Awareness, education important to understanding mental illness

In an effort to raise awareness on mental illnesses, Mayor Fred Cavanaugh has proclaimed Nov. 1-7 as NAMI Aiken Week throughout the City of Aiken.

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is a grassroots organization founded in 1979 that operates under the mission of working to offer hope, reform and health to America through support, education and advocacy efforts for mental illnesses.

The organization has chapters in every state and in 1,100 local communities in the country.

Each year, the organization holds NAMI walks to raise money and awareness about the needs of those suffering from mental illnesses.

In South Carolina, the walks are held in Columbia, Greenville and Bluffton.

Mental illnesses affects one in five families in the country and is the leading cause of lost productivity. More people suffer from mental illness than from cancer, diabetes or heart disease.

"When you think about that, you see how it affects us all," Cavanaugh said.

Aiken NAMI President Leslie McCowan said one of the group's primary goals is to eliminate the negative stigma associated with mental illnesses.

"As with many types of illnesses, we are hoping for a cure. But until that day comes, our best hope is for effective treatment of mental illness symptoms. Families spend lots of time hoping and praying for healing. Often they find that their loved one finally gets appropriate medication that is making a tremendous difference only to find that symptoms re-emerge as treatment is stopped," she said.

According to McCowan, when facing a chronic condition like mental illness, it is important for family members to be educated and better prepared to help their loved ones and themselves.

Each year, Aiken NAMI offers Family to Family classes, a 12-week series that covers mental illness symptoms, brain biology, treatment methods and medication.

The classes also include workshops that teach problem-solving skills, communication techniques and ways to cope with chronic worry and stress.

McCowan said many people who participate in the Family to Family classes said the series is a life-changing experience. The next session for Aiken NAMI will begin on Feb. 16 from 6 to 8:30 p.m.

Bill Lindsey, executive director of NAMI South Carolina, said the state chapter recently introduced NAMI Basics, classes designed for parents or caregivers of children and adolescents with mental illnesses. NAMI Basics includes six classes on topics such as the trauma mental illness causes a family, the biology of mental illness and advances in treatment.

McCowan said the Aiken chapter is looking to introduce NAMI Basic classes to the area next year.

The Aiken NAMI chapter meets on the fourth Thursday of each month for education and support of caregivers at Aiken's First Baptist Church, 120 Chesterfield St. N.

For more information on Aiken NAMI or to register for Family to Family classes, call 270-5221.

Contact April Bailey at abailey@aikenstandard.com.