Mental Health Humor and Cartoons

Meet some of my Friends on FaceBook.  Over the last few months I’ve been writing my “words of the wisdomless” on Facebook.  I’ve also posted them here and another blog.  The idea was to basicly have some fun making up strange, funny and whimsical quotes and ask my facebook friends to add or comment on the quotes.  It was so fun that I started a contest for every oe that commented to be entered to win a free caracarture done of them..

For September I drew few members of my pages and I want to share them here.

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Last week I posted about the MINDS ON THE EDGE : Facing Mental Illness. I just watch it, it is a must see! Find your station to watch it at this month at the sites schedule page.

They also ask for people to get involved.  To make a YouTube video to tell our own story.  I thought I would try and do this, I thought it would only take a few minuets to do a video about my story.   It took me almost two days and 3 different locations.  I just finished it and posted it to YouTube.

Starting this week a show on PBS will be tackling the subject of mental health with a one hour program. Find your station. to watch it at this the schedule page .

  MINDS ON THE EDGE : Facing Mental Illness connects the dots between personal dilemmas facing individuals and families who are living with mental illness, medical practices that can be obstacles to treatment, and public policies that all too often fall short in providing support that could make a positive difference.

 

 Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer (L) and Nobel Prize-winning neuroscientist Dr. Eric Kandel wrestle with how to effectively reach out to someone with mental illness in MINDS ON THE EDGE: Facing Mental Illness, premiering on PBS stations in October.

MINDS ON THE EDGE: Facing Mental Illness connects the dots between personal dilemmas facing individuals and families who are living with mental illness, medical practices that can be obstacles to treatment, and public policies that all too often fall short in providing support that could make a positive difference.

The one-hour television program zeros in on wrenching and confounding situations that are playing out every day in homes and hospital ERs, on city streets and school campuses, in courtrooms and in jails, as Americans struggle with the challenges of severe mental illness.

HOUSE M.D. star Peter Jacobson says “If I can talk about mental illness, so can you.” 

Produced for PBS by the Fred Friendly Seminars using their signature format of a hypothetical scenario, the program considers the case of a college student who develops mental illness while at school. Her professor knows something is wrong, but is unsure how to approach her and whether it is even legal to contact her parents. Upset and confused when they see their daughter, her parents do not know where to turn and are shocked to discover how limited their options are when they try to seek medical help.

The program also explores the circumstances of an adult who has coped with his mental illness until his mother dies, and then he is left without critical support. As his mental health unravels, and he is unable to get treatment or maintain his home, he is arrested for a minor crime and absorbed into the criminal justice system. For him it is the beginning of a merry-go-round of homelessness and jail that has become all too common for many individuals who are living with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and other severe mental illnesses.

Moderator Frank Sesno, unfolds this story and asks the program panelists to put themselves in the shoes of these hypothetical characters and talk about what they would do if faced with this situation. The distinguished panel includes US Supreme Court justice Stephen Breyer, Noble Prize winning neurologist Eric Kandel, along with attorneys, doctor, legislators and other experts in the field. Several of the panelists have personal, as well as professional experience, in living with mental illness.

The “Words Of The Wisdomless” September winners will be picked tomorrow.   The winners will get a free caricature drawn of them..

Make sure you get in on the fun by commenting here or on my Facbook page today.

The “Words Of The Wisdomless” August winners got to see their caricatures this week.  On the 7th, I sat down for a few hours and drew out and inked them.  I ended up drawing 5 people.  2 winners and 3 others for someone from Entrecard who ordered them months ago.

The whole process takes about 3 hours for each caricature.  Most of the time spent coloring it.  I guess if I had the right training, I could cut that time in half.  For the most part, it’s all trial an error.  That is what makes it a little more special when people realize the time that goes into it.   I’m taking that time away from my life just to draw them…

I’m happy that I can do the caricatures with the Wisdom quote commenter.  I do get a little anxious when I draw them.  Since most of the time, I feel like I’m guessing on how to do them…  That is not too far from the truth since I’ve only had one 2 hour classes on how to draw them.    It’s just like the cartoon-a-thon cartoons.  I look at it as art therapy.  Unlike the cartoons that are meant for everybody, the caricatures are personal between me and my subject.

Here are this month’s winners:

Kristi is a Peer Support Specialist and co-founded of DBSA Northeast Louisiana.  Living with Bipolar Disorder for 18 years, she knows all the ups and downs with it.  She is a great volunteer and will be able to help more of her peers with the degree in Psychology/Criminal Justice she’s working on at Ashford University.

This Canadian has the spirit and compassion of a true mental health advocate.  Creator of the Consumer Survivor Advocacy magazine, ME.DECINE…Shannon has been helping put the word out in print with her 100% peer run magazine.  I’m proud and honored to have some of my cartoons published in ME.DECINE…

 This month is almost over.  So, if you have a FaceBook account, make sure you friend me and comment on one of the quotes.  Or you can comment here and be added to the free contest!

Please remember, Friend Me via Facebook and comment on my Words Of The Wisdomless posts…maybe, I’ll draw you next!

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