I had been leading groups on religious issues at the Metropolitan State Psychiatric Hospital for a year when one woman, Libby, died by suicide. Libby had been in the state hospital for years and was well-known to staff and other patients. Individuals who lived side by side f...
Was I disabled? Impaired? Inspired? Was the thing that lifted me off my feet and partway out of my mind neurological? Biochemical? Spiritual? It all started during Sukkot, the Jewish holiday that comes five days after Yom Kippur. My daughter and I slept in the sukk...
NAMI applauds Tipper Gore for her forthright disclosure of her personal struggle with major depression. We have long known that she is a woman of extraordinary insight, courage and compassion, and her decision to talk about her 1991 experience adds to our high esteem for her...
Kayla Sharpe, left, and Valerie Denis at AKA International Convention Boulé – July 12, 2016 July is Minority Mental Health Month and I know what some of you may be thinking: Doesn’t the distinction of minority mental health further divide and isolate minority communiti...
In her 1992 debut novel, “Your Blues Ain’t Like Mine,” author and journalist Bebe Moore Campbell unpacked the pervasive racism in the American South and explored the devastating consequences of discrimination and white supremacy. Five books and 13 years later, she would pu...
I discovered how to advocate for myself by being an advocate for others. It is a wonderful sensation to know I can help another person.
"I have a NAMI family that deeply cares as I strive to heal wounds within myself and my household."
"To you reading this, I hope you find yourself, I hope you find prosperity, and I hope you pass the torch and provide encouragement to your peers."
I've lived successfully in recovery from schizophrenia for 25 years: all of my adult life. I'm here to say that you can recover and go on to have a good life. On Sept. 25, 1987, I had a breakdown that was sudden, total and irreversible. A NAMI survey report, Schizophr...
In any election, the goal of the candidate is to win. Because of this, they often do not adequately reach out and engage voters. Those who do not show up to the polls in years prior are brushed off as “unlikely voters” and are no longer pursued in attempts to secure their ...
Myth: Mental health conditions are uncommon. Fact: Mental illness is more prevalent than many people think: One in five Americans experiences it in their lifetime. One in twenty-five Americans experience a serious mental illness in a given year that substantially interfe...
The “dragon” (my mental illness) is ever-present and could be planning an attack at any time. If my castle is strong and I have enough warriors on my side, I may just come out of this thing unscathed.
My patient, Han, used to dread going home to his parent’s house for the holidays. He found it hard to relax and be himself, and his wife and children also dreaded it. His parents made hurtful remarks, criticizing everything from their outfits to their opinions. The minute Ha...
After years of suffering from frequent and sometimes paralyzing panic attacks and anxiety, I had come to a point where I finally felt (mostly) at peace. That is, until life changed abruptly with the coronavirus pandemic. I built a small home cleaning business that I loved...
This past year has been full of fear, isolation and heart-wrenching loss. My anxiety got so severe at the beginning of the pandemic that I started taking an additional medication to help manage it. In the process, I realized just how much energy I spend worrying about whet...
It’s incredible how within months I went from looking at a class schedule to looking through a psychiatric hospital window. I was determined to go to college. I always thought that was my ticket to the good life. Columbus College of Art and Design (CCAD), a difficult fine...
On February 17, 2020, I was at a crossroads, deciding whether I wanted to live or die. After contemplating suicide for two days, it seemed like that was the only answer. I had battled depression for years, but I never told anyone how I was feeling. I was raised to believe...
Sending a child off to college is not easy for any parent. But when your child has mental illness, the process of letting go is even more difficult. The concerns I have as a parent are not unique; they are simply amplified by my daughter’s diagnoses. The stakes, given my ...
A webinar series focused on addressing mental health crises with comprehensive community responses NAMI Ask the Expert — Help, Not Handcuffs Part 1: The Definition of Insanity Documentary & Panel Discussion February 25, 2021, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m. ET This first webinar...