The mother who founded the Facebook community “An Addict’s Mom” to give a forum of support rather than shame to parents with children battling the disease of addiction, has lost her son prematurely. Barbara Theodosiou’s son began receiving mental health care at age twelve. By age thirteen, he was using drugs. “It shocks me. It crushes […]
Change Direction
Getting REAL About Mental Health
Most of us know mental illness is a REAL issue. But, unlike other illnesses, mental illness is not discussed openly. It is talked about in hushed tones that convey shame, pity or guilt. In observance of Mental Health month, the Lufkin Daily News has partnered with Burke to initiate a discussion about mental illness. Mental illness will affect […]
How Mental Illness Affects the Friendly Skies
In light of the recent Lufthansa/Germanwings crash, much attention has been given to the rigors afforded to monitoring pilots’ health. This new concern based, at least partially, on this isolated incident, replaces the old concern about the pilot’s sobriety. The problem is these are both generalizations and stereotypes. In this article featured on the Healthy Place […]
Evidence Shows Violence Is Extremely Rare Among the Mentally Ill
We would all like to have an answer when tragedy occurs. We look for signs that could have alerted us to the threat, sometimes they are there; other times they are not. In the case of the Germanwings pilot who recently crashed a plane with 150 people aboard, mental illness seems to have played a role. […]
First Lady Michelle Obama Supports Mental Health First Aid
The time is now to create a new story in America about mental health, mental illness and wellness. The “Change Direction” initiative was inspired by the White House National Conference on Mental Health in 2013, which came on the heels of the Newton tragedy. The purpose of the campaign is to: free us to see […]
