The Month of May is...
Mental Health Month
Mental Health America
P.O. Box 16810Alexandria,
VA 22302-0810
(800) 969-6642
The Mental Health Bell
"Cast from shackles which bound them, this bell shall ring out hope for the mentally ill and victory over mental illness."
—Inscription on Mental Health Bell
During the early days of mental health treatment, asylums often restrained people who had mental illnesses with iron chains and shackles around their ankles and wrists. With better understanding and treatments, this cruel practice eventually stopped.
In the early 1950s, Mental Health America issued a call to asylums across the country for their discarded chains and shackles. On April 13, 1956, at the McShane Bell Foundry in Baltimore, Md., Mental Health America melted down these inhumane bindings and recast them into a sign of hope: the Mental Health Bell.
Now the symbol of Mental Health America, the 300-pound Bell serves as a powerful reminder that the invisible chains of misunderstanding and discrimination continue to bind people with mental illnesses. Today, the Mental Health Bell rings out hope for improving mental health and achieving victory over mental illnesses.
Over the years, national mental health leaders and other prominent individuals have rung the Bell to mark the continued progress in the fight for victory over mental illnesses.
Warning Signs and Symptoms
The following are signs that your loved one may want to speak to a medical or mental health professional. To learn more about symptoms that are specific to a particular mental illness, refer to the NMHA.
In adults:
confused thinking
prolonged depression (sadness or irritability)
feelings of extreme highs and lows
excessive fears, worries and anxieties
social withdrawal
dramatic changes in eating or sleeping habits
strong feelings of anger
delusions or hallucinations
growing inability to cope with daily problems and activities
suicidal thoughts
denial of obvious problems
numerous unexplained physical ailments
substance abuse
In older children and pre-adolescents:
substance abuse
inability to cope with problems and daily activities
change in sleeping and/or eating habits
excessive complaints of physical ailments
defiance of authority, truancy, theft, and/or vandalism
intense fear of weight gain
prolonged negative mood, often accompanied by poor appetite or thoughts of death
frequent outbursts of anger
In younger children:
changes in school performance
poor grades despite strong efforts
excessive worry or anxiety (i.e. refusing to go to bed or school)
hyperactivity
persistent nightmares
persistent disobedience or aggression
frequent temper tantrums
Want to know more? Please visit;
Mental Health America
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
National Alliance on Mental Illness
National Institute of Mental Health
~~~~~~~~~~~
Yesterday, my father and I went to court under the impression that Rusty's trial would begin only to have it continued until mid May. ARGGGH! The wheels of justice are turning very slowly in my sons case. Some people (like my Dad) may think this is a good turn of events because doing county time is easier than federal hard time.
I was home one hour when the doorbell rang and standing at the door was a young man who was trying to serve a warrant for Rusty's arrest concerning my sons DUI. You can read all about here. Every time I turn around it is something new and I swear the boy is trying to kill me! Sigh.
I want to thank all of you that sent emails and left comments on my last post. I feel your love and I want you to know that I appreciate all of you. **smooches**
Labels: Mental Illness Month, Rusty
N Posted by Rain at 5/01/2007 09:36:00 AM
posted at 3:21 PM
thank you for this.
It's especially timely for me.
jules posted at 10:31 PM
I'm so glad we have a whole month to get the mental health thing right, cuz right now I'm getting a D minus.
posted at 6:26 AM
Now they just let me run around free!! Just trying to stay light...great post..good info!
posted at 1:44 PM
Good to see a blog talking about mental illness.
More awareness will go a long way to breaking the stigma.
« Home
posted at 3:21 PM
jules posted at 10:31 PM
