Today, mental health conditions are commonly diagnosed. Depression is widespread, and commonly treated with antidepressants. Attention Deficit Disorder is very commonly diagnosed, with stimulants prescribed quite often. Bipolar Disorder is becoming a common mental health diagnosis with medications prescribed frequently.

I have been a Board Certified practicing Psychiatrist for the past twenty years. My current observations are based on years of experience from talking to people diagnosed with these conditions.

I remember many years ago wondering why I was being asked to prescribe medication to children eating fast food and lots of sweets. How was I to tell if these children really had ADD, or were their systems "stressed" from lack of nutrients?

I also wondered about the role of our sedentary lifestyle in the increasing numbers of people diagnosed with mental health conditions. Chlldren seem to watch hours of TV and spend even more time in front of computers and video games. Yet, when we take them from this environment to a mainstream classroom we consider them distractible. But their brains have been programmed to absorb stimuli from TV and computers since they were very young. So are they really distractible, or have their learning circuits not yet been wired to learn traditionally?

And as for adults with sedentary lifestyles, it seems to reason that depression or mood disorder is a consequence.

Of course, many people with healthy lifestyles still suffer from depression, ADD and the like. But are we adequately evaluating the role of lifestyle when we make our diagnosis and prescribe medication?

Talking to literally hundreds of familes is a very humbling process. The more you get to know people the less you really understand. As a clinician, my dilemma was always, does this child or adult need medication? And have all other variables contributing to distractibility or other mental health issue been addressed first?

Another area that is not typically evaluated in a routine doctor's visit is that of exposure to environmental toxins. As a conventional practitioner, I used to believe only small numbers of people were particularly sensitive to the environment.

Pollution is everywhere. How can we think that pollution will not affect our health and well-being, physical or mental?

We usually think of pollution as coming from fumes in the air from cars or factories. It's true, but pollution is far more widespead than that. The plastic liners that we use to feed our infants formula contain toxins. The carpets our babies are crawling on are full of toxins.

How can we think that consistent exposure to toxins, even microtoxins, and lack of nutrition will not have an effect on our children's physical and emotional states? And how about ours?

Last year, several colleagues and I published a study on the effects of nutritional supplements in children with Bipolar Disorder. Out of 15 children, 14 demonstrated considerable improvements with addition of high quality nutritional supplements. All the children were prescribed psychotropic medication. After 6 months of nutritional supplements, their side effect scores dropped from 45.9 to 3.6!

Clearly more scientific research is needed in these areas. But if you are on psychotropic medication, or have a child on psychotropic medication, it would seem prudent to do everything possible to minimize stress in your bodies. That includes eating as healthy as possible. Healthy cells make for healthy bodies.

It also means vigilance around the issue of environmental toxins. In reality, we are all exposed to toxins, more than ever before. Also, cleansing the body with fresh water and quality supplements becomes essential for health maintenance.

Research shows that couples who engage in marriage preparation find the experience highly valuable. Many couples report that they get more than they expect. Couples stated that focusing on communication, commitment, conflict resolution and children was most helpful (Center for Marriage and Family, Creighton University, 1995).

Couples who engage in premarital preparation “feel a higher sense of partnership and report a higher level of adjustment to married life than couples that did not receive marriage education” (Family Relations, April 2003).

People who are happily married get sick less often and live an average four years longer than people who are divorced or unhappily married (Verbrugge & House, University of Michigan).

Marriage education can help set expectations for what is normal in relationships. It allows couples the opportunity to discuss important issues related to their future marriage and teaches them skills that actually aid in divorce prevention and serve to help create healthy, satisfying marriages. Time for Marriage is a one day marriage preparation workshop that offers a supportive environment and framework to address the normal issues and challenges that all couples face in course of their marriage.

Couples who take the class will enter their marriage armed with skills and the confidence that the marriage will not just succeed, but flourish.

Some say belief in a God is necessary for proper mental health although they have no proof of this. In fact those who are the most fundamentalist about God are the most dangerous humans in the World.

Let's take the international terrorists for instance they are very devout and believe in a God, but extremely dangerous and kill innocent people in the name of their God. You see, good people do good things and bad people do bad things and religion unfortunately allows good people to do bad things and use their God to justify.

Therefore all religions are problematic and the cause of most of humans problems. Is proper mental health killing a fellow human being for your God? I think not. In fact for those that believe that it is necessary for proper health to believe in God, I would say that is the biggest bunch of baloney I have ever heard.

Some say the religion gives you a sense of belonging and that is necessary for proper mental health. One individual and met recently said that psychologists and psychiatrists believe this. Unfortunately it is irrelevant what psychologists and psychiatrists believe because half of them are the most screwed up mentally people you have ever met.

In fact in my business I would be careful never to do business with them because they were quite bizarre at times and problematic more often than not. Religion does not guarantee a sense of belonging and nor does the belief in a God. Let's take that BTK murderer who was believed in God and was even part of his Lutheran Church. There are many people who believe in God and commit crimes. What about the lady in Texas, which killed her five kids by drowning them in the bathtub? She believed in God? Well, what happened?

It appears to me that most religions end up screwing people up and causing mental conflict with reality. A belief in a God and a religious background is problematic and it is unhealthy for the mental condition of a human being. It sends a mixed messages and mixed signals.

It makes people week and allows them to rely on a non-existent crutch to get through life. Perhaps all world religions should be banned from first world countries to protect the citizens from purported misrepresentations of nonexistent entities.

Marriage counseling is a process in which two individuals who are married to each other will attempt to solve their problems. Marriage counseling is a new process that did not exist before the end of the 20th century. In the past, most problems within a marriage were handled by family members or leaders. In most developing countries, problems within marriages will be handled by the local elders. However, many of these societies have been exposed to Western culture, and the populations have become composed of nuclear families.

Currently, many marriage counselors are becoming trained to help people with their relationship. One reason that is believed to be a cause for marriage counseling is the rising number of divorces that take place in Western nations. For example, the US currently has one of the highest divorce rates in the world. Many governments and organizations are now becoming involved in this field. The first thing that should be understood about marriage counseling is that everyone has a different personality. Both members of a marriage will often have a value system which may differ from the other.

Because the two members of a marriage may have different value systems, they are prone to getting into conflicts. While the goal of both parties should be to reduce conflicts, this is only one of the many factors that are involved with marriage counseling services. Common problems that are reviewed by marriage counselors include anger, greed, jealousy or ego. In most cases, both members of a marriage may exhibit these traits. Once both members change their perceptions, the problems within the marriage can greatly be reduced.

A good marriage counselor is someone who will listen carefully to both sides of the issues that are being raised, and will create a better understanding between the two members. A lack of communication is a commonly cited problem, and is one of the reasons why many marriages fail. Once the marriage counselor has reviewed the situation between both sides, they can begin offering some practical suggestions that can help solve the problems. Marriage counselors will typically be trained as psychologists. Studies on marriage counseling have shown that it helps most couples who use it. However, a number of couples also decide to terminate their relationship.

Many people hate using marriage counseling services because they will convey a message that their marriage has fallen apart. However, using a marriage counseling service can improve the relationship of those who try it, and it is important to make sure minor problems are resolved before they become serious issues. A number of very successful marriage counselors will often talk to both parties in private. The rising popularity of the internet has allowed some marriage counselors to work with couples from websites. The internet can be useful because it can reduce many of the problems that occur when a marriage counselor is physically present with the couple.

While marriage counseling has successfully worked for the short term, long term studies have indicated that it is not as effective. Many marriage counseling services do not provide information about the success of their services over a number of years, and this is behavior which supports these studies.

When communication between a husband and a wife breaks down, marriage counseling is sometimes sought as a last resort effort to save the marriage. Often, married people think they are seeing the counselor for a particular problem and by the time everything is said and done, they find that what they thought was the problem really wasn’t the problem at all.

Lack of communication is one of the reasons many marriages break up. People in general, not just men and women, don't really understand what the other person is saying to them. Another common problem married couples face, also based on a lack of communication is that they both have different expectations from the marriage and when those expectations don’t line up with each other, conflict arises.

While marriage counseling isn't an instant fix by any means, if the counselor can help both spouses understand where the other is coming from, that can be a big step in the right direction. For example, a common technique that marriage counselors use is mirroring.

Mirroring takes place when, after one spouse has told the other spouse how she feels about something, the spouse who was doing the listening, mirrors, or voices back to the spouse who was doing the talking what he thinks she said.

At this point, the marriage counselor would point out or allow the wife to point out what was actually said, which was not what the husband heard.

Sometimes we hear what the other person never even said and we react on that instead of what they really said. It is in this way that the marriage counselor can facilitate better communication between a husband and a wife.

Do hormones really affect women' mood?

In the past fifteen years the field of endocrinology has produced vast amounts of evidence showing that the loss of estrogen that occurs normally during menstrual cycle changes puts women at greater risk for mood, anxiety, and craving disorders. Considering the prevalence of these illnesses among women, we’re fortunate to be gaining a better understanding of them.

Women are more than twice as likely to become depressed. Research shows that they’re also more likely to suffer from anxiety. More develop phobias. It’s the same ratio for agoraphobia: nearly 8% of women become agoraphobic, compared to only 3% of men. More succumb to post traumatic stress syndrome. Seventy percent of those with social phobia are women. What could be happening here?

The cyclic nature of estrogen secretion may account for women’s special vulnerability to mood and anxiety disorders, Dr. Mary Seeman reported, in the Journal of the American Psychiatric Association, in an analysis of dozens of studies on how female hormones affect psychopathology in both men and women.

The theory of “recurrent estrogen withdrawal” proposes that a low estrogen state drives the onset, or worsening, of mood symptoms in women who are predisposed--by virtue of already low serotonin levels--to mood and anxiety disorders. In 1996, researchers at the University of Edinburgh published a report discussing the molecular level at which these changes occur. Struck by estrogen’s “profound effects on mood, mental state and memory” they described the hormone as “nature’s psychoprotectant.” Sufficient levels of estrogen must be present in the brain, that is, if psychic stability is to be maintained. Estrogen’s importance to cognitive processing and memory is not a slight matter. It’s been discovered that actually buffers the brain’s neurons against degeneration.

By the end of the nineties mounting evidence had begun to show a unique and persistent hormone connection to almost all mental illness in women. For example, binging and purging behaviors in bulimics worsened during the premenstruum, when estrogen levels go down. So did panic attacks in women with panic disorder. Impulse disorders, too, seemed to get worse during that week or ten days before the period begins--kleptomaniacs went on more stealing escapades, trichotillomaniacs pulled more hair, skin cutters cut more skin.. All of these illnesses are related to serotonin dysfunction, and, as we’ve seen, serotonin and estrogen are inextricably linked.

In the nineties a Canadian psychologist, Barbara Sherwin, was conducting very interesting studies on how estrogen loss affects cognition and memory. I went to Toronto to spend a day with Dr. Sherwin in her office at McGill University. I needed a mini-course in estrogen and she was willing to give it to me.

From early fetal life, hormone receptors are present in the hypothalamus of the brain. It is here that they begin organizing brain circuitry, setting the stage for puberty, regulating subsequent adult sexual behavior, and controlling the frequency and intensity of emotional disorders. Research in neuroendocrinology has much to tell us about the pre-menopausal malaise that used to be thought the result of women’s sadness over the loss of reproductive function. Now it’s known that the mood and cognitive changes experienced are physical in origin.

Low estrogen affects mood. What I hadn’t known, until speaking with Dr. Sherwin, is that in order to produce serotonin the brain needs estrogen. I didn’t even known that estrogen existed in the brain. “There are estrogen receptors in various organs throughout the body, the brain included,” she explained. “That’s why estrogen loss produces so many different bodily symptoms--loss of skin elasticity, bone shrinkage, mood and cognitive decline”.

When estrogen levels rise, on the other hand, as they do in the first week of menses, their overall effect is to increase the amount of serotonin available in the spaces between the brain’s nerve cells. That improves mood. Within the brain, estrogen may in fact act as a natural antidepressant and mood stabilizer.

Dr. Sherwin introduced me to the work of researchers who were doing important basic science, including Bruce McEwen at Rockefeller Institute, in New York, and Joseph LeDoux, at New York University, who were discovering the molecular changes supporting the view that estrogen had profound effects on the mind and its capacities.

It wasn’t long after my visit with Dr. Sherwin that I learned of an important review of ten years’ worth of studies entitled, Estrogen, Serotonin, and Mood Disturbance: Where is the Therapeutic Bridge? Two researchers in the Perinatal and Reproductive Psychiatry Program at Harvard Medical School had essentially been motivated by the same question that I had: What is the hormone connection to women’s mental health? Joffe and Cohen looked at a hundred-and-twenty five studies on the relationship between women’s reproductive cycle hormone changes and their mental status. In study after study they found that women with histories of depression are apparently more vulnerable to recurrent episodes during periods of “significant reproductive endocrine change”.

Correlation does not prove causality. The fact that someone becomes morbidly depressed exactly on the day ovulation begins and remains that way until the day she starts bleeding doesn’t prove that premenstrual drops in estrogen cause mood changes, but it damn well raised suspicions. Once information from new brain imaging techniques was added to the mix, the case for a hormone connection to women’s mental vulnerabilities became as close to an open and shut case as are you’re likely to get. Neuro-imaging has improved our understanding considerably, indicating lightening flashes of activity in different parts of the brain during what used to be called, dimly, “that time of the month.”

It is the dance between two kinds of hormones, ovarian hormones and brain hormones, that ultimately determines how symptomatic any given woman will become during her menstrual cycle, and at other reproductive risk points as well. If, for example, a woman is genetically coded to have low, or borderline levels of brain serotonin, the estrogen drop that occurs premenstrually may be all it takes to send her serotonin spiraling below the level of optimum functioning, putting her in a mental state that, for all its upsetting symptoms, mysteriously vanishes as soon as her period starts and her estrogen levels go back up.

Why does this happen? Because serotonin needs estrogen for its metabolization in the brain. The two hormones are a dynamic duo, functioning arm in arm. As estrogen levels drop, so does serotonin. When estrogen rises (as it does, for example, once menstruation begins) serotonin levels come right back up with it, and calm is restored. The ebb and flow of womens’ menstrual moods is orchestrated not by the moon but by secretions in her brain and ovaries. What we now know is that the sometimes negative outcome of these secretion changes is not inevitable. Just as science has learned to modify insulin changes and thyroid changes, it can now modify ovarian changes. If you don’t want to blame your mood on your ovaries, blame it on the brain. Blame it on whatever pleases you, just don’t resign yourself to the view that women were born to suffer.

To me it’s fascinating that the individual pieces of this important puzzle were not available to us twenty years ago. And the dynamite effect of putting those pieces together has occurred only in the last decade. Building on previous knowledge and assembling the picture step by step, endocrinologists at places like the Neuropsychiatric Institute in California, and the Reproductive Mood Disorder Program at the University of Texas Medical Center have come to understand that women are not only vulnerable during the premenstruum, they are vulnerable at all the reproductive risk points. Moreover, a woman who suffers at one of these risk points is vulnerable to becoming symptomatic at others. If she has genetically low serotonin in her brain, estrogen drops are going to affect her, simple as that.

Things have taken a more enlightened turn since then, thank God, but we are only now coming to understand what actually happens to women’s mental well-being at times of hormonal stress. Women scientists in particular, including psychiatrists and reproductive endocrinologists like Barbara Sherwin, are making a unique and important contribution to the massive surge of research that is currently shaping a whole new paradigm for understanding the role of hormonally created change in female well-being and mental status.

Commonly referred to as an individual’s emotional or psychological well-being, mental health is a term that has no one official definition according to the World Health Organization. Most experts believe that mental health is measured by an individual’s ability to remain capable and competent, handling normal levels of stress, maintaining happy and healthy relationships and his/her ability to lead an independent life. Another sign of mental health is being able to quickly recover from difficult situations, which may include both physical and emotional.

While individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental illness often require a greater need for mental health promotion, even those who have not been diagnosed still need a certain amount of the same. The truth is that everyone has mental health needs, including those who have no illness. Mental health promotion may be given in the way of encouragement, love, support, understanding, etc.

If an individual believes that he/she is suffering from a mental health illness, a psychiatrist should be consulted for a professional evaluation. In some cases, a regular discussion with a professional may be enough for individuals to overcome their issues and return to a positive mental health status. For others, medication may be required or even hospitalization in extreme cases. With the proper treatment, many individuals who suffer from some type of mental health illness can often live a happy and healthy lifestyle. The first part of overcoming any type of illness is to recognize the problem early, whether that recognition comes directly from the sufferer or from those closest to him/her.

It is important to realize the difference between a positive mental health status and one that may be indicative of an illness. Every life has stressful situations, tears that must be shed and boundaries that must be overcome. However, the best way to measure mental health is by assessing an individual’s ability to handle these situations appropriately. There is no one universal symptom or sign of a mental health illness, but is best described as an individual’s inability to operate or deal with everyday situations in a healthy and productive manner.

The information in this article is to be used for informational purposes only. It should not be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice. Anyone with questions regarding mental health must consult their physician for further information, a diagnosis and/or treatment regimen if one is deemed necessary.

In a time when resources are scarce and problems are many, professionals are choosing evidence-based practices to improve outcomes related to services. Evidence is emerging that school-based mental health services are an effective and cost efficient way to improve school performance and mental health and reduce behavioral problems. To assess the effectiveness of school based mental health (SBMH) services to provide these outcomes in students from Pre-K - 12th grades, Robert Schmidt, M.Ed. and Kathryn Seifert, Ph.D. collaborated on the evaluation of outcomes for a SBMH program for a mid-Atlantic rural school district.

The project began in 1999 after a Federal grant was awarded to the school district. The children’s scores on the Devereaux, BASC, CARE and several school measures such as absenteeism, disciplinary referrals, and suspensions were measured from the beginning of services and at the beginning and end of each school year. Youth were referred to the project from teachers, guidance counselors, parents, student self-referrals and other agencies such as the Departments of Social Services and Juvenile Services of which resulted in 1,247 SBMH referrals during a five-year period.

From 1999 to 2004, 36% of these students were referred because of symptoms of depression, 26% because of family problems, and 24% because of behavior problems. There were 84 referrals to the program in 1999, compared to 437 students in 2002 and 239 students in 2003. Peak referral times were consistently observed during the months of October and February. Youth in the transition years of sixth and ninth grades were referred to the program most often. More Caucasian females participated in the project than any other ethnic/gender group. In 2000, 2,132 mental health sessions were provided, in contrast to an amazing 15,763 sessions during the 2003/04 school year.

A group of one hundred thirty-two students who participated in the program showed significantly improved attitudes toward teachers and school, decreased mental health symptoms, and increased self-esteem after one year of services. From the 2001 to the 2002 school year, students participating in SBMH had significantly improved school attendance (from approximately 4600 to 4200 days absent). One hundred seventy-eight students had a significant (49%) decrease in disciplinary referrals and violence related disciplinary referrals from the 2001 to the 2002 school year. One hundred thirty-four participants had a significant decrease (54%) in suspensions from school. Parents of 103 students reported that their children were having significantly fewer problems after receiving services. Ninety-nine youth self-reported significantly improved commitment to school, interpersonal relationships and self-esteem, as well as fewer stress related problems. Two hundred fifty students reported significantly reduced school maladjustment and clinical maladjustment and improved attitudes toward parents and emotional well-being.

This project demonstrated that school based mental health services improved student well-being, behavior and school success, while showing a significant decrease in the initial presenting mental health symptoms, violence and other behavior problems at home and at school. Although these services and study enter into it’s sixth year and is on-going, other school-based mental health services must be provided, expanded, and studied. This project provides a framework for improved student health/success and decreased school violence while positively enhancing the community of which we live, work and play.

You feel like you've known each other all your lives even though you've only known each other a few months or years, maybe even just a couple of weeks. You look into each others eyes and see kismet or fate. All starry eyed and dreamy you start planning for happily ever after.

Ok maybe you aren't just being starry eyed. Maybe you have been living together for a while and truly believe it is time to make the union a legal and formal bond. That is absolutely wonderful! No matter what anyone says, there is something special about being married to each other and not just living together.

Now, in some countries the government will not require the couple to undergo any marriage seminars. In most religions and in countries that do not have divorce however marriage counseling is actually mandatory before couples can get married. After all in these countries or faiths, marriage truly is meant to be for life. That being the case, everyone wants to make sure that the pair goes in with their eyes wide open and not covered by rose colored glasses.

Marriage is no joke. It can be fun, exciting, sweet, passionate and absolutely wonderful. It can also be a lot of work. Keep in mind that you are adjusting your life to another person's; someone who you love but is still different from you in a number of ways. Marriage can be a rude awakening for some. It isn't only about the gown and the ceremony and saying, "I do".

Face it folks, we don't always, in fact more often than not, we don't listen to our parents. They may or may not be good examples of how marriages work. They may or may not be together so you may not have a real picture of what is involved, just the glamorized ideal that movies and books show to the general public.

There are organizations like Worldwide Marriage Encounter (WME) that try to give couples a real look at being married. They have special courses such as the evenings for the engaged where a couple meets regularly with an affianced pair in the WME or "encountered" couples home. The WME couple will discuss various things that the affianced pair may or may not have thought about yet. For example, what is the significance of money in the relationship? Is money supposed to be pooled and shared or should it be only the male's income that is spent since he is the breadwinner or head of the family?

How about work? Should the wife continue to work if the husband is earning well enough to support them both? Would they prefer that she stay home and become mother and wife full time? Why?

These questions may seem trivial to some but in the long run, these can be major issues that can lead to separation or divorce. It is best to discuss these matters before any vows are made not after. It can save you a lot of heartache. Why not find out what are the available marriage counseling groups in your area? What have you got to lose? They may even help to make your good relationship great.

Mental health is simply the state of successful performance of all our mental functions. This is difficult to describe but when one is mentally healthy one is able to perform there day to day activities successfully and is able to manage healthy inter personal relationship, be able to cope with change and handle diversity. While in our normal day to day life we do not observe what mental health is all about it, we only get curious about it once we notice something is wrong or the absence of good mental health and even then most of the times we choose to ignore it.

Good mental health is something that has been ignored by most of us, while we do notice a slight headache we ignore to recognize sudden mood swings, low tolerance levels, being gloomy and blue all the time as a sign that something may be wrong with our mental health. More people worldwide suffer from mental illness than is ever understood, in the United States alone every year around 6% of the population goes through some form or the other of depression and depression is just one of the many mental disorders that exist. Most of the times our failure to recognize this stems from being unaware or being ashamed of admitting that “something is wrong with my mind”.

Is Mental Health separable from physical health?

While popularly it is thought that mental and physical health are separate in most cases one’s mental illness is caused by some physiological changes in the body and indeed many cases of depression in women are caused in and around the time of menopause or in men when they are going through nights when they don’t get enough sleeps because of work pressures. The body goes through stress and is fatigued by it and because of that the mind also reacts to it and develops some sort of disorder. The other way round is more obvious and when the mental health of people deteriorates the body takes its toll and that is more visible. What this essentially means is taking care of ourselves physically is also an important aspect of maintaining our mental health.

Public Attitude about Mental Health and Illness

Even in developed societies like the United States where there are a large number of information sources and any one can just go to the internet and take self diagnostic tests to see whether they are suffering from any form of mental disorder a large number of cases go unreported. This is because of the public opinion that mental health is a given and there is some degree of stigma associated with the fact that a person’s mental health is suffering from one reason or the other.

People suffering from one type of disorder therefore will go through a long phase of denial where in they will refuse to acknowledge that something seems to be out of ordinary. This will translate into the patients developing multiple disorders which will become more difficult to cure or even diagnose. It will also result in the disorder getting deeper entrenched and will make it that much more difficult to cure it as well.

Use the Internet

Awareness is the key to fight mental illness, awareness about the fact that more people than you can imagine suffer from it in some point or the other in their lives and awareness about the fact that once diagnosed it can be easily treated through a combination of talk therapy and medication. Internet is a good source of information and you should learn to leverage it to your best use. The first step is to understand what changes in behavior are you experiencing which is possible to do for most people in the early stages. The next step after making a list of symptoms is to take a few self diagnostic tests which you can do anonymously and see where it takes you. There are a host of mental disorders and chances are that after taking a few of these tests you would be led to specifically one or the other. Then you can do more in depth study about it and even if you think it not necessary visit a doctor at least once to double check whether you are suffering from that particular disorder, something else or it was just a false alarm.

Marriage counseling is something people are quick to recommend when you have marital problems. Of course, they do this with good intentions.

Friends and family who make those recommendations are convinced that speaking with a marriage counselor will somehow help you resolve your marital problems.

But marriage counseling can be expensive.

Some marriage counselors charge as much as $150 per hour for consultation. That can be pretty expensive if you live in an economically challenged country.

Besides, is it really worth the cost? Isn't marriage counseling overrated?

It depends on the way you look at it.

First, you must remember that a relationship expert is not perfect. Since he's not perfect, his advice will not also be perfect. This means that you run the risk of talking to an 'expert' with a poor sense of judgment.

What do you expect if the expert's sense of judgment is poor?

Bad advice. Bad strategy. Failure.

Here's the complete picture.

The relationship expert you choose to speak with may be smart, intelligent, and experienced. In this case, you're likely to get the best advice possible

Or . . .

The marriage counselor may be half-baked, dull, and unintelligent. In this case, expect to get the wrong advice or advice that is totally worthless.

Second, a relationship expert you consult with for marriage counseling may be dubious. A dubious marriage counselor can turn into a blackmailer.

When you go for marriage counseling, it is customary to provide as much information as possible. Don't expect sound advice if the person providing the advice has little knowledge of what your challenges are.

This means that you must of necessity talk openly with the relationship expert you have chosen to speak with.

There's nothing wrong with this.

However, things can turn sour if the relationship expert with whom you have discussed your marital problems turns out to be a riffraff. He can easily begin to blackmail you with the information you supplied him.

Third, discussing your relationship problems with a relationship expert will not make your problems disappear. For many, marital problems persist long after the couple have gone for marriage counseling.

This brings us back to the question.

Is marriage counseling worth the cost?

The answer is . . . yes.

Of course, marriage counseling has its flaws. But talking to a marriage counselor helps.

However, you must speak to a relationship expert with a clear objective in mind.

You must understand that the marriage counselor will assist you to solve your marital problems. The marriage counselor will not solve your marital problems for you.

What does that mean?

This means that the relationship expert provides you with options and helps you see things in a new light. He expands your horizon and comes with a fresh perspective.

Who solves the problems?

You.

You must deal with your problems yourself. Your problem is your responsibility and you cannot run away from it.

For example, should you marry Philip or Kelvin? Who should decide that? You.

Another example.

Should you get a divorce or stay and work things out with your partner?

Who should decide that? You.

How does marriage counseling help you then?

You lay out the problems. You lay out the circumstances. You list your limitations. You list your strengths.

The marriage counselor will analyze the problems or issues on the basis of what is known to work in real life. He may provide you with additional resources or supply supporting data. He will lay out the choices for you.

Family problems can cause untold suffering and symptoms. They can also be very complex so the sooner treatment is started, the better; and while these conflicts often do cause people to seek psychological or marriage counseling, they usually procrastinate, making improvement more difficult. A couple can experience problems because of a medical or psychological problem in either person, or in one of their children. Parent-child problems can also create turmoil. Communication and discipline problems are very common and battles between siblings and the parents seem to make the problems even worse. Divorce and the creation of stepfamilies can create difficulties, sometimes, for all members of the family. Sometimes the couple itself is the problem because of poor communication, continuous conflict, alienation, sexual problems, or in-law problems.

Problems like these often lead to adjustment issues in family members. Since the family relationships are a part of the problem, it may be necessary to change their very structure. A family therapist may provide marriage counseling or family therapy to address these issues or help parents improve their parenting skills.

Sometimes multiple problems exist such as, depression in one family member, plus conflict in the marriage itself. Several treatment approaches may be necessary in these circumstances. Only infrequently, will a psychologist provide individual psychotherapy to one member of the family, and simultaneously treat the whole family or the couple. However, one exception is that often family treatment for child behavior problems will include individual sessions with the parents. However, these sessions are designed to help with parenting skills only. While it is possible to provide individual psychotherapy to two family members, psychologists have to evaluate its possible effectiveness on a per case basis.

Psychologists doing family therapy or marriage counseling often have received specialized training in family systems theory and in family and marriage therapy skills. When you contact a psychologist for family or marriage counseling, do not hesitate to ask about his/her family therapy training.

Counseling Schools prepare professionals to help future patients cope with personal stress due to mental disorders, anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and other causes. Counseling students are taught to apply psychology and other mental health principles to help their patients achieve mental and emotional stability.

Counseling Schools teach students to work with individuals, families, married couples, groups, and organizations. Professional counselors must be prepared to face many disturbing topics, such as sexual abuse, eating disorders, aging issues, suicidal tendencies, domestic violence, grief issues, and others.

Most states require counselors to have a graduate degree in their specialized field. Many undergraduate degrees provide a good educational base for the counseling student, such as a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Counseling, Psychology, Education, Sociology, or Social Work. Graduate students may further their education to achieve a Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), or Master of Education (M.Ed.) in their chosen discipline.

The doctorate (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) is the most prestigious counseling degree, and requires 2-4 additional years of specialized study. A doctoral degree in counseling permits the professional to be called "Dr."

It would appear that at some point after World War I, real mental health became something of a luxury. The absence of any real mental disease like schizophrenia or dementia certainly is not an indicator of complete mental health any longer. The boom in knowledge of human psychology that began in the 1960s has made that eminently clear.

Truthfully speaking, even basic functionality can no longer be automatically assumed for a human being living in the present age. There are an unprecedented number of Americans and Europeans undertaking psychotherapy today – what started off as a fad now seems to have become a necessity of daily living. The pressures of the rat race are overwhelming. The number of situations and triggers for mental disorders has multiplied significantly. The stress levels are extremely high.

We are, therefore, reduced to defining acceptable mental health in very broad terms. A certain degree of aberration is to be expected in almost every post-modern human being. Reasonable mental health will, therefore, have to be defined by the lack of gross disorders. A good standard for judging this would be the one apparently employed by health insurance companies, who are reluctant to pay for mental disorders that do not result in complete breakdown of normal life for the individual.

The diseases that indicate a major disruption in mental health would today include Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, or a major depressive disorder. Further mental disorders that may or may not be considered as mere a lack of fine tuning by authorities may include obsessive-compulsive disorders, alcohol or drug addiction, or stress-induced nervous breakdown.

Mental health in the twenty-first century means a reasonable quality of life and functionality in individuals, despite the overwhelming odds against them.

It is an established fact that almost two-thirds of all people afflicted with some kind of mental dysfunction do not seek treatment. This is confirmed by the WHO’s Global Burden of Disease study.

The reasons for that people do not seek treatment vary, but some of the most common ones are a fear of the social stigma attached to mental disease; a fear of compromised security (loss of job, spouse, benefits entitlement, etc.); an inability to pay for treatment; or lack of awareness of the problem.

Thankfully, many forms of mental disease are no longer looked down upon; nor are those who suffer from them necessarily ostracized in society or at the workplace. Many progressive companies now offer more time to their employees for recovery from mental illness, and there is a decided increase in general social awareness prevalent today.

Considering its increased prevalence today, it is understandable that mental health has become a lucrative money-spinner. Psychiatrists and psychologists are amongst the highest-paid professionals in the modern world. This being so, there is a lot to be said for self-help groups like Schizophrenics Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, and Narcotics Anonymous. These offer an amazingly effective therapeutic support systems for sufferers, free of cost.

There are various organizations that monitor and streamline mental health efforts on a national scale today. Among them are the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), and the Federal Action Agenda for Mental Health. These organizations exist to ensure fair and helpful practices among mental health professionals and to upgrade the standards of mental health services as and when necessary.

Basically, professional mental health services offer treatment for either the whole gamut of mental disorders, or they specialize in them individually. The onus of treatment in present times is on the most prevalent: anxiety disorders such as obsessive-compulsive and post-traumatic-stress disorders; bipolar and manic-depressive disorders; schizophrenia; behavioral disorders, such a eating disorders; and ADHD/ADD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders).

In the age of the Internet, identifying and monitoring mental health problems has, to a certain extent, become something one can do at home. This does not mean that complete mental health treatment is available via cyberspace. However, the lacuna of general awareness that existed until only ten years ago has been filled by readily available information on the Internet.

Mental health software is a great self-help tool, but its scope in that field is necessarily limited. Accurate diagnoses and therapeutic measures will remain the exclusive domain of mental health professionals.

In that respect and to such practitioners, mental health software is a genuine boon. It is useful in assisting clinicians in maintaining updated case histories and records. This is very important because of the high rate of litigation associated with mental health cases in America today. Psychiatrists are often called upon to testify on the state of a defendant’s mental health status. In such cases, easy retrieval of records is of the essence.

Medical records in mental health can also be formatted and streamlined to the required Federal standards by using specialized software. Mental health software also helps mental health professionals in scanning and matching mental disorders to appropriate medications and maintaining billing flow charts.

Owing to the exceptional confidentiality parameters surrounding professional mental healthcare, software packages for practitioners now also include features to hide PHI (Protected Health Information) from anything but authorized eyes. This is especially useful for individual practitioners who do not have the benefits of a full-fledged clinic’s security measures at their disposal.

Mental health software also helps clinicians in maintaining comprehensive appointment schedules. Since a psychiatrist or psychologist might have as many as twelve fifty-minute appointments in a single day, this is a major advantage to them.

Clients to mental health clinics are usually not admitted arbitrarily. The process usually consists of an initial interview with a community worker or a mental health professional. If a client is considered in need of residential or out-patient treatment at a mental health clinic, an extensive history of the mental illness will then be recorded. Such assessments will also include interviews with other doctors and family physicians who have noted the onset and progress of the ailment.

The staff at mental health clinics usually consists of psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurses, and support personnel who are specially trained. The scope and activities of mental health clinics in America generally falls under the purview of the CMHC (Community Mental Health Centers). This body issues licenses to clinics and centers for the practice of mental health-related treatment.

Considering that mental health crises do not always announce themselves in advance, a mental health clinic or center usually offers twenty-four-hour emergency services. These include inpatient hospital referral, since many cases are diagnosed in hospitals while the client is under treatment for other health problems.

Mental health problems affect people from all age groups, and American mental health clinics also offer services specifically for the aged as well as children and adolescents. The reasons that commonly lead to a referral for elderly persons range from senile dementia and Alzheimer’s disease to problems related to chronic alcohol abuse. Mental health problems typical to the aged fall under the category of geropsychiatric medicine.

Teenagers and young adults often find themselves in need of mental health services because of substance abuse, inherited mental problems, and Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD).

The services available at mental health clinics necessarily include group therapy, individual and family counseling, and a social awareness cell. The latter would be staffed by personnel who could explain the various issued surrounding metal health in layman’s terms to clients and their families. They are also an integral part of the evaluation process.

Paranoia is something I've always worried about contracting. I'm afraid I might have picked it up somewhere in the past few years. I won't even eat chicken nuggets anymore because I'm too worried about getting infected with the Avian Flu.

How can you tell if you're paranoid? There are several ways. Do you think that people lie to you a lot? Do you question government policy? When companies advertise new products do you question if they're being honest with you? Do you wonder how much they are actually profitting from each sale?

If you answered "Yes" to any of those questions, then you are not paranoid. Documented proof has been established to support all of your fears, concerns, worries, pessimism, cynicism, and lack of faith in many facets of life. If you don't believe me, then you're only being paranoid. Search the Internet and you'll find many facts supporting my claims, including proof that the moon doesn't exist.

If you are scared of an alligator or snake attacking you while you're relaxing on your toilet, you may or may not be paranoid. I confess that I'm unable to state with absolute certainty that there is a 0% chance of a reptile biting your butt while you're taking care of business.

If you're concerned about nuclear war and the devastation and eradication of life on Earth, you're probably not being paranoid. Nuclear weapons exist, and probably will continue to exist until the leaders in some country decide to oust the rulers of those other nations who dare possess such weapons of mass destruction.

Have you ever been fearful that you've started too many sentences with the phrase, "If you are?" You should consider that your fear is based on reality and consider going back to school for writing. If you're concerned that you've forgotten periods or commas in your writing, don't let needless worry consume you: proofread and perform an edit. The solution is just that simple.

If you think you're paranoid because you fear people talking about you behind your back, you needn't give it much thought. People are most likely talking about you behind your back. How can you tell? Have you ever talked about someone when he or she wasn't present? Has anyone ever spoke to you about someone when he or she wasn't present? If you've answered "Yes" to either of these then that means you're talking to yourself. If you find that you talk to yourself more than you talk to other people, you might want to consider socializing more often. As for people talking about you behind your back, it's very likely. Now that you know the truth, you can stop worrying about it. They're only talking about you behind your back for your own good.

If you're afraid of the dark, chances are that at some point in your life, something bad has happened to you while it was dark. If you're worried that there are monsters inside your closet, chances are that you have been violently attacked by monsters coming from your closet at least once in your past. If you're afraid of people close to you dying, chances are that you have heard of death and understand its implications.

While you're absorbing all of my confusing facts, remember that worry is not reality. Reality is what exists in your present. Yes, people will die, you'll get screwed over in business deals and as a consumer, and you'll get the Avian Flu from chicken nuggets. The point is, worrying about such inevitable situations is a waste of time. In relative terms, you only have a short time before you or someone close to you dies, or before you get attacked again by monsters hiding in your closet. Use the time wisely. Avoid contact with people, avoid eating chicken nuggets, avoid residing in a potential target for Ground Zero, and make sure your lights are always on and all your closets locked. Once that's done, your spirit will be free to enjoy life once again, fear and worry only a forgotten nightmare that caused you to wake up screaming a long time ago.

If you suffer from social anxiety, then you are among the millions who have been told by your doctor that you're abnormal and need medication. If you prefer alternative treatment, then this article is worth reading. If you prefer alternative treatment because you already do enough drugs, then it's merely recommended reading. If you get bored and fall asleep by the second paragraph, then it will just be light reading.

Avoidance of social situations can be a positive reaction to feelings of insecurity. It indicates some level of intelligence. You've probably learned from past experiences that you'll be scorned or shunned from society for being different. Idiots, however, will keep talking to people, never learning that they are not wanted.

Moving frequently during my childhood, I learned how to not make friends for very long, and how not to form healthy relationships. Having a lack of healthy relationships as a child means that as an adult, I'm much better at playing video games. An arcade is a great place to form bonds and make new friends. After you've accomplished socializing in the arcade, go home and look back fondly on all the good times and social experiences you had while at the arcade earlier that night. Realize that the next time you go to the arcade it will be rich with experiences and new people who share similar interests. You'll never see those people again, but always cherish those memories and look forward to meeting new people the next time you have a roll of quarters bulging in your pants.

Historically speaking, many great accomplishments have been achieved by people who had a mentall illness and/or suffered from social anxiety. If you are a mentally ill person with a high IQ, it's important that you help in the advance of civilization. Here are some advancement ideas: poetry, art, culture, technology. If you're mentally ill with an IQ that's above average, it's important that you change the world with some of the latter-mentioned accomplishments. Unfortunately, a possibility exists that you'll be prevented from a great destiny by your anxiety, concentration, and fatigue. If that's the case, you'll merely be a weirdo with a pocket full of prescriptions while in your social circles.

If you find yourself in a social situation, don't panic. Just be yourself. Don't be afraid to fidget your extremities (don't fidget so much that other people get scared). Stutter a bit while you're speaking. Walk away in the middle of a sentence and come back a few seconds later. People are generally good-natured; they will either appreciate your honesty or feel sorry for you and offer you a cookie, or the telephone number of a crisis clinic.

Social contact with one's family is sometimes complex and causes anxiety. If you haven't talked to your parents in a while, give them a call -- it's good practice for the times during which you socialize with people who don't love you. Sometimes it won't be a good experience, but put your failures behind you (where everybody else is talking about you, behind your back). Personally, I recently had a negative experience while practicing talking with my mother. She was expressing positive sentiment about my birthday, but suddenly she demanded I pay her nine months back rent for residing in her womb, and she also requested extra monetary compensation for the food I ingested during my stay. I was taken aback by her verbal invoice, and thought I had done something wrong again while attempting human social contact. A few seconds of thought later, I aggressively reminded her that I never signed a lease, and I'll never pay for food through a straw unless it's a root beer float.

No longer is it possible to assess and/or treat a mental health population without also interfacing with forensic issues such as legal infractions, Courts, violence, sexual behavior problems, delinquency, crime, Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity, substance abuse, and others. The training and approaches to the mental health population is different than that for a forensic population. So what is to be done, if a person has both issues? We must be cross trained for dually affected clients.

How Are the Populations Different

A Mental Health population is comprised primarily Axis I disorders, such as Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia, Major Depression, PTSD, and Anxiety Disorders. Daily functioning is on a continuum. Recovery is quick for some and slow for others and is also on a continuum. Well controlled intermittent, mild to moderate episodes of a mood or anxiety disorder will not necessarily interfere with daily functioning. Someone with severe, chronic Schizophrenia or Mood Disorder requiring periodic hospitalizations and extensive community support, will have impairment in daily functioning. Goals for these folks are often pro-social and involve being an active member of society. A therapist can be fairly sure that the mental health client without forensic issues will be relatively honest in his or her interactions and the therapist can take most of what he/she says at face value. An emphasis on a strengths model works well when no personality disorder is involved.

A forensic population can be defined as having personality disorders, interpersonal difficulties, behavioral problems, multiple problems and life long courses of various levels of dysfunction or difficulty. Again, this population fills the full spectrum of effective daily functioning. However, social functioning is often the most severe impairment. There are issues of trust, appropriate relationships, ego centrism, moral development, honesty, manipulation, and danger to self and others. They often have a negative view of themselves and others, especially authority figures. Moral development is often delayed leaving them at the egocentric stage of development. This means that what serves the self is what matters and empathy for others and the ability to have an honest relationship with another person may not yet have developed. Their goals are often self-serving.

The capacity to understand the importance of the best interest of the group through laws and rules that we voluntarily follow, may not be well understood. Many, if not most, have histories of childhood abuse, neglect, or exposure to domestic violence. The assessment and interventions with this population is necessarily different that those for a people with no Axis II disorder or trait. The people with forensic issues do not always tell the truth because of their lack of trust in relationships. The therapist cannot take what he/she says at face value. The therapist must separate the sincere from the manipulative moves for self-gain. The internal boundaries are such that they need the therapist to put external boundaries into place for them. Information must be checked with other sources of information.

How Assessment Tools Differ

In a mental health population, assessment can quite effectively be done through instruments such as the MMPI-A, BASC, and MACI. These self-report tools are quite sufficient for this population and will elucidate psychological dynamics and mental illness, if present. Self-report is not as much of an issue as it is in the forensic population, where third party verification is more important. However when a youth has multiple problems, both mental health and forensic, a combination of tools is preferred.

Forensic evaluation tools rely less on self-report because of the trust issues and because it is not always in the client's best interest to be completely truthful. Self-report assessment instruments can be used, but third party and official reports should also be used in the evaluation phase of a forensic assessment. Courts are concerned with public safety, therefore, the need for tools that assess future risk of dangerousness to others. Risk of future aggression and sexual behavior problems that have been derived from statistical models (actuarial tools) should be part of the evaluation since clinical assessment of risk of future dangerousness is only a little better than chance. While risk assessments are not perfect, they are better than clinical judgment in this area.

How are Interventions Different?

Major Mental Illnesses, while often chronic, can often be very effectively treated with medication and therapy. At the higher functioning end of the continuum, therapy can be supportive, psychotherapeutic, family, or cognitive behavioral. Therapists are trained to accept what the client presents and start where the client is functioning and how the client sees the world. The clients are usually self-motivated and seek therapy voluntarily. They accept responsibility for their behaviors and for making changes in their lives. Use of a strengths model is often very effective. Many people recover fully and lead quite "normal," non-disrupted lives. When someone is on the lower end of the continuum, with major disruption in every day functioning (work and family),despite medication and therapy, major supports for housing, jobs, and activities of daily living and medication are needed for a very long time, perhaps a life time. However, their life goals are often still pro-social. Serlf-directed care works well with the mental health population without Axis II diagnoses.

In the area of intervention, different approaches are needed for the forensic population. Some level of social and family dysfunction is generally intergenerational and lifelong. These clients are often Court ordered to an assessment or therapy or they are having significant problems at work or within the family causing others to seek assessment or therapy for them. They do not always accept responsibility for their actions or for changing. There are skill deficits that need to be addressed, such as social skills, anger management, and problem solving. You cannot take what these clients say at face value. Third party information is always needed. This is because you need to trust someone in order to be honest with them and most of these folks have been abused, neglected, or exposed to domestic violence and a suspicious arm's length treatment of others is a coping strategy that is difficult to give up.

This population often has multiple problems so that Multi-systemic Therapy that approaches many areas that need to be addressed is often effective (treating the whole person). Group work and trauma therapies are also good tools. Self-directed therapy may not be effective because of the need to protect oneself from what may appear to be an unsafe world. Nurturing, setting good boundaries, and structure are essential in this work. Motivational interviewing and stages of change can be very helpful. When clients have issues in the mental health and forensic arenas, both approaches must be used to the extent possible.

The Need For Different Home Care Services For People With Mental Health Issues

People of all ages and backgrounds experience mental health issues such as schizophrenia, anxiety and manic depressive disorders. Indeed, mental health problems are widespread in the UK with 25% of people having some kind of issue. Given the broad range of mental health problems, a variety of home care services is needed to look after people with mental health issues.

The Different Home Care Services For People With Mental Health Issues

There are many different types of home care services for people with mental health issues. These services include respite for care givers and on-going in home care for people with mental health problems.

Home care enables people with mental health issues to live in their own homes. Furthermore, respite care provides invaluable help for families and individuals who are responsible for looking after people with mental health issues. This is because respite care enables primary caregivers to take a break from looking after their mentally ill charge by organising for a care worker to take over from them for a period of time.

People With Mental Health Issues

People with mental health issues have varying needs. Some people with mental health issues are able to live fairly independently whilst others might require constant care. As a result, if you are looking for respite care or for supported living for a mentally ill friend or relative, it is essential to choose which services you want carefully. This way you will be able to ensure that your friend or relative’s specific requirements are met.

The Home Care Services for People With Mental Health Issues

There are a number of home care services for people with mental health issues in the UK.

Respite Care: This is when outside carers will come into the home of the person with mental health issues. They care for him or her so that the main caregivers can take a break from their everyday care duties.

Supported Living: This is when a carer comes into the home of the person with mental health issues and helps them to look after themselves.

Full time home care: This is when a person with mental health issues requires full time care. Sometimes this care is carried out by a friend or relative and other times it is carried out by professional care workers.

One of the most natural things that an individual does every day is to walk. For years, this single act has been linked to improving cardiovascular health. The reason is because, generally, walking is a safe movement that isn’t likely to cause injury. New studies have shown that walking is also a terrific way to improve your mood. The next time you are feeling a little blue, there may be a way to walk it off - literally.

A recent study paired individuals into groups, one of which spent 30 minutes on a treadmill and the other that participated in 30 minutes of rest. Each group’s progress was monitored throughout the treatment with a conclusion that both groups reported having less negative feelings at the end of the study, along with less stress and tension. The difference, however, was found when the group that spent 30 minutes walking also noted an overall improvement in well-being.

While the study further proves the theory that walking is good for mental health, as well as physical, it also lends credence to the theory that people who walk feel better overall. It also proves that an individual does not have to be outside in order to enjoy the benefits of walking. This simple exercise can be achieved with a treadmill or by simply walking in place while tuning into a favorite movie or television show.

Anyone who has been diagnosed as having clinical depression or other illnesses should not ignore, or disregard, his/her medical treatment program. Walking is simply a way to sometimes add further improvement to certain conditions. A simple 30 minute walk can benefit an individual’s mood, improve cardiovascular health and combat obesity all at the same time. In order to be effective, many people find that a daily walking schedule will help to keep them motivated and improve their spirits. In addition, a regular schedule will ensure that there is a time set aside for a walk. It’s very easy to think, “I’ll get around to it later,” but something more often than not will distract individuals away from exercise unless they have a certain schedule that is followed every day.

The information in this article is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be considered as, or used in place of, medical advice or professional recommendations for an exercise regimen. Every individual should consult his/her physician prior to beginning any program consisting of diet and/or exercise.

one basic mental health category called conduct disorders (C.D.s), the child at highest risk of extreme violence, and emphasized how you must work differently with C.D.s compared to any other kids. Hopefully, I successfully conveyed how critical it is to thoroughly understand what makes this kid "tick," and to work with them differently than everyone else, or you may find yourself or others in dangerous situations. In that piece, I devoted extensive time to teaching you "all" the in's and out's of working with this complex, potentially dangerous youth.

I want to move past the youngster at highest risk of violence so I can now address the next two groups of high risk students in this article.(Our web site has some additional information on conduct disorders if you need more info on that group now. But, remember that these pointers will be no substitute for thoroughly updating your skills on such a challenging kid.

Now that you know a bit about C.D.s, the youth at top risk of violence, let me tell you about the
students who follow next in risk. That is the focus of this article.

** Youth at 2nd and 3rd Risk of Extreme Violence:

These youth are not nearly at as great a risk as the conduct disorder.We will cover each of these 2 types of youth separately, but must stress that the risk for both of these 2 groups drops off dramatically from that posed by conduct disorders. Remember that when any child appears to be potentially violent, you take that concern seriously,regardless of whether the child was on our list. This list is meant only to guide you when you lack any specific events or circumstances that show you how to apportion your time, supervision and other resources.

** Thought Disorders: The risk posed by thought disordered

children is probably far less than that of the conduct disordered youth. Although #2 on this list, it is a rather distant second choice.

Part of the explanation is that there are probably a lot more

conduct disordered kids than thought disordered ones. The other reason that explains the omewhat distant #2 status is that the thought disordered child may be well-intentioned, kind, and loving at times. The conduct disorder child really never is able to care about anyone else. Another reason to explain the distant #2 status is that often the thought disordered child will act in rather than act out.
They often will pose a harm to self rather than others.

Unless you work in a treatment setting, just a very small fraction of the children you work with, may have what mental health professionals call a thought disorder. While the thinking of the conduct disorder is clear and lucid, that assumption is not always true for the thought-disordered child. The child who has been diagnosed with this type of problem by a mental health worker, has very serious problems with their thinking. The child may hear voices or see visions that no one else can, for example. The child may believe demons or devils are governing them. If the voices, for instance, tell the child to hurt someone, then the child may feel compelled to do it. This is where potential danger could lie.

The thrust of working with a diagnosed thought disorder is often on proper medication, although focusing on skill building and structure are also very important. Perhaps the single most important concern will be that the child takes any prescribed medication regularly and properly, because when properly medicated, this child may function almost normally in many ways. When not correctly medicated,this child is at the mercy of any demons, visions, voices or upsetting thoughts that pop into their head.

** Severely Agitated, Depressed Kids: The occurrence of extreme

violence by severely depressed, agitated children probably also greatly lags behind the risk posed by conduct disorders. This term refers to a child who has experienced extremely severe problems with depression, and also struggles mightily at least once with agitation. Many kids, especially teens, struggle with depression,but this group endures some of the most prolonged, profound,deep depression; this should not be confused with typical adolescent ups and downs. When the severely depressed and agitated child also abuses substances, the problem can be
magnified greatly depending on the interplay of the substance and the existing emotional concerns. Crisis, sudden changes and the usual adolescent successes and failures can quickly
de-stabilize this child who is already seriously struggling;these events can have the effect of the straw that broke the camel's back.

Any emotion that a c hild has trouble managing may get acted out or acted in. Depression is generally acted in. Many view it as anger turned inward: the child withdraws, reduces their activities,may eat less, etc. But, depression can also be acted out. Feeling cornered, unable to endure any more pain, some children will act out, sometimes lashing out in very severe ways. All things in nature strive to come to a conclusion. Storms eventually dissipate, the rain ultimately gives way to sun, and even the snow will eventually end. Humans, as part of nature, also tend to move towards resolution.

For some children, extreme violence can be the flash point that offers that resolution. When there appears to be no hope, perhaps the child believes that there is nothing left to lose. Depression can be tough on adults, but couple the depression with a child's lack of time concept, lack of perspective, their impulsiveness, immaturity, and resistance to understanding the link of actions to final outcomes,extreme violence can be grabbed as perhaps a solution. If this ulnerable child becomes involved with a conduct disordered peer, you can see how under certain circumstances, that could become a deadly combination as the depressed, agitated child may join in the acting-out.To help this child, alleviating some of the torment will be critical.
Help to manage anger in socially acceptable ways, tempering the depression, and alleviating some of the agitation can keep this child from remaining at the level of extreme discomfort they
currently experience. If this child receives useful aid to vent the agitation and give some light to the depression, any risk of extreme violence can be significantly impacted. Of the three risk categories, this group's concerns are potentially the most amenable to intervention by you, and is of the three, the most hopeful diagnosis. You can have much lasting impact on this child.

**Appraising the Risk: Now you can look at your class or group

and not just wonder where the where the potential, serious danger would come from. Now that you have more refined guesses about which youth potentially pose potential danger,here is a way to better rank that risk in your mind. A juvenile court judge in Springfield, Oregon, said after the shooting there, that so many kids are like "little match sticks waiting to be lit." To adapt that image a bit, here is how you can apply that thinking to the three at-risk groups listed here.

You can imagine that the conduct disorder is already lit;

a flame is burning. Whether that flame becomes smaller, flares larger, or creates an inferno, is anyone's guess, but the flame is burning always, the potential for disaster is always there.

The thought-disordered child may be like a pilot light,a tiny flame that is always lit, but is fairly unlikely to inexplicably get massively bigger or out of control. Properly shepherded and assisted, this light may stay forever just a benign flicker. Unshepherded or inadequately assisted,
however, this flame can get bigger, even flare out of control.

The extremely agitated depressed child may be the unlit match stick that the judge visualized. Outside factors will likely come into play to incite any flare-up.Outside forces could include peer pressure, crises, substance abuse, family woes, or just mounting problems that fuel the
agitation and create a profound, all-encompassing sense of desperation that leads the child to "spontaneously" combust.

Like the thought-disordered child, the severely agitated depressed youth can often be so readily aided if the community can identify them, then consistently care and effectively intervene.

** In Summary: If you work with kids, but you are not

a mental health professional, maybe it's time to at least

learn some of the basics about children's mental health. And, no matter what your role with children, please consider it your obligation to train your kids to be peaceful. That may be the most important contribution you could make in a world that so thoroughly ensures that every child knows so much about extreme violence, and so little about anything peaceful.

Hopefully, you now have more mental health basics for working with juveniles who pose extreme classroom management problems. Remember, if you wish to get more thorough information, click over to our site for free magazines, strategies, articles and much more-- all designed to assist educators to better manage and instruct problem and difficult students.

Mental health is a huge issue for companies and it has a direct impact on the bottom line, so Preseli Venture is keen to encourage clients to give their team a ‘mental health boost’ and give them time, away from the office, to think about coping with this important topic.

Nearly three in 10 employees will have a mental health problem in any year, and more than £4bn is lost annually to stress-related absences from work, according to the Mental Health Foundation.

Improving physical health may sound surprising but the Mental Health Foundation is running a year-long campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of exercise in treating mild to moderate depression. Also, exercising for half an hour at least twice a week during midlife significantly reduces a person’s risk of dementia in later life.*

Furthermore, researchers from the University of Hull have suggested that drawing ideas from sports psychology, where participants in outdoor activities showed improved mental toughness and also less stress when exposed to demanding tasks, can help people cope with the ever-demanding pressures of working life.

Preseli Venture aims to give companies an unbeatable cocktail for great mental health – and even better business performance. Combining the recognised benefits of exercise and fresh air with the theory that being in and connecting to nature can itself provide mental health benefits is a sure winner. People find there are real mental health benefits after spending a few days in the spectacular Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, enjoying the glow of achievement and sense of well-being that can only come from sharing fun, refreshing adventure activities.

I believe any educated and sensitive massage therapist will tell you that they tend to meet people who are more authentic in expressing themselves than perhaps one would just meet in an office setting. Even the same person is more authentic and gentle in a safe touch massage setting. Minimal clothing, lulling fountain sounds, the scent of lavendar, orange, sandalwood or other essential oils and music that doesn't destroy your soul just seems to do that. Everyone needs safe touch to be comforted and to feel free to be themselves without judgement.

From my own experience, we live in a touch deprived culture. Touch someone in the workplace, even as an encouraging "good for you" pat on the back, and you might find yourself judged some kind of office pervert. Rub a back in gesture of comforting or hold a hand to say "I care about how you're feeling," and well, off to prison you go!! Touch in our culture is suspect and often threatening. I'm not encouraging anyone to just accept the touch of anyone they meet as well intentioned or harmless. But for the most part, out went the baby with the bathwater as usual.

I used to lay hands on people as a pastor in compliance with and hope that James 5:14-16 would bring about the desired and promised results. "Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

I did this thousands of times and respectfully observe that it is not the cure for anything significant, from my perspective. I am sure however, that at times and because of the reaction of some, the touch itself was deeply appreciated and meaningful. A church or pastor that relies ONLY on this because "it's in the Bible, God said it, I believe it, that does it for me," is a fool and delaying help a genuinely sick person might need to receive from professionals. I've seen that in my past career and it's difficult to speak of, though I was not of the anoint only perspective.

Kind, intentioned and educated touch seems to release a person from the masks we all wear. Everyone wears masks. It's how we survive dealing with topics that we can not speak of or will receive no understanding for even thinking about. In massage, people become more openly genuine and some want to talk, at times, about what they really are thinking. Some few might wish to vent about the office envirnoment, the company or the boss, but when sharing, most simply talk about touch and why humans are so fearful of their own thoughts and needs.

"Needs", now there is a word for you. Our Christian culture has all but beat the idea that what one needs having any validity out of the needy. Sermon after sermon over decades has made that equal with being selfish and carnal or unconverted and "of the world." Just say "I need" to a pastor and often his own repressions will bubble up and you will receive a lecture on how the Bible tells us this or that mainly along the lines of "doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself;" Phil. 2:3 (ASV) I always wondered if we are to count all others better than ourselves and all that implies about our own selfworth, what are others supposed to do?

Everyone needs to be safely touched. One client, long ago, was very quiet as I worked on them and then suddenly said, "don't you think it's funny my dad never hugged me?" We chatted a bit about that but I knew that me, a stranger, touching him set off that thought in contrast to his dad, who knew him well, never hugging him. After a few minutes he said, "I don't think I am gay." That was also a no brainer. Here is how it worked in his mind. "I like this touch." "Dad never hugged me." "Yikes, I like this and this is a guy!" "I better tell him I don't think I'm gay so he doesn't think I am." Interesting huh? To him, touch was needed yet had conotations that weren't really there, but needed to be referenced. I'm not gay by the way either.

One of the things people need to practice more is the phrase "I need." It is not selfish or crass. It is human and is the stuff that makes relationships function at a more real and authentic level. How many relationships would be better or even saved if we learned to say, "I need you not to speak to me that way." "I need you to be around more often." "I need you to touch me in a way that feels caring of ME." "I need you to listen to what I think for a change." "I need you to give me some space." "I need variety in my life." "I need you to take better care of yourself." "I need you to leave the people you don't like, the crazy relatives, the stupid boss and the damn church out of our conversations." "I need..." Try it sometime and you might see that others also need the same. They just didn't know you knew anything about needs.

Others talk about what they don't need in the way of touch in their lives. They don't need to be grabbed, or pushed. They don't need to be slapped or pinched crudely. They don't need to feel used and not loved. I guess this is another whole topic.

The mask that covers topics of sexuality is a biggie for ALL people. All massage is sensual even when therapeutic as touch just is that by nature. In a safe and compassionate envirnoment, many think about the place that sex has or does not have in their lives. Human sexuality and the need to express it and experience it never goes away. I always got a chuckle about how the Bible tells us that when Moses died at 110 (maybe yes, maybe no), and that " that Moses was one hundred and ten years of age when he died—that his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated; ..." This is a coded way of saying he noticed everything and could still get excited. How they knew this, I am not sure. I guess he bragged about it. But it is an old way to affirm that the man was not dead and that he was really really alive right up until he was dead. Many people I meet feel dead because they have no touch or sexual expression in their lives.

While many fundamentally religious types will deny this aspect of human need as being merely selfish and carnal, it is very normal and very necessary for a healthy life. The most extreme sexual religious ignorance I have heard to date is of one who always prayed to God they would not experience, shall we say, the unabated force, and have to have sex with a partner just for the sake of sex. Argh... no further comment. I'd say the partner is looking elsewhere in some way.

On the other hand, those that, while very religious and faithful to their church politely listen to those in authority represent "God's view" on these topics to them every week, are very able to say that they don't care what the minister says and their sexuality is really none of the church's business, which it isn't. I find so many devote believers who sturggle against what they are taught or in many cases not taught by a church. Much of that which has to do with human sexuality in the Bible is wrong and harmful to humans. It's archaic, middle Eastern in perspective and It does control them nicely though which is perhaps it's intent. It also promotes much anxiety and depression which are functions of an shame, guilt, fear and anger unexpressed. I have yet to meet an anxious or depressed client that is not fearful or angry about something they feel they have no right to or is too risky to express. Think about it.

I love my gay clients. There are probably no more honest, open and compassionate types of human being. They have a nature that lends itself to that and often the experience to reinforce the benefit of that way of being and thinking. They have also dealt with a lot of rejection and had to face issues of authenticity that, again, most never face, openly. Not one I know is gay by choice but rather by nature. Not one is trying to be ungay, nor should they. Everyone is a genuine human being who knows more about themselves than most will ever dare explore. I think of the one who was "outed" by a friend at Church and was given a video tape to watch on how to not be gay. If they could not change and the video did not convince them, then they were not welcome at church. Needless to say the video just didn't work. I asked a lesbian client once why she came to me as I was, well...a man! I knew the history of abuse and was just wondering. She said the nicest thing I have ever had said to me. "Because I love what you do, I feel safe, and you are the only man that is ever going to touch me again." Wow..but she wouldn't let me use that in my advertising.

Everyone needs safe touch. Touch tends to send it's message subtley but loud and clear. A client knows if I am not present in the massage by the way touch feels. One client said he'd tell me later in the session if he wanted to go for 90 minutes instead of just an hour. From my perspective, I'd like to know now as it determines what and how I do the massage, but I just said ok. I put my hands on him and made half a pass down the back when he said, "let's do 90." He said when I touched him, he knew he wanted to go longer. Nice compliment. It was the touch.

On occasions there might be a person who is so stressed and so angry, that they just feel that way without saying so. It is more sensing than feeling. I can feel a bad intention and it makes for a very long hour. Sometimes you just can't put your "finger" on it but you know that all is not well. That's how touch works too. Just the energy people give out can inform you long before they ever get near enough to touch you. It's why we can feel great or bad when some people walk in the room. Even without touching us, they are getting to us.

So think about how you touch and why. The mantra for many is sadly "don't touch me," and that also needs to be respected. I believe much obesity is a subconscious message to "stay away form me." Research tells us that 80% of all obese females have experienced sexual abuse. Sounds high to me, but might be close. Even untouch or ungentled, as the term is used, RATS, die sooner and don't survive surgeries as well as those who are oft gentled or touched. How much more so our partners, family members, children and even ourselves. Watch even how others soothe and touch themselves to see that even unconsciously our brain tells our hands to comfort us in time of need.

Long-term space flight will take its toll on astronauts including entropy, bone loss, radiation and a feeling of loneliness. For us to send people into long-term space flights, which could take years if not decades we will need to consider modification concepts to our space craft.

There are a number of things we can do. I propose that the water we will need for these space missions be stored along the outer shells of the astronauts quarters thus protect them from radiation. I also propose that the astronaut’s quarters spin at a rate to provide centripetal force simulating gravity. I also propose that the resonance of all equipment leave a near Earth frequency of 7.89 Hz to help keep the immune system synchronized with what the human body is use to.

One thing we can do it allow astronauts to receive emails, although they will be hours or days in delay, they can read them and reply to Earthlings and students with questions. Also we will need artificial intelligent robotic companions, with down loadable information for studying, entertainment and someone to shoot the breeze with. The companion robot will need to be much better than the current artificial intelligent robots available. Consider these few modifications and I am ready to go.