Hello Friends and Family
I'm participating in 2013 NAMIWalk Washington.
You can help support me by making a secure online donation using your credit card. Click on the link below:
https://apps.facebook.com/fundraising_na/PersonalPage.aspx?RegistrationID=1877113
As some of you know, I have been struggling with caring for a mentally ill loved one. In my search for answers and help I have joined a 12 week course through the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI). This course has been amazing and given me tools and resource options to help care for my loved one. I wish I had been aware of this years ago when my loved one’s first episodes of suicide, psychotic breaks, mania and depression appeared.
Mental illness is a horrific brain disorder that has two devastating impacts on the individuals that others cannot see. This impact includes the loss of a natural protective belief that they are exempt from harm and the loss of a predictable and dependable future. These losses create a permanent anxiety disorder of fear. Then they turn to coping strategies that can be hurtful, combative and destructive to protect their self-worth, self-esteem, identity and self-confidence. Many of the behaviors of the people with mental illness do not make sense to their families, refusing to take medication, rejecting family support, community programs, and even disrupting family life. These behaviors are often directly related to their struggle to maintain some dignity and self-respect in the face of the stigma, failure, and shame. The mentally ill can be stuck at the physical age they were when first presented with symptoms.
The people most impacted by these negative, hurtful and destructive behaviors are the caregivers. The parents, siblings, friends, and or family who have chosen not to abandon their sick loved ones. This is a hard and difficult choice and without the correct support and information to help it can leave the caregiver feeling helpless and futile.
It has been my experience that our healthcare system is out of touch and unavailable to the mentally ill and their families. Often times this leads to the severely ill being abandoned and they are left impoverished with no care until something more tragic happens. Let’s remember the victims of Sandy Hook, Colorado and Columbine among the other tragedy’s we have experienced lately and try to help those who are helping the mentally ill!
There IS HOPE!
NAMI is providing that hope. I am so grateful to have found an organization to help me learn how to work with and understand and help my mentally ill family member.
For more information go to: www.nami.org
How YOU can help!
The ninth NAMI Walk of Washington will take place on Saturday, May 18, 2013 at Kirkland’s Marina Park.
The walk is the major fundraiser for the National Alliance on Mental Illness affiliates across the state and NAMI Washington. NAMI’s operations, including its extensive education and support programs, are supported almost entirely by volunteers.
The NAMI Walk of Washington also serves to remind people that serious mental illness is not uncommon and that people can recover with the right treatment. The event emphasizes that NAMI exists across Washington to help individuals with serious mental illness and their family members.
Please join with me in supporting this event by following this link and giving generously.
Graciously,
Lorinda Warner
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