Pebble in the Road - Busting Stigmas

Despite the torrent of bad news being funneled to us, there are positive stories that don't get amplified. 
This is one of those type of stories. I kinda stumbled into it and I'm glad I did.

This was a story on the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers website.

Jay Fraiser runs the Boston Local 103 recovery and sobriety group. He meets with fellow union members to help them stabilize on their recovery journey.

I don't know anything about being an electrician. I do know about being knocked to the floor due to anxiety symptoms. It was a long time ago but it did put me on my road to treatment. I don't recommend experiencing it but it is a wake up call to do something to help yourself.

I encourage you to read the story.

IBEW News - How One Boston Member Is Breaking Down Mental Health Stigma

Emergency Resources

The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community. 

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options. 

National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

ARP 386 Evaluating Anxiety Herbal Supplements

I've done episodes about dietary supplements. I didn't take into account the ones sold at the gas station or corner store. People with an anxiety condition or disorder should be very careful about promises of herbal supplements treatment. 

I don't want to be elitist here. There is bad stuff in U.S. pharmacies that do not work, known not to be effective or dangerous and yet still on sale. I have examples from Ethan Melillo. PharmD and Grant Harding, PharmD.

It is one thing to buy Slim-Jims from the gas station. I've bought water, two cans for three dollars then I get to the counter where the person looks at me like I'm less than dirt as he rings me up. Then I remember not to go back into that store for the next eight months or so.

I would never, ever purchase an herbal supplement from the gas station store, a convenience store or the 99 Cents or 150 Cents Store-ish variations.

You might decide otherwise. If you do want to risk it, pack a magnifying glass because you have to read the label. What is the dosage? It might not be the full bottle. 

And most important, have the contents been verified by an independent industry respected testing organization?

We need to be careful out in the wild. Just my two cents. This is my opinion which ain't worth a bucket of salt. Which does not stop me from this episode on how to evaluate herbal health supplements.

Resources Mentioned: 

Operation Supplement Safety is intended for folks in the military that have restrictions on the kind of supplements they can use. However there is a non-military consumer version of the OSS Postcard that is a PDF download that gives guidelines on how to evaluate a supplement.

U.S. National Institutes of Health

Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS), National Institutes of Health (NIH) Dietary Supplements: What You Need to Know updated January 2023.

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health page called Herbs at a Glance and Using Dietary Supplements Wisely

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

FDA page on Information for Consumers on Using Dietary Supplements, updated 2022. 

FDA page on Health Fraud Products Database. You can search by name, vendor, website or a specific action taken by the FDA.

Emergency Resources

The Trevor Project: Provides crisis support specifically for LGBTQ+ youth through phone (1-866-488-7386), text (START to 678-678), and online chat. Available 24/7. They also provide peer support and community. 

Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online. There are phone lines for those serving overseas. Visit the website to find the current status of the Veteran line and international calling options. 

National Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for free, confidential support 24/7. This service operates independently of the 988 service. Users can use text, chat or WhatsApp as a means of contact.

 

Disclaimer: 

Links to other sites are provided for information purposes only and do not constitute endorsements. 

Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with questions you may have regarding a medical or mental health disorder.

This blog and podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes only. Nothing in this program is intended to be a substitute for professional psychological, psychiatric or medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.