Local group promotes better understanding of mental illness

Sylvia McConnell-Richey was recently sent to Washington, D.C.  by NAMI Wedowee to advocate for different bills the organization’s members felt were necessary.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness or NAMI is an organization dedicated to advocacy, support and education of people with mental illness and their families and friends. Its mission is the eradication of mental illnesses and the improvement of the quality of life of all whose lives are affected by these diseases, according to a NAMI pamphlet.

McConnell-Richey said the Mental Health First Aid bill is very important. This public education program helps parents, first responders, faith leaders and others identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illness and substance use disorders.

If this bill (SR153/HR274) is approved training programs around the country would help participants recognize signs and symptoms of common mental illnesses and substance use disorders, and would train them to safely de-escalate crisis situations and initiate timely referral to treatment sources.

One in four Americans experiences mental illness in a given year, four in 10 of them receive treatment for their mental illness in one year, and 23.9 million experienced an illicit drug or alcohol problem in 2012.

According to the National Council for Behavioral Health, untreated mental illnesses and substance use disorders lead to more deaths than traffic accidents, HIV/AIDS, and breast cancer combined.

The average life expectancy of a person with serious mental illness is 53 years compared to 78 years among all Americans. The number of Americans who attempt suicide in one year is 1.3 million. In 2012, 14 percent of Americans received treatment for their substance use disorder.

McConnell-Richey stressed those with mental illness should not be jailed–that there should always be someone on call to see they get proper care and not jailed.

There are 356,268 seriously ill Americans living in jails and prisons, which is ten times more than the number living in state hospitals. There is $317 billion lost in economic productivity due to mental illness in one year. Every day 40 Americans die from narcotic painkiller overdoses.

A recent poignant exhibit at the library, brought here by NAMI, shows the faces of those struggling with mental illness, as well as the faces of their family and friends, who struggle along with them.

Eddie Youngblood said his depression was caused by being divorced twice, his mother committing suicide by walking into a river and his house burning. Lonely, filled with emptiness, he did not know how to do anything and was finally hospitalized in a mental institution. In the midst of his trials and tribulations he still tried to serve the Lord. With the help of God and the mental health system he is doing great. Mental illness is nothing to hide, he said.

Shocking in the exhibits were the number of children diagnosed. Cathy Poor was diagnosed as a high school junior. Her mother, Nancy Poor, said she wished she’d understood the problem earlier and saved her daughter years of misery.

Black, white, old, young, wealthy, poor, mental illness strikes all elements of society. Some families stand by their ill family members, some do not. Some friends stand by them while others do not. Jaime Campbell wrote that the saddest example of the stigma of mental illness was the loss of her friends. Her family and her boyfriend stood by her, but not her friends. Her mother, Anne Campbell, said there is still hope because there are so many different kinds of treatment.

Another mother, Jane Moser, said her son refuses treatment and will not take medications because he does not believe he is mentally ill. Because of the laws in her state there is nothing his parents can do for his bipolar disorder. He disappeared for many years and is currently in jail because of his violent behavior. His father, the Rev. Leroy “Tex” Moser, says one of the miraculous things today is that new medicines can sometimes put people on the road to recovery. “However, the law says if you’re going to treat a person involuntarily you’re taking away their liberty. Baloney! You’re giving it back to them. The law states that someone who is unable to understand reality should make a decision about whether or not they want to be treated. That is nutty! I believe the most fundamental right is the opportunity to be who you really are, even if it takes involuntary commitment and medication to get you there.”

After 29 years of marriage Paul Gottlieb reached a point where he could not do the simplest things like pick out a tie. His wife divorced him to get away from his depression. After divorce he fell in love with a compassionate, smart and beautiful woman who is now his wife, and he says he has never been happier.

Theodora Johnson, who has been in and out of jail, got help. She said she met a lot of people and saw that jailhouses are becoming shelters for those who are mentally ill.

Those are just some of the stories. President Abraham Lincoln lived with major depression, yet it never stopped him from changing the world and shaping American history, according to a NAMI document. McConnell-Richey said today we see him for the man he was–mental illness was just one piece of that. He improved the world. He is remembered for his vision.

McConnell-Richey said the trip helps her by knowing about things going on across the nation. The new Bryce Hospital in Tuscaloosa was just dedicated.

“We’re not warehousing people; we’re treating people in the community, the less restrictive environments for individuals with mental health issues. We’re in the process of having mental health homes where we treat the whole person,” she said.

“I’m an advocate for any human being who has a mental illness or co-occurring disorder. I was the national consumer representative for NAMI Alabama,” she said. Over the years she has served in many related organizations and capacities.

Throughout Alabama beds are bought in various hospitals by mental health centers. Some areas have liaisons who actually work between mental health and police forces to help people in a more humane way. Roanoke needs to get on board with this, she said.

Police officers need to be trained to recognize mental illness, substance abuse, and other diseases and to get help from a liaison officer and the mental health system. Most people with mental illness do not do something to hurt themselves or others–that is one of the biggest myths, she said.

The majority are living in society, making a difference in people’s lives, their family and their community.

People need to learn about mental illness the same as learning about heart disease. People with heart disease, cancer, etc. have a group to share what they are going through.

NAMI helps families be better educated about those who have severe mental illness. Affiliates throughout the state bring together family members, NAMI Wedowee meets on the fourth Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Roanoke Lighthouse on Main Street. The president is Ruth Childress, and if she does not have the answer she can put you in touch with the person who does, McConnell-Richey said.

There is a weekly drop-in every Monday at 2 p.m. for refreshments and fellowship at the Roanoke Lighthouse.

Friends, professionals, anyone who wants to be educated about the programs that exist in the state are welcome to attend.

Among the guidelines is one on confidentiality. The stigma is still there but people with mental illness can manage the illness like any physical illness. A lot of people are in denial but family and friends can help if their help is requested. A 72-hour hold can be placed on someone if you feel they are a danger to themselves or others. It can be done by anyone who truly cares about the individual. There has to be respect for a person’s rights and that person must be evaluated by an official to make sure the hold is warranted. The law has to be followed, she said.

Children as young as two can be determined to be mentally ill but the youngest child she has seen was three or four years old.

For access to local public mental health care services in Randolph County contact Cheaha Regional Mental Health Center at 334-863-2518.