may be a cliché, that people with schizophrenia are more intelligent than the average person, sometimes far more intelligent, even genius level. As well, they may be artistic and creative in objective ways. And yet, when the inflammation of the brain and the disease takes hold, sometimes the person with schizophrenia can be erroneously identified as developmentally disabled. That happened one time to my son in a hospital admission. The normal functioning of cognitive skills can be damaged like a stroke victim, [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2023-03-22T02:04:30+00:00March 22, 2023|Mental Illness, Treatment|0 Comments

Government Sponsored Mental Health Services: FSP and AOT by Kartar Diamond

Across the United States, there are various support programs, for people with mental illness. The key of course, is getting the mentally ill person motivated and accepting of those services. With some of the most serious mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, lack of insight may undermine a person’s ability to make good decisions or even recognize they have an illness and need support and redirection. As well, some folks know they have an illness and may even admit on a good day that [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2022-11-12T17:30:44+00:00November 12, 2022|Mental Illness, Treatment|0 Comments

What is Anosognosia? by Kartar Diamond

Anosognosia. The word itself is a mouthful. A-no-sog-no-sia. This is a medical term which has had another meaning entirely, but it has been adopted by the mental health world to describe the state of a person with mental illness who has no insight into their illness. This is a very important distinction to be made because a mentally ill person could be accused of being in denial about their illness. When a person is in denial, they may consciously know they have [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2022-07-13T15:30:20+00:00July 13, 2022|Advocacy, Mental Illness, Treatment|0 Comments

Board and Cares by Kartar Diamond

One time, after a failed attempt to get my son hospitalized, I spoke briefly with a police officer outside my son’s Board and Care. The officer asked me, “Is this a Halfway House?” A Halfway House is an older, informal name for a transitional home, where people with drug abuse or criminal backgrounds get counseling and support so they can return to normal and more permanent housing. The current Sober Living Houses fill some of those needs. It was obvious, however, that this [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2022-03-22T03:07:39+00:00March 22, 2022|Treatment|0 Comments

A Hospital Run By the Patients, Entry #1 by Kartar Diamond

I’m sure I will periodically post excerpts from my memoir, Noah’s Schizophrenia, but the incident I’m about to recount wasn’t included in the book. It just surfaced from the memory banks as I lay awake in bed this morning. It’s a worthy illustration of what kind of behavior falls under the category, “a hospital run by the patients.” Unfortunately, I have many of these stories, alarming behavior by mental healthcare providers, which no one ever seems to be held accountable for. Back in [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2021-12-26T23:08:02+00:00December 26, 2021|Advocacy, Mental Illness, Treatment|0 Comments

Mental Illness and I.E.P. Programs by Kartar Diamond

I.E.P. stands for Individual Educational Program. Since a child who is a U.S. citizen is entitled to an education, the I.E.P. programs exist for those children who cannot effectively participate in a regular public school setting. These programs cater to any number of developmental or behavioral disabilities in minors., which inhibit their ability to learn with other students in a regular school environment. Additionally, when it is determined that a child cannot receive an adequate education while living at home, some I.E.P. programs [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2021-09-07T21:50:01+00:00September 7, 2021|Advocacy, Mental Illness, Treatment|0 Comments

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

What Is A Mental Health Case Manager? by Kartar Diamond

Each jurisdiction has its own terminology, so the job description of a case manager may be called something else in other areas. In our experience, a “case manager” is a social worker who assists a person with mental illness. Case managers may work in conjunction with a therapist or psychiatrist, as part of a mental healthcare team and they work for the Department of Mental Health directly or through an agency that is contracted with the Department of Mental Health. Case managers may [...]

By Kartar Diamond|2021-08-02T15:22:10+00:00August 2, 2021|Advocacy, Policy, 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