Greetings my friends I can't begin to tell you how happy I am to see that some of you are finding your way to this forum. I was so worried that we would lose each other. With the deletion of the other forum I really don't know what has been said to whom so I will probably repeat some things that I have said already. The important thing here is to remember the purpose of this forum. It is meant to be a place where we can express our feelings and share our experiences with others in the hope of spreading the message of hope to those who suffer from a mental illness or those who have a loved one with a mental illness. As these forums grow they will become powerful tools in many ways.Our message will be heard not only by those who suffer but by those who chastise us or criticize us. To many without an understanding of mental illness we are perceived as weak or incompetent. We are accused of only pretending to be ill because there really is no such thing as mental illness. Did you know that during World War 1, soldiers who were suffering from post traumatic stress disorder were accused of being traitors and cowards and they were actually shot to death because of it. From then untill now, how much have things actually changed. Those of us with a mental illness, in many ways, still aren't treated much better, only now they usually let us kill ourselves by refusing us the treatment we need and the medication that can help us survive. Oh yes, we have a message and untill the day I die there will be someone hearing that message.Our message to each other is about hope. Our message to the rest of the world is " hey, pay attention, someone is trying to teach you something that you so obviously don't understand and it could change your life some day too" Sincerly,Bill Vanderbilt

Hi Julia Just a short message to say thank you and welcome back. I too was very disappointed that our other forum was deleted but we shall carry on my friend. The issue of mental illness is much too important to just be ignored. I am a consumer/advote for life and as long as I am able, I will continue to spread the message of hope to those who suffer. I thank you dearly for your participitation in this forum Sincerly, Bill

Hi Julia I thought this was a really nice story about the way hope is sharred by those who are recovering from a mental illness. This is a mother daughter team that faught hard for a long time for the daughter to be able to get the treatment she need. Now she is making progress and her and Mom are sharring the message of hope to those who still suffer. This is something that I love about recovery from mental illness. How often do people recovering from other illnesses spend the rest of their lives sharring and carring for those who still suffer. Stigma difficult, says mentally ill patient By ALLISON BATDORFF Gazette Wyoming Bureau CODY - Sammi Strow shakes her curly red hair. It's finally growing back after a bout with the wrong medications sent her hairline traveling backward. Such is life for a 26-year-old manic-depressive. You try different medications until something works, she said. Psychotropic drugs can have some nasty side effects, but they allow her to "trust herself," she said. "There's weight gain and hair loss, but on good days, I can trust that girl I see in the mirror. On bad days, I can't," Strow said. "On bad days, I lose sight of what sanity really is. And even on good days, I spend all this time wondering when it's going to happen again." Strow speaks openly about her illness as a local representative of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. She and her mother advocate for the treatment of mental illness without stigma. The stigma is difficult to overcome, she said. "It took a long time to realize that mental illness was not bad, was not wrong," Strow said. "The reaction of my friends was the worst, but I realized I was lucky, because I was at least getting treatment." Too many people still view mental illness as a "weakness of character," said her mother, Peggy Strow. "It's not just the way you were raised," Peggy said. "There are also genetic predispositions like there are for heart disease, blood pressure and cancer. The difference is that you can get treated everywhere for those, but you have to fight for mental health treatment." Part of the problem is getting a good diagnosis. Mental illness cannot be diagnosed in a lab test. Mental health professionals still have to interpret behavior, and that takes time. "It took five years to get the right diagnosis," Sammi said of her case. "But the sooner you identify the illness, the sooner you get on the right track. "We've moved ahead in the world," she continued. "We are moving along, very slowly, and with treatment, you can recover." Copyright © The Billings Gazette, a division of Lee Enterprises.

Hello Julia Here is some information about schizophrenia that may help answer some questions that you might have. This information is based on the very latest research and is as reliable as any I have ever found anywhere based on personal experiences that have been shared with me by those and the famlies of those who are suffering with this terrible illness. What You Need to Know About Schizophrenia You are not alone. Schizophrenia is a serious mental illness that affects over two million Americans (about 1% of the population). Schizophrenia also impacts millions of family members and friends. You did not cause this illness. Schizophrenia is a biological illness that impairs a person’s ability to think clearly, manage his or her emotions, make decisions, and relate to others. It is not caused, as was once thought, by poor parenting or weakness in a person's character. Although the exact cause is not known, many scientists believe that schizophrenia is brought on by an imbalance of key chemicals in the brain, called "neurotransmitters." These "neurotransmitters" — such as dopamine and serotonin— are chemicals that send signals between cells in the brain. One theory is that too much of these chemicals in certain areas of the brain and too little in others might cause people to experience the symptoms of schizophrenia. Learn more about the way that ABILIFY® is thought to adjust the balance of key chemicals in the brain. Find out how that balance may have an impact on both the positive symptoms and the negative symptoms associated with schizophrenia. View The Brain, Schizophrenia, and ABILIFY. You have reason to be hopeful. Although a cure has yet to be found, schizophrenia is a treatable illness. Medicines are available that can help people better manage their symptoms. In addition, with a comprehensive treatment plan that includes medicine and structured psychosocial therapy and rehabilitation, many people with schizophrenia can move forward with more productive and more independent lives. You can help. Family members and friends can play a part in helping a person with schizophrenia move forward with his or her recovery. Studies have shown that the involvement of family and friends can significantly reduce the chance of a person having a relapse of symptoms. The role you play can be as minor as calling regularly or as involved as accompanying the person to every healthcare provider's appointment and helping with activities of daily living. The Caregiver's Roadmap™ was created to give you the information, skills, and support you need to help someone move forward with his/her recovery. The next step is to help begin treatment. Learn More About Schizophrenia and Its Treatment To continue to learn about schizophrenia, you should refer to these Web sites: The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI) NAMI is a nonprofit, grass-roots, self-help, support and advocacy organization of consumers, families, and friends of people with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety disorders. NAMI's site includes links to detailed descriptions of each of the available atypical medicines. National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression (NARSAD) NARSAD is a private, not-for-profit 501(3) public charity organized for the purpose of raising and distributing funds for scientific research into the causes, cures, treatments, and prevention of severe mental illnesses, primarily schizophrenia and depression. National Mental Health Association (NMHA) The National Mental Health Association is the country’s oldest and largest nonprofit organization addressing all aspects of mental health and mental illness. With more than 340 affiliates nationwide, NMHA works to improve the mental health of all Americans, especially the 54 million individuals with mental disorders, through advocacy, education, research, and service. This site lists medicines for schizophrenia and other mental illnesses/conditions. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) The mission of the National Institute of Mental Health is to diminish the burden of mental illness through research. This public health mandate demands that we harness powerful scientific tools to achieve better understanding, treatment, and, eventually, prevention of mental illness. This online resource provides comprehensive information about mental illnesses, available medicines, current clinical trials, and research information to patients, caregivers, and practitioners.

Wow! Your friendship and your knowledge overwhelm me! You are awesome! Bill, you are my hope! You are living, breathing proof that there is hope for everyone this silent epidemic touches! It is an honor to know you! It is people like you, my son and others early on in their journeys need to hear from...you are like going to your first 12 step meeting for whatever reason and listening to the experience, strength, and hope of the members with more days, weeks, months and years! Thank you, dear soul for sharing all of the things that you share with us! Julia Youngblood