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Interested in joining New Directions? Click here to find out how to.

Welcome to New Directions!

Today is Thursday, May 15th, 2008 

                                         M A Y  E V E N T S

TO JOIN:  Please call us at 215-659-2366, ext. 1. Or email us.

READ ABOUT US in The NY Times, April 22.

PLEASE NOTE:  Meetings are NOW held at St. Peter's Church in Glenside, on THURSDAYS, since our former church, Abington Prez, is renovating.

- Thursday, May 1, 7:30 to 9:45 pm - Evening Meeting.   St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 654 N. Easton Road between Pleasant & Cross, Glenside, PA 19038. Located above Sloane Auto on opposite side of street. Park in rear or on sidestreet. Click here for directions. Walk thru parking lot & enter via Red Door on Right. Bring paper & pen & prepare to learn. Exchange contact info with like-minded individuals. 

- Thursday, May 8 - Helen's Mornings at the Willow Grove Mall, co-starring Marion, from 10 am till Noon, you don't have to be on time. Meet in front of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. Followed by brisk aerobic walk around mall. Call Helen at 215-646-0266 & she'll call to remind you. Marion's no. is 215-887-3396.
Teenagers welcome!

- Thursday, May 15, 7:30 to 9:45 pm - Evening Meeting - SPEAKER MEETING, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 654 N. Easton Road between Pleasant & Cross, Glenside, PA 19038. Located above Sloane auto on opposite side of street. Park in rear or on sidestreet. Walk thru parking lot & enter via Red Door on Right. Click here for directions.  Bring paper & pen. Prepare to learn. Also exchange contact info with like-minded individuals. Speaker cancelled. Stay tuned to see if we get someone else.

- ND recommends! Saturday afternoon, May 17, 2 to 4:30 pm - Hatboro Writers Group. Held at Le Coffee Salon, 50. S. York Rd., Hatboro, PA 19040, across from Produce Junction. All writing forms accepted (poetry, novels, memoirs). We critique one another's writing or just sit & listen. Click here for map. For info email Ruth Deming or call her at 215-659-2142.

- Thursday, May 22, 10 to 11:30 am -  Helen's Mornings at the Willow Grove  Mall, co-starring Marion, from 10 am till Noon, you don't have to be on time. Meet in front of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream. Followed by brisk aerobic walk around mall. Call Helen at 215-646-0266 & she'll call to remind you. Marion's no. is 215-887-3396. Teenagers welcome!  

- Tuesday, May 27 - Movie Nite at our Willow Grove Office. 7:30  pm. 404 Davisville Road, Willow Grove, PA, 19090. Click here for direx. Same side of street as Willow Grove Train Station. Watch for lit-up sign reading "D. LaRosa Builders." Park in rear. Enter ground-level double doors.. Office Phone: 215-659-2366. Suggestions welcome.  Thanks, Tara, for hosting. Email Tara if you wish to attend. Dress warmly!!!
 
- Weds., May 28 - Ada's Outing. Visit to The STOOGEUM (the 3 Stooges museum). Our by-appointment-only tour is at 10:30 a.m. Meet at Abington Prez Church at 9:30 am.  Please RSVP to Ada at 215-947-2429 or email her.  Thanks, Ada & Rich!       

- Thursday, May 29 - 7:30 to 9:45 pm - Evening Meeting  St. Peter's Episcopal Church, 654 N. Easton Road between Pleasant & Cross, Glenside, PA 19038. Located above Sloane auto on opposite side of street. Park in rear or on sidestreet. Walk thru parking lot & enter via Red Door on Right. Click here for directions.  Bring paper & pen. Prepare to learn. Also exchange contact info with like-minded individuals. Discussion Leader of large group is Sam Fredericks:  How to Get a Great Job that Fits YOU! As a career coach, Sam will discuss how he got his client up the difficult career ladder & how he continues to move up himself. Handouts.

- Sat., May 31 - Recovery from Suicide Loss Support Group,  last Saturday of every month, at 1 pm, held at our Outside Office: 404 Davisville Rd. Willow Grove, PA 19090. Run by Rodica Mihalis & sponsored by New Directions and Survivors of Suicide. For more info click here.  Must register by calling: 215-545-2242. Or email Rodica (pronounced Ro-DEE-ka) at this address.
                     
                                                        ANNOUNCEMENTS

AH-CHOO!  Allergy season is here & with it meds for allergies. Make sure your allergy medication will not cause moodswings. Research this before swallowing.

FREE Drug Program for all Americans. Click. FREE for all Pennsylvanians. Click.

GET POLITCAL!  Volunteer for people like Hillary, Obama, Nader or McCain for President.  We need JOBS, healthcare, respect for the environment and an end to the war. Remember, volunteering is a prelude toward work & a life of meaning.
 
WE LOVE HELPING YOU & NOW WE NEED YOUR HELP. If you enjoy reading this website & The Blog and Poetry of Ruth Deming, send in your tax-deductible donation NOW. Mail to:  New Directions Support Group, Inc. - 404 Davisville Road - Willow Grove, PA 19090.

N E W !  Read Ruth's blog of Jan. 17, 2008: Why I'm Cured  

NEWER!  Read Ruth's Guest Editorial in the Doylestown, PA Intelligencer, 1-18-08. Click here.  Her bio was listed in the newspaper but not online. It reads: Ruth Z. Deming is a psychotherapist, poet & founder of ND. Diagnosed w/bipolar disorder at age 38, she is cured from the illness, as are many others later in life. (She's 62 plus change.)    
 
I N F O  PACKET written by 4 of our members. Click our Quik Books on Left.

N E W !  Ruth Z. Deming, MGPGP, appeared on Comcast CN8 Newsmakers in this 5-minute interview 10-17-07. Click here. Find other online news sources here: One. Two. Three. Four.

N E W !  Excellent videos of famous people w/mood disorders: Mike Wallace and Jane Pauley, sponsored by the smart people at NARSAD.

MUST CLICK!   John McManamy, award-winning infomaniac.
                     A favorite Blog is Bipolar Blast by Gianna Kali.  
                     bp magazine.   HealthyPlace.   PMHCA.  Bazelon Law.   
                     Washington Post story Healing a Troubled Mind
                     Top Stories from NARSAD.
                     A Cautionary Tale: Going off Meds, Read May 1 entry.
                     Model Support Group in upstate New York.

ERIC WILSON ACCEPTS & EXTOLS HIS MELANCHOLIA. Click here.

ANDREW WEIL, MD, loves healthy foods for a healthy mind & body.

                                         PHOTO CAPTION
 
ND meeting Nov. 15, 2007. The great Teamwork of New Directions.We help save lives and lift your spirits by our bonding & networking system. We care about each & every member and encourage our members to exchange phone numbers & email addresses. They do!  Our team includes: Ruth Z. Deming, Founder/Director & 2007 Runner-Up Poet Laureate Montgomery County (red sweater); Laurel Hoffmann, center, Leader of Family Group; and Ada Moss Fleisher, top row, left, Leader of Depression Group.

Also shown: Randy Irion, peer specialist, top left; business co-owner Bob Cuddy, top center. Other proud members include avid cyclist Judy "Sparkles" Kroll; writer Linda;  award-winning poet & naturalist Carolyn Constable; family member & food columnist Mitch Davis.  Members set a goal at meetings to accomplish by the next meeting: Baby Steps.

Contact  us at 215-659-2366, ext. 1 or email us. 

                                         SO WHAT'S NEW?

D E N T A L   C A R E:  For clinics in Montgomery County.  For clinics in Bucks.

C O O L   T I P S   F O R   H O T   W E A T H E R:  Before leaving home, drink a glass of cold water. Bring a water bottle with you. Wear Sunscreen No. 15. People on psych meds (esp. Lithium, Lamictal, and antipsychotics) must be careful about being in extreme heat. If you don't have A/C, cool off periodically at the library, bookstore, or a loved one's home. If on lithium, there's a chance your body can become toxic (confusion, dizziness, slurred speech, abnormal gait). If so, go to the ER immediately!  

Photos from our Coffeeshop Celebration April 5.

Photos from our Abington Library Display Case for April is Poetry Month. Did you know that many of us with mood disorders have The Artist's Condition?

A D V A N C E S  IN MEDICINE: Barking Up the New Tree of Glutamate.  Click here for info & foods with glutamate.

COFFEE, TEA or ME? Latest Tea research shows... practically nothing but it's a great read.

W H Y   W A T C H   Y O U R   D I E T ?  Read this NY Times article of Feb. 5, 2008 on the life-threatening Metabolic Syndrome. Click here. And don't forget your all-important aerobic exercise. Park far away & w-a-l-k. Take the s-t-a-i-r-s.

F O R G E T F U L L L L ?  Read this Times article of 12-4-07.

M O O D   C H A R T S:  Is your Mood off the charts? Find out by downloading a FREE mood chart, invented by Gary Sachs, MD. Click here & scroll down. For a comment by originator Gary Sachs, click here.  Thanks to Our Jessica for reminding us of the importance of mood charting!

S I G N   U P  for FREE email alerts on Advocacy Issues affecting those of us with Mental Illness or our Loved Ones. Click on Mental Health America.

F I R S T   G E N O M E   S T U D Y   O N  B I P O L A R  from National Institute of Mental Health. Click here to learn about the combined, small effects of variations in many different genes in the brain, none of which is powerful enough to cause the disease by itself. Study published in Molecular Psychiatry, May 8, 2007.

OUR INFORMATION PACKET, written by 4 of our members, appears on wikiHow,  part of Wikipedia visited by millions of people per day.

COMPARE PRICES OF HEALTH INSURANCE from this 2007 Award-winning Website.
Click here.

DON'T MISS Websites that can be helpful for you. Scroll three-quarters down this homepage to "More Great Websites" such as the Beck Institute Blog. On your mark, get set, scroll......

- Fabulous Events at Other Agencies:  Click here & scroll down.

HOPE EXISTS ALWAYS!  New study for Brain Stimulation. Peruse their entire website. Great info!

                         N E W   D I R E C T I O N S   M E E T I N G S :

Large Meeting:  Average attendance: 40-50 - We break into small group discussions -
Revolving membership: Several hundred. Also, we suggest you read this entire Homepage & Links for important info concerning You, the most important person in the Whole Wide World!!!

1st and 3rd and 5th THURSDAYS of the month from 7:30 to 9:45 PM
St. Peter's Episopal Church
654 N. Easton Road (between Pleasant & Cross) - opposite Sloane auto dealership
Glenside, PA 19038
All participants must register by calling: 215-659-2366, ext. 1 (eligibility criteria listed below)
Email Compass123@comcast.net
Donation: $5 per person. $8 per family. Bring your family members or friends. They meet in a separate room. (We also encourage healthcare professionals to attend, such as student nurses, doctors, therapists.)

3rd Thursday is Speaker Nite, followed by Small Groups. Give us your Speaker suggestions.

New Directions welcomes adults (current age range: 17-76) who (1) have a primary diagnosis of a mood disorder (depression or bipolar) and are under the care of a physician (preferably a psychiatrist), and (2) are free from substance abuse issues for a year. Family members and friends are encouraged to attend - and may do so with or without the patient.* For confidential registration, call us at 215-659-2366, ext. 1. A phone greeter will return your call within 4-8 hours. If not, simply call again! We know the importance of speaking to a real person instead of a machine. 

Click here for definition of Depression.
Click here for definition of Bipolar Disorder.

Read both of these sites thoroughly. Know your illness! And, please, Dear Reader, avoid saying "I'm bipolar." Instead say, "I have bipolar disorder." We are NOT our illness & have so much to offer here on Mother Earth.
 
RUTH Z. DEMING  &  N E W   D I R E C T I O N S  on  TV : Click here for the 5-minute Comcast CN8 Newsmakers TV Interview, aired in June 2006, where director Ruth Z. Deming, MGPGP, is interviewed. Great publicity for all people with mood disorders - and their family & friends - illustrating, that "for every terrible story about someone with depression or bipolar disorder, there are a thousand success stories!"

READ RUTH's Letter to the Editor in the Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/09/2006:  Click here.

We encourage our members to remain in the workforce. However, if you are unable to work, here's a website on How to Get Disability. Written by an attorney near Lansing, Michigan, she says your best bet is to have your psychiatrist vouch for you. Click here on her excellent website.

Disability Rights Network of Pennsylvania (a merge of PA Protection & Advocacy and the Disabilities Law Project) in Harrisburg hosts helpful info about disability. Click here.

                                                                                           
Patronize our talented people & family members:

For many people in Our Crowd, such as Nick Breslin, below, owning one's own business is both pleasurable & profitable.

* Ron Abrams is an attorney whose concentration is on helping people get back on their feet again after being injured in an accident. Feel free to email him at RBAbrams427@msn.com or call him at 215-627-1012.

* Tender Loving Clipper, Professional Dog Grooming: 47 E. Butler Ave., Chalfont, PA 18914. Owner Lisa Lowe-Weil. Call 215-822-6660.

* David Bernstein, Reverse Mortgage Specialist: "Keep Our Older Adults in Their Own Homes." Call David for info at 215-742-5001, ext. 123

* Nick Breslin Builds a Better Deck
Breslin Decks & Awning

* Patrick & Peggie Walsh
The Walsh Group of Doylestown, PA
The Walsh Group - 215-491-3448

* Our Robert B. Cuddy
ComforTan, Inc. of Warrington, PA
Bob & wife Lynn's business was featured on the Jay Leno Show on 3-13-07. Click here. The Cuddys had a vision and stuck to it!  

* Neal O'Keefe, owner of Willow Grove Pools & Spas. Call for an estimate at 215-659-2002. Or snow removal.

* Our Bob's Blog:  Brilliance on the Rampage - our first webmaster & the man who told us, "Privacy no longer exists." 
The Bendesky Family Website

* Sharon, a Family Member, from The State that is Home to Artichokes, Lemons, A Great University System, & The Golden Gate Bridge.
Click on her Wonderful Blog.

Starbucks Employment: Work 20 hours a week & get Full Healthcare!
Starbucks.com


F e a t u r e d    W e b s i t e s    &   R e a d i n g s :

N E W  S T U D Y on Bipolar Depression published in New England Journal of Medicine, 4-2-07. Click on LA Times for a recap. Click on Journal for the full 12-page story. According to New Directions' psychiatric advisor, Dr. Pam London Barrett:  "Bipolar depression is best treated with Lamictal, Lithium, Depakote, Zyprexa, Seroquel and/or Symbyax (combo of Zyprexa & Prozac). Often several drugs are combined. Remember, each brain is different & reacts differently to each med.

B E S T   T R E A T M E N T  for Bipolar Depression is Meds plus all-important "Intensive Psychotherapy," according to a study in Archives of General Psychiatry, April '07, summarized by WebMD. Click here.

NOTEWORTHY NEWS from New England Journal of Medicine as reported in the NY Times Feb. 27, 2007:  "Serotonin Syndrome." Click here to read about this not-so-rare condition which patients & doctors fail to recognize in its earlier stages. Be aware of it for yourself & your loved ones, and tell your doctor about it. Also check with your pharmacist.

NOTE: Estimated prevalence of mood disorders in a one-year period for adults in the US is 7.1 percent of the population, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. For each person affected, numerous family members are affected as well. The World Health Organization states that depression is the leading cause of disability in the world.

The completed suicide rate for mood disorders is a staggering 15 to 20 percent. New Directions saves lives by our bonding and networking system which includes urging people to call one another when feeling depressed or suicidal. We help save lives! Call us to register at 215-659-2366. ext. 1.

Psychiatrist Peter C Whybrow, MD, of UCLA, has an excellent website. An authority on mood disorders, he states that some of his patients as they age no longer have bipolar disorder. It is certainly something many of us can hope for. To read his moving story on the death of his father, click here & scroll way way down.

Sexually exploited by a professional? Click on AdvocateWeb Helping Overcome Professional Exploitation.

For folks who are treatment resistant or don't want to use drugs, read this effective & innovative approach by a patient who healed herself: "Healing Depression & Bipolar Disorder Without Drugs" by Gracelyn Guyol, 2006.

"Anger" by Thich Nhat Hanh,  a Life-Altering Book
Click here for Ruth's review of March 18, 2007

MUST LISTEN!  Jane Mountain, MD: 30-minutes with Dr. Jane.  Click here.       
                            Funny video by famous psychiatrist. Click here.
 
Kitty Dukakis book, "Shock: The Healing Power of ECT." Click here & scroll down to read Ruth's review of Jan. 5, 2007.

Are you over age 50? Here's some Great Volunteer Opportunities!
ComingOfAge.org,  HQd at Temple University

Office of Vocational Rehab: Great Program in PA for Disabled Individuals that can  f-i-n-a-n-c-e  your career!
Click on Website for OVR

Cool Indian Dude (1895-1986) who said "We can together observe the extraordinary phenomena of human existence" - and TRUTH IS A PATHLESS LAND.
Click for website of Krishnamurti

Large study shows 2/3 of People w/Depression Can Become Symptom-Free When They Work with Their Doctor!  That's why we maintain a Top Doc List.
ScienceDaily.com

Turn Up Your Speakers, Ladies & Gentlemen!
Click here for an intimate portrayal of depression by a variety of people who have experienced it &, in its wake, have become more compassionate enlightened individuals, perhaps like you! Click here.

Great interview with the late writer William Styron (1925-2006) who discusses his depression, as does his wife, Rose. Styron didn't suffer his first depression until the age of 60, and his second episode 20 years later. His best-selling memoir "Darkness Visible" chronicles his illness while describing the importance of a loving family, particularly his wife Rose; fellowship with others who understand the illness; and hospitalization as a safe haven. Click here to read.

Yes, You Can Change, but only If You Wish - It Takes Immense Courage to Face the Truth About Yourself - Read About "Schema Therapy" developed by Jeffrey E. Young, PhD, of Columbia University. Some of our members have had parents with borderline personality disorder and come from enmeshed families.
SchemaTherapy.com

"Worst Pills, Best Pills": Group co-founded in '71 by Ralph Nader and Sidney Wolfe, MD. Remember, just because a drug is over-the-counter doesn't mean it's safe. Take the lowest possible dose.
Best Pills, Worst Pills

Reading material, courtesy of:
Families for Depression Awareness:  Click on their A+ Website, then read their list on:
General books on Mood Disorders
Books for Family Members

What's the Best Therapy?  W-O-R-K !!!!! Read below.

Click here for Jobs in Pennsylvania. Click here for Jobs for People with Disabilities. Also Your Ticket to Work.
 
 
N E W !  Mood disorders are an illness of the Emotional Processing System of Our Brains. We don't process emotions correctly. Medicine helps restore the chemical balance in our brains, as does talk therapy. Q: Angry? Worried? Fearful? Joyful? Need Reassurance? A: Talk to someone about your f-e-e-l-i-n-g-s. Make it a Habit.

Activities For The Over Fifty Set, HQ at Temple University
Coming of Age

Denial of One's Illness is one thing, but Anosognosia is Another.
Click on Xavier Amador's Informative Website

Aaron Beck's Cognitive Therapy: Read the story of how this once Freudian-oriented psychiatrist changed his tune. Click onto the Lasker Foundation Website. Great info for everyone - with or without a mood disorder!

"No one knows your health better than you"
Remedy Find Newsletters - sign up for free Bipolar Newsletter

AUDIO INFO: Excellent, didactic information by an expert. Concentrate & remember the whole thing (it's not that difficult) & you can be the new leader of New Directions.
Bipolar Updates

One of the Very First Info Sources on Manic Depression before the Internet was in General Use - University of Wisconsin at Madison

HealthLink of Southampton, PA - Free medical & dental care (limited) for the working uninsured of Bucks & Montgomery County, PA. Call (215) 364-4247.  Also a great place to volunteer!


S U R R O U N D  Y O U R S E L F  W I T H  D E L I G H T F U L  P E O P L E ! ! !   ENERGY  BREEDS  E-N-E-R-G-Y.

PARTAKE IN EARTHLY DELIGHTS WHILE WE'RE HERE !  What are some of your favorites, Dear Reader? Some of our members love going for nature walks, attending car shows, visiting museums & art galleries, going to jazz clubs, swimming, movies. The possibilities are endless. Be sure to get out of the house or your apartment & have fun!

WHY DO PEOPLE W/MENTAL ILLNESS SMOKE?  It gives the brain a shot of dopamine. It's never too late to stop smoking. For info on Smoking Cessation Classes, call Abington Memorial Hospital at 215-481-8950, from 8 AM - 4 PM, and speak to Marilyn Mitchell. The moment you stop smoking, your body and brain begin to change, for the better.

WHY DO PEOPLE DELIGHT IN TALKING TO ONE ANOTHER? Talking produces dopamine in the brain. If you're depressed in the morning, Dear Reader, get on the phone and talk to someone. Again, at New Directions we suggest you exchange phone numbers and talk!!! "It's good to hear the sound of your voice."  Ah, the sound of another person's voice, the most soothing sound in the world. Quote by Nobelist Samuel Beckett: "The beauty of the way and the goodness of the wayfarers."

Important quote from the NY Times, Dec. 27, 2005, about a conference of psychotherapists about WHY THERAPY WORKS: Dr. Dan Siegel, a child psychiatrist at UCLA, was one of several speakers to emphasize how psychotherapy changes the wiring of the brain. For example, he said, brain imaging findings suggest that secure social interactions foster the integration of disparate [separate] parts of the brain.

"When I'm telling you my feelings," he says, "discussing memories, in this close relationship, I'm achieving better neurological integration. I'm repairing the connections in the brain."

In other words, Talk to People Who Listen to You and Pay Attention - and who remember details about you! Remember: People who suffer from depression & bipolar disorder have had difficulty in the past expressing their emotions. Through the help of a therapist or psychiatrist, a good friend, or support group members, you can learn the art of comunication! And the feeling of being understood!
 
And DO remember, "People who come to New Directions Get Better!" We make sure of that. Follow our common-sense "Keys to Recovery."

Important ReMINDers:  Ah-choo!!!  The common cold or a seasonal allergy will generally go away on its own. If not, see your doctor. Many folks like buying over-the-counter cold or allergy products. If you suffer from mood disorders, be aware that some of the ingredients cause moodswings! Check with your pharmacist about this. Many people are unaware of this, and have, unfortunately, found out the hard way!

Also, don't forget that steroids may cause moodswings. When adding an additional medication to your psych meds, make sure it doesn't disturb your homeostasis.

* Click on Tips on Keeping Depression Away by Ivan Goldberg, MD. Click on his newly revised site, which offers unparalleled important info!

*For strategy on getting an uncooperative patient to attend, read our Quik Book on "Help! My Loved One Won't Cooperate." It works!

New Directions: where teamwork is our middle name. Click on the following 2 brief videos - turn up your speakers - and be prepared to feel your feelings......

Nature: Our Greatest Teacher: Why Geese Flock Together - Turn up Your Speakers! There is no mental illness in animals. Only in homo sapiens.
http://www.cuttyhunkroseinspirations.com/geese.html

Find comfort in the Lord: The 23rd Psalm by poet King David. Click here.

N E W ! !   Euphoria:  Get a natural high by clicking on this link - and turn up your speakers loudly

Mindpopper:  Frances Hazam does outstanding advocacy work at the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania. We suggest you get on her email list & she'll send you vital email alerts, advising you to get in touch w/your legislators for issues affecting people with mental illness.

Also, click onto our Links Page, under "Advocacy" - and subscribe to other online email alerts, and read our note at top of Advocacy link page.

Mindpopper: According to a June, '06, NY Times article, more and more antipsychotics are being prescribed for children! It's okay if a child has been diagnosed with early onset schizophrenia or other psychotic disorders, but according to the article, drugs are often used as a substitute for good parenting. What's needed, instead of possibly harmful drugs for a child's still-developing young brain, is intensive psychotherapy & learning of good parenting skills. // In a July 4, 2006 NY Times Article, studies have shown that excessive alcohol consumption at a young age (some youngsters begin before the age of 14) causes irreversible brain damage. We live in a new illicit drug culture. A Suburban Pennsylvania High School Principal walked down the hall with a teacher and commented, "Whatever drug you want, these kids know where to get it." Parents: Do you know where your children are? Do you know who they're hanging out with? Do you have a liquor cabinet? It's our responsibility as parents to maintain discipline over our children.

20 percent of all Americans take antidepressants, according to the June 25, 2006 Wall Street Journal.

Did you know that people on psychiatric meds have a far higher rate of developing diabetes? Very true. Some psych meds carry a higher risk for developing diabetes than other meds. Check with your psychiatrist. Abington (PA) Memorial Hospital offers an excellent set of classes on how to take charge of your diabetes before it takes charge of you. "Proper diet & aerobic exercise" are the mantras. For info, call the hospital at 215-672-0899. Click here. Type 2 diabetes is as insidious a disease as cancer.

Easiest & cheapest form of exercise: Power-walking. Why does aerobic exercise (heart-pumping activity) make us feel good? It releases endorphins (peptide hormones) in our brains.  Make it a habit! When the weather is inclement, walk indoors in a nearby mall.

The most important reason to come to ND is to bond with other people with our illness and call them in good times and bad: We must "Express our emotions." People with mood disorders have had difficulty in the past  discharging their emotions, and need to learn new ways to communicate. This includes, in particular, expressing anger. Grrrrgh!!! "Healthy anger" is the goal! Go for fast walks, use a punching bag, get on the phone and talk to someone about the person or situation upsetting you. Discover for yourself, "Who am I really angry at?" - discuss with therapist, friends or trusted family how to express that anger.

Also, get in the habit of complimenting people: The first step toward friendship.

We offer:

Evening meetings
Daytime meetings - Thursdays (click on Calendar)
Social events - a great way to learn to socialize
List of Top Docs/Top Therapists
Guest Speakers the 3rd Tuesday of the month, followed by Groups
Groups offer: Concrete, on-the-spot problem-solving ideas that work! 

M o r e   G r e a t   W e b s i t e s ! ! !

Look Who's Blogging! The clever award-winners at Philly's own Beck Institute.  Click here.

Philly's Own Liz Spikol

The facility below offers Unsurpassed Residential Housing for People with Psychiatric Disabilities. Read the below article:
Patterns of Family Caring: Help that Hurts, Help that Helps
Project Transition - 215-997-9959 - (facilities in Warrington, PA & Chestnut Hill, PA, with more being built!)

Partners in Recovery: Doctors & Patients should be partners
19-minute video made in 2004
http://www.stopstigma.samhsa.gov/partnersinrecovery.htm

Health Insurance for Pennsylvania Kids
CHIP

Personal Health Records - You have a right to own a copy of your health records. It's a "must" in this age rife w/medical mismanagement.
http://myphr.com/

Section 8 Govt. Housing for Low Income People - Sign up to Be Put on Their  W-a-i-t-i-n-g  List
H U D 
 

NEW DIRECTIONS' MISSION STATEMENT:

Our mission is to serve as a support and education group to help individuals with mood disorders (depression and bipolar disorder) reach their highest potential: to move beyond their diagnosis to lead meaningful, productive and joyous lives, even if that means changing our goals and our lifestyles to accommodate our illness. We help members participate in society to the fullest: through work, volunteerism, and involvement in the community at large. We recognize that many of us have artistic, creative or intellectual abilities and encourage our members to utilize their gifts to the fullest. We also serve as much-needed support to family members and friends.

We are also committed to educating the public about the treatability of depression and bipolar disorder to help dispel prejudice, and let society know that “for every terrible story about someone with a mood disorder, there are a thousand success stories.”

MINDPOPPER:  One of our group members realized he was having classic signs of having a moodswing. Although he left a message with his psychiatrist, he did not indicate his condition was URGENT. A moodswing is URGENT, so please convey this to your doctor or his secretary or answering machine! Remember, we have the power to stop a moodswing before it gets started.

Please keep reading. There's more important information below, for YOU, the most important person in the whole wide world!

Who would ever imagine that Little Ruthie Greenwold, spelling champ and fastest female runner at Mercer Elem. School, Shaker Heights, Ohio, would grow up into Ruth Z. Deming, MGPGP. "We live so many lives in one lifetime." Click here for the excellent article on Ruth and New Directions that appears in the Sept. 14, 2005 edition of..... The Jewish Exponent. Oh, she's Jewish! Who knew?

Content © 2008 New Directions ¤ Web design by Joey Moore ¤