Myth and Fact -Schizophrenia

Hello everyone,

I hope you're having a great week.

Myth or Fact - Schizophrenia means split personalities?

Drumroll Please...this is a HUGE myth!

Schizophrenia does not cause split personalities, but rather affects a person's ability to think and reason clearly. There are varied symtoms, not always the same. But hope and help are available with medication and therapy.

Read more at this link:

Perspective

I've been thinking a lot about the truly awful disaster in Haiti. So many lives ended, or hit with loss of other kinds. So much turmoil, on top of an already volitile situation. I feel so helpless and although I too sent along a donation, it's so hard to feel like you're making a difference.

Then I thought about something else. For people with severe mental illnesses like major depression, BiPolar Disorder, and Schizophrenia, EVERY DAY can be a struggle to survive. It doesn't take a major disaster to make these individuals feel as if the world is coming to an end. Many of these men and women also struggle with substance use - attempting to numb their pain. They so desperately need caring services like Interlude, every day, to help give them hope and help.

Send your donation to help with the relief efforts in Haiti - but dont' forget to support needs here at home at the same time. Interlude's clients need you.

Thanks!

Robin R.

Great news about Mental Health Parity

Someone recently shared this great article on mental health parity with me, I'd like to share it with you. Great news...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-tian-dayton/hope-for-a-way-out-of-add_b_423069.html

Robin R.

How are you going to take care of yourself this year?

Hello everyone,

As a new year gets into gear, a lot of times people think about their health (weight, etc.). But do you also think about your mental health? What you can do to reduce stress in your life, or to talk to someone about the depression or other symptoms you may be having? Don't ignore your mental health - your brain drives the rest of your body and you need to pamper it too!

Does anyone have any new years' resolutions about your mental well being, that you would like to share? Please leave a comment to share with others to encourage them to take care of their minds, too.

Robin R.
Interlude

New Year's Resolution

Happy New Year to you! To start out very simply, I wondered if anyone has any New Year's resolutions?

If I had to express a resolution on behalf of Interlude, I would say it was "Interlude will continue to provide caring, personolized, non institutional services to men and women with mental illness and will do its best to maintain and even expand these much needed services." Actually, this is really our every DAY resolution!

This year Interlude (sadly) will have no other choice than to close its Outreach Program - one of three of our programs for people with mental illness. This is because of state and other funding cuts during this difficult economic climate. While there is no way to prevent this, there is a way for us to do the right thing and make sure all of our Outreach clients are transitioned to other providers carefully, taking each into consideration individually. I am thankful to say that although the Outreach program will close as of March 2010, Interlude will ensure each client is still taken care of by other excellent providers. Interlude also will be expanding its two remaining residential programs to help more people with mental illness who need 24 hour staff available.

Thanks to all the foundation and individual donors and funders who have helped us during this difficult year. We together look forward to continuing to provide exceptional services to people with mental illness, and even to grow and expand Interlude's critical services.

Send us your questions, comments, thoughts, or ideas. We'd love to hear from you.

Robin R.