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It all began in 2009 -2010 when four students and a recent graduate from Henry M. Gunn High School in Palo Alto, California killed themselves over a seven-month period. In just five years, the tragedy ensued and was followed by another four suicide victims this year. When a recent graduate from Gunn High killed himself on the tracks near East Meadow Drive in Palo Alto, another student ended his life the same way in less than three weeks after. Two and half months later, a senior killed himself followed by another suicide committed by a sophomore from Palo Alto High School (Kapp, 2015). [More]

Violence is a main cause of stigma toward people with mental illness, but lack of knowledge and education are also part of the problem. People with mental illness are no more likely to commit violent acts than anyone else, but when mental illness is present with substance abuse and a history of violence, that risk does increase. As a society, we must better understand and effectively address all causes of violence. [More]

As our understanding of the biological and genetic factors that contribute to the development of these disorders, it becomes easier to see these behavioral health disorders as real diseases—like diabetes or heart disease, which can also run in families. But, how might our relatively recent increased understanding of genetics and biology impact how people with mental illness are perceived and treated in our society? Will this understanding help to decrease stigma, or will it further fuel stigma for people living with behavioral health disorders? [More]

There are a lot of issues that are being focused on in the news today, and it's important to take a look at them so that we can better understand them and what they do to the people who are dealing with them. One type of mental illness that has gotten a lot more focus as of late is the category of personality disorders. Personality disorders are a category of disorders that have certain traits, but each of them are different as well. [More]

There appears to be a connection between dementia, Alzheimer’s Disease, and Vitamin B-12, but not one that suggests a cure for dementia of the Alzheimer’s or another type. If B12 reduces memory loss and deterioration of brain volume, it is a step in the right direction for the eventual effective treatment of the terrible condition known as dementia. [More]

Vascular dementia is one of eleven general types of dementia. It is second only to Alzheimer’s Disease as a cause of this condition that affects the elderly in America. Scientists at the Krembil Neuroscience Centre (University Health Network, 2014) may have found one major cause of this type of dementia. And that could lead to effective treatment approaches for the condition. [More]

For the entire time Alzheimer’s Disease has been around since first described, there has been no effective treatment. No medication to attack the multiple elements of the disease, no non-medical treatments to do more than blunt the effects of peripheral symptoms. But maybe that’s about to change. [More]

Gainful employment and stable housing are necessary for almost everyone to be successful members of society. When access to either of these is limited, life becomes very difficult. People with mental health disorders deserve the same access to employment and housing to enable them to be safe and contribute to their communities and feel worthwhile and valuable. Unfortunately, stigma and discrimination still create inequities for people with mental illness, and as a society it benefits us all to work hard to increase acceptance and decrease stereotyping and misperceptions about people with mental illness. FB- Know someone with a mental illness? Here are just a few of the misperceptions associated with having a mental illness, some of which may surprise you. [More]

Sometimes, someone in our family or one of our family friends may have a mental health issue, and there are children in the family who may not understand what is going on. That means that family members may have to take the time to talk to children about the effects of mental illness and how they are to treat the person that they are related to. FB- Talking to your kids about mental illness might seem just as intimidating as talking to them about the birds and the bees, but it doesn't have to be. Here are some tips for an easier conversation. [More]

What is normal vs. abnormal exists on a continuum that varies from one culture and historical time period to the next. Clinicians will be most effective when they have a broad knowledge base of other cultures, as well as a good operational definition of this term. [More]