Newsletter

September 17, 2014

Message From Executive Director

It is time to celebrate the coming of Fall, the holidays, changes and opportunities that it brings. It is a time tocelebrate the things that bring you joy and count atleast one of them each day. Children and adults havereturned to their various venue of study. Leaves willsoon be turning beautiful colors. On October 10thCapitols will be turning green to represent MentalHealth. Walks will be happening to bring communitiestogether in awareness and compassion. Please joinus on our walk with The Houston Walk for MentalHealth (More Information)

If you visited our booth at the NAMI conference in Washington, D.C., thank youfor stopping by and we truly enjoyed talking with you. We met many friendswho have enjoyed our conference call groups or our SA groups and ournewsletters.

The SARDAA conference in Rochester, NY will bring you information,community, hope and celebration of accomplishments. Looking forward toseeing you there!

Denise Settle is the winner of a complimentary Registration to attend theOctober 24, 2014 Conference “Call to Action: Shattering Stigma”. Denise’sresponse to the news, “Oh my goodness Linda! You made my day!”. We can“make your day”, too, just register for the conference and enjoy hearing fromoutstanding experts and experience a Schizophrenics Anonymous or Familyand Friends peer support/self­help meeting.

Best wishes,

Linda Stalters, MSNExecutive Director

6. Reassure the other members of the group that (depending on the offence)

the offending person will not be returning to group. Make sure that everyone inthe group is OK, and not traumatized by the event. (the SA guiding principlesstate they can return when they are appropriate).

Message From SA

Keeping SA Group Guidelines in Mindby Margery Wakefield

Maintain an attitude of caring, fellowship, and support.Responses to others must be non­judgmental.One person speaks at a time.Members who are disruptive or too ill to behave in an appropriate manner

will be asked to leave the meeting until they can control themselves.Confidentiality will be maintained: what is shared in the group stays in the

group.

Click here to read the steps to take if an issue should arise.

We are now accepting messages from SA Members to include in the newsletter. Please submit yourmessage to: info@sardaa.org for consideration for next month's newsletter

Message From Family & Friends Coordinator

I spent the weekend in New York City at the end of thesummer and unfortunately, came across manyhomeless people on the streets. Every homelessperson I saw brought my son to my mind. It broughtback so many horrible memories of when he waspsychotic, walking around in frigid temperatures withjust a t­shirt and no socks. He was never homelessthank goodness, and was hospitalized before he got tothat point but it reminds me of what could have beenand I hope and pray never will.

I am the type of person who wants to help everyone and wanted to reach outto all the homeless I saw on the street. In NYC, there are homeless on justabout every block and I cannot single handedly conquer the homeless of NYCbut I can do something small and meaningful. I can say hello and offer somekind words or buy a meal, a cup of coffee, candy bar, a pair of shoes, socks,anything small. I’m sure many of these individuals are suffering from a mentaldisorder and/or substance abuse disorders.

Never forget the vast power that resides in every human soul. People havetremendous power to change their conditions so remember to never lose hope.Let’s not forget those less fortunate and try to reach out. It could be one of ourloved ones……

“So if you're walking down the street sometimeand you should spot some hollow ancient eyes,

don't you pass them by and stareas if you didn't care.

Say, ‘Hello in there. Hello’."

On another note, I want to wish all of our Jewish friends a Sweet, Healthy andHappy New Year! L’Shana Tova!

Until next month…..Susan Sheena, FFS Coordinator

Phone Support Groups

Family and Friends Support Group

Every Tuesday ­ 7 pm Eastern TimeFrequent Guest Speakers

SA Conference Call GroupsFor Consumers

Every Sunday and Thursday 7 pm Eastern Time

Spirit of SA Conference CallFor SA Leaders

First Wednesday of Each Month 7 pm Eastern Time

Toll­free callsThe call in information: (855) 640­8271; Pass code: 88286491#

International Number: (720) 362­6499

Personal Story

Chiaroscuro

I peered so deep into the darkAnd I could almost feel

Something staring back at meWith its own perverse appeal

My life had grown so painfulMy thinking so confused

My future seemed to have collapsedMy ego rent and bruised

Should I give in to the abyss?Should I leave my dreams behind?

I felt so tired of fighting it,Of hoping for some sign.

I looked once more out my windowAnd saw there something bright

My good old world of childhoodSat out there, warm and light

The driveway down which I would rideOn my favorite Christmas bike

The street that led out to adventureTo friends, to news, to life

Something hardened in my chest:To chaos I'd not yield

I would not choose oblivionI loved the true and real.

I owed myself, I owed my dreamsA chance to come to be

I pledged I'd never lose my gripOn rationality.

Now discipline has ruled my pathSince two decades ago

Today when darkness claws at meI can greet it, and watch it go.

­Brandon Staglin

Applications for Board Members and Volunteers

We are currently accepting applications for new Board Members. If you are interested, pleasecontact linda.stalters@sardaa.org We are also accepting applications for the following volunteer positions: Fund Development Specialist& Newsletter Editor

Thank you so much!

National Suicide Prevention Week 2014

National Suicide Prevention Week reminds us of the devastating and horrificstatistics: In a year “9.3 million adults will have serious thoughts of suicide, 2.7million will make suicide plans, 1.3 million will attempt suicide, and nearly40,000 will die by suicide. One suicide occurs every 16 minutes, and oneveteran commits suicide every hour. More will die by suicide this year than incar accidents."

The tragedy is that suicide prevents a person from recovery. There isALWAYS hope while you are living. There is NO hope if you are not living. The “soul crushing” pain loved ones are left with is never erased. There arenew, effective and more treatments available than ever before, don’t sufferwithout seeking help.

Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States; one suicideoccurs on average every 13.3 minutes.Suicide is the second leading cause of death among those 15 to 24 years

old.Older adults commit 16 percent of all suicides, but they're 13.3 percent of the

population.Approximately 987,950 Americans attempt suicide each year.It is estimated that 5 million living Americans have attempted to kill

themselves.An estimated 4.8 million Americans are survivors of suicide of a friend, family

member, or loved one. (Source: American Association of Suicidology per Anxiety & Depression Association ofAmerica)

Articles of Interest

SARDAA student volunteers experience improved awareness regardingschizophrenia and other psychiatric brain disordersRead about one student's positive experience volunteering at a SARDAA eventlast year and what she has learned from it Read More

Association of Serum Interleukin 6 and C­Reactive Protein in ChildhoodWith Depression and Psychosis in Young Adult LifeLongitudinal studies have linked the systemic inflammatory markers interleukin6 (IL­6) and C­reactive protein (CRP) with the risk of developing heart diseaseand diabetes mellitus, which are common comorbidities for depression andpsychosis. Recent meta­analyses of cross­sectional studies have reportedincreased serum levels of these inflammatory markers in depression, first­episode psychosis, and acute psychotic relapse; however, the direction of theassociation has been unclear.

Conclusions and Relevance: Higher levels of the systemic inflammatorymarker IL­6 in childhood are associated with an increased risk of developingdepression and psychosis in young adulthood. Inflammatory pathways mayprovide important new intervention and prevention targets for these disorders.Inflammation might explain the high comorbidity between heart disease,diabetes mellitus, depression, and schizophrenia. Read More

Does Urban Living cause Mental Illness?Medscape recently interviewed researcher Amir Sariaslan about his new studyexploring the association between schizophrenia and whether or not certainliving situations directly cause psychiatric morbidity. Read More

Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) ServicesCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has released a fact sheet forboth the Medicare and Medicaid programs which calls for community­based screeningfor health risk behaviors and provides opportunities to identify problem drinking andsubstance abuse, and to trigger available interventions. The fact sheet provides healthcare professionals with an overview of Medicare and Medicaid coverage of SBIRTservices. Read More

Scientific Community Mourns the Loss of Prominent SchizophreniaResearcher George Bartzokis, M.D.Dr. Bartozokis, a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the DavidGeffen School of Medicine at the University of California (UCLA), isremembered for the “huge impact” he made in the field of schizophrenia. ReadMore

Long­Term Effectiveness of Supported Employment: 5­Year Follow­Up ofa Randomized Controlled TrialThe results demonstrate that the greater effectiveness of supportedemployment in improving competitive work outcomes is sustained beyond 2years and suggest that supported employment programs contribute to reducedhospitalizations and produce a higher social return on investment. Read More

Stigma and Serious Mental Illness: What is the Relationship?Stigma is one of the most important problems encountered by individuals withsevere psychiatric disease, lowering self­esteem, contributing to disruptedrelationships and negatively impacting the ability to socialize, obtain housingand become employed. Recent studies by The Treatment Advocacy Centersuggest the problem is getting worse. Read More

Research Opportunities

Bipolar Disorder & Riluzole

Nationwide Recruitment. Outpatient or Inpatient for 8 weeks.

This study of Riluzole (an FDA­approved drug for Lou Gehrig’s disease, ALS)tests how this drug affects glutamate in the brain and improves treatment­resistant depressive symptoms (failure to reduce symptoms after taking two ormore antidepressants.) Recruiting ages 18­70. Learn More

Online Survey: Interactions with Relatives with Mental Illness

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania are conducting an online surveyregarding the types of interactions people have with their adult relative with amental illness. Participants will be entered in a lottery to receive 1 of 8 $50 e­gift cards. If you decide to participate you will be asked to answer questionsregarding yourself, your relative with a mental illness, and the interactions youand your relative have with each other. Topics of particular interest includecaregiving, limit­setting, and possible conflict. If you are interesting incompleting the online survey, please click on the link below and follow theinstructions. Your participation would be greatly appreciated!

If you have any questions or would like further information about this researchstudy please contact Travis Labrum at tlabrum@sp2.upenn.edu Learn More

Click here for other research opportunities

Texas and Louisiana Friends:

Re­Enroll Your Kroger Plus Cards Beginning August 1st

You can support SARDAA without spending a penny! Register Schizophrenia

and Related Disorders on your Kroger Plus Card and they will donate apercentage to SARDAA each time you use your card.

2014 Re­Enrollment Info in English and Spanish (PDF)

Please register online at www.krogercommunityrewards.com

Link to: Schizophrenia and Related Disorders–Kroger Plus Card 90425

Help Change Lives ­­ Donate Now

Sincerely,

Louise Gillespie, SARDAA Executive Assistant

AND

Linda Stalters, SARDAA Executive Director and Founder