Just about every month we are celebrating something.  October was Disability Awareness Month.  The first week in October was Mental Illness Awareness Week. 

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) they are “the organization behind this week.  It was founded as a nonprofit, grassroots, self-help, and 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 continues to explain that “in 1990, the U. S. Congress established the first week of October as Mental Illness Week in recognition of NAMI’s efforts to raise mental illness awareness.  In 1990, mental health advocates across the country have joined together during the first full week of October to celebrate”.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) continues to fight to reduce the disgrace of persons living with mental disorders. The attempt is to eradicate the belief that these are acquired behaviors that should be changed by the person. The challenge is accepting that severe mental illnesses are biological in nature and genetic factors have been indirectly associated with some disorders.  Other severe mental illnesses can be due to family and environmental factors.  Severe disorders of the brain should be treated like any other illness of the body; with consultation therapy and appropriate prescribed medication by a physician.

Some effective treatments for mental illnesses are medication, shock therapy, or brain surgery.  Some disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are treated primarily with medication.  Psychotherapy is also used as a treatment.  Depression is often treated with medication, but psychotherapy can be used with some patients.

It helps to be aware of mental illnesses around this time of the year because so many students, both secondary and college level, are under a tremendous amount of stress due to their desire to perform well and cope with more demands of life.  Many mental illnesses seem to manifest during young adulthood.  In October, students are settling into a routine for school and sorting out life’s priorities.  Some students may experience more anxiety than others and it’s helpful to know what some students maybe feeling while trying to cope with life’s responsibilities.  An awareness of mental illnesses during this time of year helps to identify new and different behaviors some people maybe exhibiting.

To learn more about mental illness awareness, consult your medical doctors.   

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