Urban Meyer and his Battle with Mental Illnesses
September 13th, 2016 at 2:00 PM ^
but here's something that needs to change. Everybody wants to "cure" mental illness with medications that cost thousands of dollars. There are so many things people struggling with mental illness can do that cost nothing. Join a support group, meditate, excercise, eat a healthy diet, try a form of spirituality. These are things that need to be pushed along with meds.
Also, I thought sure you were going to say nobody is allowed to have a mental illness til we beat MSU and OSU
September 13th, 2016 at 2:04 PM ^
think it would be advisable for no Michigan fans with mental illnesses to watch football until we beat MSU and OSU.
September 13th, 2016 at 2:16 PM ^
I agree with you on 100%!!!
September 13th, 2016 at 2:09 PM ^
I really did drop the ball there.
And I agree, diet, exercise, and even herbal / natural remedies can be very beneficial for many psychological conditions. The problem with most medications is that the side effects are often so awful that the patient will stop taking it, even if it is providing some benefit.
Ketamine works great for depression. It also costs about $600 per infusion and isn't covered by insurance.
September 13th, 2016 at 3:10 PM ^
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is what was recommended by my wife's Psychiatrist because she wasn't responding to the usual therapies.
Naturally, our insurance carrier's response was, "Yeah, no." Additionally, the out of pocket cost was more than $10,000 - something we couldn't afford at the time.
But, I couldn't really fault our insurance company. The success rate was only about 30% - so, it's a pretty steep bill, and no way of knowing until AFTER the treatment (which required treatments a couple of times a week for several months) if it had been successful.
Sadly, medical science knows a lot about mental illness - but also very little.
September 13th, 2016 at 2:26 PM ^
Meyer is every bit as mentally disabled as he was before the shit started going down at Florida. The difference is that he's developed coping mechanisms to deal with his disability. He can feel when the sick part of his brain is acting up, and knows how to respond.
This isn't any different from physical rehab as a concept. A family member recently developed arthritis. That's permanent. It's not some illness you can pop a pill and fix. The fix is to change your life and adapt to the cartilage degredation. Certain activities are disallowed, others OK with a brace, and personal habits change to lessen the wear & inflammation. You can't live the same way, but you can live with arthritis if you mitigate it. Mental illnesses often can't be cured, but an awareness of the illness can lead to learning ways to make sure it doesn't ruin your life.
This is a huge issue in America that I feel is coming to a head. I know some people with mental illnesses and the emphasis on medication, medical diagnoses and treatment over coping mechanisms is nothing short of shocking. I simply mentioned "coping mechanisms" to a psychiatrist who doubled a loved one's antidepressant dosage and she stared at me like I'd grown an extra head.
Let me be clear -- I'm not saying coping mechanisms REPLACE medicine or treatment. Again, with arthritis you can take a cortisone shot to relieve the pain -- but that doesn't do dick to the damage. If you're not aware that the shot is just killing the pain but the damage remains, you'll do further harm to yourself. You need both relief AND rehab, but when it comes to mental health, we prescribe the pills or do nothing at all.
September 13th, 2016 at 2:45 PM ^
That is the point I've also been trying to make. In my personal case, I believe that the coping mechanisms I learned through cognitive therapy did way more for me than any of the medications I was on. As I said, 5 years running with no issues whatsoever.
September 13th, 2016 at 3:52 PM ^
There are so many levels and variation of mental illness. A chemical imbalance is not something that can be cured but managed. I'm not saying support groups, excercise, eating healthy, etc are not all good things (in fact, they are good things for everyone), but some levels of mental illness require medication and no other form of suport is going to help manage that.
September 13th, 2016 at 4:01 PM ^
I think it's just the stigma of "Oh we will just prescribe this and see what happens", versus the actually working through things that are what anger many. The throw pills and pharma at it versus evaluating the issue is what's maddening.
Or some mental health services may sadly be funded by pharma or through lobbyists behind the drugs. God I hope that isn't the case but it'd make great business sense for them to operate that way.
September 13th, 2016 at 4:14 PM ^
This is one of the biggest areas where I think more investment could help. It is such a complicated illness and there is less known than known at this point. It is very difficult for the average therapist to know what the best medical path forward is once they have diagnosed there is a mental illness. The amount of knowlege and education which needs to be done at this level is so great.
I have a family member who also happens to be a scientist. They have taken a very active role in working with their therapist on what is the best prescription combination. It has also changed and adjusted many times over the years, often times at their prompting. I don't expect the average person to be able to take this vested interest and research into their situation, but that is the type of effort required and that is beyond many therapists capabilities.
September 13th, 2016 at 4:33 PM ^
When he first began to suspect that he had ADHD (both my wife and I thought he probably had it, but were reluctant to simply put him on medication) he researched the disorder and the various drug therapies extensively. As a high school freshman, he could already draw the serotonin molecule from memory.
Since he started visiting a psychiatrist, my son has very detailed conversations about the various options with the doctor. As a teenager, he errs on the side of "more drugs is better;" so the doctor has to moderate his enthusiasm for a pharmaceutical response to every issue. Nevertheless, his doctor has said several times that it's easy to have a conversation with someone as knowledgeable as he is.
One of my high school classmates has a Ph.D. and is a researcher in Pharmacology; he spoke to my son about the various therapies and drug options at my request almost two years ago. When I asked my friend about my son's degree of understanding, he replied, "Your son could write down what he knows today and have a better thesis than most Ph.D. students I know. His knowledge base is really impressive."
September 13th, 2016 at 4:55 PM ^
I think it is great your son has attacked his understanding of his situation with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind. I hope one day he can take his aquired knowledge and turn it into something which can help others who are not able to do the same for themself.
September 13th, 2016 at 5:02 PM ^
He has several friends who are struggling with what appear to be ADHD and other disorders. He encourages them to seek help; and if/when their parents wave off his concerns, he'll speak with his high school counselor, a teacher, or the dean of students, explaining what he's observed and why it's necessary for them to seek help.
A few of his friends' parents have barred their sons from getting medications which may help. That drives him crazy because he believes it's solely based on ignorance (which isn't necessarily wrong).
By the way, speaking of him, my son REALLY wants to go to college in Texas - Houston is his dream school (it's about the location, not the quality of education). Any advice?
September 13th, 2016 at 6:23 PM ^
September 13th, 2016 at 4:11 PM ^
but this is sometimes incorrect. Depending on the chemical (I'll use Serotonin & GABA for example), there is scientific data that shows they may be better controlled by diet, excercise, and meditation than by any prescription drug currently available. I'm not against drugs. I currently take 1 antidepressant and have for 11 years. The problem is that I can't get off it because the withdrawal symptoms I experience are unbearable. I just caution anybody to use a prescription drug for this stuff as a last resort
September 13th, 2016 at 8:40 PM ^
You know what you are talking about.
September 13th, 2016 at 1:29 PM ^
I just saw a comercial with Tom Izzo encouraging people to seek out help on campuses and encouraging them to share their struggles with people in their lives. Still, there is an incredible shortage of services for individuals with mental illness, which is the real issue, MOAR FUNDING!
September 13th, 2016 at 4:23 PM ^
Hrmm what can we do? Fund the care.
I'm just a left wing nutjob who believes in universal healthcare though.
(I'm actually more of a conservative though?)
September 13th, 2016 at 1:33 PM ^
When someone walks into a room with a cast around their arm or a black eye, everyone is asking what happened, how can I help, are you ok. If I walk into a room nobody knows I'm depressed or have anxiety because you don't necessarily see it. I've dealt with both and I was shocked at how little information there is out there to let people know they can get help. They don't need to live like that. And you're not alone. Thanks for posting this.
September 13th, 2016 at 1:41 PM ^
...would be immeasurably improved if he would refrain from eating his boogers.
September 13th, 2016 at 1:43 PM ^
here's the biggest misconception IMO. That you can't beat it. I spent 5 years going to therapy for anxiety/depression. I was on a buttload of prescriptions. You can totally overcome it. I'm over 5 years removed from any issues because of therapy and different stress relief techniques. We need to eliminate the stigma attached to the term "mental illness". People look at that term as a lifetime affliction. It certainly does not have to be. With the right daily routine and treatments, you can feel better than you ever have. I appreciate Urban doing this,.....I still think he's a weenie, but he did a good thing here!
September 13th, 2016 at 1:56 PM ^
I'll add that, thanks to treatment and various adjustments to my life, my mental health is exponentially better than it once was. Things can get better for many people.
September 13th, 2016 at 3:01 PM ^
But not everyone can BEAT it. As Meyer said in the article, in some people, it's a matter of simply managing it.
My wife, daughter, and son all suffer from a combination of anxiety and depressive disorders. They've each been in treatment - including both prescribed drugs and therapy - for a long time. The last several years have certainly had their ups and downs - the downs have been among the worst moments of my life as I've helplessly watched them enter downward spirals.
You're correct, though, that there are techniques that can be learned which really do help manage the disorders. They are very important to practice every day.
September 13th, 2016 at 3:13 PM ^
or I guess maybe we kind of look at it in a different way. I look at mental illness the way I look at a cold. That may sound a little crazy, but this is what I mean. I've dealt with mental illness on and off in the past. I can never guarantee that I won't deal with it again. However, I can do many things every day to help prevent it from coming back. If it does come back at some point in my life, I can do things to fight it, probably overcome it again, or at the very least greatly reduce it's negative impact on my life! You're a good man for being there for your family. Make sure you take care of yourself as well so you can continue to be there for them in the future!
September 13th, 2016 at 3:30 PM ^
Or, even, the Shingles virus. It's always there, but dormant - until it's not.
And, thanks for the kind words. It's sometimes hard to react "correctly." I am not too proud to admit that my reaction at seeing my wife and our kids get "that look" on their faces, and knowing where their brains are about to take them, has sometimes been, "Seriously? This shit again? Stop it, already!"
If I'm being honest about it, that reaction is borne from fear. I can't do much to help them except to be supportive - and I'm a "Type A" personality, and an engineer to boot, which means I want to throw a switch and fix the problem (so I have more time for myself to chase the shiny ball).
September 13th, 2016 at 3:45 PM ^
I felt the same way you do when I heard the word anxiety. That was until I had my own issues start around 11 years ago. All I can tell you is that you really can't relate to what they're going through if you've never experienced it yourself. Always remember that NOBODY would feel or act this way if they had a choice. Be as patient and sensitive about it as you possibly can, but also hold them accountable for doing what they can to help themselves.
September 13th, 2016 at 4:11 PM ^
Over about the past year (must be something in the water around here). In all seriousness, beginning last fall, I started having mounting problems with my client portfolio and then, with a few of my colleagues. Mostly, they were things beyond my control.
But as my own anxiety increased, so did the cortisol. My sleep was not restful, a routine blood test returned high levels of an enzyme (MPO) for arterial inflammation, and I started gaining weight.
The MPO levels in my blood increased my anxiety even further. My doctor doubled my daily statin dosage, and worked with me on my diet. I also made sure I got more exercise (going from 2-3 days per week to 4-5 days). Finally, I've found time to laugh - this blog has been a great source of humor; but the return of Bloom County has been a Godsend.
It's all helped. The anxiety is still there, but it's managable. Having had a small taste of what my family has gone through for several years, I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
September 13th, 2016 at 1:42 PM ^
September 13th, 2016 at 1:53 PM ^
1. Eat a good diet
2. Stay off booze if you're not doing well
3. Excercise every day
4. Meditate at least once a day
5. Get a blood test done to make sure you don't have any untreated health issues going on
6. Try cognitvie therapy if at all possible
7. Give a form of spirituality a chance
8. Find anything that makes you laugh
You can overcome this stuff!!!!!
September 13th, 2016 at 3:52 PM ^
September 13th, 2016 at 4:26 PM ^
Luckily I have everything under control(mostly), but I've seen first hand the horrors of stimulants on those with anxiety in a bunch of people.
It can be like fuel on a fire FFS.
September 13th, 2016 at 8:41 PM ^
Don't forget time outdoors.
September 13th, 2016 at 1:56 PM ^
Thank you for your service, sir.
September 13th, 2016 at 1:48 PM ^
Thank you very much for sharing this. Rivalry aside, I'm very glad Urban got the help he needed and started to take his mental health seriously. Great, great story and, as someone who has and is facing anxiety and depression, I'm glad to have read this....
September 13th, 2016 at 1:48 PM ^
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September 13th, 2016 at 2:37 PM ^
September 13th, 2016 at 1:50 PM ^
September 13th, 2016 at 2:20 PM ^
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September 13th, 2016 at 1:52 PM ^
This is a great article, which I will read at length later.
Also, I don't know what is going on, but if Bleacher Report is putting out stuff like this, I think they can safely be linked to. Just saying.
September 13th, 2016 at 1:59 PM ^
Do I even know you anymore, BR? What the Hell?
And props to Urban Meyer for opening up. Still not a fan of a lot of his history, but I suppose none of us is perfect and credit where credit's due.
I still want him to feel really bad after The Game, though. Really, really bad (but with a healthy perspective).
September 13th, 2016 at 2:21 PM ^
To be fair there is some completely legit bleacher report content - it has steadily gotten better over time. The problem is, there's still a lot of it that is not and trying to diferentiate between the two without clicking on a link can be annoying.
If I recall correctly, the "no Bleacher report articles" comes from a day (pre-2011ish) when Bleacher was open content (meaning anyone under the sun could write) and was also heavily driven by the slideshow content.
September 13th, 2016 at 2:04 PM ^
September 13th, 2016 at 4:33 PM ^
I'd have to say in the past the worst was when it was bad and you felt like bringing it up was a massive downer to everyone around you so you just hold everything in which is the exact opposite of what is needed at the time.
Hold everything in get worse, let it out bring down your friend/SO, feel bad which leads to more bad thoughts, which then leads to holding it in until you just want to scream and feel trapped and helpless.
Had a family member commit suicide and everyone told me they thought it'd have been me, yet no one ever talked about it to me, or about getting me help, before or after it. Just goes to show how we see things but don't speak up. If we aren't open to hearing it, those that need help will never receive it.
P.S. Congrats on your success and I'm sorry to hear about your family members.
September 13th, 2016 at 2:17 PM ^
Found that I related with alot of what Urban is saying. Respect him for taking the time to do that interview, which couldn't have been easy for him to open up about. I've always doubted the idea that he left Florida due to being afraid of Nick Saban and this article kind of validates that idea for me. Turned out to be a perfect storm of cirumstace that took him home to coach OSU.
September 13th, 2016 at 2:20 PM ^
As someone who has suffered from anxiety my whole life, it was relieving to read a story about someone who shares similar issues. I have suffered from panic attacks since I was 6 years old. While I went to counseling and took medicine to help me cope, anxiety is still an ongoing battle even to this day. Some days, months, or years even, are better than others. When I was in college and away from home, I exercised almost every day. For about 4 years, I had no problems. Now that I am in the workforce, my anxiety issues have resurfaced. Oftentimes when I get home, I don't have the energy to work out (Fucking Freddy P. Soft), or so I tell myself. My diet has slacked too as a result. Recently my anxiety has overcome me around bedtime causing me to lay in bed awake at night counting down the hours until I have to be back at work. I have started taking medicine again to help calm me down. Anxiety really is a horrible illness. I tell myself that it's all in my head, but some days theres no reasoning with myself. Props to Urban for sharing his story. There literally are millions of people out there going through the same thing, and as one of them it helps to know I am not alone. With that said, I still hate Ohio State and Meyer as the coach of their team. On a personally level though, he's alright.
September 13th, 2016 at 2:31 PM ^
September 13th, 2016 at 4:38 PM ^
At first I felt bad for this but I can still be a person versus the SSRI's where I could go months without having an emotion.
Just remember, everything in moderation, if you're self-medicating, find the dosage that works for you and stick to it, everything can be abused.
September 13th, 2016 at 5:05 PM ^
you'll feel great and it's better than having a pot of coffee. then work like a (reasonable) mad man, and by the time you get home you'll be too tired to stare at the ceiling all night.
kudos to all of you that have shared your cyber-soul on this topic.
September 13th, 2016 at 8:20 PM ^
by Edmund Bourne is the best book available.
September 13th, 2016 at 2:23 PM ^
This was a fascinating and important read. It's not something I would have expected from B/R.