Beating the Blues - Taking Mental Health Tools Online

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Mental Health America, U Squared Interactive Announce Strategic Partnership toProvide Online, Evidence-Based Tools for Mental Health Issues“Beating the Blues” Offers Computerized Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Contact: Steve Vetzner, (703) 797-2588 or svetzner@mentalhealthamerica.net

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (May 21, 2013)—Mental Health America (MHA) and U Squared Interactive (U2) today announced a collaborative, private/nonprofit partnership to provide Americans online, evidence-based tools they can use to address challenging mental health issues such as depression and anxiety. 

U2 has developed a computerized cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) program, Beating the Blues, which specifically addresses this urgent national need.  People will be able to get complimentary access to Beating the Blues US® by making a donation to the work of MHA between now and the MHA 2013 Annual Conference, June 5-8, 2013. To make a donation, go to http://mentalhealthamerica.net/go/may/beatingtheblues.

Depression and anxiety conditions are estimated to affect over 60 million Americans and cost the U.S. economy more than $105 billion in lost productivity every year. Despite the great efforts of health care providers and policy makers, there are simply not enough therapists or funding available to provide access to evidence-based solutions to meet the growing need. 

“We are pleased to join in this effort that will deliver an important tool that will empower consumers and help them chart their path to recovery,” said Wayne W. Lindstrom, Ph.D., president and CEO of MHA. “It builds on our long history of removing obstacles and expanding access to care.”

John Smith, Chief Operating Officer at U2 added: “As the oldest advocacy agency in the US, MHA has demonstrated a long standing ability to bring about positive change in the ways in which mental health care has been delivered, and we are delighted to be forming this strategic partnership to help influence both policy makers, health care practice and recipients of care.”  He added, “We want as many people as possible to benefit from this opportunity to get access to our evidence-based CBT program and ask that people circulate the link to the MHA site.”

Beating the Blues has treated over 300,000 people worldwide with 22 peer-reviewed and published studies that demonstrate its effectiveness at treating mild and moderate depression and anxiety conditions. In the US it is already deployed in large integrated delivery health systems, health insurers, behavioral health organizations, employers, and within the Department of Veterans Affairs and Defense Department.

The initial objectives of the strategic partnership will be to:
  • Raise national awareness of the importance of mental health screening and follow up
  • Encourage use of Beating the Blues for those in need
  • Offer information and resources through the MHA community network
  •  Promote and share best practices with American consumers 
About MHA –Mental Health America (www.mentalhealthamerica.net), founded in 1909, is the nation’s leading community-based network dedicated to helping all Americans achieve wellness by living mentally healthier lives. With our 240 affiliates across the country, we touch the lives of millions—Advocating for changes in mental health and wellness policy; Educating the public & providing critical information; and delivering urgently needed mental health and wellness Programs and Services. 

About U2 Interactive - U2 Interactive's mission is to support all healthcare stakeholder communities in creating innovative and cost effective computer based solutions for everyday health problems, lifestyle issues, and long-term conditions. U2 Interactive believes in delivering evidenced based treatment via interactive and easy to use software programs.
U2 is jointly owned by UPMC & Ultrasis PLC and head quartered in Pittsburgh, PA.
About Beating The BluesUS® - is the American version of Beating the Blues, a computerized CBT program that has treated over 300,000 people worldwide.  There are 22 peer-reviewed and published studies that demonstrate its effectiveness at treating mild and moderate depression and anxiety conditions. In the US it is already deployed in large integrated delivery health systems, health insurers, behavioral health organizations, employers and within the VA and DoD.

Original content post on Mental Health America's website:  http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/index.cfm?objectID=C3C6A995-AB90-9734-17849CAC863A4AC8

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$100 Summer Cash Giveaway

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BeFunky_100cashgiveaway.png

This giveaway is hosted by Empowered Mommy along with their blogging friends.
It's Summer Time! We are giving away $100 Cash to one lucky winner. Wipe the sweat!
Blogger Opportunity:
- Participation is free with announcement post or $5 without announcement post.
- Get 1 free link (Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest) on rafflecopter if you agree to promote the giveaway.
- Host pages, secret word, comments to your blog post available for $11 each. Grab your places now and get those Alexa numbers down! Limited places - first come first serve basis!
- Extra links $2 each (No referral links allowed)
- Co-host spots available for $20 - get a link back to your blog on each giveaway post as well as 3 free additional links.
Referral prize: Those who refers the most bloggers to sign up gets a link back of their blog on each giveaway post for free! All payments received goes towards the giveaway.
Questions goes to: admin@empoweredmommy.com
Sign ups: May 7, 2013 to June 7, 2013 Giveaway dates: June 9, 2013 to July 9, 2013

READY TO SIGN UP?

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50 Ways to Take a Break

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This is an awesome graphic. It's important to make time for breaks to re-center your spirit, focus, and to just get back to the heart of YOU. Relax, breathe and release any negativity you are holding onto for the moment. Your body and mind with thank you for it! ♥


Thank you Voices of Fibromyalgia for the photo!


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Fibromyalgia Awareness: 7 Ways to Invoke the Fibro Warrior Spirit

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Read this article from Fibro Daily about great ways to spread fibromyalgia awareness every day of the year.
The efforts of Fibromyalgia Awareness Day shouldn’t be relegated to May 12th. Instead, they should infuse the whole calendar with the Fibro Warrior Spirit. 
So short of storming the castle and scribbling all over accessible calendars, how do you infuse that Fibro Warrior Spirit into the days beyond May 12th?
Well, really…you should storm the castle. 
Think of the castle as all the entities that resist Fibromyalgia, rolled into one, then storm it with your charm, determination, and wit. Organize the non-Fibro castle with a ferocity that makes a knight take notice! After all, this is your health we’re talking about. Your life. Don’t play proper! 
Play strategically, with a smile. A Fibro Warrior smile. 
By doing so, you’ll invoke change.

Click the link below to continue reading.

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Blur

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Blur
 
life feels like a blur
nothing is clear to me
uncertainty keeps me near
the constant things bring chaos
shattering hope
eviscerating peace
 
life feels like a blur
storms of confusion shake me
questions abound in my mind
desperately seeking shelter
praying for clarity
waiting on stillness
 
life feels like a blur
change is too quick and often
many times unprepared and surprised
unforgiving pain captures me
tormenting my soul
strangling my dreams
 
life is like a blur
who I am in unknown to me
a false description based on the past
yearning to break free
from confinement
and limitations
 
life right now is a blur
I quietly walk through shadow and smoke
unsure of where I am going
refusing to return to where I have been
proceeding cautiously
on a quest for light

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Update on my neurostimulator

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It's been quite some time since I've written anything about my neurostimulator or made any videos on how it is working for me.  I apologize for not being on top of it but the past seven months have been quite difficult.  After my hospitalization in November, I have been struggling with a lot of depression and anxiety as well as learning how to cope with my pain naturally.  The aftermath of being on so many medications has me very afraid to try anything else.  If what I was taking was able to come up in my blood work as cocaine then why in the world would I put anything else in my body?  Yet, I'm suffering in pain a lot and it's causing me a lot of emotional distress.  The migraines would be less of an issue if my neurostimulator was working for me.  Unfortunately, it is not.  After having less success over the summer, I went to have some new programs put in back in October.  It hasn't helped any.  I might get a small amount of pain relief during the milder attacks, but full blown migraines were made worse with it turned on.  So I turned it off and kept it off for about two months.  I turned it back on in February on my youngest son's birthday because I didn't want to ruin his big day of turning eleven.  It got me through the day but I felt all of the other symptoms of migraine much more.  With the pain minimized, the nausea, dizziness and lightheadedness was intensified.  That alone made me want to turn it off but I managed to get through it for my son's sake.

I was stuck in a conflicted situation of whether to try new programs or have it removed.  On one hand, new programming might actually help this time and I don't want to have another surgery.  On the other, why bother with it at all and just be done with it since it hasn't helped me since June?  My husband was coaxing me towards getting it reprogrammed again, but after what had just happened I didn't want to deal with anything.  Plus, my neurosurgeon is in another state and getting there is a huge pain, literally and figuratively.  I was leaning towards reprogramming but I wasn't ready to deal with another big medical decision.  By mid-February and into March I started experiencing pain around the wires.  My left ear would be throbbing in pain as if I slept on it wrong when I haven't even laid on it.  I began getting occipital headaches from the pain around the wires in my neck.  I rarely ever get headaches there and now it's almost daily.  The pain that was only focused around my left eye has now migrated to the right.  My neck feels stiff, sore and achy all the time.  This is not what I bargained for when I fought to have this surgery covered.

This new pain has motivated me to get an appointment with my neurosurgeon for next Friday.  I want it taken out.  I pray that he agrees with me.  I'm not optimistic about getting a new program.  I still need to have my representative from Medtronic be there but at this point, I'm ready for it to be removed.  As long as the wires are causing me pain like this, ten programs couldn't fix that.  I'm very disappointed that this hasn't been successful for me.  My hopes were up very high that this would give me some sort of life again.  Instead, I have a host of new problems.  Honestly, it feels like a death and the fact that I only had about two or three months of significant pain relief has driven a lot of my depression and grief.

I can't endure a lifetime of pain.  It would devastate any hope I have left.  Twenty seven years of pain is way too long.  How can a person survive another year or five or ten?  I truly hope and pray that something comes along that finally helps me.

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Gratifications of Motherhood - Bloggy Moms Blog Dare

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Being a mother has its share of ups and downs.  It is challenging to be the one who is responsible for the lives of young human beings.  But the rewards are much greater.  Having medical limitations certainly makes my job difficult.  There have been (and still are) days where I can not be mom 100% of the time and I feel like I'm sacrificing their well-being.  So, when my kiddies do really well in school, behave and respect their elders and peers I feel proud.

One of my proudest moments was last year when my Brownie was nominated to participate in the People 2 People Student Ambassador program.  She had the opportunity to travel to six European countries during the summer!  It was so awesome for her to get to see how other people live and represent her delegation from our area.  At 13, the lucky girl got to visit Switzerland, The Netherlands, Germany, France, Belgium and the United Kingdom (London).   She also got the President's Education Award for Academic Excellence!  I felt very proud knowing that I was still able to guide my kids toward a bright future despite all of the struggles I have with daily pain.

She's 14 now and is almost finished with her first year of high school.  I couldn't ask for better daughter.


Brownie @ the airport on the day of departure


View Pictures of Her Trip!


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This Mother's Day

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Mother's Day holds a very special space in my heart.  As a little girl, I always enjoyed going shopping for gifts with my father and sisters for my mother and making her breakfast in bed.  Making her feel special meant everything to me and I knew it would mean even more when I became a mother.  Mothers do so much without immediate appreciation or gratification because it's expected of us to take care of our families, so it really makes Mother's Day special to have that acknowledgement.  It's so sweet of the kids to do for me what I typically do for them.  And getting an official day off isn't so shabby either!  I came across this graphic while visited another blog by a mom, Pinterest Fanatic (via Promocode4share.com).


Amazing things only mothers do [Infographic]

Get the embed code for your site.
Get the embed code for your site.


Happy Mother's Day to all of the fabulous moms out there!

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A Little Inspiration!

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I just wanted to share this song by one half of the superb gospel group, Mary Mary, Erica Campbell.  The message is so moving to me and reminds me to never give up, no matter what life has thrown my way I will make it to tomorrow.  So when the pain seems to be devouring your spirit, know that it's only temporary and that tomorrow is a new day.


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My Days of Losing Words: A Photo Book About Chronic Migraine by Rachael Jablo

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Rachael Jablo, a chronic migraineur, has put her life into pictures.  Over the past three years, she has captured what living with chronic migraine looks like.  As a chronic migraineur myself, I am so proud of her for bravely displaying the truth of what CM looks like and how it affects the person with the disease.  Please watch the video below and then make a pledge on Kickstarter to support the release of her photo book.  Help her tell our story.

See more of her work on Migraine.com!




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Presidential Proclamation -- National Mental Health Awareness Month, 2013 | The White House

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NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH, 2013
- - - - - - -
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Today, tens of millions of Americans are living with the burden of a mental health problem. They shoulder conditions like depression and anxiety, post-traumatic stress and bipolar disorder -- debilitating illnesses that can strain every part of a person's life. And even though help is out there, less than half of children and adults with diagnosable mental health problems receive treatment. During National Mental Health Awareness Month, we shine a light on these issues, stand with men and women in need, and redouble our efforts to address mental health problems in America.
For many, getting help starts with a conversation. People who believe they may be suffering from a mental health condition should talk about it with someone they trust and consult a health care provider. As a Nation, it is up to all of us to know the signs of mental health issues and lend a hand to those who are struggling. Shame and stigma too often leave people feeling like there is no place to turn. We need to make sure they know that asking for help is not a sign of weakness -- it is a sign of strength. To find treatment services nearby, call 1-800-662-HELP. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline offers immediate assistance for all Americans, including service members and veterans, at 1-800-273-TALK.
Our commitment cannot end there. We must ensure people have access to the care they need -- which is why the Affordable Care Act will expand mental health and substance use disorder benefits and Federal parity protections for 62 million Americans. For the first time, the health care law will prevent insurers from denying coverage because of a pre-existing condition. The Act already requires new health plans to cover recommended preventive services like depression screening and behavioral assessments for children at no extra cost to patients.
My Administration will keep building on those achievements. Earlier this year, I was proud to launch the BRAIN Initiative -- a new partnership between government, scientists, and leaders in the private sector to invest in research that could unlock new treatments for mental illness and drive growth throughout our economy. We have made unprecedented commitments to improving mental health care for veterans suffering from traumatic brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder. And we have proposed new funding for mental health programs that will help teachers and other adults recognize the signs of mental illness in children, improve mental health outcomes for young people, and train 5,000 more mental health professionals to serve our youth.
Mental health problems remain a serious public health concern, but together, our Nation is making progress. This month, I encourage all Americans to advance this important work by raising awareness about mental health and lending strength to all who need it.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim May 2013 as National Mental Health Awareness Month. I call upon citizens, government agencies, organizations, health care providers, and research institutions to raise mental health awareness and continue helping Americans live longer, healthier lives.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.
BARACK OBAMA


Obama, Barack H. "Presidential Proclamation -- National Mental Health Awareness Month, 2013." The White House. The White House, 30 Apr. 2013. Web. 06 May 2013. <http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2013/04/30/presidential-proclamation-national-mental-health-awareness-month-2013>.

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