We are getting older embrace mental health p. 1

“Don't worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every thought, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 4:6, 7 Like Ps. 4 at the end of a stressful day we can call on the Lord in our anxiety and He can give us peace.

I have had many days where God gave me peace and a confidence to trust him concerning something I was worried about. I have read along time ago that 95% of the things we worry about never come true. That should give us confidence, but we are probably thinking about the 5%.

Due to long term insomnia, triggered by traumatic recovery my mental health broke down. As savvy as I am concerning awareness from scripture, psychology and 50+ years I could not resolve my problems. With panic attacks, sleep deprivation I slipped into a clinical depression. Inside my brain was not functioning the way it should. Insight from my son and wife told me I could not solve this. I needed help.

On one side, we are told to understand people with mental illness with compassion. There is more hope today

Will, my son intervened when I needed
it most. Will earned his masters this
summer from Kansas University this
summer, (proud dad!!!!)

to help people cope with their illnesses. After both medical and therapeutic support my depression and anxiety is in remission. These days I am actually sleeping and I feel pretty good mentally. I am going to start a treatment to boost my metabolism to counter act the weight gain that comes with the medicine. Every medicine we take has the side effect. This latest treatment I am going to double check with my GP, and there may be adjustments. 

On the other side, being open about mental illness can also have a negative affect as to how people view you. Generally I am okay with this because I want people to feel good about seeking care for a mental health as we get older. Some things I know:

• 25% of us at the age of 63 may be clinically depressed
• By the age of 85, 50% of us have some form of dementia
• My uncle from my mother side told me how many people in the family develop panic attacks around the age 55
• Wear and tear in our body also occurs in our brain. We are becoming aware of concussions that we may have had earlier now come to roost as we get older. Sad but true, I have two rocks in my head from previous injury. Those of you who know me you might be thinking "I knew it!” 
• I am just learning process of Alzheimer's developing in the brain. It is now believed it starts in about 20 years before any symptoms develop. It could be soon we learn how to be detected earlier and work on treatments to further delay development of disease. There are eight other common dementias.

Obviously mental health is personal and there are genetic factors from all sides of my family. But I am becoming aware through both experience an increasing data that as we age our brain ages with us. Every part of us ages. I believe it is imperative that we developed a friendly view concerning mental health. Rather than fear it let's embrace it.

Getting treated for depression is certainly better than trying to live with it on your own.

Mental illness is not first and foremost criminal. The vast majority of people are trying to cope with mental illness as best they can. We need to make it easier for people to get help. Right now to enter a mental hospital you have to demonstrate you are a danger to yourself or others. I think this is okay for a legal point of view to help people who are in danger to themselves or others. But the vast majority of people with mental illness may need to technology in the hospital for evaluation and emergency care. In my experience, I under went five days of evaluation in the mental hospital and then continued my care as an outpatient. In the daytime I underwent intensive therapy and medicine adjustments. I could sleep in my home bed and begin practicing the therapy I was learning with panic attacks. 

I have known hundreds of mentally ill people from my seven years of working in the mental hospital and 9 weeks of therapy that included group education and group therapy. My perspective now comes from both sides of care and being cared for. People who were severely mentally ill are not generally criminal. There are a very few who are extremely dangerous. I personally know two people that would become mass murderers. Both had informed others of their intentions before they happened.

I have known several to attack their own families. Many chronic mentally ill people there occurs a painful unofficial divorce that usually happens in their 20s. This isolation is real and you can see it in the many single room hotels and homeless peoples through out our country. There is a large gap between the poor and working poor and mental care. The cost of the mental health professional is too high for too many people. No professional in any field wants to cut their salary to care for the poor. Greed is a powerful thing.

From many I have known there is a sincere desire to get help and be for functional in their relationships, work and daily living. There are many who do just that.  Getting older,  consider adding a mental health professional on your care team. Keep walking