Mental Health Humor and Cartoons

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Free Mental Health Humor : Ask Dr. Bob Bob : Weight Gain and Meds.
Sunday, we featured a cartoon series I’ll be drawing and writing called, Fat Man Unleashed. Each week, I’ll be a guest blogger and draw a cartoon about my fight to loose weight while dealing with a mental illness… In my post, I talked about how the meds can really make it difficult. One of our more vocal readers, Electricmousie commented about the weight issue… I just wanted to paraphrase a few things but you can read her full comment at (Free Mental Health Humor : Chato is Fat Man Unleashed).

“You really hit this right on the money, Chato…..I gained a lot of weight since 1994; I tried dieting, cutting back, and that was when I weighed in at a whopping 196 (my highest) I did manage to lose the weight and wind up at 154 when I was admitted to hospital”

“I was losing weight really well then, but as usual I find something good then I have a stupid episode that lands me back to hospital.”

“I told my psych if this medication puts more weight on me I’m not going to take any more. I’ll throw it out! I value my body enough to not want it smothered under all those layers of fat. I’m very discouraged right now and I don’t know what to do.” - Electricmousie

This is a common issue within the mental health field… weight gain! I’m not talking about 10 or 20 pounds… Some meds can pack on the pounds! Some of the more infamous fatty makers are: Zyprexa, Depakote, and even Lithium. Depakote had always taken first prize in that game… They even reworked the med to try and lessen this side effect…

What can be done? Well, this my friends is the hard pill to swallow. We have to not only take control of our mental balance but now we have to balance our diet as well…

What about you? Are you dealing with med weight gain? What have you done to combat this issue? Thanks for sharing Electricmousie! Let’s (try) not to get discouraged! Let’s Strategize!

Permission granted for non-profit use by artist: Chato B. Stewart.

^^^ When using this cartoon on your non-profit blog you must link us.^^^

Thanks for dropping by:
Chato B. Stewart
Mental Health Advocate - Cartoonist - and a few other things!
http://www.mentalhealthhumor.com

“Using Humor to Heal and Educate with badly drawn cartoons.”

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Free Mental Health Humor : Chato is Fat Man Unleashed - Cartooning True Life! Last week while trolling Entrecard, I found a site that spoke to me, to my outer Fat Man. It’s no secret that I’m a “BIG” guy. Pushing 360 .lbs at 37 with high blood pressure and high cholesterol and a mental illness to boot is the perfect recipe for disaster. I was not always “FAT MAN”! But I have had a little extra poundage since I turned 13… I have used food for comfort and I’ve often told people, “I’m depressed because I eat and I eat because I’m depressed!”

I contacted the author of the blog, Israel Lagares, who blogs at www.FatManUnleashed.com about weight loss and networking with others to keep on tract for success. While we talked, we came up with an idea that will help me keep focused with my own weight loss. So, starting this week, I’ll be a guest blogger on his site. I’ll write about not just my progress but how dealing with mental health issues complicate it. See many medications that deal with mental disorders have a side-effect that slows down your metabolism and well, it causes you to gain weight and makes taking it off so much harder.

As one that relies on meds to keep my chemistry in check, I have to be careful of what I take out of my diet and what I put in… 3 years ago a local weight center had a 12 week contest fashioned after “The Biggest Loser”. I weighed in at 330 .lbs and at the end of the 12 weeks, I was at 299 .lbs. Not bad right? Well, I was one step away from the Looney Bin, the Funny Farm… My emotions were so messed up, I lost total control… So keeping balanced and loosing weight takes a lot more than just going on a diet.

How about you, are you dealing with the “weight issue”? What has worked for you?

See my Post at Fat Man Unleashed. Get your Free ebook for a Blogger proof workout from our Free DVD and Book Page.

Permission granted for non-profit use by artist: Chato B. Stewart.

^^^ When using this cartoon on your non-profit blog you must link us.^^^

Thanks for dropping by:
Chato B. Stewart
Mental Health Advocate - Cartoonist - and a few other things!
http://www.mentalhealthhumor.com

“Using Humor to Heal and Educate with badly drawn cartoons.”

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If you liked this, please subscribe to my RSS feed and/or email feed . Stumble it!

Subscribe to Mental Health Humor by Email or RSS FEED

How To Support Us: Visiting The site Daily and Telling your Friends and Family about Us. Here is my MS Word Document Flyer

for our blog. Please down load it, print it, and pass it out.

Who is this big, sexy man? Look at my mug shot.

Hey are you my friend on MySpace YET?

Stay up-to-date with the new cartoons and other fun stuff with my RSS feed.http://mentalhealthhumor.com/MHHf.doc The file is Word Doc 3mg

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Mental Health Humor : Weekly Cartoon Review June 22 - 28, 2008

What a week! What a BUSY week! We made it through another one - YAHOO!! How was your week? Well, you’re here - so pat yourself on the back - You Did It!!

So much going on, I need a review. A Saturday “Weekly” Review. May be you do, too. It’s time for some reflection on the week’s activities. Did you accomplish what you wanted this week? Are you heading in the direction you want to go or need to go? Did you manage your time accordingly? Have you mapped out your course? Please, be sure to put us on your map! X (MentalHealthHumor.com ) marks the spot. Well, we need to take it day by day…so here’s a recap of our daily cartoons! Hopefully each cartoon gave you your daily dose of good medicine - LAUGHTER! and a smile!

Sunday	This full color cartoon paid homage to Dave Granirer, founder of Stand Up for Mental Health. Dave teaches stand up comedy to people with mental illness as a way of building self-esteem and fighting stigma…Way to Go Dave!! Thanks Dave for the chat on June 25th! Keep Standing…UP! - Everyone!
Monday	Ask Dr. Bob, Bob - “Unqualified Psychotherapist” cartoon - Sleepless Mind. Oh the benefits of a good night sleep. Many who suffer from various mental disorders suffer from sleeplessness as well. We appreciate all the comments on this post from: TG, Pinkink, hauteness, electricmousie! Wishing you all a “Bon Soir” and “Bon Nuit” every night!
Tuesday	“The Reanimation of Normal” cartoon addressed the definition of what is truly “Normal” in today’s society. The simple fact whether we accept it or not - “WE ALL DEAL WITH MENTAL HEALTH!” We are all dealing with something whether defined or not. Thank you Autism Insights and Electricmousie for your continued support and comments for this post! The moral of this cartoon - Let’s all treat each other with DIGNITY and RESPECT - We ALL deserve it!
Wednesday	Hare-Trigger Emotions - cartoon highlighted emotions we cannot control. An excerpt from a self-help psychology book - “Be your own Therapist” states - “What is emotional health anyway? A useful definition of emotional health is the ability to express all emotions appropriately. Those who have this ability are surely mentally healthy. Being emotionally stuck is often the best indicator of current lack of emotional health…obviously, this indicator of emotional health suggests that many of us lack emotional health much of the time.” Thank You Autism Insights, blondiewrites and electricmousie - appreciate your thoughts - Thanks!
Thrursday	Depression - Eeyore Attitude Cartoon helps us to appreciate “We CAN NOT GIVE UP!” Keep up the Fight…if you are dealing with depression - seek out and get a support network to help you cope! Hauteness - So sorry about the death of your brother! Glad to hear though that you are coping and thriving now - Keep it up! Trixxie - thanks for your comments. Glad you liked Eeyore reginaavalos. I can definitely understand how Eeyore is “beloved” to you electricmousie!
Friday	5 Questions Friday - Interview and Cartoon discussing Dual Diagnosis. Friday’s interview with Jesse Fortner, the Conference Coordinator for Foundations Associates was very informative! Thank you Jesse for your insights and generosity - can’t forget the 5 loot bags…much appreciated!! Did you get one? Hope so! This interview gave us much insight into dual diagnosis and treatment.Thanks Jen for your comment and support. Good topic idea/inspiration for a cartoon.
Well, here you have it - our Week in Review. So, what do you think? How would you review/sum up our week’s topics? What was your favorite cartoon and topic for the week? Did any particular one help you through your week? Looking forward to hearing your review! Oh, can’t forget to Thank toddwin and richsilfrer for your “encouraging” comments this week as well. Don’t forget to tell me - whose your favorite: Winnie the Pooh or Eeyore? and why? I hope, we are all on the same page and moving in the same direction…toward Happiness, Healing, and of course, Laughter! Enjoy your Week-end! Keeping laughing….

Thanks for dropping by:
Chato B. Stewart
Mental Health Advocate - Cartoonist - and a few other things!
http://www.mentalhealthhumor.com

“Using Humor to Heal and Educate with badly drawn cartoons.”

——-*-*-*-*-*-*-*–*-

If you liked this, please subscribe to my RSS feed and/or email feed . Stumble it!

Subscribe to Mental Health Humor by Email or RSS FEED

How To Support Us: Visiting The site Daily and Telling your Friends and Family about Us. Here is my MS Word Document Flyer

for our blog. Please down load it, print it, and pass it out.

Who is this big, sexy man? Look at my mug shot.

Hey are you my friend on MySpace YET?

Stay up-to-date with the new cartoons and other fun stuff with my RSS feed.http://mentalhealthhumor.com/MHHf.doc The file is Word Doc 3mg

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Mental Health Humor : 5 Question FRIDAYS : Dual Diagnosis - Welcome to 5 Question Fridays! Our weekly post that gives us a chance to get to know our readers and tap into their knowledge and experience.

Today, we are talking with Foundations Associates
Conference Coordinator Jesse Fortner. They are the leaders in the field of treatment and support for people dealing with a Dual Diagnosis. There are two main sites that they run: www.dualdiagnosis.org is their main treatment centers. An a very cool social support network called Sober Circle http://www.sobercircle.com. It is a free site and we encourage all our readers to take a look and join. As a special gift to our readers, Jesse is giving away 5 FREE Loot Bags… But you need to be the first 5 people to join the Circle then e-mail him jesse@sobercircle.com or you could just enter to win here.

Let’s get down to the real reason why Foundations Associates is here today. It’s time for our 5 Question Fridays.

Chato: First, please could you tell us what a Dual Diagnosis is?

Jesse: Aka, Co-occurring Disorders, Dual Diagnosis is…

Co-occurring mental health conditions and substance use disorders affect nearly 14 million Americans each year. Of those only 19% receive appropriate treatment, with the vast majority bounced among treatment systems with different and opposing treatment structures. Few treatment programs specialize in treating complex co- occurring disorders. Nationally, research continues to reveal that people with co-occurring disorders need a specialized form of treatment, referred to as integrated services.

Chato: What is the treatment system for Dual Diagnosis?

Jesse: The treatment system for mental health and addiction have historically and continue to be separated systems of care. While many research studies have been performed on mental health and addictions separately, it has only been within recent years that studies have emerged on people who struggle with both conditions in tandem. This emerging research identifies that traditional separated systems of care not only alienate the consumer from treatment, but they also result in much poorer outcomes that those experienced by people with single disorders. More surprising, we are now learning from these studies that programs predominantly designed to treat a specific disorder are actually only capable of treating the minority of those in need where, in fact, up to 65.5% of people with a substance dependence disorder had at least one mental disorder and 51% of people with a mental disorder had at least one substance abuse disorder . We are also increasingly learning that these poorer outcomes result as much from these separate and contradictory systems of care as from the diagnoses themselves with people who have co-occurring conditions comprising the majority of the 10 percent of people using over 70 percent of the nation’s healthcare resources. There are now more than 14 million people in the U.S. with co-occurring substance abuse and mental health disorders.

http://dualdiagnosis.org/co-occuring-disorders

Permission granted for non-profit use by artist: Chato B. Stewart.

^^^ When using this cartoon on your non-profit blog you must link us ^^^
Chato: Where does the Foundations Associates fit to the equation?

Jesse: We are one of the leading providers for Integrated Treatment, aka Dual Diagnosis, in the country, with 4 unique treatment centers and 5 locations. Our web site is www.dualdiagnosis.org and we operate a 24 hour call center based near Nashville, TN.

Chato: Since not all substance users are addictive abusers they just might be self medicating. Where is the line… Is there a line and Is the treatment different?

Jesse: Many addicts are self-medicating, but that is why we want to screen them for signs of mental health issues, like depression (sadness), bipolar (prominent mood swings), schizophrenia (hearing voices), etc. We can never know 100% about someone’s condition all up front, so we have our clients consistently see a Psychiatrist for close monitoring. Most of our clients will end up taking medication to help their moods, but some do not. All persons who enter our program must have some signs of possible mental or emotional struggles to couple with their addiction, even if it is minor, like “feelings of sadness.”

FROM OUR WEB SITE, http://dualdiagnosis.org/foundations

Our success stems from our ability to offer highly effective clinical services that are not based on historical confrontational approaches that drive consumers away from treatment. Combining our research based innovations with emerging evidence based practices, we offer some of the lowest dropout rates in the industry, meaning that clients remain engaged in our services. Through comprehensive outcomes data on clients six and twelve months after program discharge, a 3-year SAMHSA-funded evaluation of Foundations Associates residential program indicated abstinence in 70 to 80 percent of Foundations clients up to 1 year following treatment. Severity of psychiatric symptoms was reduced by 60 percent, with corresponding improvements in quality of life. Our results suggest that the model of integrated and continuous treatment breaks the repetitive cycle of traditional separate systems of care for people with co-occurring conditions. We attribute this to our practices of:

• Motivational Approaches that engage clients and retain clients in services. We train clinical staff to use motivational enhancement strategies, a field tested method of implementing client directed services that maximizes client engagement and avoids use of historical confrontational strategies
• Integrated Treatment where all behavioral health and addictions needs can be addressed in one setting, with a team of experts including psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, and licensed alcohol and drug counselors
• Trained Staff who are taught to deliver evidence based practices of care through classroom and applied studies.
• Client Recovery Workbook Series, a proprietary product developed by us based upon evidence based practices and our own experiences in treatment (link to workbooks?)
  Providing clients with comprehensive integrated information about how to maximize their recovery experience
• Client Directed Treatment where clients are encouraged to determine the pace, goals, and course of treatment and are treated as partners in, rather than subjects of, the recovery process.

Chato: What is the ARISE Model Invitational Intervention?

Jesse: The ARISE model (A Relational Intervention Sequence for Engagement) is a three-level method designed to respond to the interest and concern of family members and others to motivate a resistant substance abuser or individual with behavioral problems to enter into treatment.

http://dualdiagnosis.org/events/ARISE-southeast-2008/about

Thank you Jesse and Foundations Associates. Don’t forget that the first 5 to join will get a free prize!

Thanks for dropping by:
Chato B. Stewart
Mental Health Advocate - Cartoonist - and a few other things!
http://www.mentalhealthhumor.com

“Using Humor to Heal and Educate with badly drawn cartoons.”

——-*-*-*-*-*-*-*–*-

Subscribe to Mental Health Humor by Email or RSS FEED

How To Support Us: Visiting The site Daily and Telling your Friends and Family about Us. Here is my MS Word Document Flyer

for our blog. Please down load it, print it, and pass it out.

Who is this big, sexy man? Look at my mug shot.

Hey are you my friend on MySpace YET?

Stay up-to-date with the new cartoons and other fun stuff with my RSS feed.http://mentalhealthhumor.com/MHHf.doc The file is Word Doc 3mg

Our News

Well we can start with this week’s 5 Question Fridays, we are interviewing one of the leaders in the field of Co-occurring Mental Health. Please Make sure you come visit us for our special post.

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This week I got to chat with Dave from Stand-up For Mental Health, that was real cool!

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Saturday’s Post will review the cartoons and comments for the week.

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And I will be a guest blogger Saturday for a Fitness website… I know you’re asking me and fitness but it is try the week, I am beginning a diet. I’ll have more about this later.

So, I want to thank everyone for your support!

Chato