Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day
Near and dear to my heart ...Bipolar disorder is a devastating illness that effects the entire family. I have been through the dark hell of bipolar with my son ... he was unstable and on the brink of total disaster a little over a year ago. It was only because of my persistence and determination to not let the bipolar monster take my child from me that he is now being treated appropriately. I certainly did not receive much help from schools or the medical community. I had to kick up quite a fuss to get what he needed. I also had to battle the stigma and public misunderstanding of mental illness. That is a battle that may never end ...
I have been contacted by a local television station reporter about doing an interview on teen-agers and the dangers of anti-depressants and bipolar disorder. In the past, the parents interviewed spoke from the shadows, as if they had something to hide. If this interview does happen, I will not hide ... I have nothing to be ashamed of and neither does my son. I hope this happens ... I hope that it touches at least one struggling family and encourages them to seek help. There is no shame, there is nothing to hide. But there is everything to lose by allowing shame to keep one from seeking the help they need.
Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day, was introduced in 2003 to raise awareness to consumers, family members, and friends, either living with or yet to be diagnosed, on what the illness is and how to seek treatment and recovery. This year, Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day is being acknowledged on Thursday, October 7.
A survey was commissioned by NAMI and Abbott Laboratories in an effort to better understand the issues surrounding mental illness and bipolar disorder. This survey focused on the college age population, a critical age for education, awareness and diagnosis. The survey was conducted during June and July 2004 and assessed the views of 1,033 college students, 1,028 parents of college students, and 282 bipolar disorder patients.
Students reported the warning signs of mental illness at alarming rates, yet few parents are aware of these behaviors in their children. 50 percent of students rate their mental health as below average or poor, while 25 percent of parents report their student’s mental health to be in this range.
The survey found that mental illness is a major concern for the college student population, yet half of all students report receiving no education on mental health issues before starting college, including education from family, friends, teachers, counselors, or clergy. In contrast, nearly 75 percent of parents report having conversations about mental health with their children.
In addition, parents and students alike report many misconceptions about mental illness, specifically bipolar disorder. Although bipolar disorder is the result of a chemical imbalance and can be treated and managed with medication and therapy, 35 percent of parents and 48 percent of students believe the disorder is at least somewhat attributed to a character flaw or weak willpower. In addition, more than 70 percent of parents and students would be uncomfortable to some extent if a close friend or family member was dating or marrying a person with bipolar disorder.
To find out about Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day/National Depression Screening Day events in your community contact your local NAMI.
For more on my son's journey out of the darkness and my battle to bring him out, see the posts in the category "Bipolarville."
And if you or someone you love needs help ... get it. There is no time to lose.
Posted by LissaKay on 10/07/04 at 02:06 PM in
Bipolarville
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