Cyber-bullied Girls: Issues Beyond The Beehive
Recently, we discussed the issues regarding teens and technology, among which cyber-bullying was mentioned. Cyber-bullying has become a big issue among children and teenagers in recent years. "Cyber-bullying is when someone repeatedly harasses, mistreats, or makes fun of another person online or while using cell phones or other electronic devices." Specific types of cyber-bullying found in studies are: mean or hurtful comments (13.7%) and rumors spread (12.9%) online continue to be among the most commonly-cited. Data shows that the higher amount of victims are females. This means that girls, both teenage or younger, are more likely to be bullied online than their male counterparts. (Hinduja & Patchim, 2010)
Now, let’s look at a cyber-bullying phenomenon: Girl-on-girl cyber-bullying.
A new issue has been observed more recently at schools and neighborhoods, as “[t]he type of cyber-bullying tends to differ by gender; girls are more likely to spread rumors while boys are more likely to post hurtful pictures or videos.” (Cyber-bullying Research Center, 2010)
Mental health professionals are now starting to observe girl-on-girl cyber-bullying situations, where as before -in the non electronic era- it was mostly done directly, by girl cliques against their socially weaker victim. In these new cases the use of media has provided for easier ways to do this:
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Now, let’s look at a cyber-bullying phenomenon: Girl-on-girl cyber-bullying.
A new issue has been observed more recently at schools and neighborhoods, as “[t]he type of cyber-bullying tends to differ by gender; girls are more likely to spread rumors while boys are more likely to post hurtful pictures or videos.” (Cyber-bullying Research Center, 2010)
Mental health professionals are now starting to observe girl-on-girl cyber-bullying situations, where as before -in the non electronic era- it was mostly done directly, by girl cliques against their socially weaker victim. In these new cases the use of media has provided for easier ways to do this:
La salud mental ¿no es prioridad?
Luego de que uno de nuestros senadores, dejara dicho que“la salud mental NO es prioridad”, siento la obligación de dirigirme a aquellos a quienes éste susodicho representa. A quienes entienden que “todo está bien”, y que “aquí no hay problemas”, mientras se quejan de que “la calle está mala” porque la gente “está algarete”.
La salud mental es un asunto serio en la isla. Sin aburrirlos con evidencia estadística, lo único que pido es que piensen en las noticias locales. Una sociedad que supuestamente está mentalmente “estable” no ve tanto caso de violencia de género, abuso de pareja, negligencia, abuso (y prostitución) infantil, pedofilia, maltrato a ancianos suicidios, asesinatos, agresiones intencionales, criminalidad, y otros comportamientos alarmantes, además del desempleo, pobreza, educación limitada, y servicios de salud que no dan abasto. Hemos ido desarrollando un patrón de desensibilizarnos al irnos acostumbrando a esto, y eso preocupa más.
Encuesta | Survey
We're doing a quick, and completely confidential, survey about mental health services.
We'd like you to participate!
(It'll only take 3 minutes)
First, click on this link: MAGIS-SURVEY, and select your answers.
Then, click on "submit", and you're done.
Thank you very much!
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Happy Birthday, Magis!
Three years ago I took the chance of starting this organization, mainly driven by a "need" for social justice in our community. I couldn't understand how some leaders pointed at our communities, labeling them as "sick/insane/crazy", when their circumstances couldn't provide a better option. It bothered me to hear those leaders criticizing communities without providing them the necessary tools to help them develop into healthier ones. That's when the "seed" was "planted", and [the informal version of] Magis began to work in New Orleans.
Two years ago, with much anxiety, fear, and a slightly overwhelming sense of excitement, I was holding Magis' first official document (the registration), marking the official birth of this organization. That seed has been growing ever since!
Participation at the Yellow Ribbon Event
The topic presented by Magis was Separation Management, offered in different workshops: One for adults (soldiers and their partners and/or relatives), and another for their children in various age groups. This topic was selected to help our soldiers and their family members handle the upcoming separation effectively.
Participación en el Yellow Ribbon Event
El tema presentado por Magis fue Manejando La Separación. Este se ofreció en diferentes talleres: Uno a los adultos (soldados y sus parejas y/o padres/amigos), y luego a sus hij@s, en grupos por edades. El tema fue trabajado para ayudar a nuestros soldados y sus familias a poder manejar la separación de su ser querido.
Hablando con la Directora Ejecutiva, nos comentó "Me han preguntado mucho si estamos apoyando la guerra de esta manera, y la respuesta es 'NO'. Magis apoya la salud mental, la salud individual y la de la familia. Estas son familias que enfrentan un cambio drástico y viven con mucha ansiedad y miedo por el tipo de trabajo de su ser querido. Como comunidad debemos brindarles el apoyo necesario para que salgan adelante y no les afecten estos cambios."
Teens & Technology: What Parents Need To Know
It’s catching.
Like an STD, it spreads quickly, has an awful burning sensation and stays with you log after you’ve treated. It has occasional flare ups that much like Hester Prynne’s Scarlet Letter, it announces to the world how reckless you were in your youth. The harm it causes differs from person to person, but one thing is true for all who have it: it never goes away and the damage is permanent. It strikes the young and old, from your neighbors, your coworkers or your children. It even happens to celebrities from Vanessa Hudgens and Blake Lively and most recently Anthony Weiner.
What’s this new plague spreading around the world? Sexting: the act of taking sexually provocative picture of yourself and sending them out to people on you contact list. And what sector of the population is more at risk? Children and Teenagers.
Children (yes, children) and teenagers are at a higher risk of partaking in this activity, and of suffering a variety of consequences. From public exposure of (and to) intimate images, to depression, anxiety, and cyberbullying, the consequences are harsh regardless of the age.
Children and adolescents, developmentally speaking, are in the process of growing up physically and mentally. Their brains are also developing and processing the immense amount of stimuli they’re exposed to. Television, radio, Internet, video games, cell phones. They are also beginning to deal with the abstract concept of consequences. This means that while they can figure out what’s the danger behind an action, they have yet to fully process that such action could affect them directly. Some parents often complain about their teens not measuring risks and acting without thinking. In pop psychology we often hear the term “Superman Complex”, which is not far off from reality. “That looks like trouble, but it’s not going to happen to me!” is a common train of thought.
Lack of Sleep Getting you Down? Research Provides Tips for Better Sleep
In general, Americans, particularly adolescents and aging adults, don’t get enough sleep. Sleep deprivation can decrease our cognitive ability to focus, problems solve, and maintain attention, and it can cause irritability, and emotional irregularity. All of which can interfere with positive well-being. Sleep gives us energy, a positive attitude, and better ability to cope with daily stress. We need adequate sleep for physical restoration, growth, adaptability, and memory. [continue reading]
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Digdon, N. & Koble, A. (2011). Effects of Constructive Worry, Imagery Distraction, and Gratitude Interventions on Sleep Quality: A Pilot Trial.Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 3 (2), 193–206.
Characteristics of Effective Counseling
Effective counseling is a two way street. It takes a cooperative effort by both the person receiving counseling and the counselor. And it takes a commitment to make sometimes difficult changes in behavior or thinking patterns. What you expect to achieve with your counselor should be clearly defined as you begin your counseling. You and your counselor should discuss realistic time frames for reaching your goals and agree on how you will measure your progress.It’s important that you and your counselor establish a good relationship that allows you to be completely honest about your thoughts and feelings. Often, this requires an elusive “chemistry” between both of you in which you feel comfortable with your counselor’s personality, approach and style. If after the first few sessions you don’t feel this chemistry, look for another counselor with whom... [continue reading]
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Reference:
Ponton, L. (2006). Characteristics of Effective Counseling. Psych Central. Retrieved on August 9, 2011, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/characteristics-of-effective-counseling/
What If You Don’t Like Your Therapist?
Some people, however, realize that either they’ve gotten as far as possible with their current therapist, or find out shortly after they’ve begun therapy that the therapist they’ve chosen isn’t right for them. Individuals often become anxious when they realize this, and many will stay with their therapist long after they should simply because it does take some effort and courage to end the professional relationship you have with them. Some therapists also don’t always make this as easy as they could, suggesting that you “work on” your dislike of them in future sessions. Some will even suggest that it could be therapeutic and beneficial for you to do so... [Continue reading]
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Reference:
Grohol, J. (2006). What If You Don’t Like Your Therapist?. Psych Central. Retrieved on August 9, 2011, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/what-if-you-dont-like-your-therapist/
Types of Mental Health Professionals
Psychiatrist – A psychiatrist is a medical doctor and the only professional that specializes in mental health care and can prescribe medications. (Family doctors often prescribe medications for mental health concerns, but do not have specialized training or background in treatment mental disorders.) Most psychiatrists focus on prescribing the appropriate medication that’s going to work best for that individual and their concerns; a few also do psychotherapy.
Psychologist - A psychologist is a professional who does psychotherapy and has a doctorate degree (such as a Ph.D. or Psy.D.). Psy.D. programs tend to focus on clinical practice and result in the professional having thousands of hours of clinical experience before they enter practice. Ph.D. programs can focus on either clinical or research work, and the amount of clinical experience a professional will gain varies from program to program. Psychologists receive specific training in diagnosis, psychological assessment, a wide variety of psychotherapies, research and more... [Read More]
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Reference:
Grohol, J. (2006). Types of Mental Health Professionals. Psych Central. Retrieved on August 9, 2011, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/2006/types-of-mental-health-professionals/
Understanding Different Approaches to Psychotherapy
Although the approaches are often seen as distinct, in the implementation and even theoretically there is often overlap. Rigidly adhering to one way of thinking or approaching therapy often limits results and misses the whole picture, and may result in an approach that feels foreign or false to the patient... [Read More...]
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Reference: Margolies, L. (2010). Understanding Different Approaches to Psychotherapy.Psych Central. Retrieved on August 9, 2011, from http://psychcentral.com/lib/2010/understanding-different-approaches-to-psychotherapy/
Business as [un]Usual
Recently The Magis Foundation's Executive Director and Founder, Rebecca Maria A. Rivera, met with Mr. Ryan C. Mack, President and CEO of Optimum Capital Management and The Optimum Institute of Economic Empowerment, to discuss several topics, including financial literacy and mental health, leadership, volunteering, sustainability in social projects and more.
"This was an interesting meeting, we got to exchange many ideas and talk about potential future projects. Not a lot of people are aware that there's a link between behavioral health and finance. When a person or a family go through a financial crisis, it can have some serious emotional side effects, to say the least."-said Ms. Rivera.
Mr. Ryan Mack will be traveling across the country, being funded the the Open Society Institute, empowering the community. As he visited Puerto Rico, he will also travel to New Orleans, Chicago, Baltimore, Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Detroit, Newark, Jackson, and LA he will be visiting prisons and hosting town hall meetings facing the important issues of unemployment and mass incarceration rates in the US.
"They both agreed in the positive impact of education and knowledge. They have two different backgrounds, but the same goal: Empowering people through knowledge. All future projects have a lot of potential, and we're all very excited."- said Jean Vidal Font, COO & Executive Board member of The Magis Foundation.
Learn more about Ryan Mack, click here!
©2011 The Magis Foundation
The Magis Foundation & Army OneSource
A Strong Partnership for Puerto Rico's Military Families
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| The 2011 Puerto Rico Delegation |
This 4-day intensive event was held with the purpose of developing a partnership with each state's professionals and organizations, that can provide Behavioral Health, Legal, Finance and Faith Based services and support to our military men, women and families.
"Although in previous years the Army has used the adage 'the Army takes care of its own', sustained operations and constrained funding have prompted us to seek additional assistance. With 1.6 million Soldiers currently deployed, the Army has acknowledged the need to incorporate community agencies and organizations in order to effectively support Soldiers and their Families."- says Lynn McCollum, Family Program Director for the United States Army Installation Management Command.
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| Puerto Rico's Poster Board |
The vision is to expand current resources and services, in terms of geography and outreach, throughout Puerto Rico, to improve the quality of life of Soldiers and their families.
"This is a great opportunity for our local mental health providers, and other organizations, to come together and join our initiative. We understand that a soldier's injury can affect his/her family, lifestyle, work, mental health, relationships, faith, self-esteem and overall functioning.
In behavioral health we are faced with the psychological scars of war and deployment, without mentioning the side effects in family dynamics and the financial, legal and faith based areas.
We're a community that cares for its members, we need to come together and support our local military families by giving them the tools to adapt and lead healthy lives."- stated Ms. Rivera, as she mentioned the participation of The Magis Foundation along Give an Hour and a board member of the Institute of Continued Education of the Puerto Rico Social Workers Professional College.
On a closing statement, Ms. Rivera added: "We need to look beyond the uniform, beyond war, and beyond politics. Helping others is a big statement, it says: 'I CARE'. Let's remember to be pro- person, pro-family, and pro-health." ■
If you're interested in joining this initiative, send us your contact information to info@MagisFoundation.org.
©2011 The Magis Foundation
Consejos para personas que padecen de enfermedades mentales en épocas inciertas
Debido a la permanente acción militar en Irak/Afghanistan y la continua amenaza terrorista que se cierne sobre el país, los ciudadanos estadounidenses están experimentando muchas emociones fuertes. Para la mayoría de las personas, los sentimientos intensos de ansiedad, tristeza, aflicción y cólera son saludables y convenientes. Sin embargo, algunas personas pueden tener reacciones más profundas y debilitantes hacia la guerra. Éste podría ser el caso particular de aquellas personas que padecen de enfermedades mentales graves, tales como esquizofrenia, enfermedad bipolar, depresión, problemas de abuso de drogas, ansiedad o trastornos por estrés postraumático (PTSD).
Es importante recordar que las personas reaccionan a los traumas de distintas maneras y que cada una de ellas tiene su propio nivel de tolerancia a los sentimientos difíciles. Al enfrentar una crisis, una persona que sufre de alguna enfermedad mental podría experimentar los síntomas de su trastorno o ver surgir nuevos síntomas. Algunos consumidores que han pasado por esta situación señalan que se presentan señales de advertencia.
A continuación enumeramos algunas señales comunes de una recaída inminente:
Es importante recordar que las personas reaccionan a los traumas de distintas maneras y que cada una de ellas tiene su propio nivel de tolerancia a los sentimientos difíciles. Al enfrentar una crisis, una persona que sufre de alguna enfermedad mental podría experimentar los síntomas de su trastorno o ver surgir nuevos síntomas. Algunos consumidores que han pasado por esta situación señalan que se presentan señales de advertencia.
A continuación enumeramos algunas señales comunes de una recaída inminente:
- Interrupción de las actividades de rutina, tales como asistir al colegio o participar en actividades familiares
- Alteración de las horas de sueño o de los hábitos alimenticios, descuido de la apariencia, dificultades de coordinación, pequeñas lagunas mentales de hechos recientes
- Cambios en el estado de ánimo, sentimiento de falta de autocontrol o de agitación excesiva, pensamientos suicidas o violentos
- Asumir actitudes que hacen pensar a los demás que está desconectado de la realidad
- Oír o ver cosas que otros no oyen o ven
- Incapacidad para apartar una idea, pensamiento o frase de la mente
- Problemas para pensar o expresarse con claridad
- Decisión de no seguir tomando los medicamentos o de seguir el plan de tratamiento (faltar a las consultas, etc.)
- Incapacidad para disfrutar de aquellas cosas que usualmente son agradables
- Incapacidad para tomar incluso decisiones de rutina
Aun en épocas inciertas como las que estamos viviendo actualmente, usted debe asumir un papel activo en el control de su enfermedad. Continúe con el plan de tratamiento que ha desarrollado con su médico o equipo de tratamiento.
- Tome sus medicinas según lo prescrito por su doctor
- No deje de asistir a sus terapias
- Evite el consumo de alcohol
- No consuma drogas ilegales o cualquier otra droga que su doctor no le haya recetado específicamente
- Escriba un diario
- Sométase a los análisis de laboratorio y pruebas psicológicas que su doctor le haya indicado
- Manténgase en permanente contacto con un grupo de apoyo o forme parte de uno
- Informe a su equipo de tratamiento cualquier signo de recaída
- Para superar la crisis actual, recurra a las personas y herramientas que se encuentran a su disposición:
- Recurra a familiares y amigos. No tenga miedo de solicitar ayuda.
- Mantenga a su doctor y equipo de tratamiento informados acerca de cómo le está afectando la guerra.
- Póngase en contacto con grupos de autoayuda y organizaciones de apoyo que se dedican a ayudar a personas que padecen de enfermedades mentales graves y problemas asociados.
- Participe en grupos paritarios y otros programas que puedan ayudarle a controlar mejor su enfermedad, desde centros sociales hasta oportunidades de vivienda, empleo y recreación.
- Busque la mayor cantidad de información posible acerca de su enfermedad y de lo que tiene que hacer para recuperarse.
- Use la computadora para conseguir información sobre su enfermedad y ponerse en contacto e intercambiar puntos de vista y experiencias con otras personas que atraviesan por la misma situación.
- Manténgase conectado con su espiritualidad, si eso le ayuda a sentirse mejor. Vea con optimismo los retos que tiene por delante.
Descubra qué es lo que le ayuda a sentirse mejor. El proceso de recuperación, especialmente en tiempos de guerra y crisis, no es fácil. Manténgase completamente involucrado en el proceso prosiguiendo con su plan de tratamiento y buscando la ayuda que necesita, cuando la necesite.
Source | ©2011 Mental Health America
"M" is for: Mental Health Month!
Remember: Mental Health Matters!
Some people think that only people with mental illnesses have to care about their mental health. The reality is that your emotions, thoughts and attitudes affect your energy, productivity and overall health. Good mental health strengthens your ability to cope with everyday hassles and more serious crises and challenges.
Just as you see a doctor when you feel ill, or get a flu shot, you can take steps to promote your mental health.
- Connect with others
- Stay positive
- Get physically active
- Help others
- Get enough sleep
- Create joy and satisfaction
- Eat well
- Take care of your spirit
- Deal better with hard times
- Get professional help if you need it
This research shows that how good you feel is to a fairly large extent up to you. No matter how stressful your situation, you can take steps to promote your well-being.
We're not talking about huge changes to your lifestyle, either. We're talking about reasonable steps that if used consistently can increase your comfort and boost your ability to build a rewarding life.
We want you to live a healthy and stable life. Stay tuned for more information about mental health!
National Children's Mental Health Awareness Day
At Magis Foundation, we have started celebrating National Children's Mental Health Awareness with Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). It is important for parents, family members and teachers to keep track of children's mental health for a healthy development. The key to healthy psychological health is awareness and prevention!
We'll be providing parents, family and caretakers with information from this campaign throughout this week.
First stop: Children and Violence.
In 2009, researchers found that more than 60 percent of youth age 17 and younger have been exposed to crime, violence, and abuse either directly or indirectly including witnessing a violent act, assault with a weapon, sexual victimization, child maltreatment, and dating violence. Nearly 10 percent were injured during the exposure to violence, 10 percent were exposed to maltreatment by caretaker, and 6 percent were a victim of sexual assault.1
With help from families, providers, and the community, young children can demonstrate resilience when dealing with trauma.
Research has shown that caregivers can buffer the impact of trauma and promote better outcomes for children even under stressful times when the following Strengthening Families Protective Factors2 are present:
- Parental resilience
- Social connections
- Knowledge of parenting and child development
- Concrete support in times of need
- Social and emotional competence of children
Trauma Data Source:
- Finkelhor, D., Hamby, S.L., Kracke, K., Ormrod, R.K., & Turner, H.A. (2009). Children’s Exposure to Violence: A Comprehensive National Study. Juvenile Justice Bulletin.
- Horton, C. (2003). Protective factors literature review. Early care and education programs and the prevention of child abuse and neglect. Center for the Study of Social Policy.
For more information, you can follow us on
Brought to you by The Magis Foundation- Because mental health matters.
Abril: Mes de la Concienciación del Autismo
Según el Instituto Nacional de la Salud Mental y de los Centros para el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades, alguna forma del autismo afecta 2 – 6 de cada 1,000 niños, con la estadística más reciente siendo 1 de 110 niños. Estos desórdenes son cuatro veces más comunes en los niños que en las niñas, aunque el Síndrome de Rett solamente ha sido diagnosticado en las niñas. Se desconocen las causas del autismo y los otros desórdenes bajo la gama del autismo. Los investigadores están estudiando actualmente tales áreas como el daño neurológico y los desequilibrios químicos dentro del cerebro. Estos trastornos no se deben a factores psicológicos ni a las vacunas.
Según el DSM-IV TR de la Sociedad Americana de Psiquiatría (2000), el manual de diagnóstico utilizado para clasificar una gran variedad de discapacidades, el diagnóstico del autismo “clásico” se hace cuando el individuo exhibe 6 o más de los 12 síntomas catalogados a través de tres áreas principales:
- el intercambio social (como por ejemplo la incapacidad para establecer relaciones con sus pares adecuadas a su nivel de desarrollo);
- la comunicación (como por ejemplo retrasos o ausencia de lenguaje oral); y
- la conducta (como por ejemplo la preocupación absorbente, repetitiva y estereotipada, restringida a uno o más temas de interés, que es anormal en su intensidad o en su enfoque).
¿Cuáles son los síntomas?
- Evitan contacto visual
- rechazan que los abracen o los toquen
- prefieren estar solos
- tienen poco interés en relacionarse con otros
- se les hace difícil entender o expresar emociones, no entienden gestos o acciones de otros
- muestran mas intéres en los objetos que en las personas
- hablan mas tarde de lo esperado
- tienen dificultad expresando sus necesidades, no saben pedir ayuda
- repiten frases o palabras y tonos de voz que escuchan de otros o de la televisión/ películas
- no juegan con otros niños aunque jueguen cerca de éstos
- muestran manerismos de forma repetitiva (agitar manos/brazos, mecerse, mover dedos)
- gritan o lloran ante un cambio en su rutina o en su entorno (no toleran cambios)
- reaccionan exageradamente a cosas que huelen, oyen, sienten o prueban
- muestran una preferencia excesiva con algún juguete u objeto
- no se cansan de hablar de sus temas favoritos
- presentan pocas (si alguna) destrezas sociales
- pierden destrezas ya logradas (contar, ir al baño solos, cepillarse el pelo, etc.)
- hacen poco o ningún contacto visual directo
- presentan problemas de la comunicación verbal como el uso y comprensión del lenguaje
- Problemas de la comunicación no verbal
- Comportamiento agresivo incorregible (parecen no entender el castigo por agresividad)
Una persona con Autismo no tiene que presentar todos los comportamientos mencionamos. Para verdaderamente saber si los comportamientos se deben a Autismo o alguna condición neurológica o física, debe consultar a un especialista inmediatamente. (Psicólogo, Psiquiatra, Neurólogo)
El tratamiento dependerá de cada niño. El mismo podría incluir seguimiento médico, tratamiento por especialistas, medicamentos, terapia psicológica, modificación de conducta, terapia ocupacional, terapia del habla-lenguaje, terapia física, nutrición individualizada, y enseñanza estructurada entre otros.
También recomendamos que la familia reciba apoyo. El tener a un familiar con Autismo no significa que no se deban atender las necesidades de los demás familiares. Entre los servicios de apoyo le recomendamos consejería familiar, de pareja o individual, adiestramientos, grupos de apoyo, orientación, y manejo de caso.
Recursos en linea:
Manitas por Autismo: http://www.manitasporautismo.com/
Autism Society: http://www.autism-society.org/espanol/
- Centros para el Control y la Prevencion de Enfermedades (CDC):
- http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/Spanish/spautism.htm
- Instituto Nacional de Salud Infantil y Desarrollo Humano (NICHD, siglas en inglés):
- http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
- Instituto Nacional de Trastornos Neurológicos y Accidentes Cerebrovasculares (NINDS):
- http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/pubs/autismo.htm
En Puerto Rico:
Existe la cubierta especial Mi Salud, se puede comunicar al: 1-800-981-9090 o 1-888-695-5416.
Información del proyecto "¡A es de ACCIÓN!" para padres y familiares de niñ@s con Autismo.
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Referencias:
1 Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades. (2009). Autism spectrum disorders: Data and statistics. Disponible en: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html
2 Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades. (2009). Autism spectrum disorders: Research. Disponible en: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/research.html
2 Centros para el Control y la Prevención de Enfermedades. (2009). Autism spectrum disorders: Research. Disponible en: http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/research.html
©2011 The Magis Foundation
May 6th: Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day
By: Thomas Insel at the National Institute of Mental Health*
May is Mental Health Month. This year, we are teaming up with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to celebrate and promote Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day on May 6th. Relevant information and materials can be accessed on NIMH’s Child and Adolescent Web page.
Our commitment to bringing the field together to unlock the mysteries of childhood mental illness is based on new paradigms and new scientific approaches. The time has come to “rethink” mental illness, particularly in young people, beyond the “chemical imbalance” explanation of depression or the “blame and shame” approaches of the past.
Mental disorders are the chronic diseases of young people in our country. The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that mental disorders are the number one source of medical disability for people 15-44 years of age in the United States and Canada.i There are mental disorders that we associate with childhood, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). But 50 percent of patients describe mood and anxiety disorders, generally considered adult illnesses, as having an onset by age 14.ii
We must address mental illnesses, from autism to schizophrenia, as developmental brain disorders with genetic and environmental factors leading to altered circuits and altered behavior. Today’s state-of-the-art biology, neuroscience, imaging, and genomics are yielding new approaches to understanding mental illnesses, supplementing our psychological explanations. Understanding the causes and nature of malfunctioning brain circuits in mental disorders may make earlier diagnosis possible. Interventions could then be tailored to address the underlying causes directly and quickly, changing the trajectory of these illnesses, as we have done in ischemic heart disease and some forms of cancer. For serious mental illness, this is a new vision for prevention, based on understanding individual risk and developing innovative treatments to preempt disability.
While the onset of mental illness generally occurs early in childhood or adolescence, diagnosis is often delayed for years or even decades. Research focused on recognizing illness symptoms or intervening earlier can help address this problem. For example, the NIMH Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE) initiative is attempting to make fundamental changes in the treatment of psychosis presenting in youth. RAISE research teams seek to reduce the likelihood of long-term disability that people with schizophrenia often experience by developing treatment models focused on intervening as soon as possible after the first episode of the disease. Each treatment integrates medication, psychosocial therapies, family involvement, rehabilitation services, and supported employment. These interventions will be tested in real-world treatment settings that can be readily adopted and quickly put into practice should they prove successful. Also, through the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study or NAPLS project, NIMH hopes clinical care can begin even earlier, by identifying the prodrome of schizophrenia and devising new treatments that preempt the psychotic phase of the illness.
Aggressive and early treatment is also being directed at children who are at risk for ASD. For example, NIMH-funded researchers at the University of California Davis are developing and testing a parent-delivered preventive intervention for infants 6-11 months old who are at high risk of developing ASD because they have an older sibling with the disorder. The intervention will focus on reducing atypical behaviors and developmental delays to help lessen or prevent the disabling symptoms associated with ASD. As with so many developmental disorders, early intervention is an important strategy for best outcomes.
A hoped-for result of approaching mental disorders as brain disorders would be to reduce or eliminate the stigma associated with these illnesses. For generations, people with mental illness have experienced discrimination at work or school, and often do not seek diagnosis or treatment for fear of being “found out.” A scientific approach to mental disorders could allow those who struggle with these illnesses to receive full acceptance and the high-quality care they deserve at any age. That would be the true and long-lasting celebration of Mental Health Month.
iWHO. 2002. The world health report 2002—reducing risks promoting healthy life. WHO. Geneva, Switzerland
iiKessler, R.C., et. Al. 2005. Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch. Gen. Psychiatry. 62:593-602
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*Article by Thomas Insel, at the National Institute of Mental Health. For more information and the original article, please visit: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/about/director/2010/may-6th-childrens-mental-health-awareness-day.shtml
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