Blog Post Challenge 3: TED Radio Hour

I’m from Sevierville, TN which is around a 7-hour drive from Memphis. To keep myself from falling asleep or thinking the drive is never going to end, I download podcasts to listen to. I’ve listened to both seasons of Serial not stop. I was hooked. Unfortunately, there were only two seasons available last time I went home. So, I decided to download some of the NPR TED talk radio hours.

One of the radio hours that stuck with me was one titled, “How Do Stereotypes of Mental Health Affect Us”. Alix Generous, the guest speaker, has Asperger’s and had a troubling childhood with bullying and stereotyping. “..it pin-holed me to that specific feeling that something's wrong with me because people are treating me this way.” At 8 years old Alix was misdiagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. She became depressed. Finally, at the age 18, Alix was transferred to a treatment center where she received the treatment that she finally deserved. From there she went on to do amazing things. One of those things includes being the co-founder of a bio-tech company names AustismSees.

Alix’s story made me reflect on the stereotypes held against mental illness. I think we all can learn something from her. Words and actions can make someone believe things about themselves that aren’t true. Alix experienced this and was fortunate to learn and grow from it and do great things with her experiences.

Comments

Neuro Note 1: Me Before You

Me Before You I chose to watch Me Before You for my first neuro note. I chose this movie because of the hype it has received. Critics claimed that the movie misportrayed disability. I wanted to see for myself. Although the movie is probably the saddest movie I’ve ever seen, it left me with many reflections. Will Traynor was a successful, fun loving young man whose life was altered when he was hit by a motorcycle which resulted in a spinal cord injury. Will became depressed and felt like there was no reason to live. I think sometimes it’s too easy to just think about the physical changes when you think of SCI, but it’s important to recognize the emotional toll as well. His life was completely turned upside down and he had a difficult time dealing with it. I’m sure this is a common theme with SCI and I think it can be difficult for people to imagine. I’ve always, from a young age, strived to treat everyone equal because you NEVER know what someone is going through. ...

OT 640 Debrief

Neurological Aspects of Occupational Performance 4/5/17

My first experience with traumatic brain injury was in high school when a close friend's dad was in a horrible motorcycle accident. He was in a coma for months while we all tried to remain positive that he would survive. He miraculously came out of the coma, although he had a long road ahead of him. After an extensive rehabilitation period, he was able to return home. This was an important experience for me as I saw first hand not only how a TBI affects the person, but how it affects the family and the importance of support from community and health care professionals.

Whitney OT425

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