Reasons to tell people about it

Whether or not you discuss your condition with family, friends or coworkers is a personal decision. You may find it hard to talk about your diagnosis, or you may be concerned about how others will react. Ideally, the people around you will accept your illness and be encouraging. Bear in mind that they might not know very much about your condition. While they may want to help you, they may not know the best way to help. You can give them a better chance to support you by thinking ahead about how to tell them about your mental illness.

Why to tell
One reason to tell others about your mental illness is to receive encouragement. Talking to a sympathetic friend or loved one can reduce your stress level and improve your mood. You may no longer feel like you are keeping a secret. You may also want to ask for concrete support, like help finding treatment or rides to appointments. Or, maybe you want to share your crisis plan with a trusted family member.

When to tell
Telling people is a very personal decision and should only be done when you’re ready. It might help to practice how you tell people with a professional, such as a therapist. You can discuss your worries and how to react to issues, questions and comments that might arise. Practicing may help you clarify how you feel about your condition and inform who you want to tell.

Make sure you are in a calm environment when you introduce the topic and give the person time to adjust to the idea, especially if he or she don’t know a lot about your condition.

If you are compelled to tell people during a period where you are unwell, try to locate the most supportive person in your life for support as you go through the process.

Who to tell
You are the expert on your condition and can decide for yourself the right or wrong number of people to tell. Some people will benefit from telling many family and friends. Others may benefit by telling a couple of close friends and waiting to tell others.

Make a list of the people you’re considering telling and include those closest to you. Also list the most emotionally skilled people you know, even if you don’t know them that well.

Personal relationships
When telling family, friends or someone you are in a romantic relationship with about your condition, their response will generally go in one of three directions:

• The person is genuinely comfortable with your disclosure and things stay the same
• The person is very uncomfortable and ends or changes the relationship
• The person says he or she is fine with it, and then does a fast or slow fade from your life

Coworkers
In a job, you have to weigh the advantages against the disadvantages of being open. Weigh the potential negative impact on things like stigma from coworkers against your need for special accommodations, which are considered part of your civil rights. Before you share information about your condition, you should learn about your legal rights and also take into consideration your work environment. Consider approaching your Human Resources contact to gather support.

Once you’ve told someone, you’ll understandably be concerned about their reaction. One sign they can handle it is if they treat you the same during or after the disclosure. Friends stay friends. Colleagues stay polite and interested. If you continue to get the same “vibes” from people, you can be pretty sure that your disclosure has not changed the relationship for worse. And that is the best outcome of all.

Knowing that certain people are aware of an important part of your life and that they accept you and support you can be incredibly helpful and liberating. While some people may disappear, it’s better to have strong social supports around you.

Being able to offer emotional support is not something that everyone knows how to do. It’s a skill that takes practice. Some people may not be able to offer emotional support. If you have relatives or friends who lack this skill, that doesn’t mean they don’t love you. Most likely they don’t understand or fear they may say the wrong thing.

Remember that some conditions may cause you to not want to reach out for help. Sometimes the help from others is exactly what is needed to move toward recovery.

What to talk about
You can get the best support possible by planning the conversation. Consider including three items:

• “Process” talk
• Specific problem
• Suggestions for how loved ones can help

“Process” talk means “talking about talking,” rather than talking to share information. Prepare your listener for an important conversation by using “process” talk. Here are some ways to begin a process talk:

• “I want to talk to you about something important. I’m not sure how to talk about it, though. Can you just listen to me and try to understand? I’m hoping I’ll feel better after talking about it with someone, but I need you to be patient.”
• “There’s something going on in my life that’s bothering me. I think I need to talk to someone about it. I feel embarrassed about it, though, so please don’t laugh it off or make a joke out of it.”
• “I’m not sure if this will make sense. I feel uncomfortable talking about it, but I want to tell someone.

Concrete examples of what you mean by “mental illness.” Every case of mental illness is different. To get the best support possible, share one or two examples of what’s causing you stress:

• “I think something’s wrong because I can’t sleep more than a couple hours at night. It’s hurting my work and I feel out of control.”
• “I’ve started skipping classes sometimes. I’m worried I’ll stop leaving the apartment if I don’t get help.”
• “The doctor said I have bipolar disorder. Sometimes I feel like things are getting out of control and I’m not sure how to keep myself together.”

Suggest ways to support you. Family and friends may not know what they can do to help. You can get the best support by asking for specific types of help:

• “I’m scared to make an appointment because that’s like admitting there’s something wrong. But I need to see a doctor. Can you help me find one and follow through?”
• “I’m not thinking clearly these days. I’m getting treatment for a mental illness, but it might take a while to feel right. Until then, when I do something that makes you uncomfortable, can you please tell me what I’m doing instead of getting freaked out?”
• “I’m not supposed to drink alcohol with my medications. I’m going to try not to drink at parties, but I need my close friends to encourage me and help me keep my social life.”
• “I’m feeling better. But once in a while, can you tell me you’re there for me and give me a hug?”
• By telling the right people and suggesting ways for loved ones to help, you can start building a strong social support network. At first, you might be afraid to talk about your experiences. But don’t give up looking for support and encouragement from others. You’ll discover that many people want to help you.

You don’t have to share everything. Decide in advance what parts of your experience you’ll talk about and what parts you won’t. Stand by your decision. It’s perfectly understandable to answer a question with a statement like “I’d rather not talk about that right now.”

Keep in mind
Share the good things. Explain how your illness has taught you new things, or about experiences you were able to have in spite or, or because of, your illness.

Set boundaries. Be clear with people about when you want their advice and when you just want them to listen. Also realize that people come with their own opinions, informed and otherwise, so be patient when explaining. If they try to discredit you, gently remind them that you are the one living with the illness, and you know yourself best.

Let them know how they can support you. Everyone has different needs, and different people respond in different ways. Think about your needs ahead of time, and about whether this person can support you, if there are resources that would help her or him understand what you’re going through, or if she or he says no. Some people may not be able to handle disclosure, so it may be difficult to expect support from them. There are many people who will probably feel honored that you shared this with them, and whom will be happy to do what they can.

Help is available. For additional information, visit MagellanHealth.com/MYMH
Source: NAMI

This document is for your information only. It is not meant to give medical advice. It should not be used to replace a visit with a provider. Magellan Health does not endorse other resources that may be mentioned here.

Stress is a part of everyone’s life in one way or another. But did you ever consider that stress doesn’t always have to be a bad thing? What if you found ways to make stress a positive thing?
Stress is complicated and tends to impact people over a long period of time. Here are a few tips to help you manage your stress.

1. Get organized. Being unorganized creates stress and leaves you feeling out of control and overwhelmed. Get your house or your desk or your car in order and then feel the wave of relief that comes over you.

2. See things from another angle. View stress as an energizer. Consider each new demand as a challenge, no matter how difficult it may seem.

3. Take charge. Although you can’t control other people’s actions, you can control your response to what comes your way. When it comes to managing your emotions, you’re the boss.

4. Think big. Think in terms of long-range goals, not just day-to-day problems so you can see beyond the immediate situation.

5. Find true friends. Having supportive friends is a key to reducing stress. Good friends should recognize your strengths and lend a hand in stressful situations.

6. Learn from it. Look for meaning in the stress you have experienced. For example, a sick family member may have caused a great deal of stress, but the situation brought your family closer.

7. Be proactive. Learn to recognize the early signs of your stress, such as anger, taking on too many things, working too much or irregular sleep patterns. Think about what you can do to reduce the negative stress effects.

8. Accept limits. Understand your boundaries. Set realistic expectations for yourself.

9. Use your strengths. Recognize your strengths and focus on projects that allow you to use them. Taking on too much can make you feel out of control.

10. Make decisions. Indecision increases stress. Start by making small decisions and acting on them.

11. Laugh. Laughter is indeed the best medicine. Laughing at yourself can relieve stress.

12. Keep yourself healthy. Take care of your body by eating healthy foods and drinking plenty of water. Find time to exercise.

13. Pay attention to your body. There are times when our bodies send signals telling us to slow down and take a break. When you experience physical signs such as exhaustion, restless sleep, headaches, body aches and other types of pains, take time to renew your body and your mind.

Resources
National Institute of Mental Health
www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/stress/index.shtml

Help is available. For additional information, visit MagellanHealth.com/MYMH

This document is for your information only. It is not meant to give medical advice. It should not be used to replace a visit with a provider. Magellan Health does not endorse other resources that may be mentioned here.

Prescription drug abuse is a growing issue and affects people from all walks of life. With that in mind, it’s important for the health and safety of your family and others who come into your home that you safeguard and properly dispose of prescription medications.

Safeguarding medications

• Ask your pharmacist if prescribed medicines in your home may have the potential for abuse
  Store medicine in the original container so it can easily be tracked and identified
• Secure medicine in a safe place out of reach of children and guests. Medicines should be kept in a locked medicine cabinet or a lock box.
• Create an inventory list of all medicines so you know what you have; double check it at regular intervals
• Keep track of refills—your own and other people in the household

Proper disposal

• Safely disposing of expired or unused medicine is important to the safety of everyone in your home
• Ideally, participate in a safe drug disposal program or a drug takeback day in your community
• When disposing of drugs at home, mix the medicine with an undesirable substance, such as kitty litter or some type of trash, and discard
• Remove personal, identifiable information from bottles to help prevent unauthorized refills

Additional Resources
U.S. Food and Drug Administration | fda.gov

The Partnership for Drug-Free Kids | Drugfree.org

Help is available. For additional information, visit MagellanHealth.com/MYMH

Alcohol is part of many traditions and is often served at parties and other functions. And although many drugs are illegal or legal only with a prescription, people may offer them to you.

If you’re in a situation where someone is offering you alcohol or drugs, try this:

• Look the person in the eye. In a firm voice, tell the person you don’t want to drink or use Say something like:
  • “No, I’m sorry, but I don’t use….”
  • “No, I’m really trying to stay “
  • “No, I’m trying to cut “

• Give a reason why you don’t want to drink or use Say something like:
  • “It’s bad for my “
  • “I could lose my housing.”
  • “I have trouble when I use….”

• Ask the person not to ask you to drink or use drugs Say something like:
  • “Hey, I said I’m trying to stay clean, so don’t ask me again.”
  • “I told you I don’t use anymore, so stop asking.”
  • “I’m trying really hard to stay clean, so please don’t ask me to use anymore.”

• If you notice that someone does have drugs, leave the area.

Help is available. For additional information, visit MagellanHealth.com/MYMH

Source: Healthwise

It’s AIDS Awareness Month, and we want to recognize and remember those lost to AIDS, support those living with HIV, help to spread awareness about prevention and treatment, and provide information around our patient-centric AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) services that have helped so many patients.

By the numbers

Did you know that more than 1.1 million people in the U.S. are living with HIV today, and one in seven don’t even know they’re infected?¹ Thanks to significant improvements in treatment over the last few decades, HIV/AIDS patients are living longer, more prosperous lives than ever before. In 1996, the total life expectancy for a 20-year-old person with HIV was 39 years. In 2011, the total life expectancy increased to about 70 years.²

Even though many advancements have been made in treatment, the fight’s not over yet. You may have noticed that HIV/AIDS is no longer getting the attention that it used to, but these patients are still very much in need of quality care and treatment.

Our ADAP services: It’s all about the patient

At Magellan Rx Management, we offer differentiated programs for our HIV/AIDS patients. We’re not just another PBM, enrolling members and processing claims. To us, the most important thing is that these patients receive the care they need to thrive and manage their condition.

Our approach puts the patient at the center; they are the sole focus. While our comprehensive AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) solution offers claims processing, prior authorization, coordination of benefits, and many more core functions, we don’t just stop there.

Our #1 goal is to make sure that every patient who qualifies for treatment, gets treatment.

Going the extra mile

When we say we strive to get these patients the care they need, we mean it. One of our patient’s insurance had lapsed right before becoming a Magellan member, and as a result, was refused costly treatment in the hospital.  Our team truly went the extra mile – calls were made to both the insurance company and the hospital to make sure the patient received the necessary treatment.

We also go the extra mile at the client level.  Recently, we implemented our ADAP program and here is what the client had to say:

“Again the Magellan team is exceeding our expectations!  You guys continue to be a joy to work with!”

We wholeheartedly believe in leading humanity to healthy, vibrant lives and that means doing everything it takes to make sure our HIV/AIDS patients are getting the care they need.

Click here to learn more about our ADAP services.

¹ Content Source: HIV.gov.Date last updated: July 11, 2018. (2018, September 25). U.S. Statistics. Retrieved December 7, 2018, from https://www.hiv.gov/hiv-basics/overview/data-and-trends/statistics
² Scaccia, A., & Madell, R. (n.d.). Facts About HIV: Life Expectancy and Long-Term Outlook. Retrieved December 6, 2018, from https://www.healthline.com/health/hiv-aids/life-expectancy

Sadly, nearly every day Americans are faced with traumatic events. Whether it be weather-related incidents, mass shootings or other emergencies, these experiences are frightening. In response, Magellan has developed a Crisis Communications Resources page that includes downloadable tip sheets in English and Spanish about:

• Helping children cope after a traumatic event
• How to cope after a traumatic event
• Living with threats of violence
• Supporting employees during traumatic events

You can also find links to resources on the Ready.gov website, such as guides and videos for nearly 30 different types of disasters.

Caring for a family member or friend who has a disability or a chronic illness can be rewarding. But it’s also demanding. One of the keys to being a successful caregiver is to manage stress by seeking support and taking care of yourself. Managing stress is especially important for a caregiver, because stress can weaken his or her immune system. A weak immune system makes the caregiver more likely to get sick.

Think about the kinds of caregiving tasks or situations that trigger stress for you. Then you can focus on one or two things you can do that will help the most to reduce stress. Here are some ideas:

Get support
Ask family members for help. Include them in caregiving decisions.

• Ask family members for help. Include them in caregiving decisions.
• Share the tasks. Make a list of weekly tasks, and share that list with your family. Ask for help with shopping, housecleaning, and errands. You don’t have to do all the work on your own.
• Stay involved. Make time for social activities and friends, even if it’s only a phone call or coffee during the week.
• Join a caregiver support group. Meeting other caregivers helps you know you’re not alone. And it gives you a chance to talk about your worries and concerns with others who understand.
• Find respite care. Respite services provide someone who can stay with your family member while you get away for a few hours or days. Time away can help you manage your stress and be a better caretaker.
• Look up caregiver resources in your community. Hospitals, churches, and other groups may provide transportation or other services that support caregiving tasks. You can reduce stress by planning ahead so you know who to call when you need extra help.

Take care of yourself

• Put your own health first. Be sure to schedule and go to your medical checkups.
• Eat a healthy diet, and get enough sleep. Taking care of yourself will help you deal with stressful situations.
• Get regular exercise. Even a 10-minute walk can relieve stress.
• Take a breath. Try stress reduction techniques like deep breathing and meditation.
• Take a break. It’s important to take time off from caregiving once in a while. Spend some time doing things you enjoy or on things in your own life that need attention.

What to think about
Depression is common among caregivers. It’s emotionally draining to care for a loved one whose health is getting worse. Don’t dismiss your feelings as “just stress.” If you’re having trouble coping with your feelings, it may help to talk with a counselor. If you have symptoms of depression, such as a lack of interest in things you enjoy, a lack of energy, or trouble sleeping, talk with your doctor.

Help is available. For additional mental health information and resources, visit MagellanHealthcare.com.

Source: Healthwise

1. Share the responsibility of care with our partner, relatives, or other support persons.
2. Remember to rest when your child is resting. If you feel uncomfortable about leaving your sleeping child alone, sleep close by your child.
3. Talk with your doctor if you feel exhausted and unable to continue to care for your child adequately. This can happen to any parent.