MEDS, MEDS, MEDS, an oxymoron...

Today I write to acknowledge something that has been troubling me. It seems that a friend of mine is having problems and has been sharing this with me as he knows I was studying to become a "criminal sex therapist." Many say it is a good thing that I did not become one. I could have settled for "couples sex therapy" if the criminal aspect of the field was too raw to live a peaceful life. I say this because I have another friend who is a criminal lawyer and he had to give up his profession at one point due to the rawness of the job and his sensitivity towards mankind. Some professions get in the way of our balance in our every day living.

Going back to my friend. This person was given antidepressants due to a life changing experience. He shares with me that it seems as if someone has taken the spark of his life away from him. That his eyes dimmed along with his soul and his drive and energy for life and sex were stolen from him, just with one simple pill. His girlfriend feels left out and that he is not the sexually driven man she met a year ago and that he does not express his desire for her anymore. In a way she feels alienated and that this is a stranger in their bed.

He asks me: "What am I to do?" Does he stop taking the meds and risk the emotional turmoil that will bring to the already sensitive issues in the relationship or does he continue to take them and risk losing his lover? It seems as if in both choices he risks loosing his lover. Sad...

Ladies and gentlemen, now I truly understand why the mentally ill don't want to take meds. We have so many homeless who choose this life so people will just leave them alone and at least there is one thing that noone can take away from them... their soul and their sexual drive! They choose to be wandering in their minds and souls rather than risk loosing their libido and life energy in order to be able to join humanity or what I call "be socially acceptable" in this world we live in. They choose abandonment of their lives in order to feel alive within themselves and acceptance from other mentally ill. Something they do not get from the rest of society who does not acknowledge them and even rejects them.

I understand and I understand the trial and tribulations that my friend and his girlfriend are going through and wonder what the answer is. Anyone who can contribute to this oxymoron, I welcome it and so will my friend. He is getting desperate, enough to share with me such a delicate subject. I am open to discussion. Comment, subscribe and follow this site... its about life!

Schizophrenia and our society's avoidance

Its sad that a few weeks ago it was National Mental Illness Week and nowhere did I find acknowledgemnt to same. Its sad that Americans think about health care reform and still do nothing for preventive medicine with their mentally ill, when in not doing so they spend billions in institutionalizations which cost them more.

Its sad that we fear the mentally ill, when the mind is just another body part!

Its sad that ignorance with regard to the mentally ill is the predominant factor that keeps them isolated and not part of our society. Why? When we allow people with all other illnesses into our society?

The lack of acknowledgement and therefore preventive medicine would benefit all the numbers with regard to the health care reform.

Can’t hear you out there? Or from a schizo’s mind, I hear you too much, help me!

... Attitude a survival instinct

What an amazing statement came out of someone’s lips last night! “It’s about attitude! About 6 years ago I introduced Zumba [www.zumba.com] to the Washington metropolitan area. I was the first instructor who had a huge class at the Gold’s Gym near my home. It was a phenomenal and empowering event in my life, when all the chips seemed to be down. Had to make peace with mental illness in the family and exercise and training others to embark with me in my new journey was very rewarding. My attitude changed.

Each day I taught my class with smiles and with all the energy I had to share. At the end of the class and after we had peacefully and slowly done all our final stretches I asked my trainee’s to breathe in deeply as they raised their arms to the top of their heads as if making a snow angel. Told them to hold and feel the positive energy of the world, their universe inside. “As you exhale, bring your arms down to your sides and let go of any evil, negativity, or any thoughts that kept them from smiling.” We repeated this a few times. Puertoricans and Cubans call these “despojos” or getting rid of the evil spirits. Our cultures’ idiosyncrasies take this nonchalantly without a deep construal of same. Even though it might intimidate some as it being witchcraft, it is not.

I did this letting go of all the negative energy and then said to them: “go out into the world today with the attitude, I am woman hear me roar! Attitude ladies is all we need to endure whatever challenges we are facing or will face. So go out there with the right attitude and you will be unstoppable!”

I needed to remember my own words so here it is… Join me in my quest for balance. How to achieve it? ATTITUDE!