By Nurse Diane
I was just reading a story about
Amanda Bynes, a young actress in Hollywood.
She played in a few movies that I have seen, What a Girl Wants, and the
remake of Hairspray. In the past few days she has shaved her head,
posted topless pictures of herself on social media sites, and wondering around
with the appearance of being intoxicated or on drugs. There was a report on Twitter asking for the
police to come and help her, from herself.
However, she has not committed any crimes or performed illegal acts, she
is clearly in need of some professional help.
Her actions mimic another
celebrity melt down of Brittany Spears.
She was in definite need of psychiatric help when she began making
headlines weekly with her absurd behavior.
The media did not help her, instead published story after story gaining
wealth and fame over her actions. Many
young and older stars can be seen having public meltdowns.
Society views about Mental Health
issues have changed in the past 100 years.
If a family member noticed acting peculiar, they would be shipped off to
an asylum and locked away in the dungeon.
Many were locked away in their homes, chained to beds or posts.
While I was in nursing school,
we had a semester of Psychiatric Nursing.
This course was offered during the summer, and required staying at a
mental health facility for four weeks.
The hospital, one of the oldest in the state, was opened in 1848 and
many of the first patients were being treated for tuberculosis. There was a separate facility that housed the
criminally insane, and that area was still being used at the time I was
there. The conditions were terrible, and
it was hard to imagine anyone being treated for mental disorders in a place
like that.
Views about Mental health have
changed considerably since those days.
Society has become aware of various mental disorders and the
availability of treatment. May is Mental
Health Awareness Month. There
are many organizations that provide free service and help at low cost. If you or someone you know has a mental
health problem, please seek help and encourage others to get the assistance
they need to be able to live life better.
For more information about mental health, or where to get help, visit
this site: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/
National Children's Mental Health Awareness Week May 5 – 11,
2013
Theme - Out of the Shadows: Exposing Stigma
With the spotlight
shining on the critical need for mental health care reform in our country, we
must also educate the nation about children's mental health and promote
comprehensive, grass-root efforts to eradicate scrutiny, discrimination and
repercussions that deter our children, youth and families in need of care from
seeking consistent help. (Source:
National Federation of Families For Children’s Mental Health)
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