Mental Health

It is such a good thing that mental health just fascinates me. First off since it is my job, secondly, because it helps me understand my family better. My family is the "poster family" for mental health issues. Our family has parents who have their dysfunctions, myself, my sister, my husband and his brother, my 7 year old, and the 4 year old daughter is probably not far behind.

Since going back to work almost a year ago, my knowledge base has vastly improved, and my diagnosis skills have sharpened. I read endlessly on a number of mental dysfunctions. I cannot remember the last fiction book I have read, but have kept Amazon and Barnes and Noble in business with all of my mental health book purchases. It would be interesting for anyone at those bookstores to see the last years purchased books, everything from ADHD, to bipolar, to Asperger's.

Of which Asperger's is one of my new favorites. I have seen a extraordinarily high number of Asperger's kids in my office. Their diagnosis has been missed by pediatricians and even psychiatrists. I know there is no medication that will fix Asperger's but it is important to accurately diagnosis it so parents can understand their child better and employ different parenting techniques.

I digressed there on the Asperger's topic, but understanding mental dysfunction has given me a new perspective, and I have great appreciation for families who constantly cope and live with mental illness in their family. Some days it is absolutely exhausting and it takes every last bit of energy out of me. At other times it is exciting because my son tells me he is making less mistakes at school and not daydreaming as much with his new medicine. I have learned to cope better with my 4 year olds meltdowns, and my mom's meltdowns. Well, they are not really meltdowns, it is more like a tornado that stirs everything up by the root, spins it around, and then leaves others to assess and pick up the damage.

I can pick up on my husbands mood, my sister's stresses and my father's anxiety that has lead to hoarding. My belief is we all have a little bit of mental dysfunctions, for some people it does not impeded their every day living. For others, it is more of a challenge, support and encouragement are vital. Some days too, I am thankful for pharmaceuticals. As my sister says, "better living through chemistry."