secretary · 2018. 12. 12. · secretary [email protected] nami cobb 2018 leadership team...
TRANSCRIPT
NAMI Cobb
2018 Leadership Team
President - Shevander Dykes [email protected] 1st Vice President/ Communications - Greg Ausham [email protected] Secretary – Donna Hook [email protected]
Treasurer – Jamie Welch [email protected]
Advocacy Chair—Vacant CIT/Newsletter Editor – John Avery [email protected]
Website Management Chair: Tim Link / Allen Spetnagel [email protected]
Outreach - Vacant Education Chair— Melissa Pike [email protected] Programs Chair—Neill Blake [email protected] Hospitality Chair – Debra Howard [email protected]
Directors
Debra Howard
Tiffany Welch
Neill Blake
Website: www.namicobb.org
Email: [email protected]
Mailing address:
NAMI-Cobb
P.O. Box 999
Kennesaw, GA 30156
I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E
1 Monthly Meeting
2 N Memorium – David Blake
4 8 Things on My Christmas 'Wish List ‘
5 NAMI Cobb News
6 Coping at Christmas
8 20 Incredible Psychology Facts
11 Tips for the Holidays
12 Meeting and Membership Information
Newsletter Date
Volume 1 Issue 1 December 2018 FRESH START
NO Meeting in December
Page 2 Fresh Start
“The sympathy of NAMI Cobb is with Program Director Neill Blake and her family on the death of her son, David Blake.”
In Memorium - David William Blake
David William Blake age 25, was born on February 1, 1993 in Dallas, Texas, and crossed over to life eternal on his
beloved Kennesaw Mountain sometime between March 8 and October 22, 2018. We will be forever thankful to everyone
who supported us as we worked to solve the mystery of David’s disappearance
A memorial service was held on Monday, October 29 at 7:00 pm at First Presbyterian Church in Marietta, GA, with
visitation beginning at 5:30 pm.
David lived in Kennesaw, GA, and graduated from Harrison High School. David played trombone in the Harrison and
Clemson University marching bands. He was an active member of the youth group at First Presbyterian Church, and from
his earliest days was open to the power and the presence of God. David was an avid outdoorsman, gamer, survivalist,
reader, writer, helper, loving son, brother, and friend. As the youngest of three boys, his generosity, caring nature,
brotherly horseplay, and practical jokes will truly be missed. David loved spending time with his family at Big Canoe,
Kennesaw Mountain, and at the family farm in Indiana.
He was a long term and valued employee of AquaRama Pools & Spas. According to them, “David was our employee, but
he was so much more than that. David was a friend to everyone at AquaRama Pools. He was the office clown that loved to
play a good joke on our general manager. David was the person who stood up for what was right and would give the shirt
off his back to anyone in need. His response to any problem was ‘It's fine, it will be OK’. David was a man of his word,
humble and giving, honest, and a man that believed in Christ. He loved his family, friends, and co-workers more than one
could imagine.”
David was a gifted writer with a passion for the fantasy genre. He had nearly completed the final book of his trilogy for
publication at the time of his death and demonstrated his skill for suspenseful action and dry humor. His potential as a
writer is a loss to every lover of a good story.
Fresh Start Page 3
As young teens, David’s close group of friends began calling themselves the GWWMOWs: Guys Who Watch Movies On
Weekends. They are an amazing group of like-minded guys who boast in their creativity and camaraderie. From movie or
gaming nights in basements to backpacking trips on the Appalachian Trail, this special group of friends meant the world
to David.
David received treatment for depression ten years ago. Unbeknownst to his family and those closest to him, David
continued to silently struggle with serious and persistent untreated depression. He tragically believed his depression to be
never-ending and therefore refused to ask for help. This despair washed away his will to live like trying to swim against a
rip-tide current. While the official cause of death has not been determined, we now believe this struggle ultimately led him
to take his own life.
His decision to end his life, a life full of so much promise, was completely unexpected and shocked everyone who knew
him. David’s struggle is too common and rarely talked about. His family wishes to use his life and death to raise
awareness and start a conversation about mental health in our community. There is hope and help is available. Ask. You
are not alone.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made with his name on the memo line to First Presbyterian Church 189 Church St
Marietta, GA 30060, for the David Blake Memorial Fund. Donations to David’s Memorial fund will be used to help
others struggling with thoughts of suicide, to assist individuals in mental health crisis, and contribute to the work of
NAMI Cobb (the National Alliance on Mental Illness - Cobb County).
He is survived by his parents, Neill and Bill Blake of Marietta, two brothers, Stuart Blake of San Francisco, CA, Richard
Blake of Santa Fe, NM, and a host of loving aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends. He is preceded in death by his maternal
grandparents, Dr. Edward & Betsy Lee Holladay of Marietta, and his paternal grandparents, Richard & Bertha Blake of
Laconia, IN.
David, you are in our hearts always. We know exactly where you are and in whose presence you remain. We are waiting
to greet you again on that glorious unknown day.
--
Marietta Police Chief Dan Flynn authorized a generous gift from the Marietta Police Department and their Explorer Post to support the efforts of NAMI COBB in our immediate community. On Tuesday 11/13/18, Leadership Team members, Neill Blake and Debra Howard along with Helpline Volunteer Linda Javadi accepted this gracious donation from MPD’s Lieutenant Justin Rutland, Investigative Services & SWAT.
Page 4 Fresh Start
8 Things on My Christmas 'Wish List ‘
as Someone With a Mental Illness by Marlena Davis
1. To end the stigma of mental illness.
I live my life openly as a person with depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to help end
the stigma of mental illness. I speak at engagements. I share my art and my story through social media and with
friends and family. Yet, there is so much more work that needs to be done.
2. Continued access to quality mental health care.
I am blessed to have an amazing therapist and a fantastic support group. I also have good health insurance
through my employer. Yet, I know many people who do not, and I know how quickly it could change for me, too.
3. For the government to keep moving mental health legislation and laws forward.
This includes the new President-elect, Congress and the Supreme Court. I wish for them to keep protecting
citizens with mental illnesses, instead of criminalizing them. We have come so far with things like the Mental
Health Parity law, and we cannot go back to the way it used to be.
4. Continued support of my family and friends.
Living with mental illness can be a constant struggle, even with proper care. I could not have made it without the
constant support of my friends and family (including my furry family members.)
5. To not be judged for my mental illness or my symptoms.
I don’t want people to think I am weak because I cry or that I am not social because my anxiety is too much to go
out with them.
6. To be able to actually find joy this holiday season.
Christmas has been a struggle for me in the past. This year, I wish to find the joy and happiness that has eluded
me in Christmases past.
7. Time for self-care.
For me, art is my personal refuge. I need some time to enjoy that refuge for a while. Time for anything that helps
you take care of yourself works.
8. Finally, to just find some peace of mind.
It’s hard to find some serenity when your mind is a constant battlefield. This wish is just to be able to find some
moments where peace of mind is present.
I know Santa cannot put my wish list in fancy wrapped boxes under my tree, but I hope he is able to help me
cross some things off of my list.
https://themighty.com/2016/12/what-to-get-a-person-with-a-mental-illness-for-christmas/
Fresh Start Page 5
NAMI Cobb News
Family Expo Night at Marietta High school. Oct
2018
Ending the Silence was presented to over 80 middle and high schoolers at The Cathedral of Turner Chapel on October 21st.
Cam Still, NAMI Cobb, in Our Own Voice Presentation for the NAMI GA First
Responder Program, Oct 2018
Paul Wiser, NAMI Cobb, NAMI Homefront State Trainer, co-facilitated a state training for NAMI Homefront Instructors Nov 3-4, 2018 at the NAMI Georgia offices.
Page 6 Fresh Start
Coping at Christmas – 5 top tips to look after your mental health
Clinical Psychologist Amaryllis Roy from Priory Hospital Bristol discusses the pressure that Christmas can put on mental health and shares 5 top tips to help you cope…
There is a scene in the cult ‘80s film ‘Flash Gordon’ when at the Emperor Ming’s wedding a plane drags a banner across the sky with the message ‘All citizens will make merry’. This is quickly followed by another plane with the message ‘On pain of death.’ During the festive season, the pressure to be seen to be having a good time can feel overwhelming if you are dealing with mental ill health and emotional difficulties. In addition, Christmas can bring lots of additional stresses such as travelling, eating more food, drinking more alcohol, family arguments, financial pressures and increased household work.
Here are 5 suggestions for ways to deal with the holiday period:
1. Avoid unhelpful social comparisons
Comparing ourselves with other people can have a big effect on how we feel. Sometimes this can be a good thing - motivating us to do better, when we think we can do as well as those we admire. However, if we don’t think we can be as good, it can have a negative impact on our self-esteem. Social media and consumer advertising can make this worse, and lead to a treadmill of ‘keeping up with the Joneses’, especially at Christmas. Limiting exposure to social media and television advertising over the Christmas period can help this.
2. Have realistic expectations about family gatherings
Years ago I attended a talk by the best-selling psychologist Dorothy Rowe, who has written many books on dealing with depression and mental wellbeing. Dr Rowe pointed out that we put special significance on Christmas as a ‘time for family’, perhaps because many modern families live far apart. Unfortunately this expectation can place additional pressure on already strained relationships, particularly among people who do not see each other very often and are not used to spending so much time together. Being realistic about what you can expect from this time together will help avoid disappointment and arguments, which might then make it easier to heal family rifts.
3. Participate in your local community
For some, Christmas can be a time of increased isolation. It can be particularly painful for those who have suffered bereavements. However, many organizations offer support at
Fresh Start Page 7 Christmas and finding out what is available in your local area may provide a lifeline. Local libraries, community centers and newspapers are good sources of information. Volunteering can be a good way of reducing loneliness and having a sense of purpose if you would otherwise be spending Christmas alone. The Samaritans provide a free, confidential, 24 hour a day, 7 days a week support on 116 123. They also have local branches in many areas where you can drop in to speak to someone face-to-face. For more information visit: www.samaritans.org.
4. Take a break
Allow yourself to take ‘time out’ if you find your stress levels rising. This could be a walk, going out for a coffee or listening to music - whatever will help you to relax or unwind. Of course this can be hard to do if you have domestic responsibilities – looking after children or feeling obligated to entertain visitors – so it can help to pre-plan. For example, arrange with your partner to take the kids out for a few hours to give you a break, or manage relatives’ expectations by saying that you have planned some ‘down time’ for everyone to do their own thing. Saying ‘no’ can be difficult if you feel pressured to join in with family parties, however setting limits is important for your own wellbeing. Sometimes having a ‘script’ can be helpful – recognizing the other person’s position, but clearly stating your own preference. For example: ‘That sounds like a lot of fun, but I’m quite tired/not feeling 100% and would prefer to get an early night.’
5. Everything in moderation
It can be tempting to over-indulge at Christmas both due to the availability of food and drink and as a way of covering up difficult feelings. However there are likely to be negative side-effects from guilt or feeling bloated and unwell, as well as the possibility of alcohol leading to increased emotions or interfering with prescribed medication. Try to avoid overindulgence and to do some exercise, outdoors if possible, as evidence increasingly suggests that outdoor activity can provide additional benefits to health and wellbeing. https://www.priorygroup.com/blog/coping-at-christmas-5-top-tips-to-look-after-your-mental-health
Page 8 Fresh Start
Psychology is one of the most fascinating and important subjects that we have the privilege to learn about in our lives. Understanding how our minds, feelings and bodies work is essential to having happiness and inner peace in life.
Psychology is the science of behavior and mind, including conscious and unconscious phenomena, as well as thought. It is an academic discipline of immense scope and diverse interests that, when taken together, seek an understanding of the emergent properties of brains, and the variety of things they manifest. As a social science it aims to understand individuals and groups by establishing general principles and researching specific cases.
Below is a list of 20 incredible psychological facts that everyone should know:
1. A 20 second hug releases neurotransmitters that help you trust the one you’re hugging.
Oxytocin is released in the body when a person feels love, secure, safe and connected to their loved ones.
Through the release of this chemical, the brain knows that everything is safe and that there is no need to worry. (source)
What’s even better is that you don’t have to wait for a hug to receive the benefits of Oxytocin. Simply focus on the feeling of love in your heart, and allow that feeling to move to your entire body, and your mind and body will release oxytocin through your conscious decision to feel love. This is the healing practice of self-compassion.
2. The more you spend on others, the happier you are.
According to various studies, when we give resources to others, we receive the reward of happiness.
“We’ve shown in our research that giving money to others actually does make people happier,” says Norton, an associate professor of marketing at Harvard Business School. “One of the reasons is that it creates social connections. If you have a nice car and a big house on an island by yourself, you’re not going to be happy because we need people to be happy. But by giving to another person, you’re…creating a connection and a conversation with that person, and those things are really good for happiness.”(source)
3. When you remember a past event, you’re actually remembering the last time you remembered it.
When remembering a memory, our brains also remember the last time that we remembered that memory.
Research conducted by Northwestern Medicine and published in the Journal of Neuroscience shows that recalling a memory more often makes that memory less accurate, and that every time you take a memory off the shelf in your brain, it gets put back just a tiny bit different each time.
This is why our memories and emotional connections to them change over time. (source)
4. The brain is more creative when it’s tired.
If you’re trying to do creative work, you’ll actually have more luck when you’re more tired and your brain isn’t functioning as efficiently.
When you’re tired, the brain is not as good at filtering out distractions and focusing on a particular task. It’s also a lot less efficient at remembering connections between ideas or concepts. These are both good things
Fresh Start Page 9 when it comes to creative work, since this kind of work requires us to make new connections, be open to new ideas, and think in new ways. So in many cases, a tired, fuzzy brain is of much more use to us when working on creative projects. (source)
5. The brain feels rejection as pain.
We all know that rejection hurts, but neuroscience has concluded that it does in fact get processed similar to the way pain does.
While the brain does not process emotional pain and physical pain identically, the reaction and cascading events are very similar, and the same natural chemical is released during both events. (source)
6. Multitasking is not what’s happening in the brain.
Don’t believe that you’re actually multitasking, scientists say.
New research shows that we humans aren’t as good as we think we are at doing several things at once. But it also highlights a human skill that gave us an evolutionary edge.
Researchers reported that, “You’re not paying attention to one or two things simultaneously, but switching between them very rapidly.”(source)
7. Your decisions are more rational when thought in another language.
Communicating in a learned language forces people to be deliberate, reducing the role of potentially unreliable instinct. Research also shows that immediate emotional reactions to emotively charged words are muted in non-native languages, further hinting at deliberation.
A university of Chicago study showed that Korean citizens who thought in foreign languages reduced their overall bias, a wonderful result. (source)
8. Relationships can be more important to your health than exercise and eating well.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill researchers found that the size and quality of a person’s social ties affect specific health measures, such as abdominal obesity and hypertension, at different points in their lives. (source)
9. No blind person has ever developed schizophrenia.
This was quite an interesting find.
Across all past papers, there has not been even one reported case of a congenitally blind person who developed schizophrenia. (source)
10. Your favorite song is likely associated with an emotional event.
The feelings are just as important as the words. (source)
11. Music impacts your perspective.
A study at the University of Groningen showed that music has a dramatic impact on your perception: even if there is nothing to see, people sometimes still see happy faces when they are listening to happy music and sad faces when they are listening to sad music. (source)
12. Chocolate discharges the same chemical in your body as when you feel love.
When we eat chocolate, several neurotransmitters are released in the brain that have a positive and comforting effect on human feelings.
One of the main neurotransmitters released is phenylethlyamine, which causes alertness, excitement, quickens the pulse rate and generates feelings of happiness.
Chocolate can arouse feelings similar to those that occur when someone is in love. (source)
13. Spending money on experience instead of material things also makes you happier.
“We buy things to make us happy, and we succeed. But only for a while. New things are exciting to us at first, but then we adapt to them,” says Dr. Thomas Gilovich, a psychology professor at Cornell University who has been studying the question of money and happiness for over two decades.
Page 10 Fresh Start So rather than buying the latest iPhone or a new BMW, Gilovich suggests you’ll get more happiness spending money on experiences like going to art exhibits, doing outdoor activities, learning a new skill, or traveling. (source)
14. The average high school kid today has the same level of anxiety as the average psychiatric patient in the early 1950’s.
Around 49% of people have at some point suffered from anxiety, depression, or some sort of substance abuse.
Yep, it wasn’t just you, you’re not alone. Psychologists have speculated about the possible reasons for this increase in both anxiety and depression over the last fifty years. Some of the reasons may be a decrease in “social connectedness”—we tend to move more, change jobs, participate less in civic organizations, and we are less likely to participate in religious communities. People are far less likely to get married, more likely to delay getting married, and more likely to live alone. All of these factors can contribute to worry, uncertainty, anxiety and depression. (source)
15. Certain religious practices lower stress.
“The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Mood Disorders” shows that people who engage in meditation and prayer religiously are less stressed out. (source)
16. Money does buy happiness, but only up to $75,000 a year.
For the average American, $75k a year buys happiness. It liberates you from poverty and gets you what you need in life. So the reality is that being elevated out of poverty does in fact create happiness. Let’s strive to elevate the entire human race out of poverty. (source)
17. Being with happy people makes you happier.
For instance, in relation to one happy person:
The spouse has an eight percent increased chance of happiness. The next-door neighbor has a 34 percent increased chance of happiness. A friend who lives within a mile has a 25 percent increased chance of happiness. (source)
So do your best to fill your inner circle with those who are generally happy, and you will become happier as well.
18. 18 to 33 year olds are the most stressed out people on earth.
Family, education, work, each on it’s own can be stressful and together it adds up, especially for the millennial generation. There have been recent criticisms of millennials because they support taking care of those who suffer, of helping the poor, of supporting social programs, of doing good to their neighbors, for acting with love. Yet all of these are wonderful things that should be applauded and encouraged by the older generations, especially those who believe in the spiritual teachings of Jesus, Buddha and Mohammad.
They are the most stressed age group on Earth, so make sure you give as much love as you can to the millennials in your life.(source)
19. Convincing yourself you slept well tricks your brain into thinking it did.
The mind is a powerful thing, and our thoughts and beliefs create our feelings and the resulting health effects in our bodies. Believing you’ve slept well even when you didn’t causes your brain to register a good night’s sleep. They called it “placebo sleep”. (source)
20. Kindness is best learned through experience, rather than being taught to do it.
The neuroscience and social science research is clear: kindness changes the brain by the experience of kindness. Children and adolescents do not learn kindness by only thinking about it and talking about it. Kindness best learned by feeling it so that they can reproduce it. Kindness is an emotion that students feel and empathy is a strength that they share. (source)
https://understandingcompassion.com/articles/20-incredible-psychology-facts-that-everyone-should-know/
Fresh Start Page 11
Page 12 Fresh Start
Thank you so much for your interest in joining NAMI Cobb Affiliate! Please complete the form below, and mail this with your check made out to
NAMI Cobb. (If you wish to pay by credit card, go to www. nami.org and click on “Become a Member”. You will start receiving our monthly
electronic newsletter within the month. You are also invited to attend our monthly education and support meetings at St. James Episcopal Church in
Marietta, 161 Church St. NE, on the third Thursday of each month at 7:30pm (there is a time to look at resources and brochures at 7pm). You are not
alone. Come join us.
NAMI Cobb December 2018
P.O. Box 999
Kennesaw, GA 30156
TO:
Yes, I would like to join NAMI Cobb of Georgia! Date:____________________
Membership is for NAMI Cobb, includes NAMI Georgia and NAMI
Annual Dues: Individual [__] $40.00 Open Door [__] $5.00
Household [__] $60.00 - List specific persons living at the same address.
(Please note there has been a slight increase in membership fees nationally).
___________Donation (I would like to give an additional donation
to support NAMI-Cobb programming and outreach) Name(s):______________________________________
Address:______________________________________
_______________________________________
Phone: _______________________________________
Email: _______________________________________
I am interested in volunteering. My skill is ________________________.
Support Group Meetings
For families of those with a mental illness
1st Presbyterian Church
189 Church St
Marietta, GA
MONDAYS Time: 7-8:30 PM
Family Support Group Room 048
Connections Support Group Room 046
Contact Neill Blake at 770-427-5353 or
[email protected] with questions
about either support group."
Monthly NAMI Cobb
NO General Meeting In December
Turner Chapel Room 187
492 N. Marietta Pkwy | Marietta, GA 30060
**Please mail this form along with your check to:
NAMI Cobb, P.O. Box 999 Kennesaw, GA 30156
Thank you for your membership!