Blog For Mental Health 2013

It is once again time for me to blog about mental health. Because this week is National Women's Health Week, I always choose to blog about mental health. This is my second year to participate and it's a great venue to spread the word about mental illness.

The rules are pretty simple:

1.) Take the pledge by copying and pasting the following into a post featuring “Blog for Mental Health 2013″.

I pledge my commitment to the Blog For Mental Health 2013 Project.  I will blog about mental health topics not only for myself, but for others.  By displaying this badge, I show my pride, dedication, and acceptance for mental health.  I use this to promote mental health education in the struggle to erase stigma.

2.) Link back to the person who pledged you.

You can consider this an open pledge, so feel free to link to A Canvas Of The Minds and this post!

3.) Write a short biography of your mental health, and what this means to you.

This year mental health has become a staple in my life. A few months ago I found out my youngest daughter was dying from AIDS. She moved back home and is on hospice. The toll of her illness has brought about many mental illness challenges for myself. I have become depressed to the point I find myself not wanting to get out of bed. I have gotten to the point where I just don't care. I feel overwhelmed and overburdened. 

4.) Pledge five others, and be sure to let them know!

Bipolar Mom Life – A Life I Love: Blogging for Mental Health

My Perfectly Imbalanced Life – Mental Health Blog Day…Shine the light

Motherhood Unadorned – Just Keep Swimming

EwokMama – Yet Again, I’m Blogging About Mental Health

Good Girl Gone Redneck –  Mental Health Blog Day #mhblogday

As mentioned above, if you happen upon this without being pledged, we still pledge you.  Feel free to take the pledge!  Promote awareness!

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Women & HIV/AIDS Infographic

National Women's Health Week, May 12 - 18 and  HealthForHer.org has put together an infographic detailing how the disease has affected women around the world. Some of the most compelling details covered include:

- AIDS diagnoses among women have increased more than 300% since 1985.

- Louisiana, Florida & New York have the highest rates of AIDS diagnoses among adult and adolescent females in the US.

- The vast majority of women diagnosed with HIV contracted the disease through heterosexual encounters.

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Mental Health Month Blog Day-#mhblogday

Today is the fourth annual Mental Health Month Blog Day and my second year to participate. Mental health  affects millions of women, myself included.

Mental health: it’s the way your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors affect your life. Having good mental health helps you make better decisions and deal with daily stressors at home, at work, and in your family. Sometimes, you may need help from a professional to take care of your mental health, especially if feelings or problems seem beyond your control.

Congress designated May as Mental Health Month in 1949 to illustrate the importance of mental health issues to the overall health and well-being of American citizens. Each year, bloggers will join APA  for a Mental Health Month Blog Day to educate the public about mental health, decrease stigma about mental illness, and discuss strategies for making lasting lifestyle and behavior changes that promote overall health and wellness.

You can help people recognize the importance of good mental health, overcome stigma, and seek out professional mental health services when needed? Learn More

Since last year my mental health has gone South. Let me explain. My mental health has always teetered between sane and insane, but recently I reached a breaking point. My youngest daughter is dying and I'm responsible for her full-time care and the stress is overwhelming. There are many days when I want to stay in bed with the covers over my head. There are days I want to ignore my daughter. There are days I feel guilty. There are days when I want to walk away.

My depression has worsened as well as my anxiety. Sometimes I feel very alone in a gigantic fishbowl called life. It seems I'm swimming nowhere fast. I sometimes forget that I'm not alone.

It's important for women to know there is help out there.

If you feel like you're swimming nowhere fast, don't be ashamed to ask for help. You're not alone! There is help out there.

Some facts about mental health to get you started:

• One in four Americans experiences a mental health disorder every year, according to the National Institutes of Mental Health.
• Chronic stress can affect both our physical and psychological well-being by causing a variety of problems including anxiety, insomnia, muscle pain, high blood pressure and a weakened immune system.
• Research published in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior (Vol. 41, No. 2) finds that 68 percent of Americans do not want someone with a mental illness marrying into their family and 58 percent do not want people with mental illness in their workplaces.

If you want to participate in today's Mental Health Month Blog Day participating is easy:

1. Publish a blog post that incorporates mental health’s importance. Tell people why it’s important to you and why it should be important to everyone.
2. Include a link back to yourmindyourbody.org or one of its own blog posts.
3. Add the “I’m blogging for mental health 2013″ badge to your blog post. Add the badge by copying and pasting the HTML code.
4. Share your blog and any blogs you discover or our round-up on posts on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, Pinterest, or any social networking sites you are on. Use #mhblogday as the tag.
5. Keep returning to Your Mind, Your Body throughout the day to see what new blogs have joined the party.
6. Find new blogs to read and bloggers to follow! Comment on their posts. Share their links. Spread the word about mental health awareness!

Be sure to check out all the great Mental Health Month Blog Day posts.

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Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

I love my readers and I love giveaways! I've had reader giveaways before on my blog, but recently, I've started participating in more reviews/ giveaways to show you how much you are appreciated for taking to time to stop by my blog.

The reason for this post is I want to clear some things up.

Everyone loves giveaways, but along with entering to win there must be rules to follow.

1. If you enter, please make sure your follow directions regardless of how small the prize is.
2. Most of my giveaways are open to the US only.
3. If you are selected a winner, I usually give you 48 hours to respond to the winner notification email. Now here lies a problem. Please make sure I have your correct email address, make sure you check your spam/other folder, please respond within the time frame. I do make exceptions because I've missed out. If I don't hear from the winner within 24 hours, I do sent out additional emails twice, I sometimes will hunt you down via twitter/FB but you must reply within the allotted time frame to claim your prize.
4. If you don't want the prize I am offering, please don't enter. You're wasting your time and mine.
5. I know life can get in the way and sometimes I will make allowances on time if I am the one sending the prize. Please note also, it may take me up to 10 weeks to get your prize to you.
6. I appreciate all of you and thank you for taking the time to stop by and enter my giveaways. Most of my giveaways are sponsored, so please take the time to stop my a sponsors website/FB and show them love as well.

Now, what are you waiting for.... GO ENTER A FEW GIVEAWAYS AND GOOD LUCK!

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National Women's Checkup Day: May 13, 2013

What is National Women's Checkup Day?

National Women's Checkup Day is a nationwide effort, coordinated by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office on Women's Health, to:

• Encourage women to call and visit health care professionals to schedule and receive checkups; and
• Promote regular checkups as vital to the early detection of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, mental health illnesses, sexually transmitted infections, and other conditions.

When is National Women's Checkup Day?

The 11th annual National Women's Checkup Day will be Monday, May 13, 2013, during National Women's Health Week.

Why is it important for women to participate in this effort?

Regular checkups provide a number of benefits to women:

• Screening tests, such as mammograms and Pap tests, can find diseases early, when they are easier to treat. Some women need certain screening tests earlier or more often than other women do. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, women can now receive these types of  preventive screenings without co-pays.
• Screenings and routine care can help women lower their risks of many health conditions, including heart disease.

How can women participate in this important event?

There are several ways for women to participate in National Women's Checkup Day:

• Contacting their current health care professionals to schedule checkups or visiting to get important screenings on National Women's Checkup Day.
• Discussing with their health care professionals which screenings and tests are right for them and when and how often they should have them.
• Learning which screening and immunizations they need and at what age to get them.
• Reviewing the list of 22 preventive services for women covered under the Affordable Care Act.
• Taking the Checkup Day Pledge and pledging to schedule at least one preventive health screening during May 2013.

I took the pledge. did you?

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Put On Purple for Lupus Awareness May 17th

Help the Lupus Foundation of America raise awareness of lupus and put an end to this devastating disease that impacts millions of people.

Following are some easy ways you can participate:

• Wear purple proudly on Friday, May 17 and tell people why!
• Ask your friends, family, coworkers and employer to Put On Purple on May 17 to help raise awareness and support those living with lupus.
  • Consider organizing office-wide or company-wide participation. 
• Take pictures of your participation and share them with others:
  • Send your pictures to the Lupus Foundation of America at PutOnPurple@lupus.org.
  • Post photos on Twitter using the hashtag #PutOnPurple.
  • Send pictures to your social networks, along with details about how you Put On Purple to help solve the cruel mystery of the disease.

Visit their website TODAY for tips, materials and ideas for how you can Put On Purple for lupus awareness.

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International ME/CFS and National FM Awareness Day-May 12th

Today is International ME/CFS & FM Awareness Day! 

What is it?

ME stands for myalgic encephalomyelitis. CFS stands for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. FM is the short form for fibromyalgia.

The month of May is ME/CFS and FM Awareness Month.

The idea originated with Tom Hennessy, the founder of RESCIND (Repeal Existing Stereotypes about Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases). Mr. Hennessy designated May 12 as the International Awareness Day for the spectrum of illnesses he called Chronic Immunological and Neurological Diseases (CIND).

May 12 was chosen as it corresponded with the birthdate of Florence Nightingale, the English army nurse who inspired the founding of the International Red Cross.

Mission

To promote May 12th as International Awareness day and encourage people to join events or create their 
own and to share awareness ideas for May 12th and throughout the year.

Nightingale became chronically ill in her mid-thirties with an ME/CFS-like illness. She spent the last 50 years of her life virtually bedridden. Despite suffering from an incapacitating illness, she managed to found the world’s first School of Nursing.

This determined woman of the late 19th century is a symbol of inspiration and hope to sufferers of these chronic disorders in the late 20th century.

If you're a sufferer like me, then you know all too well what it's like and why it's important to be aware and share awareness with others.

Get involved!

Like International ME/CFS & FM Awareness Day on FB

Join twitter

Today please wear blue and save a blue ribbon to your computer to help raise awareness for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or purple for Fibromyalgia.

Dedicate your blog to the cause!

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