Celebrations of Mental Illness Awareness Week Ensue, Call Attention to Funding
October 7th, 2009 |
A GoodTherapy.org News Headline
Across the country and in many places around the world, mental health professionals and advocates are marking their calendars for Mental Illness Awareness Week, which takes place the week of October 5th. The week is committed to highlighting the plight of those with mental health challenges, as well as the efforts of organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness, or NAMI, to raise funding for facilities, studies, and greater community outreach programs. Discussions about aiding the course of mental health research and services are abundant online and at universities, clinics, and other relevant venues –how will you join in this week?
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Hey…I was not aware of this… but well, I would like to contribute to this and am planning to do so by donating money to a mental health-care facility for destitutes.
Yes! It is Mental Health week! The National Alliance of the Mentally Ill needs everyone’s help in “Busting” the “Stigma” of Mental Illness. How many suicides would have been prevented if only it was ok to seek help!
I am a NAMI member and active in my local chapter. Join NAMI in any fund raiser walk in your area. Join their “Stigma Busters” campaign!
NAMI is a grass roots organization run and funded by consumers who suffer from chronic mental illness and by family members who have been touched by Mental Illness. I put it simply, Schizophrenia is a disease of an organ called the brain!
Many states have run out of money for the treatment of mental illness. Many people with the disease of Scizophrenia are ending up back in the streets. If the would have Diabetes, would they be living under a bridge. No! Treatment for Diabetes is a covered illness. Mental Illness doesn’t have that same luxury.
Please support NAMI’s efforts and donate your time, clothes or money to any charity such as NAMI to continue the research and treatment of Schizophrenia, Schizo affective disorder and other “Illnesses of the organ called the Brain!
Thank You
John Lee a NAMI Family and Consumer Member
I am going to contribute by bursting myths that surround mental illnesses with the people around me, family and friends… More people with knowledge about mental illness must get involved in clearing the various misconceptions regarding mental illnesses.
Didnt know such a week was actually celebrated… but what I do know is that a vast majority of the populace have a very big misconception regarding mental illnesses… awareness should be spread in schools and also through street plays, etc.
I’ll be contacting my family and friends and asking them to make a donation to a mental health charity in recognition of this special week. I’ll also ask them to spread the word and ask others to do the same.
I’ll ask my pastor to mention this at the end of Sunday’s sermon and to encourage the congregation to offer volunteer or monetary support for local mental health organizations. We’re all God’s children.
When a physical ailment affects a person, everybody understands the problem and is pretty aware about the ailment. But sadly, the same cannot be said about mental ailments… There are prejudices, there are misconceptions, there is a lot of shunning on the patients and other disappointing stuff… the medical fraternity should make use of this special week as a platform to highlight things regarding mental ailments and make the general public more aware.
What a great way to finally get so many of these issues out in the open and teach others that it is okay to talk about them. The only way we can work toward resolution is to get things out in the open, and that is what a week like this is all about.
The need for funding in this area is widely recognized. Hopefully programs like this that address this concern will help others to realize this need and those who need help most will get the resources they need because of that.