World Mental Health Day

If you read the title of today's post, you probably guessed that today is World Mental Health Day! So, let's talk a bit about mental health.

Sounds scary, right? Well, it shouldn't be. 

Raise your hand if you've ever said or heard someone say "that person is mental!" or "because s/he's crazy." Well, you can act like a loon but it's pretty hard to be "mental". We need to start using our words a little bit more cautiously and with better intention. 

Really, though, we need to do less talking and more acting on mental health issues because the concept of mental health encompasses a wide range of disorders, diseases, and conditions. According to the WHO (as in the World Health Organization, not the band) things like stress and anxiety can lead to mental illnesses if left untreated. 

THAT is a scary thought. 

So, what constitutes something under the "Mental Health" bucket? Well, it's a long laundry list and I'll do my best to include some you may have heard about and some you may not know about:

• anxiety
• depression
• bipolar disorder
• schizophrenia
• autism spectrum disorder
• sensory processing disorder
• ADD/ADHD
• dementia
• epilepsy
• migraine/headache disorders
• eating disorders
• mood disorders
• impulse control/addidction
• OCD
• PTSD
• tic disorders 
• ...and SO many more!

I didn't experience anxiety until I got sick with dysautonomia. I was concerned about a lot of things: job loss, divorce, inability to take care of my kids, and death. Ok, "concerned" isn't really the right word. The idea that this disorder could make me feel worse than it did and result in any of the issues I mentioned created so much anxiety that it fed into my pre-existing depression. It didn't help that every doctor thought I had anxiety before diagnosing me with dysautonomia. There's no better way to make a calm patient anxious than to tell them it's all in their head.

Anxiety and depression are very common mental illnesses for people with chronic illnesses. Many times when we admit we're anxious or depressed to our doctors, we're put on more medication. Sometimes medication is 100% necessary to treat the symptoms of of the mental illness itself. But that's not always the case. I had to work through my issues without medication. And I'm still working through them. When life hands you rotten lemons, no one wants that lemonade. 

So, what can you do? Finding help for mental illness doesn't need to be hard, even though it may feel like the hardest thing in the world. Talk to your doctor to help understand what your first step should be. You can also help others experiencing mental distress by talking to your loved ones and friends - that's really the first step. They may shut you out but keep trying. And a simple Google search will lead you understanding the symptoms of mental illness. 

Have questions? Follow up with your doctor, a friend, or a mental health professional - they are your first line of defense in getting help.  

The October Slide

I find it fitting that October is Dysautonomia Awareness Month because it's the same timeframe as the season changing over. For most people, the change from summer to autumn is beautiful. For many in the chronic community, it wreaks havoc on our bodies.

Ever heard of the October Slide?

No, it's not the latest dance craze (which I cannot keep up with these days), it's what we call our health challenges during seasonal changes. It's a fairly well-documented occurrence. When diagnosed with POTS or other forms of dysautonomia, many physicians warn patients that this is something to be on the lookout for when the seasons change. It's also talked about to death within our community but we also like to share those stories of change with you, dear readers. Sadly, the October Slide continues into the November Drag.

So, what exactly is the October Slide? In short, it's when your daily symptoms worsen due to seasonal change. Our bodies are more susceptible to barometric changes (which happens frequently in the midwest), rapid and drastic weather changes (also frequently happens in the midwest), mold growth, and so much more.

What does the October Slide do to Hillary's body? In the past, I would pass out more, my nausea would grow out of control (rendering me unable to eat), and I'd get dizzy more often. Now? Lots of migraines, sinus pressure, brain fog, and nausea (still).

What makes the October Slide worse? Undoubtedly, stress makes any of our symptoms worse and I'm under a ton of that right now. We put a lot of pressure on ourselves to try to perform like we're healthy and we're not...we're really not like other people. Maybe we're superheroes! Anyway, stress definitely makes the October Slide worse. Food can also make it worse, we tend to eat what sounds good instead of a balanced diet because sometimes that balance isn't a good mix for patients like us. We become more sensitive to foods because our bodies are on high alert.

What can I do to support you? Be there. Be present. Ask if you can bring food over. Bring us books. Watch movies with us. Watch our kids for a few hours. Bring your kids over to play with our kids. Whatever you do - don't judge. Don't make the stress worse. Many of us are already missing out on every day life things like being an office, playing with our kids, and even being intimate. Don't make it worse. There are also some things you shouldn't say, so please watch your mouth around us.

The best thing you can do as a friend, spouse, partner, or relative is just to call or text to see how we're feeling. It'll raise our spirits and help bring us out of the October Slide...mentally.

Dysautonomia Awareness Month

If you're an avid follower of this blog, you'll know that I have dysautonomia and it's likely not going away any time soon. Some days are better than others and some days all I want to do is stay in bed and sleep because my body tells me that's what I need. I almost never get to do that, though.

Well, October is Dysautonomia Awareness Month - it's also Breast Cancer Awareness month. Both diseases are wretched but one gets more coverage and publicity than the other. So, this month, I'd like to give you - dear reader - some insight into how you can help people you love who probably feel a lot like me. Today, we're going to talk about ways to help in some very blunt language that I will not apologize for.

Ways to Help

• Since dysautonomia patients are awful at telling people what we need (mostly because we often don't know), just show up. Tell us you're coming to hang out. Be present with us.
• Offer to babysit or bring in dinner - while we may have some dietary restrictions, we'll tell you exactly what to get and what not to get. Just the idea of having someone help out is amazing.
• Let us vent because having this disorder SUCKS and we often bottle up our pain and emotions because we believe no one wants to hear just how bad it is.
• If you offer help and we take you up on it please own up to it. Don't offer if you're not going to actually do anything. Sometimes we need someone to run to the pharmacy just to pick up our medication or we need a few extra bottles of Gatorade. So, if you're going to offer help, own it.
• Treat us like humans, not patients. We get enough shit (pardon my French) from our doctors and the society around us, we don't need it from you, too. Be supportive while treating us like human beings. We are not our illness. We have SO much stress weighing us down that we don't need to hear your comments about how we don't look sick or how if we just moved a little bit more, we'd feel much better. Do. Not. Do. That. If we look fine, it doesn't mean we're not sick. It means we used up a lot of energy to fake it until we make it.
• Help us relieve stress within our limits but don't try to sell us on anything like oils or diet pills. Our bodies suck - we don't need to add anything into that and the stuff you sell may not be doctor-approved. This condition is also costly, please don't try to make a buck off of us - if we want what you're selling, we'll ask you for it.
• BUT if you see a gadget or something that may help us, feel free to buy it for us and add it into our collection. We're not asking for Fitbits (well, maybe some are) but cooling pads, peppermint oil, and even some As Seen on TV products may be helpful and we'll really appreciate it. They go further than flowers.
• Donate to help us find a cure or even just better treatment plans. Research is expensive and we don't get the funding that other disorders get - every dollar helps.

Stay tuned for our next installment: What Not to Do/Things That Are Not Helpful