Please check this website at www.conniewhitaker.com or go to www.nami.org/namiwalks07/MIN/dgreene

My husband's niece was diagnosed with schizo-affective disorder at age 13.   She and her mother are working very hard to create an awareness of this mental disorder.    NAMI stands for National Alliance on Mental Illness.  This organization has been very helpful to families dealing with mental illness.    Desiree has a team participating in a walk to raise awareness about mental illness and if you can help in any way, click on the NAMI link above.     You can also read Desiree's story by going to Connie's website.

Judy,

This website is one of the best I've seen on the subject. It is a vastly under-discussed issue. I've also found that faith can play an important role, along with education, therapy, and medication. However, any one of these elements can become excessive. I was incorrectly diagnosed with Bi-Polar disorder and treated for seven years with medication that simply made my condition worse. There were many approaches to simply making my life work, but the medication nearly destroyed me. It is a most complicated subject and there are no completely right answers.

Jack  Selway, Founder & CEO of RGHF, Rotary Global History, Pueblo, CO, USA

My nephew has suffered from schizophrenia since he was about 18 years old. He was ana extremely talented, artistic youngster. He grew up in Maine; one morning a few years ago he surprised me with a phone call telling me that he had driven straight from Maine to near my residence in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He desperately needed help.

With the good asssitance of community mental health staff in the area, I was able to help him get treatment.  He stayed here in Michigan for about five years and returned to Maine two years ago.

 This is a devastating disease. It robs talented, intelligent people like my nephew of the ability to fend effectively for themselves and to express their true selves.

During the time that my nephew was here in Michigan, I developed tremendous admiration and appreciation for the many overworked psychiatric social workers, psychiatrists , other mentalhealth professionals and volunteers who do their best to support the mentally ill among us.