This information sheet has been formulated to assist in the implementation of the NHS and Community Care Act 1990. The contents are, however, applicable to all services, present and future, provided for people with ADHD.

Factors to be considered during assessment of people with ADD/ADHD

ADD/ADHD is a perplexing life-long disability, believed to be caused by organic brain damage rather than emotional trauma. The spectrum of autistic conditions covers a wide range. It varies from profound severity in some through to subtle problems of understanding in others of apparently average or above average intelligence. ADD/ADHD often occurs with other learning difficulties.

People with ADD/ADHD have a disability characterised by a triad of impairments as follows:

• absence or impairment of two-way social interaction
• absence or impairment of comprehension and the use of language and non-verbal communication
• absence or impairment of true flexible imaginative activity, with the substitute of a narrow range of repetitive, stereotyped pursuits

This disability leads to related problems which may include:

• resistance to change
• obsession or ritualistic behaviour
• high levels of anxiety
• lack of motivation
• inability to transfer skills from one setting to another
• vulnerability, and susceptibility to exploitation
• depression
• challenging behaviour
• self injury

Additional Specifications for the Provision of Care Services for People with ADD/ADHD

People with ADD/ADHD need and the service should provide:

1. individual and detailed IPPs (Individual Pro- gramme Plans)
2. detailed and specific strategies to achieve social interaction, communication and independence skills
   highly planned structured activity
3. appropriate staff levels to implement the strategies and provide staff support in all areas
4. an appropriate physical environment

The service and the staff should provide:

1. consistency and stability in the environment and in all interaction
2. continuous external motivation and positive intervention

The service also needs to provide:

1. a support system to handle and relieve staff stress
2. specialised staff training providing both an induction programme and an ongoing pro- gramme to reinforce and update the needed staff skills

The staff role is crucial in enabling people with ADD/ADHD to participate more fully in everyday life. Staff need a thorough understanding of the underlying impairment and to be attuned to the way the person with ADD/ADHD sees the world.

The staff training programmes should aim to provide:

1. an ability to understand and interpret the verbal or non-verbal communications of the person with ADD/ADHD
2. an ability to translate situations, events and concepts, into language that can be understood and grasped by the person with ADD/ADHD
3. a sensitivity in the recognition of anxiety levels
4. skills in the managemen

NHS and Community Care Act 1990

1. t and reduction of challenging behaviour
2. recognition of the value of repetitive reinforcement and the ability to make careful use of structure in order to counteract the lack of motivation inherent in this disability

next: Natural Alternatives: Nikken Sleep Systems, Nux Vomica for Treating ADHD
~ back to adders.org homepage
~ adhd library articles
~ all add/adhd articles

medical.problems.associated.with.anorexia.and.bulimia

The most common reason for death amongst those with anorexia is heart failure, while the most common reason amongst those with bulimia is rupturing in the intestinal area as well as heart failure. Unfortunately, because eating disorders are constantly glamorized by society, many aren't even aware of the internal and external damage that inevitably occurs from these self-destructive demons. Hopefully this list of medical complications will help you or someone you know see just why it's a grEAT idea to get help ASAP.

anorexia

Thermoregulatory problems: Loss of body fat creates it so that the body has no way of insulating and keeping heat anymore. For the person with anorexia it seems like everyday, even if it is 85 degrees, is freezing. This can also be due to electrolyte disturbances from not eating properly.

Decreased eye movement

Insomnia: Mostly due from electrolytic disturbances and hormonal problems

Anemia: Poor blood from not enough iron; causes lack of vitality and problems with bruising frequently

Dental erosion: Yes, your teeth will rot with anorexia even if you do not purge. Most of those with anorexia do not get enough calcium in their diets and because of this the body begins to find calcium elsewhere and takes it out of body parts such as the bones but also the teeth. The teeth are stripped of the calcium and become weak.

Delayed gastric emptying: The tone of the stomach area becomes poor and weak so that it cannot produce the power to push out whatever food the person with anorexia does eat. This can lead to a lot of toxins building up inside which also weakens the immune system and leaves the person with anorexia susceptible to many more viruses.

Diarrhea: Also from the delayed gastric emptying, but can also be because of laxative abuse.

Dehydration

Acidosis:Blood becomes too acidic, which can lead to other sicknesses

Osteoporosis: Bones become significantly weakened, leaving the person with anorexia susceptible to broken bones from just falling out of bed.

Bradycardia: Slow/irregular heart beat.

Dysrhythmia: Heart out of rythm; sudden death

Edema: Occurs from not eating properly and also purging; there is a water retention imbalance which causes the feet and hands to swell

Ulcers

Amenorrhea: Indicates a failure of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal interaction to produce cyclic changes in the endometrium resulting in menses. In other words the periods stop or do not start. Primary amenorrhea is the absence of menarche by age 16 and Secondary amenorrhea is the absence of menarche for more than 3 months.

Metabolic problems - Hypocalcemia: Low blood glucose levels from too low of weight and malnutrition. Signs of this include listlessness, jitteriness, and seizures.

Lanugo: A soft downy hair/fur begins to grow to try to insulate heat because the body does not have enough calories to burn to produce heat.

Decreased cardica muscle, mass chamber size, and output: This often leads to cardiac arrest

Hypkalemia: Deficiency of potassium

Dry skin

Brittle nails

Weak hair that often falls out: Along with dry skin and brittle nails this consequence is a result of not enough fat in the diet.

Urinary tract infections: Decreased fluid intake is the cause of this.

Loss of potassium: Can result in diminished reflexes, fatigue, and cardiac arrythmias.

bulimia

Thermoregulatory problems: Those with bulimia also have this problem. Electrolytic imbalances from purging usually cause the person with bulimia to have erratic temperature changes, so that one minute they are feeling warm and the next getting shivers and cold chills.

Insomnia: Mostly due from electrolytic disturbances and hormonal problems

Anemia: Purging wipes out precious iron from the person with bulimia's system.

Dental erosion: If the person with bulimia does not come forward about their problem, then most likely their dentist will spot it. The acid in our intestines that digests our food comes up when the person with bulimia purges, slowly deteriorating the enamel that protects the teeth. A dentist is able to spot this easily for the fact that many of them have had to go through specific courses when in dentistry school, which has given them a list of problems with the teeth caused specifically from repeated vomiting. The way the food and acid splash up against the teeth leaves a certain pattern that is the trademark of repeated vomiting. The constant erosion of the teeth usually leads to the enamel slewing off, and as a result, lots of cavities. It's not uncommon to hear of someone with bulimia to end up dealing with more than one root canal in their lifetime.

Ruptured blood vessels in the eyes

Paratoid swelling: Glands in the throat and mouth become irritated and swell.

Esophageal tears: The constant heaving of stomach acid eventually causes the stomach lining to wear off. The added pressure from purging also adds into this, and the person with bulimia stands a great risk of tearing their esophagus which leads to hemorraging and even rupturing of the esophagus.

Delayed gastric emptying: The tone of the stomach area becomes poor and weak so that it cannot produce the power to push out whatever food someone with bulimia eats. This can lead to a lot of toxins building up inside the body which also weakens the immune system and leaves the person susceptible to many viruses.

Chronic diarrhea and/or constipation : Those with bulimia often abuse laxatives, which can cause them to forever have diarrhea. In severe cases the person eventually loses all control over their bowels as well, forcing them to have to wear some form of a diaper.

Dehydration

Acidosis: Blood gets too acidic which can lead to other sicknesses

Osteoporosis : Bones become significantly weakened, leaving the person susceptible to broken bones from just falling out of bed.

Bradycardia: From purging, things called electrolytes become imbalanced. Electrolytes help control your heart's beat among other things, and once they are off balance your heart rate will suffer - most likely dropping too low.

Dysrhythmia: Sudden death from potassium levels being too low.

Edema: Bloating and water retention

Ulcers: The stomach lining slews off the more you throw up. Pretty soon the stomach has no protection against its acids, and the stomach acid starts to burn holes through the stomach. Eventually an ulcer forms and often becomes infected (think puss and germs - not pretty).

Amenorrhea: Some people think that you can only lose your period if you are underweight, but this is not true. Purging can seriously mess up a person's hormones which can lead to missing periods.

Metabolic problems - Hypocalcemia

Hypokalemia

Dry skin

Brittle nails

Urinary tract infections: Dehydration is common in those with bulimia, and bladder infections can become an often problem.

Loss of potassium : Purging, laxative, and diuretic abuse is a big factor into this. All three of these things causes vital fluids to be lost and creates the potassium levels of those with bulimia to drop dangerously low, setting them up for heart failure.

Chronic sore throat: Not fun to wake up every morning feeling like you have strep throat.

next: Prevention of an Eating Disorder Relapse
~ all peace, love and hope articles
~ eating disorders library
~ all articles on eating disorders

I'm finally realizing that recovery is about being rather than doing.

When I am being love, my heart is full and giving.

When I am being serenity, my heart is peaceful and relaxed.

When I am being kindness, my heart extends itself to others.

When I am being compassionate, my heart hurts with another's pain.

When I am being affirmation, my heart speaks the language of encouragement and unconditional acceptance.

When I am being peace, my heart has a calming affect on my environment.

When I am being meditation, my heart is attuned to God's creative force.

When I am being joy, my heart sings and dances with lightness.

When I am being emotionally present, my heart is unified with another's.

When I am being thoughtfulness, my heart makes choices based on awareness and wisdom.

When I am being courage, my heart thrills to life's unexpected pleasures.

When I am being forgiveness, my heart is able to make amends.

When I am simply being, my heart is whole; my life is wonderful.

next: Meditation

Self-Therapy For People Who ENJOY Learning About Themselves

Do you think you know Michael Jackson well?
How about Bill Clinton?
Oprah Winfrey? Julia Roberts? Adolph Hitler?

We think we know these famous people quite well even though we've never even shared a cup of coffee with them. They are too well known to be understood.

The same thing happens with popular ideas.

In the United States, for instance, we think we know all about what a democracy is. We even think we live in one (while we actually live in a republic). Democracy is too well known to be understood.

In psychology, "self-care" is like big celebrities and grand ideas. It's too well known to be understood.

SELF-CARE

Self-care means always taking full responsibility for our own safety and warmth.
Each part of this definition needs to be looked at carefully.

ALWAYS?

Since we are the only person who is always with us, we need to ALWAYS be our own caregiver.

FULL RESPONSIBILITY?

It is wise and healthy to allow good people to take care of us sometimes.

It feels great to imagine that someone else is fully in charge of our care.

But if their mood changes dramatically or if they get called away suddenly we need to know immediately that we can continue to feel safe and warm on our own.

We only imagined that they were fully in charge of our care. They were just a temporary substitute for our own good internal parent.

We were always fully responsible ourselves.

SAFETY AND WARMTH?

How do we know when we are safe enough and warm enough?

It would be accurate to simply say "we know it when we feel it," but for a more complete understanding we need to think about when we were infants.

Adults need to feel just as safe and warm as infants do. To feel safe, we need enough-but-not-too-much food, air, heat, water, exercise, rest, and elimination.

Of course, we also need to be away from physical danger.

And to feel warm we need plenty of kind attention.

SAFETY?

Feeling safe seems a lot more complicated when we get older.

Driving a car, violence in the culture, physical addictions, and many other aspects of adult life must be handled.

But all of these can be covered under one umbrella: Do we want to live and do we want to live well?

If we are certain, down deep, that we want both of these things we will almost always be able to find a way to stay safe from real threats.

Our survival instinct is enormously strong.

WARMTH?

Getting emotional warmth in adult life also seems more complicated.

Most of us think that getting enough warmth isn't our job, it's the job of our closest friend or our primary partner.

This thinking comes naturally from our experience of being a small child, and it needs to be changed when we grow up.

Our closest friend and primary partner in adulthood is our self! It is our own job now to find enough good people to get close to.

If we don't do it, it won't get done.

SAFETY OR WARMTH?

Once in a while we will have to choose between safety and warmth.

The most common example is when we live with someone who threatens violence.

Another very different example is when we are angry at our children for dangerous play. Regardless of the reason for the conflict between safety and warmth, we must always choose safety.

If your partner is violent, get away from them - regardless of how warm they are at other times.
If your kids are playing in traffic, scream at them to get the hell back in the yard - regardless!

SELF-CARE PROBLEMS WE ALL HAVE

Even if we had excellent parents who kept us safe and warm ninety-five percent of the time, we still need to learn how to do it for ourselves, and how to keep improving as our circumstances change.

And when we are tired or sick or lonely or feeling weak in any other way, we will notice at least a little resentment about having to do it ourselves.

But most of us quickly accept that we do have to do it, and we do what we need to do.

SELF-CARE PROBLEMS MANY PEOPLE HAVE

Many people had parents who neglected, abused, or continually shamed and terrified them.

They may never have felt well taken care of as a child, even for an instant.

Although they somehow found a way to survive, they did not get what they needed to thrive.

As adults, they deeply resent having to be their own internal parent, and they aren't good at it.

They still need someone who feels like a good parent to them.

And when parent-starved people receive enough safety and warmth from parent substitutes (usually an extremely loving partner, a patient and caring therapist, or both), they actually become better at taking care of themselves than those who had good parents to start with!

Enjoy Your Changes!

Everything here is designed to help you do just that!

next: The Basics

women and sex

A man often feels in love when he is really only in lust. He then declares this lust-love too early in the relationship for the woman involved. What does this quick declaration of love (lust) accomplish? It scares the woman rather than enhancing the budding relationship. The woman fears any man who could fall in love that quickly will be just as quick to fall out of love.

One man told me he always starts a date by deciding if he just wants a roll in the hay or if he is interested in a little longer relationship. This decision determines his actions.

Men can easily engage in sex without love or commitment. "Getting lucky" is considered a desirable state by men. It often doesn't even matter who they "get lucky" with.

Since men use sex as the road to make an emotional connection as well as totally divorcing sex from emotional connections, and women use emotional connections as the road to sex, some serious translating is needed when it comes to sex in our society.

Remember

Both men and women should remember this: when you feel you are right and he/she is wrong, and you degrade the other person for his/her feelings about sex, you block almost any chance of forming an intimate relationship with the opposite sex.

Women can take comfort in the fact that men act in stereotype, masculine ways to feel more secure about their masculinity. They do not act in masculine ways merely to frustrate women.

One thing men don't handle too well is rejection. I'm talking sexual rejection.

next: Men and Sexual Rejection

women and sex

Although the spread is narrowing, there are some basic sexual differences with men and women that make it very hard for women to understand men and sex and vice versa. Bearing in mind there is always that scope for individual variety, here are some almost universal truths about men that women most often fail to understand:

• They daydream about sex with various partners and in various situations.
• They masturbate while indulging these fantasies.
• They add spice to lovemaking by fantasizing about someone other than the current sexual partner.
• The same men who use sex to express love can and will use sex manipulatively and for no other reason than for sex itself.

Most men have times when they just want sex for the physical sake of sex itself without the entanglement of a relationship. Sometimes a man just wants a woman's body. She can be asleep or drunk or even watching television; he doesn't even care.

There was an expression during World War II that explains this thought process: "Throw a flag over her face and do it for Old Glory!"

Women often wonder, "Why would a man pay for sex when it is easily obtained for free in our society?" The fact is that the man will pay because he is only interested in "getting in and getting out," quickly, and without any other involvement. This way of thinking is practically incomprehensible to a woman.

But even more incomprehensible to a woman is that a man can have sex with a woman he does not love at noon and then expect sex from a woman he does love in the same afternoon. Women can not understand this total separation and then total merger of sex and love.

There is another reason men can divorce sex and love. Males reach the peak of their sexual energy in their teens.

This means males seek sex long before they are mature enough for any enduring intimacy or relationship to form. Thereafter, for many years, or at least until a man's sexual vigor wanes with age, this high sexual energy threatens to disrupt any relationship that does form.

How many times has a man told you he's in love with you ... on the first date?

next: More Sex Truths About Men: Lust and Lucky

women and sex

Women are probably even more of a puzzle to men than men are to women.

Even though women are important to men, they live in this mysterious other world of menses and babies and rampant emotions and even tears that men can't or don't want to understand.

This man who is notoriously poor at figuring out his own feelings is even worse at figuring out the feelings of a woman. Just deciding what a woman wants from him in general is fraught with danger.

Many men see sex, though, as a way to get close to women, and possibly, even a way to please them. The fact that they are usually wrong, of course, doesn't stop a man from thinking sex can make everything right with his woman. A cure-all of great proportions... "All she needs is a good f___ ," is a common solution to male/female problems for many men.

Very seldom is that what she needs but that is another story...

next: Sex Truth about Men That Women Rarely Understand: Fantasy, Masturbation

About LEVITRA

LEVITRA is an FDA-approved oral prescription medication for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men. It is available in 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, and 20 mg tablets and is taken only when needed. Take LEVITRA no more than once a day.

What LEVITRA does:

LEVITRA helps increase blood flow to the penis and may help men with ED get and keep an erection satisfactory for sexual activity. Once a man has completed sexual activity, blood flow to his penis should decrease and his erection should go away.

LEVITRA has been clinically shown to improve erectile function even in men who had other health factors, like diabetes or prostate surgery.

LEVITRA provided first time success and reliable improvement of erection quality for many men. Men reported having harder erections and improved overall sexual experiences.

LEVITRA works:

In major clinical trials in the general ED population, LEVITRA improved the quality of erections for a majority of men.

A lot of guys who took LEVITRA were satisfied the first time they tried it.

It's for the guy who needs a little help once in a while and the guy who needs more frequent help.

LEVITRA safety and side effects

Do not take LEVITRA if you:

• Take any form of medication known as "nitrates" (a type of medicine used to relieve chest pain that can occur as a result of heart disease). Taking LEVITRA in combination with nitrates (such as nitroglycerin, isosorbide mononitrate, and isosorbide dinitrate) may result in serious side effects.
• Take medicines called "alpha-blockers" (sometimes prescribed for prostate problems or high blood pressure). Taking LEVITRA with alpha-blockers may drop your blood pressure to an unsafe level.
• Your doctor determines that sexual activity poses a health risk for you.
• You have a known sensitivity or allergy to any component of LEVITRA.

The most common side effects with LEVITRA are:

• Headaches
• Flushing S
• tuffy or runny nose

LEVITRA may uncommonly cause:

• An erection that won't go away (priapism). If you get an erection that lasts more than 4 hours, get medical help right away. Priapism must be treated as soon as possible or lasting damage can happen to your penis including the inability to have erections.
• Vision changes, such as seeing a blue tinge to objects or having difficulty telling the difference between the colors blue and green.

These are not all the side effects of LEVITRA. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

LEVITRA should not be taken more than once a day. Your doctor can advise you whether LEVITRA is appropriate for you and can select a dose that is right for you.

Remember, LEVITRA does not protect you or your partner from sexually transmitted diseases including HIV. Before using LEVITRA, you should tell your doctor about any medical problems you have and all medications you are currently taking.

How LEVITRA works

The active ingredient in LEVITRA works specifically on the chain of events that occur in the penis during arousal.

LEVITRA belongs to a class of drugs called "PDE-5 inhibitors." It works by increasing blood flow to the penis to improve erectile function.

In clinical trials, LEVITRA was shown to help men get and keep an erection for successful intercourse.

LEVITRA won't cause an embarrassing, instant erection. For most men, LEVITRA did not cause an erection for longer than they were sexually stimulated.

Clinical proof that LEVITRA works

In an extensive clinical trial program that included more than 50 trials and involved more than 4,400 men with erectile dysfunction (ED), the results of one or more of these clinical trials showed:

• LEVITRA provided first time success and reliable improvement of erectile function for many men.
• In a broad patient population, LEVITRA helped up to 85% of men with erectile dysfunction achieve improved erections.
• Men reported having harder erections and improved overall sexual experiences.
• What's more, LEVITRA has been clinically shown to improve erectile function even in men who had other health factors, like diabetes or prostate surgery.

Men taking nitrate drugs, often used to control chest pain (also known as angina), should not take LEVITRA. Men who use alpha-blockers, sometimes prescribed for high blood pressure or prostate problems, also should not take LEVITRA. Such combinations could cause blood pressure to drop to an unsafe level.

next:

A letter to an old friend in Taos, New Mexico who I had not been in touch with in several years

Dear _____,
Since you have not been online and don't get the Newsletters for my web site or the e-mail bulletins I send out to certain friends, I guess the best way to bring you up to date on what has been happening in my life is to share some of the things I have written with a little commentary in between quoting myself. It will give me an opportunity to process it through once again.

I have recently had a glorious, amazing adventure in relationship.

On December 7th I sent out an e-mail to certain friends - I sometimes send out messages that either Proclaim my Joy in the moment (to overcome the old tape that says if I tell anyone it will screw things up / God will get me for being too happy) or when I have come to a new insight (i.e. when I realized that deep, deep down I had a old tape that said that money would corrupt me) and want to counteract the old tape with an affirmation to the Universe through my friends. So, anyway this is what I sent out on the 7th. (I am using some different colors to hopefully make it a little easier to follow, and I have made a few slight changes to these quotes so that they make sense without having to quote whole other sections.)

"I just replied to an e-mail from a friend and then got the hit that I should share the message that I sent with other friends. As in the past, when I have shared gratitude, grief, feelings of deprivation with certain friends via e-mail as away of honoring, thanking, requesting, affirming, and generally communicating with the Universe by sharing with those I feel close to - I am here today proclaiming my incredible GRATITUDE for the Twelve Step Principles and Recovery Program and utter AMAZEMENT for how Wonderful, Exciting, and Glorious this Life Adventure is on my Spiritual Path.

I AM A MAGNIFICENT SPIRITUAL BEING HAVING A JOYOUS HUMAN ADVENTURE.

Here is my message:

Nothing much happening here.
Things have been very busy - in a really wonderful, fulfilling away. If you read my newsletter you know that I have reached a really wonderful new plateau of being free to be Happy and Joyous today no matter what is happening on the outside. And as I also said in my newsletter - this too shall pass into something different.

Well, it passed and now things just got more busy, complicated, and simple because I have gotten involved in a relationship - pretty amazingly wonderful. Certainly is screwing up my intimate relationship with my computer - am now taking time for long walks on the beach, and talks and such. I think perhaps I may be in the process of getting a real life here!

My friends I am very Happy, Excited, and Ecstatically Joyous to let you know that I am in Love (and like, and lust, and respect, and Spiritual connection with) and so is my new Magnificently Powerful Friend ____ (with me even!) - AMAZING - the absolutely perfect woman for me right now has appeared and is maybe even the one I have been dreaming of my whole life. (That future stuff is none of my business right now - it falls into the More Will Be Revealed category)

Miraculous.

On a Saturday (November 7th) I replied by e-mail to a good friend who is getting married on New Years Eve - that given my recent history the chances of me having a date for the wedding were almost nil but that I did believe in miracles. The next day I went to a Metaphysical church that I was going to be speaking at, and met and spoke for a few moments to the incredibly talented, wonderfully intelligent, very beautiful woman who sang during the service - the following day I told my friend I would be having a date for the wedding."

Interestingly enough, after telling my friend that I would have a date for the wedding - I let it go. At the service I had to struggle to keep my eyes off of this woman - not in the sense of just staring at a beautiful woman, but in the sense of being surprised that she was there. "Where did she come from?" "Who is she?" "What is she doing here?" I kept looking at her trying to remember who she was - although I knew that I had never seen her before. She kept looking at me, also in the same kind of way (I observed this at the time and she confirmed it later.) We spoke briefly after the service as she asked me what music I would like for the Sunday in two weeks in which I would be doing the service. She also included me in an invitation to go hear some music that afternoon with some other people from the church. I declined because I had work to do on my web site and because it wasn't time to be with her yet - this last part is something I just got aware of as I am writing this. I had that feeling at the time - but didn't understand it and forgot it almost immediately.

I spoke to her on the phone later that week about the music - and then the following week when I asked her if she would like to get a cup of coffee or something and spend some time together. We set a date for Saturday night - I was specifically not going to mention the word date to her in order to not scare her off - she said something about not having a date for some months and then I did ask her specifically for a date. I ended up canceling our date for Saturday night and rescheduling it for Sunday after the service that I was doing at the church. I had to postpone to get my Newsletter finished and sent off before I left on that Monday to spend Thanksgiving week in Phoenix. I sent my Newsletter off early in the morning of November 22nd - later that afternoon, we had our first date.

In my Newsletter I said:

". . . The next major change is that I have put a link to my question and answer pages on my Home Page for the first time. When I first started doing the question and answer pages a few months ago I only gave the address out to you all on my mailing list. I was a little leery about making them available to the general public for several reasons:

1. I talk about some pretty controversial stuff from aperspective that can be upsetting to some people. I was working on the page about Jesus and Mary Magdalene at that time and was not sure I wanted to put it out there for everyone to see. As it turns out I am very proud of that page - I personally think it is quite Masterful - and I feel sorry for anyone who reads it with such a closed mind or rigid belief system that they would feel the need to react negatively. Also, though in the past I have found myself showing great resistance to being out there in front as a target - I have now come to such a level of acceptance that it would even be ok if they burned me at the stake again - I want all of the Karma settled, whatever that takes.
2. I have been scared to death that my book editor Heidi, who lives in New Mexico, would discover them and what she would do would probably be worse than burning at the stake. In explanation of what I am talking about - here is the disclaimer that I just placed at the top of some my pages:

[Beware: if you are an editor or grammar teacher please be forewarned that I have been writing these newsletters and Q & A pages very casually with little or no thought given to punctuation and grammar - including allowing myself to end sentences with prepositions. (My excuse is that it is hard to write in html - but in truth I am enjoying the chance just to be casual.) - You can look at this page as a wonderful opportunity for you to practice letting go and acceptance.] ;-)

So now I have so much courage and faith that I am not only willing to face the angry mob again - but also to face Heidi if I have to. (One of those prepositions - oh well.) The index page for the question and answer pages is now out there for the world to see - so More Will Be Revealed.

next: An Adventure in Love - Loving and Losing Successfully

In my studies, I have found that many people who experience psychiatric symptoms or have had traumatic things happen to them feel that they have no power or control over their own lives. Control of your life may have been taken over when your symptoms were severe and you were in a very vulnerable position. Family members, friends and health care professionals may have made decisions and taken action in your behalf because your symptoms were so intrusive you couldn't make decisions for yourself, they thought you wouldn't make good decisions or they didn't like the decisions you made. Even when you are doing much better, others may continue making decisions in your behalf. Often, the decisions that are made for you and the resulting action are not those you would have chosen.

Taking back control of your life by making your own decisions and your own choices is essential to recovery. It will help you to feel better about yourself and may even help you to relieve some of the symptoms that have been troubling to you.

There are several things you can do to begin this process. You can do these things in whatever way feels right to you. You may want use a journal to list or write your thoughts and ideas as a way to stay focused on what it is you want, to motivate yourself and to record your progress.

1. Think about what you really want your life to be like. Do you want to:

• go back to school and study something of special interest to you?

• enhance your talents in some way?

• travel?

• to do a certain kind of work?

• have a different home space or to own your home?

• move to the country or the city?

• have an intimate partner?

• have children?

• work with an alternative health care provider on wellness strategies?

• make your own decisions about treatment?

• stop putting up with disabling side effects?

• become more physically active?

• lose or gain weight?

You can probably think of many more ideas. Write them all down. You may want to keep them in a journal.

2. List those things that have kept you from doing the things you wanted to do in the past. Perhaps it has been lack of money or education. Maybe your symptoms have been too severe. Maybe your treatment makes you lethargic and "spacey". Maybe someone in your life insists on making your decisions for you.

Then write down ways you could work on resolving each of the problems that keep you from doing the things you want to do and being the kind of person you want to be. As you do this, remind yourself that you are a intelligent person. You may have been told that you are not intelligent because you have a "mental illness". Experiencing psychiatric symptoms does not meant that your intelligence is limited in any way. You have the ability to find ways to resolve problems and to work on resolving them. You can resolve these problems slowly or quickly. You can take small steps or big steps--whatever feels right and is possible for you. But you must do it if you want to take back control of your life.

In the process of taking control of your own life, you may need to change the nature of your relationship with some of the people in your life. For instance, instead of your doctor telling you what to do, you and your doctor would talk about your options and you would choose the ones that felt best to you. You may need to tell a parent or spouse that you will make your own decisions about where you will live, what you will do and who you will associate with. You may have to tell a sibling who has been overprotective that you can take care of yourself now.

3. Know your rights and insist that others respect these rights. If your rights are not respected, contact your state agency of protection and advocacy (every state has one--you can find it under the state listings in your phone book or by calling the office of the governor).

Your rights include the following:

• I have the right to ask for what I want.

• I have the right to say no to requests or demands I can't meet.

• I have the right to change my mind.

• I have the right to make mistakes and not have to be perfect.

• I have the right to follow my own values and standards.

• I have the right to express all of my feelings, both positive or negative.

• I have the right to say no to anything when I feel I am not ready, it is unsafe, or it violates my values.

• I have the right to determine my own priorities.

• I have the right not to be responsible for others' behavior, actions, feelings or problems.

• I have the right to expect honesty from others.

• I have the right to be angry.

• I have the right to be uniquely myself.

• I have the right to feel scared and say "I'm afraid."

• I have the right to say "I don't know."

• I have the right not to give excuses or reasons for my behavior.

• I have the right to make decisions based on my feelings.

• I have the right to my own needs for personal space and time.

• I have the right to be playful and frivolous.

• I have the right to be healthy.

• I have the right to be in a non-abusive environment.

• I have the right to make friends and be comfortable around people.

• I have the right to change and grow.

• I have the right to have my needs and wants respected by others.

• I have the right to be treated with dignity and respect.

• I have the right to be happy.

These rights have been adapted from The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook by Eugene Bourne (Oakland, CA: New Harbinger Publications, 1995).

4. Educate yourself so that you have all the information you need to make good decisions and to take back control of your life. Study resource books. Check out the internet. Ask people whom you trust. Make your own decisions about what feels right to you and what doesn't.

5. Plan your strategies for making your life the way you want it to be. Figure out the best way for you to get what it is that you want or to be the way you want to be. Then start working at it. Keep at it with courage and persistence until you have reached your goal and made a dream come true.

A Possible First Step

One timely way you could choose to begin the process of taking back control of your life is to get involved in the upcoming election. You could begin by thinking about and listing the political issues that are most important to you. They may include things like mental and physical health care, the cost of medications, disability benefits, housing, human services, social justice, the environment, education and employment. Jot down some notes about action you would like to see your community, state or the federal government take in regard to these issues. Then study the candidates. Find out which candidates most closely support your view on these issues and will best be able to create favorable change. Then register before November so you can VOTE for that person or those people.

In addition, if you feel ready, you could become further involved if you choose to by:

• contacting groups that are concerned with the issues that you care about--ask them for information, volunteer to assist them in their efforts.

• talking to family members, friends, neighbors and co-workers about your views and the candidates you support - -encouraging them to vote for the candidates you prefer.

• letting others know about your preferences through bumper stickers, campaign buttons and lawn signs.

• writing a letter to the editor of your newspaper to share your views or calling in on radio talk shows.

• volunteering to work at the polls, or to work for a particular candidate.

Whether your candidates win or lose, you will know you did the best you could and that through your efforts more people are now informed about the issues. You may even decide that you want to run for office.

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