Professionals? No. Hopefuls? Yes.

Hello everyone. Recently we have had a few worries about liabilities pertaining to the advice we give. We would just like to point out once more, and hopefully in a way that everyone can understand, that WE ARE NOT PROFESSIONALS! We have never been in any sort of psychology classes or had any formal training. While we would like to say that we have, we have not. We are just a few 14 and 15 year old girls trying to educate people and hopefully make a difference in their lives. This whole blog was meant to help people, we hope we are able to do this. All the information we give is from professional journals and articles, but all the advice we may give is based solely on personal experience. The biggest piece of advice we can give you is to go see a professional. A school counselor, a social worker, a psychiatrist, any licensed mental health professional will give you the help you need more than any blog, no matter how influential,  can.
We have also been told hat we need to close down our blog, but we will not. We know that, though few, the people who frequently read Mental Courage need the help, and need to be educated. We realize that the cause we are working toward is bigger than just one person and their wish to shut us down. We hope, someday, to be able to make the Mental Courage cause more than just a blog, but for now this is all we have. We thank you for your support and loyalty, and hope you come back to read more. We truly hope we are making a difference in someone, some where's life.
For those of you who do frequent Mental Courage and do need the help, remember--there is always hope for a better tomorrow. And no matter how lonely you may feel, there are always people out there who love and care for you- us.

Obesity

      It is a proven fact that nearly two thirds of Americans are overweight, and one third of that two thirds are obese. There are many reasons why people will become overweight. A lot of it has to do with depression and low self esteem. When some people feel depressed they turn to food for comfort, the food gives them comfort and they don't want to stop because it may relieve them of the stress in their lives. There are many other ways you can get rid of that stress, like exercising or finding a hobby. These can get rid of your stress without putting on that extra weight. When my parents got divorced I was eight, and at first I didn't realize it but I was turning to food for comfort. I am still suffering the consequences today. Once you gain a lot of weight it is hard to get rid of it. It is also very unhealthy for your body and you can end up with health problems like diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart disease, and even certain types of cancer. Hypertension is a condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is chronically elevated. With every heart beat, the heart pumps blood through the arteries to the rest of the body. Blood pressure is the force of blood that is pushing up against the walls of the blood vessels. If the pressure is too high, the heart has to work harder to pump, and this could lead to organ damage and several illnesses. 
        It is very easy to turn to food for comfort, but it is really hard to stop once you have started. If you have a problem and exercising and finding a hobby isn't working, don't be afraid to get medical help, or even help from a friend or family member. The important thing is that you get help, don't be afraid. It may seem kind of scary to talk about it to someone but trust me it really helps. 


                                                                               -Mariah :)


"Update:Obesity." Issues and Controversies on file:n. Issues & Controversies. Fact On File News Services,                       June 2007.Web.24 Feb.2011. <www.2facts.com.>


      "What is Hypertension" Medical News Today:n. 1 May. 2011  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/150109.php