self-esteem

International Stuttering Awareness Day – 22 October

October 22nd marks International Stuttering Awareness Day as a way to bring awareness for this speech fluency disorder.

The primary purpose of International Stuttering Awareness Day is to:

Change public attitudes and eliminate societal discrimination toward people who stutter
Promote the self-esteem and opportunities of people who stutter to reach goals and aspirations
Build a community and provide an opportunity to exchange ideas and strengthen the relationship among researchers, people who stutter, clinicians and parents of children who stutter

More than 70 million people around the world stutter. This means that while talking, they repeat syllables, sounds or words. People who stutter also prolong sounds or experience unwanted interruptions in their speech. They know what they want to say, but are unable to produce a normal flow of speech. This disorder usually affects children between the ages of 2 and 6. This is when they are producing their language skills.

Primary causes of stuttering include genetics, child development, neurophysiology, and family dynamics. Many people think that emotional trauma or psychological problems causes stuttering. There is no evidence to support this idea. The good news is that when caught early, stuttering is highly treatable. One of the best ways to treat stuttering is through speech therapy.

Those who stutter might be glad to know they are not alone. In fact, there are even famous people who have been known to stutter. Some of them include James Earl Jones, Winston Churchill, Marilyn Monroe, and King George VI. It is also believed that Moses, the man in the Bible responsible for communicating the 10 Commandments, had a stutter. Despite their speech fluency disorder, they all went on to lead successful lives.

Source: Text & Image: https://nationaldaycalendar.com/international-stuttering-awareness-day-october-22/

World Bipolar Day – 30 March

World Bipolar Day (WBD) will be celebrated each year on March 30th, the birthday of Vincent Van Gogh, who was posthumously diagnosed as probably having bipolar disorder. The vision of WBD is to bring world awareness to bipolar disorders and eliminate social stigma. Through international collaboration the goal of World Bipolar Day is to bring the world population information about bipolar disorders that will educate and improve sensitivity towards the illness.

Source: Text & Picture: The International Society for Bipolar Disorders

Why a World Bipolar Day?
World Diabetes Day, World Cancer Day, and even World Egg Day, and now, drum roll please, World Bipolar Day (WBD). WBD is a day to bring about awareness of bipolar disorder. It is the brainchild of Dr. Pichet Udomratn, a member of the Asian Network of Bipolar Disorder (ANBD) who collaborated with International Bipolar Foundation (IBPF) and International Society for Bipolar Disorders (ISBD) to bring his idea to fruition.

There are 450 million people worldwide with mental illness. Of those it is estimated that the global prevalence of bipolar disorder is between 1 and 2 percent and has been said to be as high as 5 percent, which is three times all the diabetes and 10 times all the cancers combined. Why then do we hear so much in the news, on television, and in conversations about other diseases like diabetes and cancer, and rarely anything about bipolar?

Mental illnesses have historically been misunderstood, feared and therefore stigmatized. The stigma is due to a lack of education, mis-education, false information, ignorance, or a need to feel superior. Its effects are especially painful and damaging to one’s self-esteem. It leaves people with mental illnesses feeling like outcasts from society. Whether the perceived stigma is real or not, it is the subjective interpretation that affects the person’s feelings of belonging. Like most groups who are stigmatized against, there are many myths surrounding mental illness.

Dispelling myths, teaching the signs and symptoms, sharing resources, and pointing out healthy living techniques will be imparted for all to use. WBD is not about “them,” it’s for everyone. We all know someone. Join us!

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International Stuttering Awareness Day – 22 October

Source: Text & Image: https://nationaldaycalendar.com/international-stuttering-awareness-day-october-22/

World Bipolar Day – 30 March

Source: Text & Picture: The International Society for Bipolar Disorders

Source: Text: Muffy Walker, Mental Health Professional, Advocate, Mother and Traveler, http://www.twitter.com/IntlBipolar, Huffpost Healthy Living