Purpose of this site:

My goal is to provide information that may be helpful for family members, caregivers, and friends of those who suffer from severe brain disorders (severe mental illness) and who are at various stages of intervention, treatment, and 'recovery'.

You are not alone!

This site is designed for posting articles either written by myself or others that contain helpful information in managing our lives while caring for others. Also, to provide information about how to help those we love who suffer from a severe brain disorder (severe mental illness).

This site is a 'Take What You Need and Leave the Rest' approach to shared information. Some links may come from pharmaceutical companies, elder care sites, advocacy websites, etc.

Some of the information you will read will be applicable to your needs and some may not. All information is useful. It's in what you do with it.

If you keep an open mind, find what might work for you and take just that information and see how it fits in your situation, I think that you'll find merit here.

There is no magic bullet for these illnesses. I don't believe in blocking any path that could lead to relief for anyone. Everyone has the right to be well.

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Thursday, December 5, 2013

Why do we need National Guidelines for Assisted Outpatient Treatment? Why do we need to stand together?

For those who suffer from an untreated severe mental illness, time is brain. With each psychotic episode they lose the brain cells they will need to recover with. To make things more complicated, a symptom of the illness (a brain malfunction in the frontal lobe) prevents those who suffer with this from being able to realize that they need help. It's called anosognia. Insight and Psychosis by Xavier Amador & Anthony David. Brain & Behavior Quarterly Spring 2012 page 30, gives a simple yet important breakdown to mental health. Step 1 Discovery: Understanding malfunctions in the brain. Step 2 Treatment: Reducing symptoms and retraining the brain. Step 3 Recovery: Supporting rehabilitation to enable full, productive lives When a person suffers from anosognia they do not want Step 2 because they do not think that they are ill. Untreated, they will continue to loose brain cells. Step 3 can not happen without Step 2 for these few who have such severe symptoms. It’s just common sense. Some who have a severe mental illness but do not suffer from anosognia can get help on their own. Only a few cannot because their symptoms are so severe. Their brain disorder is so severe. That’s why we need AOTs in every state. To help those who cannot help themselves. To save lives. 
 With well written Assisted Outpatient Treatment Laws! Kendra's Law in New York reports (in spite of not being a perfect program) many benefits of AOTs! But where is NAMI? Where is NAMI's voice in this? Why is their voice silent? Even SAMHSA is looking at the benefits of AOTs. "Via Treatment Advocacy Center: "Duke University professors Marvin Swartz and Jeffrey Swanson gave highlights of the many AOT studies that they have conducted in New York and North Carolina, dating back to the late 1990’s. Their findings made a persuasive case that if properly implemented, AOT is a cost effective means to improve outcomes for people with severe mental illness who struggle with treatment adherence." Full article: http://www.treatmentadvocacycenter.org/about-us/our-blog/69-no-state/2444-samhsa-starts-a-conversation-on-aot
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