Jail Dims Hopes for Recovery for Young People With Mental Illness – HealthDay News

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WEDNESDAY, April 7, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Being jailed puts teens with untreated psychiatric disorders at increased risk for long-term mental health struggles, researchers say.

“These are not necessarily bad kids, but they have many strikes against them,” said study lead author Linda Teplin. “Physical abuse, sexual abuse, and neglect are common. These experiences can precipitate depression. Incarceration should be the last resort.” Teplin is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, in Chicago.

“Clearly, we must expand mental health services during detention and when these youth return to their communities,” she added in a Northwestern news release.

Teplin’s team has been interviewing a randomly selected group of 1,800 people since the mid-1990s. The interviews were conducted from a median age of 15 at detention through to about 31 years of age. The interviews included assessments of 13 mental health disorders.

Nearly two-thirds of males and more than one-third of females still had one or more mental health disorders 15 years after being jailed. Disruptive behavior and addiction disorders were the most common, the Northwestern Medicine study found.

Compared with females, males had a more than tripled risk for a persisting psychiatric disorder, the researchers said.

“This may be because females, as they age, become more family-focused. Positive social connections – having a stable partner, raising children, establishing a family – are conducive to positive mental health,” study co-author Karen Abram said in the news release. She’s a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Feinberg School of Medicine.

Compared with Black and Hispanic people, white people were 1.6 times more likely to have behavioral disorders and over 1.3 times more likely to have substance use disorders throughout the study period, according to findings published April 5 in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.

Besides offering young people treatment during and after detention, Teplin said, “we must also encourage pediatricians and educators to advocate for early identification and treatment of psychiatric disorders. Unfortunately, in the U.S., school systems are funded by local governments. Thus, our children may be sentenced to a life of inequity because of their ZIP code.”

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Mental Health has more on child and teen mental health.

SOURCE: Northwestern Medicine, news release, April 5, 2021

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Training in compassion improves the well-being of relatives to people with mental illness – EurekAlert

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If relatives of people with mental illness become better at accepting the difficult emotions and life events they experience – which is what training in compassion is about – their anxiety, depression, and stress are reduced. These are the results of a new study from the Danish Center for Mindfulness at Aarhus University.

Being a relative of a person with a mental illness can be very burdensome. It can feel like a great responsibility, and many people struggle with feelings of fear, guilt, shame, and anger. A new study from the Danish Center for Mindfulness shows that eight weeks of training in compassion can significantly improve the well-being of relatives.

Compassion is a human quality that is anchored in the recognition of and desire to relieve suffering. In other words, compassion occurs when we come into contact with our own or others’ suffering and feel motivated to relieve our own or others’ pain.

“After completing the course, the relatives had increased their well-being on several parameters. They could deal with the illness in a new and more skillful way, and we saw that the training reduced their symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress,” says psychologist and Ph.D. student Nanja Holland Hansen, who is behind the study.

And the positive results were maintained after a six-month follow-up.

Trying to fix what is difficult

“The relatives learned that the more they turn towards what is difficult, the more skillful they may act.

For example, relatives often try to ‘fix the problem or the challenge – so as to relieve their loved ones of what is difficult.

That’s a huge pressure to constantly deal with, and very few people can bear it,” says Nanja Holland Hansen.

Living with chronic fear

She goes on to explain that training in compassion helps people to find the strength and courage to bear pain and suffering when life is difficult. It may seem both sensible and intuitive to guard yourself against the confrontation or avoid what is difficult and unpleasant. But this is the paradox of the training, explains the researcher. Because it is precisely actions and thoughts like these that shut down our compassion and thereby maintain the suffering.

“Fear and grief are emotions that take up a lot of space for relatives of people with mental illness. For example chronic fear, which is a real fear that parents of a child with schizophrenia have about whether their child is going to commit suicide, or whether a child with autism will ever enjoy a ‘normal life,” explains Nanja Holland Hansen and continues:

“Our suffering is maintained inside of us when we don’t work with it. To avoid feeling pain, we may resort to behavior such as working too much or buying things that we don’t need. It’s therefore in all these everyday actions that our compassion training becomes important and can be used to help alleviate what is difficult,” she says.

No one escapes

The purpose of training in compassion is thus more than just feeling empathy or worrying about another person.

“Not a single person can completely avoid experiencing painful things in their life.

In this way, we’re all the same.

But what isn’t the same for everyone is our ability to deal with the pain and suffering we experience.

Training programs in compassion have been developed because the research shows that we can train and strengthen our mental health. With systematic training of compassion, we generate more attention – and understanding of – our own thoughts, feelings, and behavior. And this helps us to develop the tools and skills to engage in healthier relations with ourselves and others,” she explains.

A total of 161 relatives of people with mental illness participated in the study. This makes the study one of the largest of its kind in the world, and also the first scientific randomized clinical trial carried out with relatives in Denmark. The relatives were between 18 and 75 of age and were family members to people with various psychiatric disorders such as e.g. ADHD, schizophrenia, and depression.

Meditation as homework

The relatives met once a week in groups of twenty participants over an eight-week period.

Each session lasted two hours and was structured with small group exercises, large group discussions, instruction in the theme of the week, and meditation.

The homework consisted of twenty minutes of daily meditation.

“There is definitely a shortage of offers for these relatives. They’re often told that they should remember to take care of themselves, but they haven’t learned how to. We found that those who were involved in the study received the tools for precisely this,” says Nanja Holland Hansen.

The results have just been published in the scientific journal JAMA.

“My hope is that local authorities and regions can offer this type of intervention for relatives.

It should be an option and could easily be incorporated into our healthcare system.

Economically and socially, a healthy person going on sick leave solely because he or she is a relative is a huge loss,” says the researcher.

“Up to fifty percent of relatives of people with mental illness risk becoming ill themselves. That’s why it’s important that we also keep them and their well-being in mind,” says Nanja Holland Hansen

 

The study is a randomized clinical trial.

The test subjects/participants had a fifty percent probability of being allocated to either the intervention group or the control group.

The allocation was based on a computer algorithm.

The study is financed by the Danish Center for Mindfulness and Aarhus University.

The scientific article can be read in JAMA.

Contact

Psychologist, Research Assistant & PHD student Nanja Holland Hansen

Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine and

The Danish Center for Mindfulness

Mobile: (+45) 2213 1805

Email: nanjahh@clin.au.dk

Centre Director, Associate Professor & Ph.D. Supervisor Lone Fjorback

Aarhus University, Department of Clinical Medicine and
The Danish Center for Mindfulness

Mobile: (+45) 9352 1996

Email: lone.overby.fjorback@clin.au.dk

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.

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Disclosing mental illness: How should HR react? – Human Resources Director

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One of the main issues for HR leaders when it comes to mental health is encouraging people to speak out. A recent report from SAP Canada revealed, in fact, employees really want to speak about their personal concerns with their managers – they’re just not sure how to begin.

“HR can keep the discussion front and center by providing education and resources,” advised Dr. Conrad. “It’s important not to pressure employees to disclose any diagnosis, but make sure they know the company will support them if they choose to do so. Encourage leaders to open up about their own experiences, serving as role models for others to feel comfortable sharing.”

As for the future of mental health in Canada, the outlook isn’t exactly peachy. Looking ahead to the rest of 2021, we asked Dr. Conrad if we’ll see something of a mental health crisis unfold in the workplace.

“The unfortunate answer is yes,” he told HRD. “We’ll see the lingering effects of loss, isolation, and stress caused by the pandemic, for years to come. There should be significant investment in formal wellness programs that feature mental/emotional health education and resources. Employers will also need to stay nimble to adjust to staffing challenges that might arise.”

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Be ready for a mental illness epidemic in the wake of Covid – The Times

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Lockdown skeptics warn of the damage to mental health caused by prolonged isolation. They are not wrong. Measures to suppress Covid-19 disrupt the social networks that are essential to mental wellbeing. What the skeptics fail to acknowledge, however, is that Covid-19 is a multi-system illness, and the fight against it is integral to mental health.

A study published today by The Lancet Psychiatry, using the electronic health records of more than 230,000 Covid sufferers, suggests a link with mental illness. One in three patients was diagnosed with a psychological or neurological illness within six months of Covid infection.

From the start of the pandemic, there have been reports of cognitive impairment and mood disorders among Covid patients. The influenza pandemic of 1918-20 brought in

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NAMI MIAMI-DADE (NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS ) TO HOST FIRST-EVER MENTAL HEALTH WALK IN THE COUNTY – Miami’s Community Newspapers

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In honor of Mental Health Awareness month in May, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Miami is hosting Miami-Dade County’s first Walk for Mental Health, “NAMIWalks Your Way,” on May 22, 2021 from 9 am – 4 pm. The hybrid outdoor and virtual event, Miami-Dade County’s first walk to raise awareness and funding for local mental health support, still has sponsorship and walk team opportunities available for those interested in participating.

The walk is designed to combat the stigma of mental health conditions and raise funds for NAMI Miami’s free programs such as support groups, peer mentoring programs, outreach and educational classes. Despite of the physical challenges presented during the pandemic, NAMI Miami aided more than 8,000 students, young adults, adults, families and local leaders with its prevention, education, mental wellness and support programs. These programs are always offered at no cost to participants, led by NAMI trained peer-leaders and remain confidential.

“Psychological distress in 2021 amid the pandemic caused a marked increase in the demand for mental health services in our community,” said Susan Racher, NAMI Miami Board President. “Our goal is to provide mental health for all and we can begin to achieve that with such supportive partners in our inaugural Walk including Segal Trials, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Hollywood, FL, Miami-Dade County Public Schools, and many community partners, volunteers and friends.

According to a recent survey conducted by PEW Research Center, about a fifth of U.S. adults (21%) are experiencing serious psychological distress. And 28% of respondents have stated the outbreak has changed their lives in a major way. The psychological and financial effects of the pandemic add urgency to NAMI’s outreach efforts. NAMI Miami’s free programs augment clinical and therapeutic care according to evidence informed standards.

NAMI Miami-Dade will kick off the event the week prior to May 22, presenting live-streamed speakers, entertainment and other activities during the week leading up to May 22. These programs will foster a sense of community, showcase sponsors, and raise awareness about the crucial wellness resources that NAMI Miami provides during these trying times. Miami-Dade County Public Schools counselors will be leading walk teams as part of NAMI’s partnership with the District in “Ending the Silence” youth and family awareness programming.

Sponsorship benefits are available for this historic inaugural event and range from $250 to $15,000. Sponsors will have the opportunity to join other organizations, corporations, foundations and individuals on a national level while supporting the effort to increase awareness of mental health challenges during one of the most arduous years in history.

The event will allow “Walk Teams” to take part by choosing safe activities like walking the beach, a park, around a neighborhood, practicing yoga, organizing safe group activities outside, or live-streaming a skill such as cooking, dancing, or painting.

Team leaders will recruit members to join them and to help fund-raise via email, social media, or phone calls.
For more information, registration, and/or donations, visit NAMIWalks.org/Miami; email Kris Eschman at Kris@NAMIMiami.org or call 305-665-2540.

About the NAMI Miami-Dade County
NAMI Miami-Dade County is an affiliate of the nation’s largest peer-led mental health organization. NAMI Miami-Dade offers free, safe, and confidential mental health support, education, and advocacy for individuals and their families and friends in both English and Spanish. For more information, call 305-665-2540, email Kris@NAMIMiami.org or visit NAMIMiami.org and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Meetup at @NAMIMiami.


 


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