Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween from the staff of NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania!

Contributed by Lora M. Dziemiela, Program Secretary

New Parity Implementation Toolkit Available

NAMI and our coalition partners working on implementation of the 2008 Wellstone-Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act have developed a new toolkit to assist people living with mental illness and their families in making sure their group health plan is in compliance with the new law. The toolkit provides resources on how to file a complaint and report noncompliance to appropriate regulatory authorities.

You can access the toolkit online at the NAMI Policy and Alerts webpage, or as a PDF file here. For more information about mental health issues in southwestern Pennsylvania, visit the NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania website!

Photo: Sunshine & Happiness, Some rights reserved by Rishi Menon

Contributed by Lora M. Dziemiela, Program Secretary

Spotlight: Pennsylvania Behavioral Health and Aging Coalition

The Pennsylvania Behavioral Health and Aging Coalition (PBHAC), a "statewide coalition of individuals and organizations concerned about the unmet mental health and substance abuse needs of older adults across the Commonwealth", has launched a new website!

The new website has information on area events and programs, as well as resource links and informative blog articles focused on older adults.

If you're interested in receiving email newsletters and other information relating to behavioral health issues in older adults and improving the lives of older Pennsylvanians, be sure to click on "Join Now" to become a member.

Interested in keeping up with NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania? It's easy! Subscribe to our RSS feed to stay current with our blog, or visit us at our website!

Photo: Elderly couple, Paris, Some rights reserved by i.tokaris

Contributed by Lora M. Dziemiela, Program Secretary

Schizophrenia and Caregiving

If you are caring for an individual with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, you are not alone. Resources and community services are available to support you and the recovery of your loved one. Helpguide offers tips and information on successful care-giving in their online article, "Helping a Schizophrenic Person: Coping with Symptoms, Supporting Treatment, and Finding Services" by Jeanne Segal, Ph.D. and Melinda Smith, M.A.

For more information about mental health and wellness, visit the NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania website.

Photo: Butterfly in Hand, Some rights reserved by DigiDragon

Friday Five: The Trevor Project

- The Trevor Project is the leading national organization focused on crisis and suicide prevention efforts among LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning) youth.

- The Trevor Project Mission: The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LGBTQ youth by providing life-saving and life-affirming resources including our nationwide, 24/7 crisis intervention lifeline, digital community and advocacy/educational programs that create a safe, supportive and positive environment for everyone.

- The Trevor Project Vision: A future where the possibilities, opportunities and dreams are the same for all youth, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

- History: The Trevor Project was founded by writer James Lecesne, director/producer Peggy Rajski and producer Randy Stone, creators of the 1994 Academy Award®-winning short film, Trevor, a comedy/drama about a gay 13-year-old boy who, when rejected by friends because of his sexuality, makes an attempt to take his life. Read more about the film here; additional information about the history of the organization can be found here.

- The Trevor Project operates three core program areas in order to provide resources for LGBTQ youth and to create safe, accepting and inclusive environments for all young people, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The three core program areas are "We Save Lives", "We Build Community" and "We Change Society and Culture".

(This week's Friday Five information was taken from The Trevor Project website. For more information about mental health, visit the NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania website.)

Western Psychiatric Opening First Pediatric Bipolar Disorder Inpatient Facility

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The University of Pittsburgh's Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (WPIC) will be launching the first inpatient facility in the nation dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of bipolar disorder in children.

According to Dr. Rasim Somer Diler (as quoted in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review's Lifestyles article by Matthew Santoni), medical director of UPMC's Inpatient Child and Adolescent Bipolar Services, or in-CABS,

"Research increasingly shows that bipolar disorders -- often taking the form of swings between depression and mania, changing levels of activity and sleep, and appetite disorders -- can manifest in young children and teenagers in worse forms than in adults and lead to higher rates of attempted suicide in young people."

The article goes on to describe the in-CABS program as being "designed to correctly diagnose young people with bipolar disorder. It can be hard to detect in short emergency room visits or outpatient therapy because it shares symptoms with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, depression, pervasive developmental disorder and substance abuse problems."

The article stresses the importance of diagnosis so that children can receive treatment and families can be educated on their options. Christine Michaels, the Executive Director of NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania, contributed to the article by discussing the impact of mental illness on families, further reinforcing the need for accurate and timely diagnoses for children and youth.

Read the rest of this fascinating article here. For more information about Childhood and Adolescent Bipolar Disorder, check out the NAMI Childhood and Adolescent Bipolar Disorder Fact Sheet.

Support Spirit Day!

We at NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania are proud to support Spirit Day by wearing purple and speaking out against the bullying of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) youth. While remembering those whose lives were tragically lost, we can stand together and support those that are still experiencing negative attention and pressure in their communities.

We hope that today, you are wearing purple and speaking out against intolerance. We also hope that tomorrow and every day after, you will continue to work for acceptance for all.

Wear Purple on Oct. 20 and Support Spirit Day

How can you help show your support for the teens who took their lives because of anti-LGBT bullying? Join NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania in wearing purple on Spirit Day (Wednesday, Oct. 20)!

According to GLAAD's Spirit Day page,

"Spirit Day honors the teenagers who had taken their own lives in recent weeks. But just as importantly, it's also a way to show the hundreds of thousands of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) youth who face the same pressures and bullying, that there is a vast community of people who support them...Wearing purple on October 20 is a simple way to show the world that you stand by these courageous young people and a simple way to stand UP to the bullies. Remember those lives we've tragically lost, and show your solidarity with those who are still fighting."

Visit GLAAD's Spirit Day page for other great ways to show your support for this cause!

Friday Five: Key Skills for Raising Your Emotional Intelligence

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According to Helpguide's Emotional Intelligence information sheet, Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is "the ability to identify, use, understand and manage your emotions in positive and constructive ways. It's about recognizing your own emotional state and the emotional states of others. Emotional intelligence is also about engaging with others in ways that draw people to you."

Helpguide recommends working on five key skills to raise your emotional intelligence:

Emotional intelligence (EQ) skill 1: The ability to quickly reduce stress.

The first key skill of emotional intelligence is the ability to quickly calm yourself down when you’re feeling overwhelmed. Being able to manage stress in the moment is the key to resilience. This emotional intelligence skill helps you stay balanced, focused and in control–no matter what challenges you face.

Develop your stress busting skills by working through the following three steps:

* Realize when you’re stressed – The first step to reducing stress is recognizing what stress feels like. Many of us spend so much time in an unbalanced state that we’ve forgotten what it feels like to be calm and relaxed.
* Identify your stress response – Everyone reacts differently to stress. Do you tend to space out and get depressed? Become angry and agitated? Freeze with anxiety? The best way to quickly calm yourself depends on your specific stress response.
* Discover the stress busting techniques that work for you – The best way to reduce stress quickly is through the senses: through sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. But each person responds differently to sensory input, so you need to find things that are soothing to you.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) skill 2: The ability to recognize and manage your emotions.

The second key skill of emotional intelligence is having a moment-to-moment awareness of your emotions and how they influence your thoughts and actions. Emotional awareness is the key to understanding yourself and others.

What kind of a relationship do you have with your emotions?

* Do you experience feelings that flow, encountering one emotion after another as your experiences change from moment to moment?
* Are your emotions accompanied by physical sensations that you experience in places like your stomach or chest?
* Do you experience discreet feelings and emotions, such as anger, sadness, fear, joy, each of which is evident in subtle facial expressions?
* Can you experience intense feelings that are strong enough to capture both your attention and that of others?
* Do you pay attention to your emotions? Do they factor into your decision making?

If any of these experiences are unfamiliar, your emotions may be turned down or turned off. In order to be emotionally healthy and emotionally intelligent, you must reconnect to your core emotions, accept them, and become comfortable with them.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) skill 3: The ability to connect with others using nonverbal communication.

Nonverbal communication is the third skill of emotional intelligence. This wordless form of communication is emotionally driven. It asks the questions: “Are you listening?” and “Do you understand and care?” Answers to these questions are expressed in the way we listen, look, move and react. Our nonverbal messages will produce a sense of interest, trust, excitement and desire for connection–or they will generate fear, confusion, distrust and disinterest.
Part of improving nonverbal communication involves paying attention to:

* Eye contact
* Facial expression
* Tone of voice
* Posture and gesture
* Touch
* Timing and pace

Emotional intelligence (EQ) skill 4: The ability to use humor and play to deal with challenges.

The ability to deal with challenges using humor and play is the fourth skill of emotional intelligence. Playful communication broadens our emotional intelligence and helps us:

* Take hardships in stride. By allowing us to view our frustrations and disappointments from new perspectives, laughter and play enable us to survive annoyances, hard times and setbacks.
* Smooth over differences. Using gentle humor often helps us say things that might be otherwise difficult to express without creating a flap.
* Simultaneously relax and energize ourselves. Playful communication relieves fatigue and relaxes our bodies, which allows us to recharge and accomplish more.
* Become more creative. When we loosen up, we free ourselves of rigid ways of thinking and being, allowing us to get creative and see things in new ways.

Emotional intelligence (EQ) skill 5: The ability to resolve conflicts positively and with confidence.

The ability to manage conflicts in a positive, trust-building way is the fifth key skill of emotional intelligence. Successfully resolving differences is supported by the previous four skills of emotional intelligence. Once you know how to manage stress, stay emotionally present and aware, communicate nonverbally and use humor and play, you’ll be better equipped to handle emotionally-charged situations and catch and defuse many issues before they escalate.

Tips for resolving conflict in a trust-building way:

* Stay focused in the present. When we are not holding on to old hurts and resentments, we can recognize the reality of a current situation and view it as a new opportunity for resolving old feelings about conflicts.
* Choose your arguments. Arguments take time and energy, especially if you want to resolve them in a positive way. Consider what is worth arguing about and what is not.
* Forgive. If you continue to be hurt or mistreated, protect yourself. But someone else’s hurtful behavior is in the past, remember that conflict resolution involves giving up the urge to punish.
* End conflicts that can't be resolved. It takes two people to keep an argument going. You can choose to disengage from a conflict, even if you still disagree.

(This week's Friday Five information was taken from Helpguide's Emotional Intelligence information sheet. For more information about emotional and psychological health, visit the NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania website.)

The WTAE-TV Mental Illness Series

Last week, Channel 4 News aired a segment on mental illness each night on the five o'clock news. Click here to view all five segments: 1) Overview 2) Bipolar Disorder 3) Depression 4) Schizophrenia and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder 5) the Family Story.

What a great way to raise awareness during national Mental Illness Awareness Week!

A special thank you to Michelle Wright, news anchor at WTAE-TV, for working with NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania on this important series. If you like the series and would like to see more responsible reporting on mental illness in the news, let Channel 4 know. Click here to contact the station.

Borders Benefit Days Coupon!

Borders will be donating a portion of purchase prices to NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania through their Borders Benefit Days program. Purchases made on Saturday, Oct. 9 and Sunday, Oct. 10 will qualify when made with the required benefit voucher- click on the image below to print out your copy of the coupon!

The percentage of sales donated will benefit the 4th Annual NAMI Walk, so be sure to shop until you drop this weekend to benefit a great cause and raise awareness of mental illness in southwestern Pennsylvania!

Borders Benefit Days: Shop to Support the 4th Annual NAMI Walk!

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Shop this weekend (Saturday, Oct. 9 through Sunday, Oct. 10) at any Borders store, in person or online, and a percentage of your purchase (10-20%) will be donated to NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania through the Borders Benefit Days program. The percentage of sales donated will benefit the 4th Annual NAMI Walk, so be sure to shop for a great cause this weekend! Contact Darcey Garda via email at dgarda@namiswpa.org or by phone at 412-366-3788 for a benefit voucher, or shop online using the voucher code NAMP1010P to have your online sale count toward our donations.

WTAE and Mental Illness Awareness Week

Copyright 2010 by ThePittsburghChannel. All rights reserved.

In honor of Mental Illness Awareness Week, NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania is partnering with WTAE Channel 4's Michelle Wright to bring you a week of discussion focused on mental health in Pittsburgh. Tonight's segment will focus on depression, and will air at 5:45 p.m.

Are you as excited as we are to see responsible coverage of mental health on the news? Please let WTAE know that you appreciate their efforts by emailing or calling the station. By working together, we can educate, empower, and ultimately demystify mental illness!

Announcing Mental Illness Awareness Week

In 1990, Congress named this week -- Oct. 3 through 9 -- Mental Illness Awareness Week, giving NAMIs across the country a perfect opportunity to educate the public about serious mental illness.

NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania launched this important week with its 4th Annual NAMI Walk yesterday at the SouthSide Works. Now we are pleased to announce a week-long series on WTAE-TV about mental illness beginning TONIGHT at 5:45 p.m. on Channel 4 News.

What: Week-Long Series On Mental Illness
When: First segment airs tonight at 5:45 p.m.
Where: Channel 4 News
Who: News Anchor Michelle Wright interviews local people about their experience with mental illness and recovery.
Why: To educate people and reduce stigma

Watch tonight and all this week. For more information about mental illness, visit the NAMI Southwestern Pennsylvania website.