Flu Smarts: Mind your Hands!

We do it so automatically that it's a tough habit to break.

People put their hands to their face a thousand times a day;

adjusting glasses, rubbing a nose, wiping a lip,

PUTTING A PEN TO YOUR MOUTH,

scratching an eye, wiping away sweat, and so much more.

But in cold and flu season, an innocuous momentary

action can bring a world of pain.

Our orifices--eyes, nose, mouth--are portals of

entry for disease, and very absorptive tissue.

It will take some doing, but resist automatically

putting your hands near your face before

thoroughly washing them. (And limit it even then.)

It's the same as putting your face on everything

your hands have touched!!

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Mental Illness: What's worse--the Cure or the Disease?

For those whom medication is a necessity in order to be able
to combat debilitating mental illness, it can take forever to find
correct types and levels of medications. During this ongoing
experimentation with mind and body, a person can be sorely
tested of patience and faith.

And, after finding a medication that works, life events can change
up the score, or metabolism changes and throws everything out
the window. People lose connection to a good doctor. Drugs
become too costly or unavailable. Patients develop a resistance
to even the highest levels of the drug.

Or, as often is the case, the horrible side-effects of the drugs seem
less palatable that the illness symptoms themselves. The choice
of taking medication to combat illness issues versus staying off to
avoid sluggishness, weight gain, and a host of other problems that
equally make life less joyful, becomes a real hardship. Choosing
becomes an untenable task.

This is all a moot point for millions who live in an area where there
is no access to any--or decent quality--doctors and psychiatrists
to begin with. Along with schools and assistance for the poor, funds
for mental health services are among the first cut, and their budget
was negligible to start with.

The stigma associated with mental illness prevents many from
self-identifying, seeking help, or taking medications to begin with.
Many try and amble through their days, attempting to convince
those around them there are no symptoms or issues. Hardly anyone
wants to stand apart from others, or be looked on as different.

If someone is dealing with the aftermath of a life of untreated illness
(joblessness, loss of family and friends, suicidal tendencies, lack
of awareness about their issues, misdiagnosis, imprisonment, drug
and alcohol addiction, ruined reputation, etc.,) they may feel as if
even seeking help for 'whatever' their problem is would be a hopeless
endeavor.

These are just a few of the hurdles to overcome to seek help for
a problem that is shadowy, difficult to properly diagnose, and hard
to treat. But that isn't to say "Don't try."

Check out the following links for different methods of online assistance
and referral!

Information on Mental Health Counselors

Mental Health America: Finding Treatment

Mayo Clinic; Treatment & Drugs for Mental Illness

Healthy Place: Online Support & Information

You don't have to go through it alone!

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