Save the Date!
MAY 21, 2016
2016 NAMIWalks Maryland
West Shore Park, Inner Harbor, Baltimore Registration is open! To register and for more information, go to
Sponsorship opportunities are available. Click HERE for a sponsorship brochure. Click HERE for an event flyer. |
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Biomarkers Outperform Symptoms in Parsing Psychosis Subgroups
Multiple biological pathways lead to similar symptoms - NIH-funded study
Three biomarker-based categories, called biotypes, outperformed traditional diagnoses, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder with psychosis, in sorting psychosis cases into distinct subgroups on the basis of brain biology, report researchers funded by the National Institutes of Health. A hallmark of severe mental illness, psychosis is marked by hallucinations and delusions, or false, irrational beliefs.
Click HERE for more information and to read the whole press release. |
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Digital healthcare agency is seeking volunteers
Hello! Medullan, a digital healthcare agency, is conducting research about new software to help patients with schizophrenia. They are looking for patients with schizophrenia to answer questions about how interesting or helpful they think that software might be.
The research will be done via one-hour interview sessions scheduled for Tuesday (December 15) and Wednesday (December 16). You may have the opportunity to participate in more than one interview. Participants will be compensated for their time with a $25 gift card.
They seek people that fit the following criteria:
- Diagnosed with schizophrenia (or a caregiver helping a family member diagnosed with schizophrenia) -MANDATORY
- Wants better outcomes controlling their schizophrenia
- Age 18 or older
- Located in the United States
- Has access to a computer or smartphone with an Internet connection
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Do you have a vehicle you want to get rid of? Consider donating it!
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TIPS FOR COPING WITH THE HOLIDAYS
Persons with mental illnesses have more difficulty with the unexpected and change in routine than do others, and they can experience holidays as negative events.
Hectic schedules, numerous activities, large and frequent gatherings, high volume of noise and increased visual stimulation associated with joyous occasions can lead to feelings of confusion, anxiety, depression, reappearance of psychotic symptoms or unwelcome physical changes in
eating, sleeping, energy level and daily functioning.
- Stay close to family and friends who understand your illness.
- Take your medications as prescribed. Be sure to get the sleep you need.
- Celebrate the holidays in ways that are comfortable for you.
- The holiday season does not stop feelings of sadness and loneliness. Give yourself permission to work through these feelings.
- Don't compare this season with previous ones. Enjoy all the little things you have now.
- Talk about the stress you feel with family and friends.
- Keep expectations manageable. Plan your work and work your plan.
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TIPS FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS DURING
THE HOLIDAY SEASON
The holidays are just as difficult for friends and family members of someone with mental illness. Family members may struggle to balance the needs of their relative with a mental illness with the desires of other relatives and friends. Here are some tips to help cope at this time of year.
If your friend or relative with an illness has religious delusions (for example, thinks he is Jesus, Allah, or Joan of Arc), holiday seasons connected to religious holidays will make those thoughts increase. For example if he thinks he is Jesus, you may want to consider several options:
* not displaying a Nativity scene,
* not encouraging church attendance by the person with the mental illness, or
* not reading the Bible in his presence.
If your friend or relative with mental illness has constant auditory hallucinations and becomes agitated when there are too many competing sounds, you may want to:
* keep the television off,
* play music softly,
* limit the number of people in the environment, and/or
* suggest your relative use head phones to keep out outside sounds.
Please click HERE to read the full article. |
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NAMI Maryland wishes everyone a happy and healthy holiday season.
Thank you for your support in 2015.
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