The stigma against mental illness, part 2: Public & institutional stigma

With our country’s two mass murders having taken place very recently, the discussion about mental health issues has become a primary subject on social media (itself even possibly thought to be a contributing factor for loneliness). All forms of printed or computerized/televised press have weighed in on the subject. Stiffer laws for the prevention of lethal weaponry usage are now being discussed and, hopefully, passed. The background of a world and country suffering from extreme difficulties has brought mental illness to new raging proportions with the critical need for daily conversations. The Covid-19 pandemic, the Ukrainian/ Russian malaise, and the U.S.’s own economic decisions are just a few of these problems. Both public and institutionalized stigma for mental health are affected during these difficult times in history.

The stigma against mental illness, part 1

What percent of the world was experiencing mental illness in 2021? According to Google search, 19% of adults, translating into over 47 million Americans, had the disorder with 4.55% suffering from a severe mental illness. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) informs us that more than half of mentally ill individuals don’t seek help for their disorders. Why? The association states “Often, people avoid or delay seeking treatment due to concerns about being treated differently or fears of losing their jobs and livelihood.”

Beyond bombs and bullets

Andrew Lee, a Professor of Public Health/the Research Lab of the University of Sheffield, England gives us his Relief/Web Conversation on Health Issues facing the Ukrainian citizenry these days. Because the Conversation was posted on March 2, 2022, I will not be giving any stats which are no longer accurate. As mentioned in my first H & W column on the subject (May 5’s publication), war extends far beyond bombs and bullets.

Coping with grief: Healthy grieving tips

EVERYDAY HEALTH, in its April 2022 newsletter, invites us into the realm of those grieving, especially on the loss of a loved one – such as a parent, spouse, sibling, daughter or son, friend, or pet – even the loss of a job or romantic relationship. Psychologist Sigmund Freud published a 1917 essay on the subject which he called “grief work.” He described it “as a period of time following a loss when a person must process or work through their thoughts, memories, and emotions in order to move on with life.”

He cautions us not to be tempted to overindulge in alcoholic drinking now or at any other time during the year. Health professionals are aware of seniors possibly taking certain medications that need special treatment. The following information comes from this general manager of the store’s pharmacy operations in Canada. It concerns what happens on an empty stomach, on a full stomach, or when drinking.

The necessity of heart exercise this holiday season

The winter holiday season and its wasted non-nutritional calorie consumption has once again begun. Therefore, I thought it important to discuss heart problems often caused by a lack of exercise and poor diet choices. Dr. Tim Sanborn is one of six cardiologists on the Southeast Wisconsin Heart Institute staff located at Froedtert Pleasant Prairie (Wisconsin) Hospital. His comments will be quoted in the following paragraphs as they appeared in the Fall 2021 ChicagoLife Magazine under the subject: “Health Benefits of Exercise on the Heart.”

Safety 1st

Here is some excellent advice in these difficult times from Huntley’s Police Department’s Sergeant Kevin Keane. Seniors are especially popular targets of con artists who may pose as charity solicitors, grandchildren, home improvement providers and repair workers, romantic imposters, or internet scammers (just to name a few). It behooves us to learn how to protect ourselves and our loved ones.

Diabetes the disease, part II

According to the Diabetes Research Institute (DRI), “Diabetes can strike anyone, from any walk of life…in numbers that are dramatically increasing.” As stated also in my Part 1 on the subject, “Today, more than 34 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes.” Add to that figure, the fact that “Worldwide, more than 463 million people have diabetes.”

The miracle of insulin to help in the control of diabetes

My below report depicts the history of diabetes with its miracle discovery of insulin used to control and prolong the lives of the 34.2 million Americans living today with Diabetes 1 and Diabetes 2. I found Amanda Foreman’s Wall Street Journal column fascinating in its explanation of the discovery of insulin a century ago. Foreman refers to this event as one of the “greatest medical breakthroughs of the 20th century.”

The Problem with the longevity of COVID-19 Shots

Wall Street Journal’s (WSJ) writer, Jo Craven McGinty, asks the question “Why don’t Covid-19 vaccinations last longer? Measles shots are good for life, chickenpox immunizations protect for 10 to 20 years, and tetanus jabs last a decade or more.”

Meanwhile, our country’s health officials are deciding whether to give authority for Covid-19 boosters to vaccinated adults as soon as six months after their initial inoculations. The info below is a synopsis of our writer’s answer to the above question in The Wall Street Journal.

The dangers of digital ‘e-dictions’

Today’s rising rates of depression and anxiety among all ages of people may be a result of our brains’ messengers getting hooked on pleasurable activities. This is especially true in the Covid-19 Era where more and more people are spending an extreme amount of hours at home in pursuit of video games.

Dr. Anna Lembke, a psychiatrist and professor at Stanford University, gives us this essay adapted from her new book: “Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence.” Dopamine is the brain’s chemical that functions as a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. In the past 75 years, it has been discovered, however, that pain and pleasure are processed in the same part of the brain.