Man on a mission in Clifton, NJ (Story from NJ.com)

Clifton man on a mission FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2013 BY TERENCE MCGINLEY STAFF WRITER CLIFTON JOURNAL PRINT | E-MAIL CLIFTON — 'Fail forwards, not backwards'... 'The only bad grade is an incomplete.' Drew Horn pictured with a volunteer from Montclair State University's 'Smile Station' celebrating with a resident of an area nursing home. Horn will receive a peer leadership award for his work next month in Hollywood. COURTESY PHOTOS Drew Horn pictured with a volunteer from Montclair State University's 'Smile Station' celebrating with a resident of an area nursing home. Horn will receive a peer leadership award for his work next month in Hollywood. These are just a few of the many mottos used by Drew Horn, the founder of the Turn a Frown Around Foundation and longtime advocate for mental health. To Horn and his colleagues, loneliness is not a simple emotion. It is a condition, an epidemic — an epidemic that can easily be cured. Next month Horn is being honored with a peer leadership award at the SAMHSA Voice awards in Hollywood for his "tireless pursuit to help other individuals address their own mental health issues," according to a press release by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Horn founded Turn a Frown Around (TAFA) in 2001 while working as a stand up comedian. He describes it as a "benevolent match.com" on a constant mission to seek out and befriend the people who fall through the cracks of society. He is constantly on the road performing at prisons, psychiatric wards, orphanages and nursing homes, places TAFA calls institutions of loneliness. He does not finish a show without giving everybody a hug. "I hear the heartbeat of the lonely every day," he said. "I don't know why I do. I just do." Horn grew up in the Montclair Heights neighborhood of Clifton. His formative years were difficult, he said. His father died when he was 12 and his mother was frequently ill. He never finished ninth grade. Three business ventures failed and he could never hold a job. "I would get hired level-headed then quit when I became manic," he said. At that point Horn was alternating between psychiatric wards and homeless shelters. He even recalls a period of time living in the forest of Mills Reservation. He said he was suicidal and it seemed he had become one of the lonely and forgotten. But his daughter never gave up on him. "She told me I was being selfish. After I made a deal with her that suicide was off the table, after I truly believed that, then I began to take myself seriously," he said. He was diagnosed with bipolar disorder at the age of 42, another step which he said was beneficial. "It helped me label the problem," he said. "I could say to myself 'I'm not bipolar, I have bipolar.'" He was back on his feet performing at comedy clubs and open mic nights. Onstage one night in Montclair something became clear to him. "I realized that the guy in the audience on his third martini doesn't need laughter," he said. Turn a Frown Around was born. He decided to perform strictly for the nursing homes, orphanages and psych wards, giving laughter to the lonely. Drew Horn has not checked into a psychiatric ward in 15 years. Congress established SAMHSA in 1992 as a branch of the Department of Health and Human Services. According to the administration's website, last year 10.6 million Americans reported they did not receive the mental health care they need. SAMHSA started the Voice awards seven years ago. The mission is to recognize television, film and individuals who address mental health respectfully and accurately. Television shows "Monk" and "Law and Order: SVU," are among previous honorees. The Voice awards was first introduced to Horn in "Crazy Enough to Care," a documentary that tells his story, which received an honorable mention at the 2009 ceremony. Director Sheryl Franko made the documentary because "there is no ulterior motive for Drew," she said, adding "he has the deepest form of human compassion." After the success of "Crazy Enough to Care" Horn and Franko travelled to the Netherlands on a tour of nursing homes to prove that a hug is the same in every language. "Connectivity is vital to mental health," Franko said. "What Drew brings is universal." A few years ago SAMHSA established the peer leadership award Horn is receiving in September. NFL Wide Receiver Brandon Marshall is among past winners. "We decided to recognize certain individuals that have made significant improvements in not only their own lives but the lives of others as well," said Carleton Spaeth, project manager of the Voice awards. "Drew is one of those people." Horn is far from fulfilled, however. Recently he has been working on establishing smile stations, hubs of connectivity where the lonely can find forever friends. In addition to being a 24-hour support group, every smile station sponsors an institution of loneliness. Montclair State University was the first college campus to establish a smile station. There are 40 volunteers who visit the Gates Manner nursing home in Montclair once a week. Each volunteer befriends a resident for 20 minutes, but they "always stay longer than that," said junior Chelsea Durocher, president of the MSU smile station. Durocher is starting Compassion Coffee House, a series of weekly events at campus hot spots sponsored by the smile station. Her goal is to "gather young thinkers to think compassionately," she said. She said she's hoping to get to 250 members by the end of the year. There are smile stations at Delaware Valley College and the Seymour Town Library in Seymour, Connecticut. Ten nursing homes scattered throughout the metropolitan area have established stations as well. More are in the works in New Jersey and Georgia. TAFA has more than 100 registered forever friend volunteers. The scope is widening, the message spreading. These are the seedlings of Horn's broad vision. They are footprints, he said, from his never-ending journey to show every lonely and mentally ill person that there is somebody out there who cares. "It took me a long time to figure out that I can offer something in this world," he said. "Now I know I can help people find who they are so they can accept themselves." Getting honored at a Hollywood awards ceremony might be a culminating moment for some, but not Horn. "Don't tell me I have done a good job," he said. "I have only done a good job when there is a smile station in every city in the country." He plans to approach the Voice awards as a platform to launch from and a place to network with influential people. "People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care," Horn said. On Sept. 25 at Paramount Studios in Hollywood he will be limited to just a two minute speech. Chances are he will find a way to fit plenty of those adages in there. Email: mcginley@northjersey.com - See more at: http://www.northjersey.com/news/222626601_Clifton_man_on_a_mission.html?page=all#sthash.bJO9j95z.dpuf

Blog for the removal of certain medications (NAMI.org repost)

Long-term Recovery: More Options, Better Treatment Needed by Kathleen Vogtle, NAMI Communications Coordinator Dr. Thomas Insel, NIMH Director weighs in on study results that, for some, may turn age-old thinking in the mental health field on its head: long-term recovery in schizophrenia may not necessarily include taking antipsychotic mediations. Insel is very clear that he is not negating the benefits of popular and even “atypical” antipsychotics. However, he states that while these medications are largely helpful for those experiencing their first psychotic episodes, their reliability decreases over time. Insel illustrates his claim based on a recently published finding by L. Wunderink in JAMA-Psychiatry. The study followed 103 people with schizophrenia over a seven-year period. After six months of remission, the participants were randomly selected to either wean off the medication, or to continue with maintenance treatment. The results were, at first, predictable. Those who were taken off the medications “experienced twice the relapse rates in the early phase of the follow-up.” Within a few years, these rates evened out, and by the conclusion of the study, a remarkable trend was revealed. Among the 103 participants, the group who had discontinued the medications had achieved a 40.4 percent “functional recovery rate,” as opposed to the 17.6 percent who had continued to use the antipsychotic. The results of the study, though, should not call into question all preconceived notions of how to treat schizophrenia. Instead, Insel believes this is an opportunity to reframe and expand upon this knowledge. He urges a more comprehensive approach: for some, antipsychotic treatment is a necessity; for others, a combination of medication and psychosocial treatment, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) might prove most effective. Still others may be most productive with no medication at all. However, it is important to assess the potential risks involved in changing any treatment or medication regimen. It is up to the individual and his/her health care provider to decide on the best course of treatment. Above all, Insel states, the term “schizophrenia” was defined a mere 100 years ago, and first generation medications developed only 50 years afterwards. This research, then, is a reminder of how much is still to be learned about this mental illness.

Games you must pay with yourself

I'm very fortunate to have good control over my thoughts and emotions in times of trouble.  Sometimes,  but not always its a matter of attitude. Other times,  it's distraction of your own thought processes-still others its very direction sensitive.  For example, if your thoughts are in a direction that you don't want them to be in and you're doing one thing, turning the corner and changing your activities to something else often times does the trick of changing your brain chemistry for the better.  It's not a question of will power, but more of a game you have to play with yourself to relieve whatever rut you're stuck in. 

OK2TALK about Mental Illness: Nami.org Blog repost

On Tuesday, July 23, the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) launched their new “OK2TALK” campaign aimed at educating the public and encouraging youth to start a conversation about mental health. The campaign features a series of TV and radio PSAs to be used as a platform to spark a productive, nation-wide dialogue about the realities of mental illness and the availability of help and support. The NAB initiated their OK2TALK campaign following the National Conference on Mental Health last month. NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith has a special connection to the cause given that his son took his own life in 2003 after living with depression for many years. At the launch, Gordon shared his personal story and his hopes that encouraging families to have honest conversations about mental illness will help prevent other families from experiencing the tragedy that he faced with the loss of his son. The launch featured a multitude of speakers including senators and house representatives advocating for a bipartisan effort toward improving public accessibility to mental health care. NAMI Northern Virginia member Ellie Hoptman gave a face to the campaign when she shared her personal story of struggle and recovery. Her perspective as a teen growing up with bipolar disorder served as a call to action, proving that talking about mental illness can be a powerful step in the healing process. In her speech, Ellie recalls the pivotal moment at which she finally opened up to her peers and realized that she was not alone. “There were people out there like me and it made all the difference in the world.” If you or a loved one is touched by mental illness, or if you simply need a safe and supportive place to talk, we encourage you to become a part of the conversation by visiting OK2TALK.org. More than one-fourth of young adults avoid talking about mental illness, but having a conversation could save a life. You can watch the press conference in its entirety, here. Posted by Contributors: at 2:49 PM Labels: National Association of Broadcasters, OK2Talk, PSA, teens, young adults

June is PTSD Awareness Month. NAMI.org repost

PTSD Awareness Month: Educate Yourself By Joni Agronin, NAMI Communications Intern June is PTSD awareness month and in an effort to help as many people as possible, Thursday, June 20 has been named PTSD Screening Day. Screening for Mental Health, Inc. has made a self-assessment available to the public and encourages anyone who may be experiencing symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder or is concerned about a loved one to take the test to make an initial evaluation. Over the last year, many communities across the United States have experienced tragedies. From shootings in Aurora, Co. and Newtown, Conn., to the Boston Marathon bombing, natural disasters and other events, it is an unfortunate fact that anyone can experience trauma. According to the National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, about 60 percent of men and 50 percent of women will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime and the numbers are even higher for members of the armed forces. Everyone deals with trauma differently but sometimes events can have a strong and permanent affect on the brain of victims. These disruptions in the normal functioning of an individual’s brain can drastically impair their ability to heal and potentially lead to anxiety, anger, violence, sleeplessness and many other symptoms. These symptoms may appear immediately or take months to occur and can affect both individuals and communities alike. The persistence of these symptoms over time is referred to as posttraumatic stress disorder or PTSD. Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will develop PTSD but up to 20 percent of those individuals may. Twenty percent of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans experience PTSD, half of which may never seek treatment. In the wake of the tragedies our nation faced this year, as well as events that happen every day in combat or at home, it is especially important to remember that help and support are available. The online test is free and anonymous and while it does not offer a diagnosis it may help explain symptoms and provide information about when and how to seek further assessment by a clinician. There are many options available to individuals who may want to seek treatment or simply want to learn more about the disorder. Anyone can experience symptoms of PTSD and you are absolutely not alone. Post a Comment, Share on Facebook

Children's Self Portrait

My son--who's father has schizophrenia,  has been making self-deprecating remarks about himself as a pattern that I've seen over the past year.  He is a six year old in first grade doing really well in school and by all accounts is a healthy, smart, talented and promising young lad. The only problem is that I think he has unfortunately started to walk in his father's footsteps and has, by his mother and my observations, begun to show signs of developing mental illness later in life.
Part of me wants to think he is joking--trying to get a rise out of us, partly due to his childish expression on his face when he is asserting these unusual-for-a-six-year-old-remarks of negativity about himself. Another part of me wants to seek help for him in the form of bringing him along to my psychiatrist's appointment. 
Will it all work out for the best in the end? Or would it be best if I acted upon my instincts and sought professional help for my son?

-A Concerned Father

Nami.org Blog Repost--Kimberly's Story

Kimberly’s Story - My Saving Grace Addiction is a strong demon! I know this one well. It devoured my life for many years, 15 to be exact. The battle of drugs and alcohol were fierce, and it started so young. I was in 8th grade, 13 years old. They took over my life. I could not stop. My life was falling apart, so in order to cover up what was happening or what I was feeling, I numbed myself for years with the drugs and alcohol. I could not recognize I had a problem. I hid it well from my family for years. I was a blackout drunk from age 14 on. I became a frequent user of various illegal drugs. I went through the money in my savings account, the inheritance my grandfather had left me for college, by my junior year in high school. That is how out of control I was, but I was so great at hiding it from my family. What I refer to as “the mask”; I could put it on and off as often as I needed to. I grew up in a great home. I was raised in an upper middle-class family. I had two loving parents who were married 47 years, 1 older brother, 1 grandmother who lived here, the other lived in Austin. We traveled often, had a lake-house, members of the Country Club, and the list goes on. Hence, my home-life was as most would say happy and normal. I chose to live the way I wanted to; I was a leader, very outgoing, but always daring. I pushed the bar in everything I did and always challenged the authority figure, just to see if I could “win”. I chose the wrong boyfriends, one of whom was extremely abusive. Obvious signs of something not “right”… but once again I hid it. I spent some time (a week or so each year) for 3 of my 4 years of High School at the alternative campus because I got in trouble for one thing or another, I “accidentally” overdosed on Valium and spent 4 days in the hospital in a blackout, I was kicked off of the drill team for drinking, and the list goes on. That was High School. I broke my neck at the age of 23 by diving into a swimming pool, under the influence of course, but didn’t go to the hospital for 2 days. I broke my neck at C-5 and C-6, but fortunately, did not sever the cord. But that did not stop me. It only added to my addiction. Now I could add Vicodin and Soma to the list of “legal necessities.” Another 5 years of those meds, plus a few more, and the alcohol to intensify the feeling only made me a complete nightmare!!! It was the stress, it was the suffering, it was the unhappy marriage, the temptations, the suicidal thoughts, the stealing, the lying, the resentment, the drinking, the drugs, the disappointments, the mistakes, the depression, the conscience of my past catching up with me, it was the abuse from a previous relationship, it was the pain, it was everything. I was 28 before I hit rock bottom. I just could not do it another day. I had to stop. I had witnessed the death of 3 close friends, all of whom committed suicide within a year. But the second affected me the worst. He had grown up next door and was like a brother to me. He ended his life the Saturday of our 10 year High School Reunion in August 1996. Many of the family were in town that weekend. I was at the house within 30 minutes of it happening. He had planned it so well. It was awful! It changed me forever. It affected me deeply, something I did not even recognize for another month or so after his death. I knew if I did not get help I would die too. And I could not do that - I had a daughter to raise! She was 2 ½ at the time. She needed me. She did not need this wreck I had become, nor did she need to grow up in a life of such chaos. I was a daughter and a sister. I was a wife and a mom. I had so many friends and so well liked in the community. But, the addictions destroyed many of those relationships. The temptations were stronger than I wanted to admit. Not only did I battle drugs and alcohol, but dual diagnosis; the addition of mental illness, now being diagnosed with bi-polar disorder; yet another label. Another “thing” I was going to have to fight. But I was determined to prevail; not only for me, but for my daughter. I was going to overcome this. I went to my first AA meeting on October 9th, 1996. That became my first step and a pathway for my saving grace. I had to do it one day at a time; one or two meetings a day; working the steps and by praying to God constantly. The serenity prayer became part of me, instilled and ingrained to keep me going. Almost 17 years later, I am well today. I am living a life of inner peace, serenity, and happiness; living each day loving myself, finding hope, constantly healing, and always finding a way to pay it forward. I think God wants to use me to help others where they believe they are weak; to show them their strengths, whether it be a business issue or in their personal lives. So many times I just sit and talk with others, help them weigh the odds, look at the strengths and weaknesses, and look at it from an optimistic view. People see my strengths and many times I do not even see that. I just view it as a conversation with a friend. Then several months or a year go by and I will run into them or get a phone call and they explain to me how the conversation we had changed them, how it made a difference in a circumstance they were dealing with or helped them in some other way. I think it all goes back to my recovery and how I was always determined to prevail and succeed when many thought I would fail. What a great life sobriety and getting well has awarded me. My daughter was two when I went into rehab. Wow, the journey I have taken to get to where I am today. What a great life I have been blessed with – an amazing daughter, a loving family and the most cherished of friends. All this would not be possible without surrendering those short 15 and one half years ago. At the same time, overcoming the stigma of living with mental illness (a dual-diagnosis), an even greater challenge. But I DID IT! I survived – not only recovery, but life. A loved clean and sober and with mental illness, “well”, through a divorce, a few more deaths of family members (my brother, grandmother and then my dad), raising a child in a single parent home, balancing home-life with a career and staying strong; setting boundaries. Through all of that, I was able to accomplish a great number of things, such as being a fabulous mother, obtaining my degree; Bachelors in Business Administration, becoming successful in the business world with a great career, reestablishing my relationships with my family and friends, and the list goes on and on. Most of all, raising the most incredible daughter in the world! I wrote this last October on my 15th AA birthday; Recovery - it is not a place. It is a destination to be reached. It is a journey - a journey of hope, of healing and of peace. If I can share one thing with someone; it is to find that destination, even if it takes a lifetime. Find your inner peace. Learn to be happy - to love yourself again, to live again, one day at a time … so you too can pay it forward - making another’s life a little more worthwhile.