Mental health is a hot button issue in today's society. People worry about the safety, cost, and multiple side-effects of anti-depressants and other psychoactive medications. Everyone wants to find peace of mind, contentment and happiness, but for many this struggle can prove overwhelming. Author and world organic food movement pioneer Paul Huljich addresses this issue in a Ning community he created for his organization MWellA (Mind Wellness Awareness) http://mwella.ning.com.
The goal of the MWellA online community is to bring awareness to mind conditions and provide a forum for those who seek the resources necessary to fight back and rediscover their sense of self and purpose in life.
The name MWellA came to Paul one day while walking along the magnificent white sands of Avalon Beach in Sydney, Australia. With the word "well" balanced in between an "M" for the mind and an "A" for awareness, MWellA's mission statement is that everyone should have peace of mind, contentment and happiness in Life. "Millions of people suffer from mental disorders," says Paul. "I felt it was my calling to build a community where people can find support and speak about their own struggles."
Whether one is suffering from stress, anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder, Paul provides a daily routine to help find a sense of well-being in everyday life. In blog entries and forum discussions, Paul provides a detailed look at what has helped him in his search for mental clarity. Topics such as diet, exercise, meditation, sleep habits, hydration, stress reduction and moving on from the past are discussed with concrete steps everyone can take towards achieving and maintaining mental well-being. MWellA Community members can discuss these strategies with Paul and gain insight into his struggle by reading his blog entries.
Hoping to bring oceans of peace to those in need, Paul wishes to share his story to help inspire others to not only fight back but also preventing themselves and their loved ones from falling prey to mental illness. Paul suffered a mental breakdown a dozen years ago while running a company he had founded and was worth well over 100 million dollars. Diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder, he spent several years seeing doctors, including two stints in a mental hospital, and taking medications until he was finally able to live freely again. For over a decade he has lived symptom-free of the disease that doctors claim there is no cure. Paul believes the disease can be conquered.
As featured in advertisements in New York Times Book Review, Psychology Today, Village Voice, Forbes.com, Organic Food News Today, and on CNN, as well as in interviews on over 80 radio shows across the country, Paul's message is beginning to change the way in which we regard mental illness and also the stigmas attached.
In publishing Betrayal of Love and Freedom, both a psychological thriller and an experience of awareness based on his own struggle with bipolar disorder, Paul states: "I hope, most of all that people will pause for a moment and reflect on where they are in their lives – and where they are headed. And I wish for my story to give them hope."
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