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Tag: mental illness

  • Rosie O’Donnell: Missing Daughter Chelsea Found at Home of Man She Met on Tinder

    Rosie O’Donnell put out a plea earlier this week, for help in locating her missing daughter Chelsea. A day after she enlisted the help of those on the internet, the 17-year-old was located in the New Jersey home of a man she met on Tinder.

    25-year-old Steve Sheerer was once convicted of possession of heroin. He’s definitely not the kind of man any mom wants in the company of her 17-year-old daughter.

    So how was Rosie O’Donnell’s daughter located?

    People magazine reports that Chelsea’s phone number was traced to Sheerer’s home.

    Chelsea was missing before Rosie O’Donnell realized it. She was supposed to have been staying with friends, but that wasn’t the case.

    “Chelsea left the house a week ago. Rosie thought she was with friends and that was not the case. She just didn’t come home,” a source said when it was determined that Chelsea was missing. “She was missing for a week. People were looking for her locally. As soon as it became national news, the police were able to find her.”

    Rosie O’Donnell is most fearful of the fact that Sheerer is a drug addict.

    “Rosie is very concerned about the guy she was found with . . . Rosie is extremely concerned about everything and is trying to figure out what to do next,” a source says.

    Rosie O’Donnell’s daughter suffers from an undisclosed mental illness and wasn’t taking her medication at the time of her disappearance.

    Hopefully Rosie O’Donnell gets the answers she needs, as well as the resources necessary to work with Chelsea in light of this very frightening incident.

  • Amanda Bynes Shares Self-Portrait on Twitter

    Amanda Bynes is back on Twitter and she recently shared what many believe is a self-portrait sketch with her followers. The former All That star was off Twitter for about three months during a fairly trying time in her life.

    It’s been a difficult year for Amanda Bynes, as she has battled mental illness and had some major disagreements with her parents about the conservatorship they hold over her. She is reportedly doing better these days.

    She “is doing much better from where she was months ago,” a family source said in an interview with People magazine last month. “She has her own apartment and is much happier. She and her parents are getting along and Amanda is clear-headed, more focused and has more independence.”

    It was on Tuesday that Amanda Bynes shared the following sketch with her Twitter followers.

    Although Amanda Bynes’s parents still hold the conservatorship over their daughter–meaning they control her finances and her medical care–her case comes up for review again in June. It will be interesting to learn if the judge dissolves the conservatorship at that time, and will no doubt be based on the behavior displayed by Amanda Bynes between now and then.

    It’s good to hear some positive things about Amanda Bynes for a change. Hopefully she will continue on an upward climb and maybe even return to school. She was attending fashion design school prior to her last meltdown, which she claimed was caused by bipolar disorder.

  • Jillian Jacobson, California Teacher, Commits Suicide in Classroom

    Jillian Jacobson, a well liked photography teacher in Southern California, committed suicide in her classroom last week. Her body was discovered by students.

    According to a report from KCRA.com, students arrived at the El Dorado High School classroom of Jillian Jacobson last Monday to find the door locked. Thinking their teacher was simply running a bit late, they got the teacher in the classroom next door to let them in. That’s when they discovered Jillian Jacobson, who was 31, hanging from the ceiling.

    Two teachers cut her down and tried reviving Jacobson with CPR, as they awaited the arrival of paramedics. It was too late to save her, however.

    Students were dismissed for the day at 11 AM, and crisis counselors were made available on to all students and faculty on campus, according to Assistant Superintendent Kevin Lee, of the Placentia-Yorba Linda Unified School Districts. A crisis intervention team planned to remain on campus for the remainder of the week.

    Jillian Jacobson had been employed by El Dorado High School since 2008. She had a bachelor’s degree in ceramics and glass, and art education and a master’s degree in educational leadership.

    On Jacobson’s profile page at El Dorado High School’s website, Jacobson smiles in a photo near the words, “Today is a great day to take a picture!”

    Many of the students at El Dorado High School paid tribute to Jillian Jacobson on their Facebook and Twitter accounts.

    Suicide can be a cruel side effect of mental illness. Sadly, no one was able to help Jillian Jacobson with whatever tormented her to the point of taking her life. Hopefully her students will come to understand more about mental illness as a result of their teacher’s suicide. Perhaps if even one reaches out for help in the future, this teacher’s death won’t have been in vain.

    Comedian and actor Robin Williams committed suicide last summer. His daughter, Zelda Williams, recently spoke out for the first time since her dad’s death. She made it clear that it does no good to point fingers or ask why, because mental illness is a disease that leaves many questions unanswered.

    Hopefully the students at El Dorado High School will come to terms with Jillian Jacobson’s death without losing too much of themselves in the process.

  • Amanda Bynes: Is Her Mental State Improving?

    Amanda Bynes is living on her own for the first time in quite a while, which is a strong indication that her mental state is improving. The conservatorship over the All That and The Amanda Show star was extended by a judge in Ventura County last week, which means her parents are still in charge of both her money and her medical care, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t some clear signs of improvement.

    Another plus for Amanda Bynes is the dropping of a DUI case from last September. She faced charges for violating parole with this charge. The dismissal means there is one less hurdle in her way to recovery.

    “Amanda is doing well,” her lawyer, David Esquibias told People magazine.

    “Amanda is doing much better from where she was months ago,” another source tells People. “She has her own apartment and is much happier. She and her parents are getting along and Amanda is clear-headed, more focused and has more independence.

    In addition to Amanda Bynes, her parents must be thrilled about the improvements she is making. They took the brunt of her abuse, being called out by the actress on Twitter for ruining her life. She even accused her father of sexual abuse, and threatened to kill him.

    Mental illness is no laughing matter, and sadly, many have laughed in the face of what Amanda Bynes has experienced. Hopefully she will continue her upward climb–doing well living on her own, and getting along with her parents.

    Do you expect Amanda Bynes will ever return to acting or has she done too much damage to ever go the Hollywood route again?

  • Amanda Bynes Lives Alone, Conservatorship Intact

    Amanda Bynes is doing well following her lashing out at her parents via Twitter, and recent erratic behavior. She is living on her own. However in court on Tuesday, a Ventura County, California judge extended the conservatorship over the actress until a hearing on June 23rd. This means her parents are still in control of both her finances and her medical care.

    On an even more positive note, the DUI case from September 2014–for which Amanda Bynes was facing charges for violating her probation–has been dismissed.

    “Amanda is doing well,” her lawyer, David Esquibias told People magazine.

    Released from a psychiatric facility back in October, Amanda Bynes was first arrested in 2012 for DUI. She was placed on three years’ probation in 2014 for that incident.

    “Amanda is doing much better from where she was months ago,” a source tells People. “She has her own apartment and is much happier. She and her parents are getting along and Amanda is clear-headed, more focused and has more independence.”

    Amanda Bynes’ claim to fame first came on the Nickelodeon network, where she starred in shows like All That and The Amanda Show. She also appeared in films including Hairspray and She’s the Man.

    Although Amanda Bynes has certainly exhibited some bizarre behavior in recent years, certainly most are thrilled to hear that she is doing so well. Mental illness is a serious disease, and often requires both medicine and therapy in order for patients to live happy, fulfilling lives.

    Hopefully Amanda Bynes can attain both.

  • Amanda Bynes: No DUI Prosecution for September Violation

    Amanda Bynes has seemingly dodged another bullet. The former Nickelodeon star of All That and The Amanda Show was stopped for drunk driving back in September, but the Los Angeles city attorney has decided not to pursue the DUI charge.

    “After much deliberation and review,” the city attorney decided the charge won’t be pursued, however the actress isn’t off the hook completely–at least not yet.

    “There was not enough evidence to provide a likelihood of conviction if filed,” City Attorney spokesman Frank Mateljansaid in an interview with the New York Daily News.

    The L.A. County D.A. has yet to decide on whether to seek a probation-violation hearing. Amanda Bynes was taken into custody at 3:00 in the morning back on September 28th, after allegedly running a red light and stopping in the middle of an intersection just outside of Los Angeles. She was first arrested for DUI in 2012, but managed to avoid serving any jail time by completing an inpatient treatment program. In early 2014, she was placed on three years’ probation for that case.

    In the past year, however, mental illness seems to be the biggest caveat in Amanda Bynes’ life. She has suffered several delusional episodes in public, and publicly defamed her father–saying he sexually abused her.

    Onlookers will likely have mixed feelings about the L.A. city attorney not pursuing DUI charges against Amanda Bynes. Will their decision alleviate the weight the girl is carrying on her shoulders, and make her feel less stressed–or will it simply convey the message that she got away with something she shouldn’t have done in the first place?

    Perhaps if she faces the aforementioned probation violation instead, it will hit home that she isn’t above retribution. It’s uncertain what that punishment might be.

  • Amanda Bynes Back On Twitter, Appears Healthy

    Amanda Bynes is back on Twitter after a month away from social media. The former All That star suffers from serious mental illness and has very public outbursts from time to time–some of which she shares on Twitter. Hopefully a new photo and post are indicative of a healthier, more stable Amanda Bynes.

    The 28-year-old has dyed her hair from a light purple back to blonde, and appears slim (maybe a bit too slim) and pretty. What’s missing is the deer-in-the-headlights, odd expression that so often accompanies those in the throes of a manic episode. Amanda Bynes has bipolar disorder, and when she doesn’t take her medicine as prescribed, is known for some disturbing behavior.

    During this last episode, Bynes accused her father of sexually assaulting her at one point in time, but she later rescinded the accusation. She explained that the microchip in her head made her say that and that her father had placed the chip there. She later deleted these tweets. None of this is particularly unusual for those suffering from bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Paranoia runs high with both disorders.

    What’s especially sad is that because Amanda Bynes is a celebrity, her unhealthy episodes are played out in front of the paparazzi cameras. They make front page headlines and wind up on TV. Sadly, Amanda Bynes may never live down her new reputation of being ‘out there’ or ‘crazy.’

    It is refreshing, however, to see this new photo of the former star of Nickelodeon’s The Amanda Show, looking happy and healthy. One can only pray she stays this way, and that both she and her family are allowed some peace, and a break from her turmoil.

  • Amanda Bynes Says She Had Sex With Caleb Pusey

    Amanda Bynes’ psychological problems have been the stuff of news lately. And now, she has dragged 19-year-old Caleb Pusey into the spotlight yet again. Back in October, Bynes announced that she and Pusey were engaged. Pusey denied the claims, and told reporters that they just became friends after meeting in rehab. After Pusey went public, Bynes conceded and sent out a tweet calling Pusey her “gay best friend”. But in a recent series of tweets, Bynes claimed that Pusey is in fact straight and that the two had sex.

    According to Bynes, she lost her phone which had Caleb’s contact information but she wanted to apologize to him publicly. The former Nickelodeon star tweeted, “He helped me get through my ugly phase which I am still going through but I don’t want to see him again until I feel pretty”. Bynes made the fake announcement about her engagement last month in an interview with In Touch. “I am very needy for friendship and I hate men. I want to f— them, but I can now say I’m engaged — get away from me,” Bynes told the In Touch reporter. Just two days after the interview, Bynes accused her father of child abuse.

    Earlier this month, audio of Bynes saying that she wants to kill her parents was released. The tirade was recorded by one of the troubled actress’ friends while they were driving. Bynes said on the tape that she dreams of murdering her dad, slitting her mom’s wrists, and burning her house down. The tape ends with a homophobic rant against her friend wherein she said, “You’re so gay it hurts my feelings”.

    Members of Amanda’s family told TMZ that they wanted to release the audio to serve as a “wake-up call” for medical professionals to intervene and send help.

  • Demi Lovato On Eating Disorders: Not A Choice

    Demi Lovato spoke out recently about eating disorders, giving a shout out to an organization that provides help to those suffering from them, as well as from additional mental illnesses. She also made mention of the fact that those with eating disorders don’t have any choice in the matter.

    “Having an eating disorder doesn’t show ‘strength.’ Strength is when are able to overcome your demons after being sick and tired for so long,” she said. “There’s a wide misconception that anorexia and/or bulimia is a choice and you often hear people say things like ‘why doesn’t she just start eating?’ Or even ‘just stop throwing up.’”

    “It’s the ignorance and lack of education on mental illnesses that continues to [put] mental health care on the back burner to congress even though this is an epidemic that is sweeping our nation, and causing more and more tragedy every day,” she continued.

    Demi Lovato gave that shout out to @DBSAlliance, and she got lots of response via Twitter.

    Demi made sure to end her info share with a tweet that very clearly indicated her frame of mind.

    Demi Lovato has long suffered from an eating disorder. She knows firsthand the health repercussions and the stigma that is attached to the mental illness. Kudos to the ‘Heart Attack’ singer for sharing so openly everything she knows, and for helping to raise awareness about this disease that can kill.

    If even one person is saved from an eating disorder because of Demi Lovato’s actions, she will no doubt feel wonderful about having worn her heart on her sleeve.

  • Amanda Bynes: Parents Dropping Conservatorship?

    Amanda Bynes has reportedly been released from her psychiatric hold and has been spotted wandering around Hollywood. Now it seems her parents may also be dropping the conservatorship a court granted them over their daughter in the midst of her most recent bout of erratic behavior.

    Sources told PerezHilton.com that Amanda Bynes has made death threats against both of her parents, and for that reason they plan to drop their conservatorship and move back to Texas. Bynes has siblings in Texas, too, and they fear for their lives as well as for their parents’ well being.

    It was just yesterday that Amanda Bynes tweeted that she has bipolar disorder. She told followers that she was both taking prescribed medication for the mental illness as well as seeing a psychiatrist.

    Bynes also tweeted a series of rants that clearly pertain to the present situation between her and her parents.

    It’s beyond obvious in reading these tweets posted by Amanda Bynes that the young woman needs some serious help. If she is on her medication then it may need to be altered. And if she has truly made death threats to her parents, then perhaps she isn’t fit to be back out on the streets.

    Mental illness is a terrible disease, but can typically be controlled with the right combination of medication and therapy. Too often, however, patients won’t stick it out until that right combination is discovered or they simply refuse to take their meds. Hopefully someone can help Amanda Bynes find some balance before she either hurts someone else or herself.

  • Bipolar Symptoms May Soon Be Treated With New Drugs

    According to Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance, bipolar disorder affects 5.7 million adults in America. While there is no cure for bipolar disorder, new research may provide new drug therapies that could lessen the severity of bipolar symptoms.

    Per Mayo Clinic’s definition of bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depressive disorder), the disorder is “associated with mood swings that range from the lows of depression to the highs of mania.” While bipolar disorder onset usually occurs when someone is in their mid 20s, it can also occur in children and older adults.

    Some celebrities that have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder include Catherine Zeta-Jones, Demi Lovato, Kurt Cobain, and Britney Spears.

    Bipolar symptoms are typically treated with a combination of medications and psychotherapy. There is no cure for bipolar disorder, unfortunately, but Northwestern Medicine scientists have recently made a discovery using super-resolution imaging on the brain that could lead to more effective treatment options in the future.

    “We knew that ankyrin-G played an important role in bipolar disease, but we didn’t know how,” said Northwestern Medicine scientist Peter Penzes. “Through this imaging method we found the gene formed in nanodomain structures in the synapses, and we determined that these structures control or regulate the behavior of synapses.”

    So what does this mean for treating bipolar symptoms in the future?

    “There is important information about genes and diseases that can only been seen at this level of resolution,” Penzes said. “We provide a neurobiological explanation of the function of the leading risk gene, and this might provide insight into the abnormalities in bipolar disorder.” Put simply, with this new insight on brain functioning, improved treatment options are a real possibility.

    Do you suspect that you or someone you know may have bipolar disorder? Mayo Clinic says that bipolar symptoms can include the following:

    Manic Phase:

    Euphoria
    Inflated self-esteem
    Poor judgment
    Rapid speech
    Racing thoughts
    Aggressive behavior
    Agitation or irritation
    Increased physical activity
    Risky behavior
    Spending sprees or unwise financial choices
    Decreased need for sleep
    Careless or dangerous use of drugs or alcohol
    Frequent absences from work or school

    Depressive Phase:

    Sadness
    Hopelessness
    Suicidal thoughts or behavior
    Anxiety
    Guilt
    Sleep problems
    Low appetite or increased appetite
    Fatigue
    Loss of interest in activities once considered enjoyable
    Problems concentrating
    Irritability

  • Amanda Bynes Will Stay In Psychiatric Hold For Two More Weeks

    After being committed for a 72-hour psychiatric hold on Friday, October 10, Amanda Bynes is reportedly up for an extended stay of two weeks in a Pasadena hospital. Bynes flew into Los Angeles from New York on Friday and was chauffeured to Las Encinas Hospital, where she was put on 5150 hold. The order is reserved for a person deemed to have mental illness that makes them a danger to themselves or others.

    The lawyer of the Bynes family, Tamar Arminak, confirmed to ABC News on Monday, that Bynes’s stay at the hospital will be extended for two weeks. “My clients are very concerned about their daughter. Despite what is being reported, they are doing everything they can to help Amanda,” said Arminak.

    A source told People that Rick and Lynn Bynes, the 28-year-old actor’s parents, are relieved that their daughter is being cared for. “They’re happy she’s safe and that Amanda is finally getting some help,” said the source.

    Meanwhile, the Bynes siblings have spoken about their sister’s accusations on Twitter that their father had abused her when she was a child. “We are disturbed beyond words that Amanda would come up with such a fabrication as a way to avoid getting much needed help or treatment… We absolutely give our full unconditional love and support to our wonderful parents,” said Jillian O’Keefe and Tommy Bynes in a statement coursed through Arminak.

    The plan to get Bynes under psychiatric hold reportedly involved the participation of Sam Lutfi, one-time manager of singer Britney Spears. According to TMZ, Lutfi contacted Bynes on last Thursday, and convinced her to fly to Los Angeles to sue her parents. Apparently, Bynes was told that she would first be dropped off at a lawyer’s office before being driven to The London Hotel to confront her parents about the lawsuit. Lutfi’s deception allowed Bynes to be taken to the Pasadena hospital so that she could be placed under psychiatric hold.

  • Amanda Bynes to Have Psychiatric Hearing This Week

    Amanda Bynes’ wild bout with freedom appears to be over. The 28-year-old former actress is currently under a 72-hour involuntary psychiatric hold at a Las Encinas Hospital in Pasadena, California.

    According to a CNN report, Bynes’ immediate future will be decided soon during an administrative hearing to be held this week. The hearing, which Bynes’ parents will not be attending, will decide whether the involuntary hold can be extended to 14 days. In order to extend the hold Bynes’ doctors will have to prove that the former actress is a danger to herself.

    This is the second involuntary psychiatric hold that Bynes has been under. In July 2013 Bynes’ was placed under a similar psychiatric hold following months of odd and illegal behavior.

    Bynes was charged with driving under the influence in April 2012 after a hit-and-run incident involving a police cruiser. Following that incident Bynes moved to New York City and began to display unusual behavior, tweeting topless pics appearing naked in a tanning salon. The actress was arrested again in May 2013 for possession of marijuana and reckless endangerment for throwing a bong out of her Manhattan apartment window.

    After moving back to the Los Angeles area Bynes was placed under her first psychiatric hold following an incident where she started a fire in a stranger’s driveway. Bynes’ parents were able to gain conservatorship over their daughter soon after and Bynes began long-term psychiatric treatment.

    For a while it seemed that Bynes had made a full recovery. The former actress was attending a fashion school and appeared to have gotten control of her issues.

    The conservatorship ended in mid-September of this year and almost immediately Bynes found trouble. She was arrested again on September 28 for driving under the influence and again journeyed to New York City.

    Her increasingly bizarre behavior culminated last week with the actress tweeting allegations of sexual abuse against her father. Bynes later recanted those statements, saying instead that a “microship in (her) brain” was responsible for them. According to CNN that tweet is expected to be used by doctors during her upcoming hearing to prove that Bynes could be a danger to herself.

  • Amanda Bynes in N.Y.C. Sporting Mysterious Bandage, Acting Paranoid

    Amanda Bynes was spotted in New York City on the heels of her recent DUI arrest. She was sporting a mysterious bandage on her face and was smoking a cigarette, as she strolled the city streets, dressed in peculiar layers of clothing.

    People magazine reports that the former Nickelodeon sweetheart and star of shows like All That and The Amanda Show, was taken into custody last Sunday morning just outside of L.A. for suspicion of ‘driving under the influence of a controlled substance.’ Amanda Bynes is currently on three years’ probation following a DUI arrest back in 2012 and for starting a fire in a neighbor’s driveway in 2013.

    The bizarre look–including the disheveled layered clothing and the mysterious bandage–no doubt reminds people of the strange get ups the former actress sported when she was exhibiting serious signs of mental illness. This likely leads many to hope that Amanda Bynes hasn’t gone off any prescribed medications or started abusing drugs and/or alcohol. Any of these scenarios could lead to her spiraling down a dark hole.

    TMZ refers to Amanda Bynes’ present situation as ‘dire.’ They report that sources told them she appears paranoid–yet another sign of mental illness or drug abuse. She was reportedly seen ‘talking to inanimate objects,’ including a tree.

    Is it time for Amanda Bynes’ parents to head back to court and petition for yet another conservatorship over their daughter? It’s likely what saved her from herself the last time she spiraled. This is a profoundly sad situation. Bynes had been doing well for several months. She even attended fashion school, but was recently kicked out just prior to the DUI arrest.

    Do you think there’s a chance the Amanda simply slipped up once and is merely visiting New York on a whim? Or do you think there’s something far more serious going on?

    The reality doesn’t sound particularly positive–does it?

  • Kerri Kasem Granted Expanded Authority Over Father’s Health Care

    Casey Kasem’s children say that they have not yet seen their ailing father. At a hearing in Los Angeles, Superior Court Judge Daniel S. Murphy has granted Kasem’s daughter, Kerri, expanded authority over her father’s health care. The judge also ordered Jean Kasem, Casey’s wife, to cooperate with court orders and allow doctors to perform a medical evaluation of her husband.

    Furthermore, the court is ordering Jean to surrender Casey’s passport to prevent her from leaving the country with Casey. Judge Murphy suggested that Kerri hire a private investigator, if needed, just to get to her father’s whereabouts. Kerri Kasem, along with her siblings, have been legally battling their step-mother over visitation and authority over their father’s medical care.

    Casey Kasem, 82, has been suffering from Lewy Body Disease, which is a form of dementia. He went missing from a care facility in Santa Monica, California, where he was housed. Reports say that he disappeared from the facility a day after Kerri visited him.

    According to Martha Patterson, the lawyer working with Kerri, their goal is to get Casey to a hospital. “He’s vulnerable, and we don’t believe he’s benefitting from a vacation in a foreign environment.”

    After his disappearance, Casey was found in Washington State. Kerri said that her father was moved from the facility in the middle of the night. “This is a man who has a feeding tube, hooked up to an IV and has dementia. This is not a man who needs to be in unfamiliar surroundings.”

    On Monday, Kerri was appointed temporary conservatorship of her father. Her brother and sister have both agreed on a visitation schedule, but they say that Jean has breached their agreed terms.

    With the judge’s new conditions for Jean, Kerri is now focused on bringing her father back home. She and her siblings will be directing their efforts on giving their father the proper care that he deserves.

    Image via YouTube

  • Body Of Missing Michigan Doctor Found In Indiana Lake

    On Sunday, authorities pulled out a body from Lake Charles that was later positively identified as Teleka Patrick.

    Patrick, 30, who was last seen in in Kalamazoo, Michigan, had been reported missing since December. She failed to show up at work on December 6 and her abandoned Lexus was found in a ditch the night before. Police, together with search dogs, were dispatched at the location of her vehicle, but they found no traces of Patrick.

    It was a fisherman who discovered the body of the medical resident on Sunday. He called the authorities and reported to have seen something suspicious in the lake. According to autopsy reports from the coroner’s office, there was no evidence of body trauma and the autopsy results are consistent with drowning. However, investigation is still ongoing.

    Reports from authorities said that Patrick was behaving strangely just before her disappearance. Ismael Calderon, Patrick’s ex-husband, also had worries about his ex-wife’s mental health.

    Investigators also mentioned Marvin Sapp, a pastor and Grammy-nominated gospel singer who got a personal protection order against Patrick last year. Sapp said that Patrick visited his home, contacted his children, and even claimed to be his wife.

    Gospel singer Marvin Sapp got a personal protection order against Patrick last year

    Patrick also had a few YouTube videos wherein she is shown singing love songs to the camera. In one video, Patrick says, “Hi, baby. I am just coming to you to say ‘hi’ and tell you about my day.” According to Patrick’s mother, she was not aware of any relationship her daughter might have had before her disappearance.

    With the discovery of Patrick’s body, some questions have been answered, but more remain unclear. The question that everybody is asking is whom Patrick was talking to when she made the YouTube videos. Investigators are looking into the possibility that the person may know what happened to Patrick.

    Patrick’s family released a statement saying, “As we mourn Teleka, we must also honor her; honor the life she led, honor her kind spirit and honor her devotion to God and others.”

    Image via YouTube

  • Amanda Bynes Looks Healthy, Happy at Fashion School Event

    Amanda Bynes looked happy and healthy when she appeared at an event on Friday held at her school, the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in L.A. She posed for photos with her parents as they checked out the projects she spent a semester creating. Bynes studies fashion at the school.

    “Debut showcases the work of students in the advanced program. Everyone from current students to industry professionals attends,” Sydney Taylor, also a student at the school, said. “Amanda looked beautiful and is so sweet. She was being very discreet about being there but smilingly hugged anyone who asked to meet her.”

    “Amanda looks like she’s getting back to normal,” a guest at the event remarked. “She looked good and was being friendly.”

    Amanda Bynes seemed proud of her accomplishments at the design institute and likely of her huge strides toward becoming healthier in both body and mind. She shared some photos of her big day via Twitter.

    This next picture Bynes tweeted is of her with her mom, who holds an indefinite conservatorship over the actress. It definitely appears like she took very necessary measures, however–ones that ultimately saved her daughter’s life.

    It is wonderful to see how far Amanda Bynes has come since her days of appearing front and center in the tabloid news. Mental illness and addiction are serious illnesses that can prove deadly if not treated with both therapy and medication. Thankfully Bynes received–and continues to receive–both, and obviously is working on creating a new life for herself in the world of fashion design.

    She is “very happy to reestablish the loving relationship with her family that she once shared,” an attorney for her mother said following her release from her inpatient treatment facility a few months ago.

    Image via YouTube

  • Rick Warren Works On Mental Health Ministry In Memory Of Son’s Suicide

    Rick Warren Works On Mental Health Ministry In Memory Of Son’s Suicide

    Pastor Rick Warren, author of best-selling book The Purpose Driven Life, is working on a new ministry a year after his son’s death.

    Matthew Warren, Pastor Warren’s 27-year-old son, committed suicide by shooting himself last year. He had been struggling with suicidal thoughts and depression for several years.

    Warren said that he was not going to waste the pain he felt over the death of his son. He believes that most of the time, a great ministry results from the deepest pain. Warren wrote on his journal to cope with his son’s death, and one of the things he wrote was “in God’s garden of grace even broken trees bear fruit.”

    After his son’s death, Warren and his wife Kay received thousands of letters and messages from people sharing their own experiences and struggles with various kinds of mental illness. The pastor, founder of Saddleback Church, will work on the ministry together with the National Alliance of Mental Illness and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orange to spread awareness on the subject.

    About 12 years ago, Warren and his wife also began ministering about HIV and AIDS. Warren says that he thought that was the biggest taboo topic, but now he thinks that mental illness is one of the issues that people must be aware of.

    The conference will open talks on a wide range of mental illnesses including anxiety, bipolar disorder, addiction, and eating disorders, among others. There will also be 20 interactive workshops throughout the conference that are available to all attendees. The conference’s main goal is to provide churches the resources they need in order to aid churchgoers or their relatives and friends who are dealing with a mental illness.

    The Gathering on Mental Health and the Church will be held on March 28 at Saddleback.

     

    Image via YouTube

  • Exorcism Deaths Result Of Mental Illness?

    Maryland natives are reeling from a horrific event that occurred in Germantown this past Friday.

    Montgomery County Police responded to a 9-1-1 call about a knife outside a car covered in blood where a child was left unattended. Law enforcement officials were not prepared for the grizzly scene that awaited them in a Cherry Bend Drive townhouse.

    Inside were the bodies of one-year-old Norell Harris and his sister Zyana, who was just two years old. Their 28-year-old mother, Zakieya Avery, was arrested as she tried to flee the scene via a rear door. Her 21-year-old friend, Monifa Sanford, had suffered injuries and was arrested as she left an area hospital.

    There were two older siblings were seriously injured by the two women as well. Martello, aged eight, and Taniya, aged 5, were treated for their wounds at a hospital near Washington, D.C.

    Says county Police Chief Tom Manger, “Cases like this are heartbreaking. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the victims.”

    A police spokesperson revealed that it was learned over the course of investigation that the two women believed that they were performing an exorcism.

    Capt. Marcus Jones, commander of the county’s major crimes unit says that the event was, “all about what was in their minds” and that the women believed “there was something bad going on with the children, and they were trying to release it” by stabbing them multiple times.

    While the American public is familiar with Catholic exorcisms which involve ritualistic behaviors, at no point is anyone stabbed.

    What the women speak of resembles the “blood letting” medical practices thousands and thousands of years ago where it was believed if you cut the body and released blood, evil spirits and demons would exit as well. It should go without saying that this practice has largely fallen out of favor as humans have evolved both scientifically and socially.

    However, this behavior goes far beyond ancient wife’s tales and into the realm of serious psychological problems. Research has shown that there are close ties between schizophrenia and ultra religious beliefs.

    Is this tragedy the result of mental illness or is religion being used as a cover to mask cold-blooded murder? What do YOU think? Respond below.

    Image via Nikki Burdine

  • Depression in Children: Numbers Are Rising

    “Children” and “depression” are two words no one wants to see put together, but according to a UK study, it appears that the occurrence of childhood depression is on the rise. The UK’s National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) says that around 80,000 children in the UK suffer from severe depression, and that depression affects children as young as five years of age.

    The CDC reports that mental conditions in general are on the upswing in children, including depression, ADHD, anxiety and autism. The National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) says that it was formerly believed that children couldn’t get depressed, but doctors are now seeing depression in children in elementary school, and around 11 percent of adolescents are diagnosed with a depressive disorder by age 18.

    The big question is, what is to blame for the increase in depression in kids? With the pressures of high school, it’s not as surprising that there are more older kids being diagnosed with depression, but thinking about a five-year-old kid who is just starting kindergarten being depressed is almost incomprehensible.

    Some people believe technology is the culprit. As common as cyberbullying is, it’s not difficult to see how technology and depression could be related in older children, but that isn’t applicable in the younger kids who are just learning to read. Instead, technology is blamed in a perhaps less obvious way–with more kids sitting around playing games on tablets or other handheld devices, they aren’t moving around, going outside and getting enough exercise. Somewhere our parents are saying, “I told you so.”

    Going outside and getting exercise are two key components to mental health. Not going outside and spending enough time soaking up the sun leads to a Vitamin D deficiency, which affects mood and is linked to depression. Lack of exercise can lead to a decrease in dopamine, which is often referred to as a “happy chemical” in our brains.

    Depression Symptoms

    If you are a parent or otherwise provide care for children, be on the lookout for some of the following symptoms of depression in children that are provided by WebMD. It’s important to note that a few of these symptoms being present once in a while doesn’t necessarily mean a child is depressed, but it is certainly something to track and bring up with the child’s primary care provider.

    Irritability or anger.
    Continuous feelings of sadness and hopelessness.
    Social withdrawal.
    Increased sensitivity to rejection.
    Changes in appetite — either increased or decreased.
    Changes in sleep — sleeplessness or excessive sleep.
    Vocal outbursts or crying.
    Difficulty concentrating.
    Fatigue and low energy.
    Physical complaints (such as stomachaches, headaches) that don’t respond to treatment.
    Reduced ability to function during events and activities at home or with friends, in school, extracurricular activities, and in other hobbies or interests.
    Feelings of worthlessness or guilt.
    Impaired thinking or concentration.
    Thoughts of death or suicide.

    Image via YouTube

  • Genetic Markers Linked to Schizophrenia

    Genetic Markers Linked to Schizophrenia

    The causes of mental illnesses are often obscured in a cloud of of environmental, genetic, and personal factors. Now, one study has uncovered a framework for the genetic portion of schizophrenia.

    The study, published this week in the journal Nature Genetics, has identified 22 different locations in the human genome that are linked to schizophrenia. The sites were narrowed down using a genome-wide association study that looked at more than 59,000 people.

    “If finding the causes of schizophrenia is like solving a jigsaw puzzle, then these new results give us the corners and some of the pieces on the edges,” said Dr. Patrick Sullivan, lead author of the study and a professor of genetics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. “We’ve debated this for a century, and we are now zeroing in on answers.

    “This study gives us the clearest picture to date of two different pathways that might be going wrong in people with schizophrenia. Now we need to concentrate our research very urgently on these two pathways in our quest to understand what causes this disabling mental illness.”

    According to Sullivan and his colleagues, one of the pathways involves genes that work together for functioning nerve cells. The other pathway involves over 13 genes that are known to be involved in the development of neurons in the brain.

    “What’s really exciting about this is that now we can use standard, off-the-shelf genomic technologies to help us fill in the missing pieces,” said Sullivan. “We now have a clear and obvious path to getting a fairly complete understanding of the genetic part of schizophrenia. That wouldn’t have been possible five years ago.”

    (Image courtesy ThinkStock)