IT'S ALL GOOD
by Kathleen Stevens, Associate Director

The psychiatric unit at Regions Hospital in St. Paul, Minnesota, once a dormitory for nurses, had long been considered depressing. That recently changed thanks to a $36 million dollar makeover. The new facilities feature warm colors, natural wood and open spaces. Regions Hospital decided to rethink not only the environment in which it treats people, but also how they're treated. For the first time, there are private rooms, private baths, a three-season porch, exercise facilities and a holistic "comfort room" to manage stress as well as provide private spaces for patients to meet with loved ones. Arriving patients are welcomed with a warm blanket and a hot meal.

Hospitals like Regions that look to treat the whole person and consider a person's fragile emotional health by providing some extra demonstrations of human concern and kindness are to be commended. Reducing the stress of registration and admittance, serving patients a healthier diet as a model of better eating practices, and encouraging exercise are just a few ways patients can be better served. Perhaps most impressive at Regions is the hospital's campaign to fight the stigma associated with mental illness with a new website called Makeitok.org. Take some time to check it out! Here is a sampling:

Help stop the silence surrounding mental illness. Take the pledge.

• I will talk openly on the subject of mental illnesses.
• I will treat those experiencing mental illnesses with respect and dignity.
• I will look for and correct injustices at school, the workplace, and in my social circles.
• I will avoid name-calling and using words that describe mental illnesses in a hurtful way.
• I will recognize that a person's mental illness is just one part of who they are; it does not define them.
• I will encourage others to speak up, speak out and just plain speak.

What do you say to someone who admits they're suffering with a mental health issue?

• "What can I do to help?"
• "I'm here for you if you need me."
• "I can't imagine what you're going through."
• "Can I drive you to an appointment?"
• "We love you."

 What do you ­NOT say?

• "It could be worse."
• "Snap out of it."
• "Everyone feels that way sometimes."
• "You may have brought this on yourself."
• "There's got to be something wrong upstairs."

A New Year's Resolution That's Good For Your Mental Health  

As you create your new year's resolutions, why not make them about your mental health? Here are some suggestions:

1. Look for ways to reduce stress in your daily lives (turn off the nightly news; get to sleep earlier; etc.).
2. Eat healthy. Cut out junk food that is only making you feel poorly. Eat more whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables, which give mind and body a boost.
3. Remember if you can't control it, you shouldn't let it control you. Focus your energy on things you can change.
4. Review your expenses. See where you can make cuts or save money.
5. Eliminate the clutter in your life. If you haven't used something in the past year, give it a new home. Less really is more.
6. Reconnect with nature by taking a daily walk. Get a membership to your local park (currently free in Butler County). The Voice of America Park has a great walking path.
7. Reconnect with your inner child by building a snowman, playing a board game, or visiting a skating rink.
8. Ask for help, whether it be from a family member, a friend or a professional. You don't have to suffer in silence.

Upcoming Education Meeting Speakers:

Join us for our free Education Meetings the third Thursday of the month at 7:00 PM.  Meetings are held at the Mental Health Board office located at 5963 Boymel Drive in Fairfield.  All are welcome! 

January 17th:  Speaker Allen Sensabaugh
Accessing Benefits:  How to Optimize Your Experience - Making Government Programs Easier to Understand and Access

Mr. Sensabaugh is a family member who has a public policy background working with Departments of Mental Health and Medicaid in seven states.  He will discuss:

• How to determine if you are eligible for lower cost options as a participant in an Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
• Managing Medicaid:  Making Sense of Alphabet Soup:  QMB, Q1/Q1WD/SLMB; what these things mean to you
• Spend-down:  How to manage the monthly deduction and other approved methods for meeting Spend-down

February 21st: Speakers Charles Roberts, LPCC-S & Alex Beresford, LISW 
Compass Point:  Partners in Wellness

Compass Point is a multi-specialty group private practice which uses a team approach as an important tool in providing specialized care for children, adolescents, couples and families.  Their 20 trained therapists offer diverse treatments in the areas of DBT, eating disorders, sex addiction, substance abuse, anger management, mood disorders, anxiety/stress; just to name a few.  Come and learn about this diverse practice which offers counseling to the four corners of the Cincinnati Area, including Fairfield.    

March 21:   Speakers Stacy Martz & Peggy O'Neill from PLAN of Southwest Ohio 
The Next Step Program

PLAN's Next Step program provides families and individuals dealing with disabilities with a brief, yet individualized and comprehensive course of action to take in order to take "next steps" for the future.  Assessments involve benefit analysis (SSDI/SSI, Medicare/Medicaid, waiver eligibility, housing vouchers, etc.), estate planning for those concerned about care, and other life planning issues.  The Next Step program is particularly useful for a). Those who have children about to transition from school-based services to adult service; b). Those who acquire an injury or develop a chronic and serious illness and who are adults; and c). Those who have lived with a chronic and serious illness but need direction in terms of a holistic plan to maximize benefits, secure estate assets, and receive quality services. 

Recent Educational Meetings - Speakers Recap 

November: Jackie Brown, RN, West Chester Hospital, spoke about eating a healthy diet even when the long winter days (and holidays) seem to prompt us to overindulge. Here are some tips Brown shared:

• Many chronic illnesses are due to poor diet and not getting enough exercise. Know your Body Mass index:  http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/. If you don't fall within the normal range, or are at the high end of this range, it's time to make some lifestyle changes. It's also important to have blood work done on a regular basis. You can be thin, says Brown, and still have total cholesterol in the 400 range when it should be under 200 due to genetics.
• Make a goal, says Brown, to not gain weight over the winter months. Think about the calories you choose and make tradeoffs. There are many ways to cut calories in a recipe (try replacing butter with canola oil or cutting back on sugar). Swap white flour for wheat flour or bake with a mixture of both. Just cutting out soda (even diet soda, which stimulates the desire to eat sugar) can make a big difference.
• Keep in mind many medications can create carb cravings! Carbs are converted into sugar in the body. Although carbs are needed to give us energy, when we eat more than we need they get stored in the liver and fat cells. Of course not all carbs are bad and we need to eat some for overall good health and strength. Good carbs, according to the Harvard School for public health, include steel-cut oatmeal; cold cereals that include whole wheat, whole oats or other whole grains first on the ingredient list; whole grain breads, brown rice; whole wheat pasta and beans.
• Brown also discussed how elevated blood sugar levels change the thickness of your blood. With elevated sugar levels blood that's the consistency of water can turn into something more closely resembling honey. When blood flow is sluggish, it can lead to a build-up of cholesterol in the lining of blood cells which may result in heart attack and stroke. It also makes your heart work harder, resulting in high blood pressure.
• Many antidepressants and mood stabilizers also stimulate the appetite, says Brown, and people often use food as an antidepressant. Activity is huge in weight control. You can cut your calories down to 1,000 a day but still gain weight if you are spending a lot of time sitting in front of the TV. To keep track of your daily calories see Calorieking.com.

Weight Control Tips from Brown:

• Check out the buffet before you get in line so you can plan your strategy and focus on healthy and low fat/low sugar foods.
• Find an exercise partner. You're more likely to show up at the gym or walking path if you know someone is waiting for you.
• Remember that you need protein for muscle mass. If you're not getting enough protein, try adding some protein shakes to your diet.
• Take a multi-vitamin. Check out adult gummy vitamins!
• Stress makes you crave carbs so take a walk before you succumb to a bag of chips.
• Eat your greens! Lima beans, legumes and corn are all starchy so mix it up with some spinach and broccoli.
• Substitute mashed cauliflower for mashed potatoes.Pass on the french fries.
• Keep a bowl of fruit on the counter and reach for a piece between meals.

October: Robert Kramer spoke about his book: Taming the Black Dog of Depression: A Guide for those who are suffering and their families (2012).

Kramer is open and honest about living life with depression. "I've got this disease but the disease doesn't have me,' he stated. Kramer laments the fact that stigma continues to keep people out of treatment and hopes that by speaking out others will seek help. He described some common states of mind when one is depressed:

• Labeling or all-or-nothing thoughts such as "I am a failure" or "My boss is a jerk"
• Jumping to conclusions or predicting the worst
• Mind reading: Believing you know what others are thinking (usually inaccurate)
• Magnification and minimizing: Focusing on bad things (which deepens depression) but minimizing the good ones
• Over generalizing: Using words like always and never; For example, your car gets a flat tire and you think "Why does this always happen to me?"

  To get a copy of Kramer's book ($10.00 for the paperback version) call the NAMI office at (513) 860-8386.

NAMI Associate Director Position

NAMI Butler County is currently hiring for the part-time position of Associate Director. Duties include website maintenance, membership tracking, event planning and implementation, publicity, newsletter publication, public speaking and general office responsibilities. A minimum of an Associate's Degree in Business Administration, Communications, Social Work, Liberal Arts or an equivalent is required along with five year's work experience in a related field. Work or volunteer experience in a non-profit business is a plus. Applicants must have above average computer skills, excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, be self directed and organized. Hours are 15 to 20 per week and include some evening hours. Interested applicants, please submit a resume to info@nami-bc.org by January 4, 2013.

NAMI Volunteers Featured in Hamilton Journal News

The "Transformations through Art" program, designed for local mental health consumers by NAMI volunteers Maxine Apke and Sarah Martin, and Harbor House Director Angela Rodriguez, was recently featured in the Hamilton Journal News. The program seeks to offer participants at Harbor House Social Club a method of self-expression. An exhibition featuring the members' work was held in November at Miami University Downtown to help educate the public about mental illness. Martin is a nursing student interested in working in the mental health community. Apke is a NAMI volunteer and a retired art teacher. Martin and Apke hope that the program may help fight the stigma associated with mental illness. The full article can be viewed at "Transformations through Art":  http://www.journal-news.com/news/news/art-project-designed-to-boost-self-esteem/nTQPP/ The program is in great need of donations to buy materials for their upcoming workshop. If you would like to donate craft store gift cards, please drop them off at our next educational meeting or mail them to NAMI Butler County. Thank you!

NAMI Volunteer To Exhibit Work at Clermont College Gallery

Maxine Apke will be holding a showing of her work "A Mother's Journey" at The Park National Art Gallery at Clermont College, 4200 Clermont College Drive in Batavia throughout most of January. "A Mother's Journey" takes the viewer on a 10-year journey through loneliness, heartbreak, rejection, fear and faith. Through the use of photography, 2-D and 3-D objects, fiber art and homemade paper, Apke's symbolism of how a mother responds to, and accepts, the diagnosis of a child with mental illness will inspire and awe viewers.  

Gallery hours for this special exhibition:

Dates: January 5th through January 28th

Times: Monday through Thursday from 7:30 AM to 7:00 PM, Fridays from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM, and Saturdays from 8:30 AM to 12:30 PM.  

An artist talk will be held on January 16th from 3:30 PM to 4:00 PM and a "Meet the Artist" reception will be held on January 16th from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. All events are free and open to the public. Call (513) 558-1215 for more information.  

Provider Spotlight:  Program Offers a Lift to Depressed Seniors 

Depression is prevalent in the senior population and is often particularly widespread when winter weather tends to keep seniors indoors. It's no wonder that we may not feel our best with the physical and emotional issues that come with aging. The program UPLIFT is available for qualified Butler County residents. Costs are also covered in part by Medicare and Medicaid. It's tailored for seniors experiencing sadness, decreased energy, sleep problems, irritability, loss of appetite or overeating and feelings of loneliness. After just a month of working with a Wellness Care Manager, who develops a personal care program, participants are typically more optimistic, report improved physical health and more energy. For more information call (513) 887-8500.

Book Club Winter Readings Announced

Here are our winter titles.  For more information about our book club, visit our website at nami-bc.org.

Book selections for coming months:

January:  Monkey Mind: A Memoir of Anxiety (Alfred A. Knopf; Random House, 2012) by Daniel Smith. Smith chronicles his life with acute anxiety which caused him to bite his cuticles beyond recognition, wearing sweat pads in his armpits, and, at times, physically immobilized him and threatened to destroy his relationship with the love of his life. Smith is also the author of Muses, Madmen and Prophets: Hearing Voices and the Borders of Sanity. You can visit Daniel Smith at monkeymindchronicles.com. 

February: Hallucinations by Oliver Sacks (Simon & Schuster, 2012). This book explores hallucinations linked to sensory deprivation, intoxication, illness and injury. The author states that hallucinations can be brought on by fever, the simple act of walking or falling asleep, migraines and failing eyesight, among other things. Sacks also discuss "visits" from our departed loved ones and even the sense of leaving one's body. Sacks uses the book to weave stories of his patients and his own mind-altering experiments, through the use of recreational drugs (which he now admits he was fortunate to survive). Sacks is a professor of neurology at the NYC School of Medicine.  

March: Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life: Train Your Brain to Get More Done in Less Time by Paul Hammerness, MD and Margaret Moore (Harlequin, 2011). The key to a less hectic, less stressful life is not in simply organizing your desk, but organizing your mind. Dr. Hammerness, a Harvard Medical School psychiatrist, says that the latest neuroscience research on the brain reveals an extraordinary built-in system of organization. He translates the science into solutions with the help of Moore, an executive wellness coach. This book shows readers how to use the innate organizational power of the brain to make life less stressful, more productive and more rewarding including tips for regaining control of your frenzy, embracing effective uni-tasking, and teaching you how to fluidly shifting from one takes to another. Included are stories of people who have learned to stop feeling overwhelmed by multiplying tasks and distractions by organizing their brains and, consequently, their lives. 

________________________________________________________________  

Night

"I now took little interest in anything except my daily plate of soup and my crust of stale bread. Bread, soup-these were my whole life. I was a body. Perhaps less than that even: a starved stomach. The stomach alone was a passage of time."

In this quote from  the book Night one can see how the author, a survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp, an esteemed college professor, could have succumbed to depression from his circumstances. He did not. By sheer force of will and survival instincts he endured the loss of his family, starvation, bitter cold, and sheer terror, not to mention witnessing the death and murder of so many innocent people. This story is a true testament to the strength of the human spirit and how the mind can overcome nearly anything. Elie Weisel was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1986.

His Bright Light:  The Story of Nick Traina 
by Danielle Steel    

This is author Danielle Steel's firsthand account of her experience with her son Nick. Nick was born a manic-depressive but wasn't diagnosed correctly until his teens. Danielle's insightful descriptions of his personality, moods, and actions show how difficult the disease can be for loved ones and parents to cope with. Ultimately, her son committed suicide at age 19.

Membership Update 

We currently have 87 members and 881 people who receive our email communications. If you would like to join NAMI Butler County, you will also receive our state newsletter and national magazine. You will also be telling our legislators that mental health is an important issue to you and your community. Founded in 1979, NAMI is the nation's voice on mental health disorders/mental illnesses. There are over 1,200 affiliates nationwide. Currently, less than one in 10 of our newsletter readers is a NAMI member. If you are a member, thank you!  If not, won't you join us today?

Annual Membership Dues:

Individual ............................................................$35.00

Additional Household Member..............................$10.00

Open Door (Consumers or Hardship cases)............$3.00

Sign Up Now for 2013 Family to Family Classes

Family-to-Family is a 12 week, evidence based education and support class for family members, friends and caregivers of individuals struggling with mental health issues. Registration, classes and materials are free. Call (513) 860-8386 or register online at NAMI-BC.org for our next class starting Monday, January 28, 2013 at the Vineyard in Springdale.

NAMI Basics Starting Soon  

NAMI Basics, for family members and/or caregivers of children ages 16 and under struggling with behavior issues, will be offered at the Vineyard beginning February 11, 2013. It runs on Monday evenings for six weeks. Call (513) 860-8386 to register for classes or register online at NAMI-BC.org