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In The Spotlight: a documentary about Earla Dunbar

Matei — Sat, 14 Jan 2017 23:54:23 +0000

Our own Earla is now the star of a documentary named In The Spotlight:

At the peak of Earla’s social phobia she was housebound for six years. Today she is challenged with unstable medication, financially supporting herself, and appearing in various media outlets as a mental health advocate. Can her passion to help others outweigh her fear of people?

You can find more information on the documentary website or the documentary Facebook page.

Social anxiety will make you do weird things

Matei — Tue, 23 Feb 2016 23:14:47 +0000

Image source: Anxiety & I on Facebook

Support group closing down

Matei — Tue, 09 Sep 2014 15:53:32 +0000

Unfortunately, we can no longer host the support group, and we have no plans for future group meetings. We want to thank everyone who has attended over the years. The website will stay online so that everyone can access the resources. All the best.

We are now Anxiety Recovery Toronto

Earla — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 00:54:56 +0000

Hello everyone. Because of problems with our original web address, we've renamed our group to Anxiety Recovery Toronto. We're no longer the Social Phobia Support Group of Toronto, and someone else now owns that web address. This lines up nicely with our broadening focus of our group sessions. This should be the first and last time you have to update your bookmarks. Remember that we've got a Facebook group and you can subscribe to our blog posts via our website. To those of you who subscribe via email updates, you might get an update packed with old blog posts from Feedburner as we change the feed settings to the new site. This is normal.

For those of us suffering from depression, here are a few great finds:

Hyperbole and a Half on how depression robs us of joy, and how most well-meaning people just don't understand that you can't cheer your way out of it. (The header image is from one of the many drawings in this article.)
Lessons I Learned from Depression, about being okay to not be okay.
Some general advice via Wil Wheaton

Be well.

When Is It The Right Time To Take Medication For Social Anxiety?

Earla — Sun, 21 Oct 2012 20:52:56 +0000

This is from our American friend, Joe, that talks about his experience with medications. Love our guest posts. Thanks Joe.

This is a guest post by Joe from LivingWithAnxiety.net.

Knowing what medication is right for you is only the second step of finding temporary treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder. The first step is always the most important, which is the decision in deciding if medication is the right thing to try or not to treat social anxiety. Most often, in the most severe cases, medication can help a sufferer cope with their worst symptoms of social anxiety.

But once that sufferer becomes more used to social situations, talking to people and being in more and more social situations comfortably, medication is not really a feasible option anymore. Because once I made it to that level, I still had a decent level of social anxiety that haunted me, and even medication at that point was not something that worked for me.

It could even be in the worse conditions of social anxiety that medication may not work. So the best option is to just try it out, see a Psychiatrist and see what your options are, according to what your allergies are and such.

For me, during high school while going through social anxiety was basically the worst for me, I had the worst symptoms of social anxiety that I have ever had in my life. At that time I was not taking medication which I should have been at the time to help cope and to make it through school. But fortunately, I eventually did finish.

So only listen to yourself if you get asked by a Psychiatrist if you would like to consider trying medication. It all depends on how severe your situation is and level of social anxiety. If you think you could go without, don't go with any "suggestions" from anyone because they do not know what's best for you than you do for youself.

Also, the types of medications to be considered should be limited to SSRI's, and specifically the ones that are not addictive or narcotics. Also, make sure it's a medication that does not make you sleepy all the time, or simply drowsy. Oversleeping only limits your time in your life to live and be awake to experience your life. Also, make sure the medication is one that does not have horrible with drawal effects.

Ones I tried that had bad withdrawal effects is Paxil and Effexor (Effexor being the worst by far out of those two). Every other medication I had tried like Concerta, Mirtazapine, Celexa and Prozac had side effects that involved drowsiness, insomnia sometimes, and other side effects that simply made me stop taking the medication.

Other medications like SNRI's (Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors), Beta Blockers, Benzodiazepines, MAOI's (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor), Atypical Antipsychotics and other stimulants all can be tested out for treatment for social anxiety. Though since I have not tried any of those, I cannot say if they are good or not. But what I've heard is they all have side effects pretty badly that SSRI's should be the only kinds of medications that should be worth looking at.

Everything I suggest in this article is based on opinion and not fact. You aren't required to take any sort of medication if you don't want to. But from my experience, it wasn't worth it for me, and it may or may not be worth it for you. Be prepared to feel slightly different if you have not taken medication before and your about to take some, side effects differ from person to person.

Joe is a blogger that writes all about Social Anxiety as he experienced it himself for almost ten years in his life, and still currently to a minimal degree. "Like" his blog on Facebook if you would like to subscribe to read more of his content.

Funding

Earla — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 21:59:01 +0000

Hi,

PLEASE vote for my idea Anxiety Recovery Workshop.

thanks bunches, and share if you want.

I'm supporting an idea in the Aviva Community Fund -- an annual competition which contributes $1,000,000 to create positive change in communities across Canada. If the idea I'm supporting receives enough votes, it has a chance to win a share of the $1,000,000 prize.

Please check out the idea and vote for it at http://bit.ly/SvbdBD#.UGr26fy8CSA.email

Check it out!

Feel free to share this email with anyone else who might want to help turn this idea into a reality!

Thanks,

[email protected]">[email protected]

Peel schools Stand Up for student mental health - video

Earla — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 17:56:50 +0000

This is a very powerful vid - it made me cry since I could relate to so much the children were going through. A must see.

Stand Up

Student mental health, well-being

For children and teens to learn, they must feel safe and cared for. Each of us has a responsibility to do our part to help every student develop healthy relationships, make good choices and achieve success.

Schools have a unique opportunity to support mental health—children and youth are with us six hours a day, five days a week. We are not the only player in their lives—not even the major influence—but we do all we can to ensure students are cared for while with us during the school day, including care for their mental health.

Each of us can have an enormous influence in shaping student well-being, so we must do exactly that. Please stand up for our students.

Annual Summer Get Together

Earla — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 22:11:32 +0000

Pictures of some members at our annual get together at High Park. Thanks to Valerie for organizing this event and getting us to play some games.

Presentation to select committee on mental health and addictions

Earla — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 21:11:57 +0000

SUBMISSION TO THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON MENTAL HEALTH AND ADDICTIONS LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ONTARIO

November 18, 2009

Presented by Ontario Consumer and Family Advisory Council Ontario Canadian Mental Association. Other members of Council also presented.

Hello, my name is Earla Dunbar and I am presenting as a consumer survivor.

At the age of 44, in 1998, I finally found help for my social phobia, agoraphobia, panic disorder and depression. When I was 5 I started to feel different, not wanting to leave the house without a family member, feeling sick and not going to school. Then when my Father died when I was 9 the depression set in. The Psychiatrist I was seeing at the time told my Mother to take me to Penatanguishine Mental Hospital and said if I did not straighten up this is where I would end up. The hospital terrified me and from that day forward I became the happy little girl. Then the other disorders set in.

In 1992 I was laid off my last job. I was finding this job almost impossible to do because of the anxiety and depression and was absent much of the time. No routine of working led me to become even more agoraphobic, depressed, and socially anxious and the panic seemed to be with me all the time. Then I began to disassociate. But whom was I going to tell all these symptoms to: they would say I was crazy and lock me up as I was told as a little girl. I learnt I had become a great actress and no one really suspected there was anything wrong. There were many suicide attempts during all this time.

When I finally got help at the CAMH I was relieved but terrified to tell my family since there was so much stigma about mental health. When I finally told my Mother she took me out of her will and would not talk to me for a while. She blamed me for putting the family to ‘shame’. Only when I started being interviewed on TV and the media and her friends found out they thought it was so brave of me did she accept me back as her daughter.

The stigma came from my Mother and myself.

Because of my disorders I could not even finish grade 10 and in my work never was able to get further in my workplace. People thought I was stupid and/or a snob. My terror of everything and everyone put me in a shell – a terrifying, scary, and very dark place.

If we could reach out to all children what a wonderful chance they would have. To be able to continue in school, to be able to make friends, to be able to join in family gatherings, to be able to work at what they want and grow, to be able to have a life. Instead of hiding which is what I did.

I am the founder of the Social Phobia Support Group of Toronto and when I talk to them and say it is up to you to talk about your mental illness, if you do not do it who will. But so many feel embarrassed by their illness. Social phobia is the third largest mental health illness we have and still there are so many still suffering. We must speak up and tell people not to be ashamed and that they can get well.

I feel very fortunate that I do have my life back and that I had such wonderful support with professionals and still do. Also, what is so refreshing is that I am not terrified of people, I am now making friends. I never thought I would be where I am in this world today and am so glad I am still here.

These are my recommendations and the support for them.

To be successful in helping others early intervention is necessary. Education in mental health to parents, teachers, family doctors and young adults are needed.

Every person who is part of a school community is a teacher for mental health and well-being. 1

One out of 4 young adults will experience a mental disorder within a12-month period. 2

Early recognition and treatment reduces long-term treatment. 3

Young adults feel powerless, guilt, utterly alone. 4

I thank you for your time.

RESOURCES

MindMatters The Whole School Approach: Is a national mental health initiative for secondary schools funded by the Australia Government Department of Health & Aging.

2.&4.

Mobilizing Minds: What is knowledge Transition funded by Canadian Institute of Health Research and Mental Health Commission of Canada.

This is what else they found with their research:

Mental health problems are highly prevalent and often have their onset in early adolescent (Kessler et al., 1994)

Early intervention and use of mental health services is highly underutilized by young adults (18-25 years old).

Those 15 to 24 years have highest rate of unmet mental health care needs compared to older population. (Canadian Community Health Survey, 2002)

Young adults suffering from mental health problems are routinely faced with complex decisions regarding care in the absence of critical information.

Dr. Brian Rush 2009, Center for Addiction and Mental Health

His research:

Life course perspective demands attention be given to “early” years.

Mental health and substance use problems typically persist overtime.

Mental health problems are risk factors for later substance and vice versa.

Common risk factors behind each (e.g. social determinants, family, some genetic risk for particular disorder combinations).

Early recognition and treatment reduces long-term treatment trajectory (outcome, cost).

Mad Pride Parade 2012

Earla — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 22:04:49 +0000

Check out photos from the Mad pride parade held in July. Andrew Marshall, Martina were there to participate and give support as usual. Andrew Cohen usually attends but could not this year.

It would be great to see other members attend the parade next year. It is a lot of fun and you do get pumped up and want to shout out - yeah we are mad and proud.