Families and significant others must sway their focus from “dealing” with a mentally ill loved one to supporting them. There’s a difference. Supporting someone is about providing them with a positive environment that promotes control, understanding and emotional well-being. According to, PyschCentral you must be willing to take a few extra steps.

Educate yourself about the disorder/illness

Research shows that education works. Reduction in symptoms, hospitalization days and relapsing has been observed in individuals whose families were provided with education and involvement in their treatment. Families educated about their loved one’s illnesses are less prone to misconceptions and begin to grasp effective ways to deal with symptoms sooner. Know what you’re dealing with.

Become involved

Seek out external resources and get involved in socio-political movements and support groups all relating to your loved one’s illness. The National Alliance on Mental Illness (http://www.nami.org/) is a great resource that helps and educates families about mental health nationwide. Empower yourself and show your loved one you really care by taking a stand for their betterment. The best way to do this is by getting involved in their treatment. Demand to be included in treatment team meetings and case discussions. Let the professionals who serve your loved one know that you demand updates on changes and progress.

Set appropriate limits while allowing your loved one to have control

Your loved one has a life. In many cases, they simply feel they’ve lost control of it. Respect their decisions, even when some seem unreasonable. Don’t stress minor hiccups or decisions you differ in opinion with. Allow them to make mistakes, and allow them to correct these mistakes on their own. Asking them if they’ve taken their meds every day can get intrusive and often goes unappreciated. Even when dealing with these difficult situations, giving them options is a better method of support. Instead of threatening them into compliance, give them options to choose from. It’s good to let them know what line not to cross, but to also let them know they’re the ones in control of crossing it.

Have the right mind frame

It’s not your fault. It’s not their fault. Blame is not permitted here. Understanding is the key to emotional support. Recognize your loved one’s courage. They are attempting to live a normal life after hospitalization or psychiatric treatment. It isn’t easy. But it doesn’t have to be hard. Be part of their solution.

Pasadena Villa Orlando and Pasadena Villa Smoky Mountain Lodge are intensive residential treatment centers for adults with autism, schizophrenia, ADHD, depression, schizoaffective disorder, or other mental illnesses. One of the first programs in the country to base its treatment upon social integration, our mental health facilities offer help through individual and group residential programs with a focus on independent living. Please call us at 877-845-5235 or contact us online for more information.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 26.2% of Americans ages 18 and older, about one in four adults, suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. Though diagnoses are becoming more accurate and treatable, stigma attached to these disorders is still prevalent. Here are four common myths about mental health, and the facts that prove otherwise:

“Mental illnesses cannot affect me.” 

It’s a fact that mental illness affects almost every family in America. Mental illness does not discriminate in any way. Regardless of race, age or gender, anyone can develop a mental disorder at any given point in his or her life.

“I can’t do anything for someone with mental health.” 

The truth is, you can do plenty. The way you act and how you speak towards someone with a disorder can mean all the difference. You have the power to create an environment that highlights people’s strengths and promotes positivity. Here’s how:

• Avoid labels like “crazy,” “wacko,” or “loony.” Avoid calling people by their diagnosis.
• Learn and defend the facts about mental health. When you hear someone say something that is untrue or stereotypical about a disorder, correct them.
• Treat people with mental illness as you would anybody else, with dignity and respect.

“People with mental illnesses are violent and unpredictable.”

Fact is the majority of people with mental health needs are no more violent than anybody else. You probably know someone suffering from a mental illness and don’t even realize it.

“Once people develop mental illnesses, they will never recover.”

Many studies show that most people who treat their mental illness get better. Many recover completely, meaning they are able to carry on productive lives. They are able to work, learn and participate actively in their communities. Some individuals experience complete remission of their symptoms. Science shows that having hope plays a crucial role in getting better.

Pasadena Villa Orlando and Pasadena Villa Smoky Mountain Lodge are intensive residential treatment centers for adults with autism, schizophrenia, ADHD, depression, schizoaffective disorder, or other mental illnesses. One of the first programs in the country to base its treatment upon social integration, our mental health facilities offer help through individual and group residential programs with a focus on independent living. Please call us at 877-845-5235 or contact us online for more information.

When thinking about our health, many times we believe ailments are either physical or mental. However, a third realm of our well-being exists. Emotional health, while it may sound less important, deserves just as much attention as any broken bone or state of depression. Mental health and emotional health might seem very similar, when in fact they are not the same at all. A healthy state for all individuals is to find a balance between the intellectual and emotional side.

Some areas of mental and emotional health overlap. Processing and reasoning are two very important parts of our personality that also carry over into mental health. A strong sense of reasoning is required to make sure we aren’t losing control over our emotions or becoming unstable. Our decisions on how to react to various scenarios must also be processed very carefully to avoid anxiety or overreacting. If we lack a balance between processing and reasoning, we put our health in a very unstable state and may experience disorientation and issues functioning efficiently.

To help distinguish between mental and emotional health, it may help to define each. Mental health involves cognitive thinking and harnessing one’s attention to stay focused. This involves processing information, storing it in memory, and understanding this new information. Like stated above, mental health also includes properly exercising reason and processing any learned information. On the other hand, emotional health involves expressing one’s emotions appropriately for one’s age. Mental health requires managing emotional actions and gauging the appropriate reactions to situations. This prevents unnecessary and unhealthy stress, which if severe enough can lead to depression.

Mental and emotional health, while separate in their own ways, are both necessary and work together cohesively. As human beings with hundreds of thoughts and emotions running through us constantly, we make many choices based on feelings. Many of our feelings are created through cognitive reasoning and processing the situation at hand. These two separate, yet complimentary realms of health work together to ensure our overall health is up to par and we efficiently communicate and interact with others. For more information on how emotional and mental health are related, visit http://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/mental-health-vs-emotional-health-are-they-related.

Pasadena Villa Orlando and Pasadena Villa Smoky Mountain Lodge are adult intensive residential treatment centers for patients with mental illnesses or in need of residential treatment and therapy. If you or someone you know may need counseling on mental health issues, please contact us. One of the first programs in the country to base its treatment upon social integration, our mental health facilities offer help through individual and group residential programs with a focus on independent living. Please call us at 877-845-5235 or contact us online for more information.

The March/April 2012 Issue of Social Work Today covered a familiar topic for our residents and other diagnosed individuals: Should I consider residential treatment? How can I choose the best residential treatment center that fits my individual needs?

Because there are no solid rules or guidelines to quickly figure out an answer, finding the answers to those questions can become confusing for many. Residents tend to enter residential treatment during critical or crisis situations where a more intensive treatment is required. Others who go into residential treatment have complicated illnesses with physical disabilities. In both cases, residential treatment is usually referred by outpatient centers that have been unable to treat or care for the mentally disabled individual.

Residential treatment centers are unique in that they have a wholesome availability of resources ranging from emotional support to social integration. Emotional resources especially can become important because the residents may have inadequate connections to fulfill this need. Having around the clock observation and availability from professionals also means that the symptoms and behavior can be more easily diagnosed with the right treatment program. It is a safe and controlled environment that nurtures personal successes and grows them. If any emergencies were to come up, residential centers are able to send the resident quickly and efficiently with one of their partner hospitals to provide the best care without causing more anxiety or stress to all those involved. Residential treatment, in general, is a higher standard of care for mental health residents.

For more in depth information, click here.

Pasadena Villa Orlando and Pasadena Villa Smoky Mountain Lodge are intensive residential treatment centers for adults with autism, schizophrenia, ADHD, depression, schizoaffective disorder, or other mental illnesses. One of the first programs in the country to base its treatment upon social integration, our mental health facilities offer help through individual and group residential programs with a focus on independent living. Please call us at 877-845-5235 or contact us online for more information.

Asperger’s is a hidden disease that is only revealed in social situations when there is a struggle to meet with the behavioral expectations and life experience of the majority. It is defined as a “pervasive developmental disorder” by the DEA and although it belongs to the Autism spectrum, it is different from “typical” autism. Because there are a lot more similarities than differences from the public, the diagnosis is often not realized until later in life. The mental health disorder itself has transformed into a sub-culture of individuals that share similar thought processes and characteristics in recent years. They call themselves as “aspies”, a title of pride and self-identity.

There are two very important characteristics with Asperger’s – sensory sensitivity and a weak central coherence- that play a large part in the struggles that they face in life. Aspies have a weakness in processing emotions, details, and seeing an overall picture of a situation or moment because of these two characteristics. Unlike others in the autism spectrum, Asperger’s individuals feel empathy and face no language delays. They tend to have an above average I.Q. and need logic in all decision making processes. The issue is within social interactions that require intuitive and understood social norms such as changing a food order multiple times and using “how are you?” as simply a greeting.

For individuals who are diagnosed with Asperger’s, there are two pieces of advice to keep in mind.

Do your research: If you were to travel to another country, you would do research on key cultural facts, history, and learn some key survival language terms. The same applies for Asperger’s. When speaking to people in the public, it is important to do research on cultural norms and accepted practices to blend in. The same applies for non-diagnosed individuals who are seeking to build connections with those with Asperger’s.

Get treatment: Receiving treatment from certified professionals are always best to effectively and quickly assimilate to the public. At Pasadena Villa, there are several treatment programs including the Social Integration Model that uses real life situations, resulting in high quality, useful results for the long run.

Our very own Lisa Hoang, LMHC, the TLLC Program Manager, interviewed with Gina Thorn after a lecture at The Farley Center. They specifically discussed about the practices at Pasadena Villa and Asperger’s. With recent controversy surrounding the diagnosed and diagnosis, Hoang shared her personal experiences and accurate information to grasp a better understanding on the topic. The original podcast can be found here.

If you or someone you care for suffers from Asperger’s or another mental illness, please call us at 877-845-5235 or contact us online. We provide full medical treatment, psychiatric therapy, medication management, life skills training, and aftercare via our safe, friendly locations in Orlando, Florida and the Tennessee Smoky Mountains. We believe every person can live a happy, productive and healthy life; every client has the ability to learn, grow and recover.

Caring for a 23-year-old son or daughter with Asperger’s syndrome is a very unique challenge. Questions like these can easily arise in the mind:

• How can you help your child to become self-sufficient and take care of himself?
• How can you help your child develop the life skills to survive when you’re not around?

The answers to these questions can be complicated due to the scope of the impact that Asperger’s can have in a person’s life. It interferes with career opportunities, relationships, thought, communication, motor skills, and more. The most viable solution is treatment from professionals. Many live with loneliness and resentment without adequate help.

A variety of treatments including psychological, neurological, and medical are useful for adults with Asperger’s disease. The typical treatment plans cover social skills training, sensory integration therapy, self-care skills, medication, daily living skills, and cognitive behavioral therapy to touch base with a wide variety of issues that your Asperger’s adult may face.

If you or someone you care for suffers from Asperger’s or another mental illness, please call us at 877-845-5235 or contact us online. We provide full medical treatment, psychiatric therapy, medication management, life skills training, and aftercare via our safe, friendly locations in Orlando, Florida and the Tennessee Smoky Mountains. We believe every person can live a happy, productive and healthy life; every client has the ability to learn, grow and recover.

“I, (Bride/Groom), take you (Groom/Bride), to be my (wife/husband), to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part.”

The onset of schizophrenia in any relationship is a challenge for both partners. Most people diagnosed with this illness were in a healthy mental state prior to making these vows. Hope is not lost. Depending on severity, relationships can survive with the right support.

For partners of the Schizophrenia diagnosed patient, the news can be shocking and painful. Schizophrenia symptoms include change in behavior and personality – resulting in caring, warm individuals to seem withdrawn and callous.These combined actions can make or break the relationship:

Treatment must be accepted and mandatory: Untreated schizophrenia can be disastrous in more ways than one. The behavior may become erratic and violent. Verbal abuse, emotional neglect, and delusional accusations may become an issue. These types of relationships are unhealthy and unsustainable.

 A support system must be created: The ill partner may not be able to support the other. It is important that a support system of friends, family, and/or a therapist to meet emotional needs and a sense of normalcy. The schizophrenic partner needs compassion, love, patience, and support as well. These outside activities can help to recharge batteries and recovery from frustration.

No relationship is perfect by any means. Rather than seeing the problem with anger, see them as lessons to be gained in life. A happy marriage with schizophrenia is possible with commitment, compassion, and patience. Love is a powerful emotion that can conquer all that may challenge us.

Pasadena Villa Orlando and Pasadena Villa Smoky Mountain Lodge are intensive residential treatment centers for adults with autism, schizophrenia, ADHD, depression, schizoaffective disorder, or other mental illnesses. One of the first programs in the country to base its treatment upon social integration, our mental health facilities offer help through individual and group residential programs with a focus on independent living. Please call us at 877-845-5235 or contact us online for more information.

The rate of mental illness has been growing exponentially among college students in recent years. The conclusions from a recent study conducted by NAMI and Abbott Laboratories are alarming:

• One in three students reports experiences of prolonged periods of depression.
• One in four students reports having suicidal thoughts or feelings.
• One in seven students reports engaging in abnormally reckless behavior.
• One in seven reports difficulty functioning at school due to mental illness.

The study also found that students and parents are lacking in awareness and understanding of mental illness despite its common occurrence – especially with bipolar disorder. More information can be found here.

“The impact of untreated mental illness on a college student’s life can be devastating. Undiagnosed mental illness can cause people to withdraw socially, drop out of school, engage in substance abuse, or exhibit other unsettling behaviors.”

– Ken Duckworth, M.D., assistant professor at Harvard Medial School and medical director for NAMI.

Steps to solve this issue have already begun taking place with the development of Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day. The event’s mission is to increase awareness, promote early detection and accurate diagnosis, and reduce negative impact in the general public.

 The solution lies within our reach through honest conversations between the parents and students, research, and professional consultation. It is only through awareness that common misconceptions and stigma of mental illness can be replaced with understanding and patience.

 Here, at Pasadena Villa, we are aware of our residents’ needs and we strive to provide the best care. Pasadena Villa Orlando and Pasadena Villa Smoky Mountain Lodge are adult intensive residential treatment centers for patients with bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, or other mental illnesses.  For more information, please contact us online or call us at (877) 845-5235.

Bipolar Disorder, also know as manic depression, is an illness in which the person’s mood alternates between the high of mania and the low of depression. It affects all areas of a person’s life, including work, relationships and daily functioning. About 5.7 million U.S. adults are living with bipolar disorder. Luckily, however, proper treatment can help patients gain better control of their mood swings and related symptoms. Here are four keys to managing bipolar disorder, and overcoming common barriers.

Medication: Like with most psychiatric illnesses, medication is optional, and individuals can improve with other treatments, but most psychologists agree that bipolar disorder is mainly a psychiatric disorder where medication is absolutely essential. On average people with bipolar disorder take three medicines at the same time.

Lifestyle Management: Cultivating healthy habits makes a difference. Sleep deprivation and substance abuse exacerbate bipolar disorder and derail treatment. If you’re struggling with substance abuse, seek professional help. Try to get seven to eight hours of sleep per night.

Social Support: Family support can play either a positive or negative role in an individual’s treatment. For instance, some families may discourage their loved one from taking medication if they believe they can handle it on their own, while others advocate usage. Support groups in person or online can also be helpful.

Psychotherapy: Along with medication, ongoing psychotherapy is an important part of treatment for bipolar disorder. While medication can help to stabilize mood, therapy helps to change thinking patterns and affects the way an individual feels.

At Pasadena Villa, we are committed to helping you get one step closer to achieving success. Pasadena Villa Orlando and Pasadena Villa Smoky Mountain Lodge provide mental health residential, transitional and support services for adults with cognitive, emotional and social disorders such as depression and anxiety. We immerse our clients in real life activities within the community to prepare them for the highest level of independent living possible. Please call us at 877-845-5235 or contact us online for more information.

We all get stressed once in a while. We all thought about how there was never enough time to complete our tasks. Even with the limitless number of time saving devices, we always run out of time. We are constantly filling our time with things that are “time saving” that create unnecessary stress in our lives. According to the time management experts at webmd.com, there are several ways to reduce stress and add an extra hour in the day. Here are six tips for better time management:

1. Make a time diary: Before implementing any tips in your life, take a week to record your every day activities. Be as accurate and honest as possible. This exercise is often an impactful revelation for people. It serves as a base and reference for using your time effectively.
2. Learn to say “no”: Try to create time for yourself by simply turning off your cell phone. This will allow time to reflect on your life or participate in an activity that you love. If someone asks you to do something when you’re busy, say no politely and firmly. There is no need for guilt for focusing on you.
3. Time-based to-do list: Create a to-do or an objectives list for the day with dedicated times for each task. It will help to prioritize and organize your focus.
4. Let your computer help: Try out several personal scheduling software programs for your mobile devices and desktop with a calendar, list, and contact feature. This digital organization will help to remove physical clutter in your life.
5. Multitask: Try to combine several activities together to save time. (Of course, avoiding any potentially dangerous situations.) Pay your bills while watching TV. Listen to an audio version of a book while commuting.
6. Don’t be a perfectionist: Perfectionism can easily lead to excessive attention to insignificant details. This kind of behavior is a kind of procrastination that wastes valuable time. Worrying about miniscule details and unrealistic expectations adds unnecessary stress in your life.

After each step of this process, it is important to reward yourself. Time management should be associated positive emotions. Making progress is an enjoyable process that acknowledges all of your successes- including the smallest ones.

At Pasadena Villa, we are committed to helping you get one step closer to achieve success. Pasadena Villa Orlando and Pasadena Villa Smoky Mountain Lodge provide mental health residential, transitional and support services for adults with cognitive, emotional and social disorders such as depression and anxiety. We immerse our clients in real life activities within the community to prepare them for the highest level of independent living possible. Please call us at 877-845-5235 or contact us online for more information.