Tag: medication

How to Eat Healthier – Part Three

Christina BruniLeave a comment

One of the scariest true facts is that chemicals thought to cause cancer are often found in food and drink products in the U.S.

Not all chemicals in food and drink products are regulated. Most aren’t.

Awhile back I had no energy to get out of bed on most days. Without resorting to taking an anti-depressant (I wasn’t depressed just fatigued) I was willing to try any non-chemical method of regaining my vigor.

My primary care doctor had told me that emotional distress can cause physical fatigue.

One idea she told me was to buy Ubiquinol from the pharmacy. The pill was supposedly a better version of CoEnzyme Q10.

CoQ10 is thought to give a person energy. I thought nothing of popping this pill until I read the ingredients. The Ubiquinol was listed as having Red and Blue Food Dye.

No kidding. After that, I stopped buying and taking this supposedly healthful product.

The pills were coated in an orange color–which should’ve been a tip-off.

Shortly after I stopped taking this OTC product my energy started to get elevated again. So I was lucky the fatigue slowly slowly got better.

You might not know this: a lot of drugs that are prescribed like atypical anti-psychotics cause weight gain precisely because the pills cause a person to have a ravenous appetite.

I take a pill that I’m grateful didn’t cause weight gain.

To end this blog entry I want to give you a dose of common sense.

Alas, common sense isn’t at all common.

I’m 53 years old, so technically I’m living in mid life.

Yet I haven’t packed on any extra pounds in mid life and have maintained the same weight as when I was 40.

Part of this equation is that I don’t eat a lot of food. I eat healthfully 80 percent of the time. I wrote about the 80 Percent Rule in a long-ago blog entry.

When I’m not hungry anymore I stop eating. Often I leave food on my plate–not a lot yet there’s food left over.

Thinking that you have to “clean your plate” so as not to waste food is a mistake. Why are you cooking too much food to begin with?

It’s also not your fault that chain restaurants sell huge portions of food. The food they’re giving you is unhealthy most of the time: the food was bought cheaply and prepared cheaply.

Then it’s loaded up on the plate. You could be tempted to eat it all or take home the leftovers.

Taking home leftovers is better than eating the huge portion all at once. You’ll have a second meal the next day.

Eating healthful food in moderation–five a day of fruits and vegetables–is one sensible guideline I think is non-negotiable if you want to stick to the one best nutrition guideline.

In How to Be Well: The 6 Keys to a Happy and Healthy Life Frank Lipman, MD goes so far as to recommend eating two servings of fruit a day.

Eating two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables isn’t that hard to do every day. I have an organic navel orange for breakfast and a serving of an in-season fruit for an afternoon snack. I have a salad three days a week for one serving of a vegetable that day. Mix in a vegetable for dinner on most nights:

Voila–you can see it really isn’t hard to eat healthfully 80 percent of the time.

How have I been doing in executing my sub-goals for Step Three Perspire with the  Changeology 90-day action plan?

Remember: I wanted to buy and bring salads to my job to eat for lunch 3x/per week. And I wanted to exercise at the gym 2x/ per week.

In the next blog entry you’ll find out whether I succeeded or not.

26 Years in Remission

Christina BruniLeave a comment

I’ve decided I want to act as a storyteller to tell stories from my own life. I’d also like to have other people tell their stories in this blog.

As always, I don’t have a license to practice medicine–I’m not an M.D.

So I can’t give medical advice. I can’t tell people to take medication. Nor can I give instructions on how to discontinue medication.

My goal in telling my story is to uplift and inspire others that there’s hope for healing and having your own version of a full and robust life.

Ann Bartlett at HealthCentral years ago told it like it is:

“Healing is as potent a medicine as a cure can be.”

The reality is critics have attacked me for writing about how taking medication helped me heal.

There’s a whole contingent of anti-psychiatry folk who champion that people have the right to be psychotic. Underneath their contempt of what I write there’s most likely a grain of envy.

They don’t like that I’ve done great things in my life precisely because I take medication. This disproves their claim that medication causes disability.

If I went away, if I watered down my vision to please these people, if I sold my vision to the highest bidder (Pfizer et al), nothing would change in society.

Peers who need to hear my message of hope and healing would be left in the dark. Families would think there’s no hope for there loved ones.

This is my story:

I’ve been in remission from schizophrenia–with zero symptoms–for 26 years as of this month.

This has been possible because I take a dose of maintenance medication.

The details about my recovery are out in the open in my memoir Left of the Dial.

What’s different about my story is that when I was only 22 and first diagnosed I dared think a better life was possible than the one presented to me: living in public housing and collecting a government disability check forever.

I’ve written in here before a blog entry that if I remember right was titled the Myth of Competitive Employment.

One anti-psychiatry critic denounced my success as impossible for most people to achieve.

If that were so, why would I dangle in front of peers a goal that can’t be reached?

Those of us who are doing well–most of us who are doing well–don’t have the courage like I do to talk about this publicly. So it can seem like no one’s able to recover.

The point–as expressed in The Myth of Competitive Employment–is that each person’s definition of recovery is going to be different.

Each of us can find our own version of well inside the illness. My version of well is simply my story. Your version of well is your story.

I really wish more people would come forward to tell their stories.

I wanted to publish Left of the Dial to show how getting the right treatment right away can create a better outcome.

I’ve been in remission 26 years as as of this month.

In the coming blog entry I’ll talk about the book in more detail.

Mental Healthcare Change

Christina BruniLeave a comment

To start a more productive conversation about mental healthcare change we must talk about the root of societal ills: the economic growth model exposed in my Left of the Dial blog recently.

America–a capitalist society–has as its economic foundation the growth model.

Only the economic growth model is ravaging the earth, causing resource depletion, and human rights violations too.

This economic model has also created a prison employment sector that exploits “the justice-involved”: incarcerated individuals, their families, and communities.

It’s the “school-to-prison” complex that disproportionately has a greater effect on low-income communities and people traditionally called minorities. (I detest using the word minority to describe a person.)

I’m thinking now about how to create positive lasting changes. As I’ve not ever thought our government will ever be invested in catering to ordinary citizens instead of Citizens United corporations.

How then can we get positive mental healthcare change enacted? What can we do? Talking about injustices hasn’t corrected this imbalance of power.

Today peers are still criminalized, winding up in jail not treatment for crimes committed while symptomatic. While in jail there’s no medication given. That’s how a guy with SZ was able to self-amputate his tongue while locked up.

It’s no joke.

All of this is ultimately linked to the economic growth model. The prison industry actors make tons of money when people are jailed–and these corporations have the big bucks to lobby the government to do their bidding.

“Anything to make a buck” is the prevailing ethic of capitalist America.

Psych hospitals have been closing down for decades now. In New York City where 8 million people live there are only 112 psych beds available for those of us in crisis.

Insurance companies offer limited psych coverage–so psych hospitals won’t get rich treating patients. Even hospitals operate on an economic growth model!

What’s not right is that in America profits come before people. As long as profits come before serving humanity, no societal ills will ever be vanquished.

Those of us who have the big bucks and want to serve humanity should consider running for elected office. Those of us with the big bucks should consider opening up and operating a psych hospital.

Until this imbalance of power is reversed (I fear it won’t ever be) we have to continue to exert pressure on our elected officials.

Join your local Community Board, get active in mental health and other initiatives in your community.

You’re Not an MD So Stop Giving Medical Advice

Christina BruniLeave a comment

Chris Bruni is not an MD. I refuse to give medical advice.

Telling someone to discontinue their medication and offering a method to do so is practicing medicine without a license.

I’m not here to tell people what they should do. The story I tell–the only one I have to give–is my story. I can and will talk about how taking the SZ medication every day enabled me to be in remission for over 25 years so far.

A friend of mine who doesn’t have SZ I consider to be my soul mate. He discontinued his psych medication under supervision and is perfectly fine years later.

What gladdens me is that although he’s been successful he doesn’t give people medical advice. He thinks most people with SZ need to take medication.

My friend hasn’t attacked me–like so many anti-psychiatry folk have done–for choosing to take pills.

I want to be very clear to readers now: telling people they should discontinue their medication is practicing medicine without a license.

At this point I won’t even tell people they must take medication because as said I’m not an MD.

We can only share our stories with each other. It’s up to each of us to decide what we want to do.

If someone asked me I would tell them that I think discontinuing SZ medication is too risky to chance it. That’s my belief and my friend’s belief.

You can decide for yourself if this makes sense to you. You have the choice.

Yet I also think that choosing psychosis over health is a big mistake.

No one I know who discontinued their SZ pills got better. They started hearing voices again. (I’m lucky I didn’t ever hear voices.)

Yet even stating this I cannot tell you or anyone else what to do or how to do it.

I urge you if you’re a paid peer specialist as your job not to dispense medical advice without a license. You’re not an MD. You’re not licensed to diagnose and treat illnesses.

In the coming blog entries I’m going to talk about practical career information again.

My goal is to publish You Are Not Your Diagnosis in October 2018 which is Disability Employment Awareness Month.

5 Benefits of Taking SZ Medication

Christina BruniLeave a comment

Here I’d like to talk about something I referred to in my employment talk at the 2016 NAMI-New York State educational conference.

For those of us who could benefit I want to offer a positive perspective on taking SZ medication.

In my firsthand experience and from observing others it’s my firm belief that most people diagnosed with SZ need to take medication to have a better chance at living a full and robust life.

Taking medication can give a person a competitive advantage in succeeding at setting and achieving goals in the real world.

Here now I’d like to talk about the benefits of taking medication for those of us who need to:

Side effects can be managed.

As soon as I switched the dose time to taking the tiny dose in the morning and the high dose at night–voila–I was wide awake every single day and no longer falling asleep on the job.

You’re in control.

I guy I love told me that he feels “calm, in control, and focused” when he takes medication.

Exceptional M.D.s and therapists can be found treating mental health conditions.

You can go on the Resources to Recover Website to view the directory of family-endorsed providers in the NY-NJ-CT-MA area.

True mind freedom is possible.

With clarity of thought and balanced moods it’s easier to live your life.

People who take medication can have better health and live longer.

One study revealed that peers who took medication were better able to stay on top of their health and actually lived longer.

A friend of mine with SZ is now 72 and he’s taken medication since he was 13.

On Thursday I’ll return with details about how the employment talk went and things I talked about. It was a smashing success.

 

The Triangle of Mental Health: Appropriate Medication

Christina BruniLeave a comment

One of the three parts of what I call the Triangle of Mental Health is appropriate medication.

Not everyone requires medication yet for those who do I advocate getting appropriate medication given out by a reputable professional.

A study indicates that those who take medication live longer because they’re mentally healthy so that they can navigate keeping medical appointments and attending to their health overall.

My stance has always been that people who require medication shouldn’t be attacked. No one should be critical of any of us peers for the choices we make in recovery.

Research also indicates that giving patients high doses of medication isn’t good.

The earlier a person is treated it’s more likely they can take a lower dose.

Yes: I’m against the historically sanctioned practice of giving patients high doses of medication and no individualized treatment and no practical career counseling.

Those are the other two parts of the Triangle of Mental Health and I’ll talk about them next: quicker individualized treatment and practical career counseling.

 

Exercise for Schizophrenia Treatment

Christina BruniLeave a comment

I reported on the link between exercise and improved cognition for people diagnosed with schizophrenia. At HealthCentral three years ago I reported on a study linking interval training to a reduced waist circumference in people with schizophrenia.

I’m confident that strength training has turned my life around for the better. I was 46 when I started to train at the gym like a madwoman. Strength training or as it’s called resistance training is the best way to maintain a better weight.

Though I lost only about five to seven pounds this is because I gained muscle. So even though I didn’t lose a significant amount of weight I dropped one pant and skirt size.

More than this it’s true that engaging in lifting weights conditions your mind as well as strengthens your body. You develop what I call “emotional spine.”

Having this strength enables us to take care of our loved ones who are getting older or who have a mental illness.

Having emotional spine allows us to live strong and not get blown apart by creepers who post hateful comments in the comments section below Internet news articles.

I’ll trust that those creepers are worth listening to when they say something that actually makes sense. A so-called international expert on PsychCentral attacked me in a comments section below her own news article there when I posted my own comment.

The hate in society–against people diagnosed with schizophrenia or other mental illnesses–I want no part of it. Most likely these haters aren’t kind to anyone they meet. This is their karma they’re experiencing in this lifetime. In a future life they’ll most likely come back as a person with an illness.

I’m not a big Facebook fan. I deactivated my personal account after a woman I friended nine years ago added me to an anti-psychiatry Facebook group without my permission. Social media–and the Internet–can be a tool used for advancing the good of humanity. Yet it can also in rotten hands be used to spread hate and fear and narrow-mindedness.

Everyone has the choice how to treat people. In instances of real discrimination that is when we should take out a lawsuit. Ordinary comments below an Internet news article should be taken with a grain of salt.

I’ll end here by saying that if you want to lighten your load in life you can make this happen by lifting heavy loads in the gym. Or by finding and committing to whatever fitness routine makes you happier and healthier.

I read yesterday that giving yourself a name to describe yourself–like fruit eater–helps make the behavior stick and gives you motivation to continue.

Just call me the Dead Lift Queen.

Getting Treatment is Everyone’s Right

Christina BruniLeave a comment

I used to be the Health Guide at HealthCentral’s schizophrenia website for the last nine years.

I reported on the seven diagnostic tools that are to be used to rule out or confirm a person has schizophrenia.

One woman wrote a memoir Brain on Fire. She documented how an astute MD correctly diagnosed her sudden illness that caused psychotic symptoms as being something other than schizophrenia.

I’ve also reported at HealthCentral on the body of long-term research that indicates 25 percent of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia can achieve remission without medication.

I’ve been in remission over 23 years because I take medication.

And even though I’ve written elsewhere that a minority of people don’t need to take medication I’m still attacked.

My point is this: if you are able to choose not to take medication and still be able to function: that’s different. You’re in the minority.

My concern is this: for a significant number of people with schizophrenia who have anosognosia or that is the lack of insight that they have an illness: going without treatment is the quickest route to life-long disability.

I will go to my grave advocating that psychosis is NOT a normal life experience that people should want to experience the rest of their lives. Most people who are psychotic cannot function.

Yes: I dare say the treatment focus should be on individuals who have chronic mental illnesses.

Individuals with chronic schizophrenia who need effective treatment should not be left by the side of the road to fend for themselves while their symptoms worsen and ravage their mind.

Individuals with schizophrenia who are capable of going to work or school should not be told recovery is not possible.

Whatever camp a person is in: none of us should be told that we should accept psychosis as the outcome for the rest of our lives. And this is too often the message we’re being given: don’t take pills. Be proud to be psychotic.

We’re told our lives don’t matter.

While I was employed at HealthCentral I was not a rubber stamp. I didn’t tell people what they might have wanted to hear: that it’s okay not to take medication and it’s okay to disregard upholding the social covenant to act as a responsible citizen.

I wrote easily nine years ago that when it became clear I needed to take medication that I gave up my rights to do what I wanted. Most of all: I don’t want to be psychotic. Psychosis is not a right. It’s a disease.

You’re psychotic: you have the right to get treatment. You don’t deserve to wind up sick, jailed, or homeless. Everyone is worth saving.

I don’t care if only a tiny minority of people are sick, jailed, or homeless. It’s high time these people get treatment.

The Oregon shooter might not have had a mental illness. He might have been a psychopath.

Yet we can no longer be shocked at mass shootings. Outrage without action won’t heal or help individuals who should’ve gotten help in the first place.

Setting the Bar for Mental Health Treatment

Christina BruniLeave a comment

I’m not a model-off duty even though it’s the holiday weekend.

I’ve decided to publish blog entries for this Fourth of July because I don’t want to wait until Monday.

My point is: the bar has been set low for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. Heck: for too many years the bar was set in the gutter.

More than this: I think mental health services are dismal because in fact the bar was not set at all.

“Business as usual” didn’t work in 1987 when I had the misfortune of being a recipient of community mental health services. Two years shy of 30 years after 1987 business as usual still isn’t working.

Who says most people can’t recover from schizophrenia? Why are the saying this?

It begs the question: “Why aren’t people able to recover?” Placing the blame on the person himself or herself for failing to recover is NOT the answer. In an era of non-existent mental health services the answer is: the mental health system has failed the very individuals who need effective treatment the most.

Where is this treatment? I’m employed at a job and even I can’t get treatment.

A disincentive exists for most people with mental illnesses to get jobs. If you collect government benefits, you can see a therapist at a clinic once a week going on seven years like one person I know does. If you get a job, you’ll have to pay for your own health insurance. Private therapists won’t take insurance and will charge you $100/session.

If you’re a provider or other person who doesn’t think a person with schizophrenia can recover: what exactly do you think we can do with our lives? If you’re a provider who doesn’t think we can recover what exactly are you providing us? Holding our hands and singing folk songs is not helping us. Stringing us along with treatment that is not evidence-based is not helping us.

Not setting the bar is what’s not helping individuals with schizophrenia recover. Bickering over whether or not a person with schizophrenia should take medication is not helping the majority of people who need to take medication to have an equal shot at a better life.

I submit that 90 percent of the people in society haven’t set the bar for themselves or for others in their ordinary lives.

The one way they set the bar is to groom their kids to do extracurricular activities to guarantee they’ll get into Harvard or Yale or other prestigious colleges. Ironically this pressure causes young people to have ill mental health just trying to conform to what’s considered “normal”–acting super-competitive to get ahead of other people in society.

I make the case for setting the bar in terms of the treatment you expect from providers and other people. Expect respect. Set the bar for the treatment you provide individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. Expect that collecting SSI the rest of their lives and living in a dangerous apartment complex on the edge of town: is NOT the guaranteed outcome once they’re diagnosed.

I still can’t say why I had the guts to challenge the staff way back in 1989 when I decided I wanted to get a full-time job and live independently. I can’t say why I had that courage.

I can say that 30 years later the system still isn’t working when a person has to decide between getting government-funded therapy and getting a job.

Universal healthcare anyone?

360 Degrees

Christina BruniLeave a comment

It’s remarkable to me that every human being is capable of making a 360 degree turn or change for the better. At any point in our lives and our recovery. And really, the revolution full-circle is an evolution of what each of us is capable of.

In recovery as in life, there are no endpoints or limits, just the potential for continued self-growth. Human beings can be like perennials that bloom over and over throughout our lives when we nurture ourselves, and act kind and are good to ourselves.

I also realized that medication and self-motivation are the twin engines driving recovery for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia and bipolar. I learned this the hard way when I went on a failed drug holiday in 1992 when I was 27.

Without medication, your efforts are useless because you’re straining against the illness. And having the medication without have the desire to do better is the quickest way to having a life where it’s “one day like any other” spent watching TV in your room.

The song lyrics from the 1980s about how it’s just another night on the edge of town reminds me of the time I spent in the residence in the dangerous apartment complex on yes, the edge of town. A friend and I back then joked that to have fun and amuse ourselves we’d have cockroach races to see which bug got to the other side of the living room first.

I’ll end here by quoting Viktor Frankl from his holocaust memoir Man’s Search for Meaning: “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.”

It gets better. It can get better.

Each of us extending a watering can of hope is what matters most.

Always be hopeful, because hope heals.