Published in the Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel on May 16, 2016 News Editor’s note: The following feature is the second in a series highlighting May as mental health month. Names have been changed to protect the family’s privacy. By Colin Rowan, Burke Edward and Victoria have had difficult conversations in the last year, but none was […]
Depression
Woman Survives Bipolar, Suicidal Thoughts with Burke’s Help
Carolyn doesn’t mince words when explaining what Burke has meant to her. “Without Burke, I’d be dead.” She was tired, bitter and except for the elderly father she cared for, estranged from most of her family. For the better part of 10 years, she says, “my life was in shambles.” Burke Counselor Cindy Carswell agrees, […]
Social Media and Mental Health
Does social media cause depression? Can it make an episode of depression harder to overcome? A recent Medium article addresses this concern. The writer, Kati Krause reports deleting her Facebook app as “a panicked intervention by reason to prevent my out-of-control animal instinct from doing further harm to myself.” Alternatively, could social media help you […]
Peer Specialists Explained
Our friends at Texas Institute for Excellence in Mental Health at the University of Texas have posted a great animated video that explains the role that peer specialists can play for people managing a mental illness. If you’ve worked with a peer specialist, you know how helpful and comforting they can be when navigating your way […]
Advice On Helping A Struggling Teen
When a child struggles, the entire family is affected. Parents console, encourage and model behaviors, but for some kids struggling with mental health issues, it may not be enough. Knowing when additional intervention is required can be a tough decision. In a CNN article posted yesterday, Dr. Charles Raison, a professor of psychiatry at the University […]
Taking Off the Mask of Mental Illness
There are many reasons people may wear masks. They may be worn to present ourselves in ways that are socially acceptable or to shield ourselves from inspection. The reasons for wearing a mask are plentiful and the results can be both helpful and harmful. Mental illness can also be a mask; it can mask who we […]
