Mental Health America of Illinois

The official Tumblr page of Mental Health America of Illinois! Changing Minds, Changing Lives. We encourage you to share your stories and experiences with mental illness, your artwork, or simply something that made you smile. This is a safe place to express yourself. Follow us for news, updates, inspirational quotes, ,or just a funny picture! Founded in 1909, Mental Health America of Illinois is a leading non-profit, non-governmental, statewide organization in Illinois concerned with the entire spectrum of mental and emotional disorders. MHAI is dedicated to promoting mental health, serving our communities and improving care and treatment . For more information or to make a donation, visit MHAI.org.

[mha-il-blog]

Source: http://www.nerdgraph.com/what-are-anxiety-disorders/

[namiorg-deactivated20220809]

I always felt different growing up…to having few friends, losing friends, and just not fitting in.  Even as an adult I suffered from a feeling of belonging.  After a failed marriage and losing job after job I decided to get some help.  In 2006 I was diagnosed with ptsd, major depression, and generalized anxiety disorder.  I was told by a psychiatrist to “go home and take these pills.“  I thought I would be cured. Boy, was I wrong.  In 2011 things got so bad that I was suicidal, had self harm, and started having auditory and visual hallucinations. It was then I decided to get real about my treatment and my life.  I went to see another psychiatrist who said I had the same diagnoses and this time told me I have serious mental illness and she gave me a referral to the state mental health system to get me diagnosed SMI.  Well within 3 days I was approved for that diagnosis-yeah, bittersweet is the word I felt.  I was so happy to finally know, but very sad at the same time; almost like a grieving process/loss started for me.  I had 3 inpatient and 2 outpatient hospitalizations.  On my last hospitalization the psychiatrist there told me I was bipolar. Gosh, now this made sense to me. Getting on the right meds and understanding my diagnoses was the best thing that happened for me.  Now I could move forward.  I face challenges daily, but I am confident that I can finally deal with my mental illness and hopefully get some of my old strength back. My first contact with NAMI was through their Peer-to-Peer class.  I took this 10 week course and learned so many new things about myself and my disorder.  I decided to get more involved with the organization. I now volunteer for NAMI presenting for their (IOOV) In Our Own Voice program, telling my story about my life living with mental illness.  I am so thankful I found NAMI; they were a lifesaver for me!

[mha-il-blog]

It is as if my life were magically run by two electric currents: joyous positive and despairing negative--which ever is running at the moment dominates my life, floods it.

Sylvia Plath

[mha-il-blog]

[mha-il-blog]

Inside the mind of someone struggling with social anxiety

I’ve always admired people who are able to laugh at themselves. The people who do something awkward or stupid, put their foot in their mouth, make a (temporary) ass of themselves—then laugh, turn it into a funny story, and carry on. Maybe they accidentally offend someone, or they call their new boss by the wrong name, or they choke during a public speaking event. It sucks in the moment, but it’s just a day in the life for them. They may feel a twinge of embarrassment, sure—their face may flush, and they might feel like an idiot, but then they throw their head back and laugh, and the just like that, the moment is in the past. It rolls right off their skin like a drop of water—insignificant, just a blip in their radar. OK, so maybe I don’t just admire these people. I envy them so much that it physically pains me. Because when I embarrass myself, I don’t let it roll off me. I drown in it. Oh my god. I just offended her. That one drop of water ...

It's hard to imagine what it is like to live in the mind of someone with social anxiety. Read one girls story of what it feels like to be inside her head.

[mentalhealthresource]

[mha-il-blog]

Project UROK works to end stigma through comedy and honest discussion. Check out videos of people sharing their stories and join the conversation with your own submission!

[mha-il-blog]

Sometimes you just need someone to tell you it's time to see a therapist. And when that happens, you may be shocked or ashamed at first. You may not be comfortable with the idea, or you may think it's a waste of time. You may think that having a friend listen to your problems is just as good as talking to a professional. I used to think all those things, but when I started to monopolize valuable time with my friends as an adult by constantly complaining about life, I realized it was time to see a therapist. Yes, friends are there to be there for you, but you also have to be there for them. And you can't totally be there for your friends unless you can recognize your limitations and work on yourself first. Keep in mind, I'm not trying to force you to see a therapist, I'm only letting you know of my situation and encouraging you to research your options if you do feel the need. That being said, I started therapy when I was seven years old. It was ...

When learning to deal with your mental illness it is important to learn how to manage your schedule. In this article, one woman speak how consistency in her treatment was the key to recovery.

[awwww-cute]

ʷᵃᵈᵈᶫᵉ ʷᵃᵈᵈᶫᵉ ʷᵃᵈᵈᶫᵉ ʷᵃᵈᵈᶫᵉ⋅⋅ (Source: http://ift.tt/1CE0j4D)

[mha-il-blog]

Here is your daily dose of cute :)

[mha-il-blog]

Language Matters in Mental Health

“The difference between the right word and the almost right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.”  —Mark Twain

Language has a greater impact than we can imagine. We throw around words like "crazy, nutcase, insane" without taking a second to consider their meaning and how it may make someone feel. This insightful article talks about how we can take simple steps such as using "people first language" respecting other cultures, and changing with language preferences to speak in a more respectful and inclusive manner.

[mha-il-blog]

The Case For Dropping The Word 'Mental' From 'Mental Health'

There are many polarizing words that are used when it comes to describing mental health: "Crazy," "insane," "nutcase." All of them are wrong and perpetuate a stigma. So E

Mental health should be considered part of overall health, but too often it is not. One author speaks about how we should stop referring to them as two separate aspects and instead consider it all health in order to help stop stigma.

[mha-il-blog]

14 Amazing Apps For Anyone Living With Anxiety

Many for free! (Note: These apps are not substitutes for professional treatment.)

Living with anxiety can make even simple tasks difficult. Medications can help, but sometimes you need something more... and there's an app for that. These 14 apps help take you through guided breathing exercises, visualization, and mood tracking to help ease your anxiety when the medications leave a gap.

[mha-il-blog]

Anxiety and education do not mix

“Going to school has always been difficult for me. I have suffered from severe anxiety for as long as I can remember. Sometimes I feel as though society wants me to fail simply because of my disorder. Every time I step into a new classroom I dread those words “participation counts as 20% of your grade” for me, this is almost a surefire way that I can barely scrape by with a ‘C’. Each time I am called on my heart starts racing. My palms sweat. My voice quakes. My mind goes blank. I quickly lower my hand before I am called on. 

I always wondered why education insists that we need to be good public speakers to be successful. Can’t we better accommodate those who would rather work hard and remain out of the spot light. Not being able to speak in front of my classmates doesn’t make me less smart or valuable. I am working with my anxiety and you are making it worse. I feel like institutions of education are trying to weed out those with disorders like mine. They don’t need us, so the fail us out. I hope that one day we will teach our educators how to properly handle students with anxiety disorders, and rather than put them in the spotlight where they burn, we keep them shaded where they can learn, grow, and prosper.”

-Anonymous

[mha-il-blog]

MHAI - Siblings

Story by Natalie Karnik, Artwork by Deanna Persson June 14. That date never meant anything in particular to me. It happens to be eleven days aft

“ My mother said many things amidst her constant anxious movements around our house.  She revealed your existence, though it was so fast and so many things were confessed that, I didn’t catch it right away.  My father Dilip, your mother’s admirer, would later confirm the truth of her revelation.”     

[mha-il-blog]

Your illness does not define you.

[mha-il-blog]

How Can I Help a Friend Who Seems Depressed?

Dear Lifehacker, My friend hasn’t been herself lately. She seems terribly sad and withdrawn, and I don’t know how to help her. What’s the best way to approach someone who might be depressed? Signed, A Concerned Friend

Seeing a friend or loved one suffer from depression is hard. But sometimes it is harder to figure out how to help. This article can help you learn what depression actually feels like and different ways you can help a friend in need.

[mha-il-blog]

Family can be one of the greatest resources we have while dealing with mental illness. They are there to help you learn that what you are feeling is not something you have to suffer from alone and they can help you find the resources you need. Read about how Tilly and her dad are addressing her depression and eating disorders as she blogs about her experience.