Well we haven’t done this in a while have we?  I thought it would be fun to roll out the good old Happy Talk.  From the Coffee Spot of course.  The best coffee and donuts around.  The donuts are zero calorie light as air and they all have extra sprinkles.  I figured I might as well negotiate a deal since my butt was getting big from all the donuts I ate here.

Also – it’s my 300th Post here on Word Press – are you supposed to mark that one?  Well I never remarked on the first two hundred.

So does anybody know what is special and cool about this week October 7 – 13 of 2012?  Do ya?  Huh?  

It is National Mental Illness Awareness Week.  Yay!  They got it right.  See what happens when you  bitch enough?

Yea, ok it wasn’t me bitching.

This week was actually voted on by Congress in 1990 to become the official week of Mental Illness awareness.  Cool huh?

Mental Illness is the absence of mental health – if you remember my previous rant during Mental Health Awareness Month regarding the use of the term mental health and illness –  it does not discriminate by race, religion, age, socioeconomic status or anything else that could be discriminatory that I forgot.  In other words, no one is immune to having mental illness.

It is a medical condition that  disrupts a person’s thinking, mood, ability to relate, daily functioning and disrupts the person’s capacity to cope with ordinary life.

Serious mental illnesses include major depression,  schizophrenia, bipolar disorder,  obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD),  panic disorder,  post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder.   (from NAMI)

There is a lot of stigma and really wrong ideas about mental illness floating around out there that makes it difficult for someone who may have the need to be screened and treated for mental illness to admit they are even ill.  In addition it makes daily life, which is  already hard enough if someone is struggling with coping, even more unbearable.

It isn’t necessary.  Mental Illness can be really scary.   If you are scared of it just hearing the term, think how scary it is for someone with a mental illness.  But it looks the same as everyone else does.  Do you know what I mean?

I mean, there are reportedly 1 in 4 people who suffer from mental illness in the US alone and if you count yourself pic three other people who you know.  Out of those three and you,  1 has the likelihood of having mental illness.  now look at the four of you.  Are you scared of any of those people?

Unless you are that one.  See that doesn’t work for me  – cause I am that one.  Additionally, in real life we aren;t really divided up by statistical theory, as in out of you and three friend one of you has a mental illness.  Unfortunately there are quite a few people who would never include a mentally ill person in their circles.

There are people who having been friends with someone who is mentally ill,  ended the friendship upon hearing the diagnosis.  Sad, but true.

All because they were afraid.  We fear what we don’t understand.  Do I look scary to you?

Let’s help end the stigma and misconception that comes with Mental Illness.

This year’s theme is Changing Attitudes, Changing Lives.

Hell Yea!

What Can you do?  

At this point I know you are as excited as I am about this week.

Ok I don;t know that, but I hope so.

We all have a part to play in the big picture.  I am rallying Team Lizzie and I got my part down pat.

I get to be the crazy chick.

It’s the perfect part I will fit right into it.   It is not the easiest part – but it’s not like I had much of a choice.

so back to what can YOU do?

There are lots of things you can do to help bring awareness to Mental Illness and change people’s attitudes;

• Advocate – be an advocate for the mentally ill.  We need as many as we can get in our corner.   When you see someone being mistreated or hear someone spouting  off with ignorant attitudes, correct them – unless they are really big and mean looking.  Then it is completely understandable to not tell them they are ignorant.  Nobody wants you to have any bodily harm,  I would feel bad.
• Donate – donate to an organization that supports research or other areas of mental illness – it[s tax-deductible
• Participate – in events or organizations or anything that you can or are able to that has to do with mental illness and research or raising money or whatever.  NAMI sponsors walks all over the US .  I am going to try and participate in the one here this year on October 20 so look for more information on that and think about joining Team Lizzie…  🙂 and helping raise funds for NAMI – which is the National Alliance on Mental Illness
• Educate – yourself and others on the real deal.  It could change someone’s life – maybe your own
• Take your friend  with a SMI out and get them a pony!  Or a Chromebook – or set up a meeting with Batman…  Show the world you aren;t afraid of mental illness.  Or me, I mean your friend.

you can find resources and information to help you do any of the above – or most of the above at NAMI’s website.  Check it out when you get a chance.  Soon.  Well at least try to this week.

Look for lots of information on mental illness this week here at Running Naked With Scissors.  I have a lot to tell you and there may even be some guest posts.  Maybe a contest, a game, Mental Moments, attitude checks, …  fun stuff.

Cause I am a boatload of fun and.. I don’t really have a plan yet.  What?  yea yea I know.  Go look up grace under pressure – see that picture beside it?  I got this no worries…

 News and other stuff:

Well let’s see what’s news and other stuff that has gone on;

• Autumn is officially here!  Ok yea I know it has been for a while but here where I live you wouldn’t know it.  We are still having over 100 degree days and the damn air conditioners are still humming away but the nights are cooler and the leaves are changing and the kids are on Fall Break.  One week down one to go.

Awards

I have been terrible horrible with awards lately.  Well honestly, I think this whole entire year has been a crap shoot  I recently received The Beautiful Blogger award from Whoredinary  and appreciate it very much.  I have to find out the rules and stuff and will try to get it done this week.

There have been others. Creative Chaos. BadAss Blog, Reader Appreciation, One Lovely Blog, Versatile Blogger…. and I will make a concentrated effort to go back through and acknowledge everyone who was kind enough to  award me and pass them on accordingly.

From The Art Department:

Reports from the art department over at Artsy Brain Fartsies show an increase in art farts put up in the last few days.

Since I am the art department I can verify that it is true.

This last week I have been immersed in artsy fartsing with creative drive on go.

Also check out the new feature and our very first Artsy Fartist, Linda Vernon .

Think you have what it takes to be a Artsy Fartist?  Contact me on the Direct Line to the Mother Ship page and tell me what ya got.  Don’t be shy …

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That about wraps up this week;s Happy Talk – mostly because the last half of my original post got eaten darn you WP post eaters….

Have a great week

Lizzie Cracked (never broken)

Related articles

• Mental Illness Awareness Week (trinapopowich.wordpress.com)
• Mental Illness Awareness Week, October 7-13 (candidaabrahamson.wordpress.com)
• Mental Illness Awareness Week Face to Face (blogs.psychcentral.com)
• Mental Illness: An Excuse for Bad Behaviour? (summersolsticemusings.wordpress.com)
• Dealing with Mental Illness in Second Life (alphavilleherald.com)
• Mental illness is still a barrier for those who want to work (thepunch.com.au)
• Guest Commentary: Mental illness doesn’t have to be a secret (mlive.com)