Hello Everyone. I just wanted to share with you a news feed that I just recieved from a news paper in India. Just one more example of the fact that we are not alone when it comes to mental illness home >> Headlines World mental health day observed Source: The Sangai Express Imphal, October 10: As in other parts of the globe, the commemorative function of the World Mental Health Day, 2005 has been organised in different parts of the State today. This year’s theme is ‘Mental and Physical Health across the life span - there is no health without mental health’. The main function was held at GM Hall here under the joint initiative of State Health Department, Manipur State Mental Health Authority and Indian Psychiatric Society, Manipur Branch. Health Minister L Nandakumar Singh, Director of Health Dr AK Surendra and Head of Psychiatric Department, RIMS Dr Sh Gyaneshwor Sharma attended the observance function as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively. In his address, Dr Gyaneshwor pointed that social stigma is the most common problem being faced by the mentally retarded or deficient persons in the society. He noted there is a wrong notion among the people that only the lunatic or insane persons are mentally ill persons. Depression, anxiety, etc are also comes under the domain of mental illness, he said, adding that mental illness could be treated and cured and so people should not discriminate and stigmatise them. The chief guest of the function, Nandakumar said that at present the Health Department is looking after the treatment of the mentally ill persons while the rehabilitation aspect is under scope of the Social Welfare. Efforts would be made to see what could be done in collaboration between the two departments, he said, and appealed to all concerned for co-operation and support in spreading awareness among the people on the issue of mental illness. In his presidential address, Dr Surendra informed that Manipur State Mental Health Authority would be taking up a mental health programme. The programme would cover and provide treatment to all the people including those in maternity stage, infants, pre-school and school going children, youths and elderly persons, he said. Indian Red Cross Society, Imphal West District Branch also joins in observing the World mental Health Day by organising a comemorative function at the meeting hall of Imphal Municipal Council today. An interaction session of the Councillors of the Imphal Municipal Council, Red Cross members and experts on various aspects of mental illness and disorders was the main highlight of the observance function. Leaflets on health related issues were also distributed among the general public to mark the occasion.

Hello Julia and Friends of this forum. The following is an update that I just received from NAMI about a program that recognizes people for their achievements and dedication to the cause of improving the lives of those who suffer with a mental illness and their families. This is a program that is designed to spread the message of hope and is partly sponsered be Ely Lilly, one of the largest phamaceutical companies in the world. As part of this program, someone in recovery and doing well stands as an example of what can be accomplished if one has hope. Sincerly, Bill Vanderbilt October 18, 2005 Lilly 2006 Welcome Back Awards Committee Seeks Nominations Honoring Outstanding Work in the Depression Community Donations -- Totaling $55,000 -- Awarded to Organizations Chosen by Winners Do you know someone who has made great strides in battling depression, or has improved the lives of those struggling with this devastating illness? If so, you can honor that person by nominating him or her to receive a prestigious Welcome Back Award, which includes a donation of up to $15,000 to the not-for-profit organization of his or her choice. The Welcome Back Awards is a program that was established by Eli Lilly and Company eight years ago to help fight the stigma associated with depression and to spread the word that depression is treatable. Each year, the program celebrates achievement in the depression community by recognizing five individuals for outstanding contributions in the areas of lifetime achievement, community service, destigmatization, primary care and psychiatry. The 2005 destigmatization winner, Terry Wise, turned her own struggle with depression, and near fatal suicide attempt, into the fuel for change. She wrote a book detailing her experience, and she has devoted her life to spreading the word that staying silent about depression can be deadly. Wise speaks of her own silence, saying, "I was embarrassed of seeming weak. In reality, talking about depression only makes people, their relationships and their ability to recover stronger." Wise was one of several people honored for their outstanding work at the 2005 ceremony this past May, and Lilly donated $10,000 to the American Association of Suicidology in her name. Nominations for the 2006 Welcome Back Awards may be submitted by anyone. All nominations must be received by November 14, 2005. An independent selection committee of mental health experts will review them, and the honorees will be announced in the spring of 2006. The eighth annual Welcome Back Awards ceremony will be in May 2006, on the weekend prior to the Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association, in Toronto, Canada. Each award recipient and one guest will receive complimentary airfare and accommodations to attend the ceremony. For more information, call 800-463-6440 or visit www.WelcomeBackAwards.com. Related resources from NAMI: Depression information Living with Major Depression online community StigmaBusters Tell us what you think! Please take a moment to complete a short anonymous survey about your experiences on our Web site. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we strive to make NAMI.org a useful resource for all visitors. Home | myNAMI | About NAMI | Contact Us | Jobs | Terms of Use | SiteMap Copyright © 2005 NAMI. All Rights Reserved. Site Designed and Developed by Active Matter, Inc.

Hi Bill, Everyone! Wow! I am impressed regarding the worldwide happenings! This is definitly a good sign that this cause is growing! I was thinking just the other day, how, in my commuity alone, there is always something going on for cancer, diabetes, heart disease...Relay for Life is the big one, for cancer...but there is never anything goin' on for mental health. I wonder how something like this gets started....I am not a fundraiser, or grass roots organizer, so have not had any experience and wouldn't have a clue as to where to start...Looks like some really take the bull by the horns....you are one of those people Mr. Vanderbilt! You have my respect and admiration! Your friend, Julia

Hi Julia. Once again I appreciate the kind words. The fact that you were thinking about ways to get a community program going shows that you are ver compassionate. As far as getting a program started I just had a thought after reading your post. As you read in my last post, people can nominate someone to recieve an award grant to be donated to their choice of worthy causes. It sure woould be nice if I got nominated for that grant and then I could maybe start a grass roots program here in my area. There is a terrible shortage of people trained in trauma response. I have applied for a trauma scholarship and I'm sure I will get it eventually. The system works very slowly. Anyhow, With that grant I could maybe start a traum training class for people around this area. I'm sure NAMI would approve. Believe me, I am not interested so much in the honorary part of this program but I shue would like to do something around here to make life a little better for those who suffer so needlessly with a mental illness. Just a thought Julia. Sincerly, Bill

Hello Julia Do you remember when I promised you that it wouldn't be all bad and sad in my forums. That I promised you that their would be stories with a happy ending. Well here is one of those happy stories. It is a beautiful story about a woman who finally the answers to her recovery,,,,,,,,,,,,at age 91. Enjoy my friend. This will surely warm your heart RECOVERY... AT AGE 91 Her name is Grace, this mother of mine, and she was born the last of 5 children, on a farm in north western New Jersey, on December 23, 1911. 16 years later, on New Year's Eve, she had her first "nervous breakdown" as she calls it. In her life history, written in 1979, she has this to say about the experience: "Had nervous attack on New Year's Eve. I shook so. Dr. said it was nervous grippe - but no, just a real good set-back. I cried and cried and cried. I stayed out of school for half a year and then took the first year over. I was still nervous and many times I'd make Bill [her brother] late when he had to take me home." During her time out of school she spent many hours resting or napping in the hay mow of the barn. But...despite dealing with continuing symptoms, she finished high school, graduated from Trenton State Teacher's College and taught school. In 1942, she married my father, gave birth to and raised 3 daughters, all the while staying very involved with Church and community activities, and occasionally substitute teaching, or teaching home bound students. Eventually, when we girls were all grown, she went back to teaching full time for a few years before retiring. A year after my family and I moved to Marion, North Carolina, my mother moved into a mobile home on our property. This was 1996 and the medications my mother was on enabled her to have more relief from the psychiatric symptoms that she still continued to experience. But a gradual change began in the early spring of 1997, a change neither she, I, nor the Dr. recognized as what it really was - the medicines were becoming ineffective. By mid June she was experiencing a major increase in her symptoms. The doctor did not know what was going on. Increasing her meds did not help. Finally, I found a hospital that had a day program - called partial hospitalization, and here she was accurately diagnosed and treatments begun. Other medications were tried but nothing helped for very long. ECT was a last resort but her symptoms were continuing to escalate and we had a very sick person on our hands. In late October she was hospitalized and received her first several ECT's. She was 84 at the time and it was so very hard for her and for us to see her have to go through this. She continued to receive treatments at gradually longer and longer intervals until August of the following year when medications were tried again. This time they contiued working so no more ECT's needed to be done. Yeah!! I was just beginning to understand about mental illnesses and become involved in NAMI activities. Eventually I was diagnosed with psychiatric illnesses and turned more and more to consumer programs. In the fall of 2002, our affiliate was able to have an In Our Own Voice: Living With Mental Illness training. My mother, at age 90, attended this training along with me, and is now my co-presenter. Whenever I get a chance at other mental health activities, I introduce her, tell her age and how long she has been experiencing psychiatric symptoms to give others the message of HOPE. I did this at a NAMI North Carolina conference last year and recently had some one tell me that seeing my Mom gave her the hope that she too could recover. During the six years she has now been in recovery from her most recent episode, she has traveled to Arizona to see my sister, to Hawaii on a cruise, to Idaho to attend my daughter's graduation, to Alaska on a cruise, to the beach several times and traveled back and forth from North Carolina to New Jersey and to Kentucky numerous times. She has performed on stage, accompanying me on the piano for the Silver Arts portion of the Senior Games. Until we moved last year to Otto, NC, she attended Bible study and lunch at the Senior Center once a week. Now at 91, almost 92, she helps with the household chores, attends Church and Sunday School each week, goes to band concerts/competitions, attends a number of activities in our little community, corresponds with family and friends, takes rides in the golf cart around the neighborhood and through our woods. During those first months of recovery, watching the birds from her front porch and holding our cats and talking to our dogs was very healing for her. Since she loved the outside birds so much, my sister gave her two parakeets. My mother calls them Holly and Molly and they are her faithful companions, chirping cheerfully every day. She still loves watching the outside birds come to the feeders. My mother is also very much a people person and every one who meets her just loves her. She is so cute with every one, thanking those who help in any way. And despite the fact that she can no longer help others in the ways she once could, she does touch the lives of others simply through her spirit of meekness and love, that shines through her entire being. Some days are better than others and age is taking it's toll. But despite continuing symptoms, my mother is staying active and involved in life and doesn't let the rough times get her down for long. And I thank God every day for the valiant example of this, my mother, Grace. Mary Ann, Grace's daughter and author of this piece, is an In Our Own Voice: Living With Mental Illness Coordinator. Tell us what you think! Please take a moment to complete a short anonymous survey about your experiences on our Web site. Your feedback is invaluable to us as we strive to make NAMI.org a useful resource for all visitors. Home | myNAMI | About NAMI | Contact Us | Jobs | Terms of Use | SiteMap Copyright © 2005 NAMI. All Rights Reserved. Site Designed and Developed by Active Matter, Inc. 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