S.A. eLetter (7-18-11)

[John P.]

Greetings S.A. family on the Internet,

The Mission Statement of S.A. is given early in the S.A. Blue
Booklet. It reads:


Mission Statement

The mission of Schizophrenics Anonymous is to add the element of a
peer support/self-help group to the recovery process of people
suffering from schizophrenia. We hope this will contribute to the
sense of well being of SA members and help us cope with the
difficulties imposed by our illness.



SOURCE: S.A. Blue Booklet (program text, first published in 1989)


----------------------------------------------------

--Stress Management, part #52


Americans Still Stressed from Recession, part #2

As identified in the last edition of the S.A. eLetter, a whole lot of
people in this country are still feeling the pain of the Great
Recession in the form of stress. Right now, nearly one in five men
between ages 25 and 54 is without a job. Folk are getting frustrated
and angry, a lot of the time. Talk of inchoate fury and Days of Rage
is popping up in the public print. A Case Western Reserve University
study even reports that two-thirds of Americans are angry at God.

But in all of this chaotic and stressful stuff happening in our heads,
there is a point of moderation that can emerge.

A whole lot of underlying dissatisfaction comes from heightened
expectations. We have developed real grand ideas since our Founding
Fathers talked about the pursuit of happiness. The New Yorker magazine
writes that we had become "a nation of unhappy lottery winners,"
having it all but still burning for more (as Newsweek magazine adds).
Maybe our expectations went ridiculously into orbit, where everyone
thinks they deserve a million dollar sweet sixteen party. Now we have
a chance at this moment to think about what human needs really are, as
opposed to bloated desires.

Expectations have another saving grace, as Newsweek reports. Americans
have a deep idea buried in some protected part of their brain that
somehow things will get better. This ray of hope in our heads spurs us
to keep working at it. Just not giving up. Todd Gitlin is an expert
of social movements at Columbia University. He has an interesting view
on this subject. His idea goes something like this:

Americans keep a two sets of books. One is a record of life as it
really is; the other is how life will be once we get past this present
difficulty. And once we get past this difficulty, things will be
better. Gitlin sees this conviction as something that shapes our
culture.

The stress won't last forever. It’s the normal pattern for stress to
calm down eventually. Making it through the present difficulty is the
challenge that will eventually bring relief. This is the idea seems to
get us through each time.

SOURCE: Adapted from Newsweek (June 6, 2011)


Stress Management Series Prior Editions

Below are links to the first 40 parts of the Stress Management Series
to
date. The more recent parts are at the S.A. eLetter site at Google.

Stress Management Series I (Parts #1 to #16):
http://groups.google.com/group/choose-life-project/browse_thread/thread/584aa4af7b45c502

Stress Management Series II (Parts #17 to #29):
http://groups.google.com/group/choose-life-project/browse_thread/thread/f240f7bad9902a81#

Stress Management Series III (Parts #30 to #40):
http://groups.google.com/group/choose-life-project/browse_thread/thread/e0f98e3ce6dafc7f

------------------------------------------

--Our Suffering in Perspective

The suffering of schizophrenia patients is real. And other people
suffer too. We wish to also recognize the struggles of other
suffering people. For instance:

Trauma of Returning Soldiers

We have a lot of guys returning home from war-zones in Iraq and
Afghanistan. A large percentage have experienced the shock of war and
being under fire. As a result, many are experiencing Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD). The effects of war last a long time for these
guys, creating disruptions of life and happiness.


We do not suffer alone.


SOURCE: Associated Press reports and news magazines



-----------------------------------------------

--Website of the Week

American Self-help Group Clearinghouse.

A keyword-searchable database of over 1,100 national, international,
model and online self-help support groups for addictions, bereavement,
health, mental health, disabilities, abuse, parenting, caregiver
concerns and many other stressful life situations.

Its website:

http://www.selfhelpgroups.org/




--------------------------------------------------

--Quote of the Week

Courage is one of those virtues that have an irony to them. Check out
this quote:

"'Fearless' is living in spite of those things that scare you to
death."

-Taylor Swift, contemporary American pop singer

The quote sounds about right.


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Bye for now, and everyone have a great couple of weeks.
--John P., member of S.A.

=============================================

For more information about
Schizophrenics Anonymous.:
The new S.A. website is at:
http://www.sardaa.org
----------
For the Google information group for S.A.:
http://groups.google.com/group/schizophrenics-anonymous
------------
For the Yahoo discussion group for S.A.:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/schizophrenics-anonymous
NOTE: Earlier editions of the S.A. eLettter and the Schizophrenia News
Links are posted at the Google information group for S.A. (link given
above). Also, the S.A. eLetter will come
to your e-mail inbox when published by signing up at the S.A.
Information Group at Google.
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Fact Sheet Information about Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective
Disorder--
* National Institute of Mental Health--description of schizophrenia:
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/schizophrenia/index.shtml
----------------------
* Mental Health America ( formerly the National Mental Health
Association):
--description of schizophrenia:
http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/go/schizophrenia
--------------------
* National Alliance for the Mentally Il
--description of schizophrenia:
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/TaggedP...
--description of schizoaffective disorder:
http://www.nami.org/Template.cfm?Section=By_Illness&Template=/TaggedP...
(Organization now called National Alliance on Mental Illness)