News /October, 2011
Victorious Black Women share tribulations, triumphs
In an effort to combat mental health stigma and discrimination within the African American community, five women shared their personal stories of struggle and recovery in an Alternatives presentation on Saturday.
Known as "Victorious Black Women," the group strives to create and promote culturally responsive peer recovery and support services, in addition to self-help tools and techniques for African American consumers, communities, and family members.
While the group represents a diverse array of backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, it is united by a shared...
Zinman: Consumer, survivor movement still evolving after 40 years
The modern consumer movement has experienced great change since its start in the 1970s and is still evolving today, leading to both new opportunities and new challenges, according to long-time mental health activist Sally Zinman.
In describing the history of the consumer movement, Zinman contrasted the grassroots beginnings of the 1970s with the system culture and policy changes brought about in the 2000s.
"In the beginning, everything was without us, about us," Zinman said. "[Powerholders] never would have thought about including a mental patient in...
Workshop teaches ABCs of getting your Zzzzzzs
Effective sleep management is key to preventing major illnesses and minimizing symptoms of mental health challenges, according to Alternatives presenter Larry Fricks.
It is especially important to give one's body the required 7-9 hours of sleep each night, says Fricks, because research has shown links between insomnia (the inability to fall or stay asleep) and depression. While depression has been linked as a cause of insomnia, untreated insomnia may also be a risk factor for depression.
Fricks started the session by sharing how and why he is so committed to sleep...
Photography used to give voice to disenfranchised, marginalized populations
Giving individuals cameras and encouraging them to photograph and write about problems that affect their lives can lead to profound social change, according to a morning workshop at Alternatives on Saturday. Known as Photovoice, the process was developed in the early 1990s by Dr. Caroline Wang of the University of Michigan and Mary Ann Burris of the Ford Foundation, with the first project on the lives of women in rural China.
Photovoice is unique in that it gives individuals who may not be able to communicate via traditional means — or who may not even know immediately what...
SAMHSA: Emotional health only one piece of personal wellness
People with mental and substance abuse disorders die decades earlier than the general population, according to Alternatives presenter and SAMHSA Communications Manager Lauren Spiro.
To reverse this trend, health experts congregated in 2007 to create a National Wellness Plan. Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA, the plan involves a wide-reaching campaign to promote wellness and reduce early mortality.
An important point to remember is that wellness is not just the absence of disease, illness, and stress, Spiro said.
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Trainer: Support, specific goals key to achieving fitness objectives
Kicking off one of the first Alternatives workshops on Thursday, personal trainer David Richardson emphasized the need for a strong support network and specific individual goals in achieving fitness and wellness milestones.
In "Exercising Your Way to Wellness," Richardson elaborated on the link between physical fitness and mental wellness. When we are fit, he said, we are happier, more productive, and possess more optimism to get through the obstacles of everyday life.
"The more you feel good, the more you can get done and accomplish," Richardson said...
SAMHSA Administrator: Shift focus of national mental health dialogue from blame to social inclusion
In the opening keynote of the Alternatives conference in Orlando on Wednesday, SAMHSA Administrator Pamela Hyde urged attendees to start new conversations about mental health and recovery by shedding the traditional negative focus often displayed by media in favor of a positive one.
After sharing sobering statistics on mental health cost and impact worldwide, Hyde cited multiple reasons why individuals shun the idea of seeking mental health treatment. Part of the problem, she said, lies in the fact that many are fearful of others finding out about their conditions or being...
