Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 9, 1993 TAG: 9305070024
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
As the mental health community expands its educational and community outreach programs in recognition of May as Mental Health Month, the 500,000 volunteers and staff of mental health associations across the country also are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the casting of the Mental Health Bell, the symbol of the mental health movement.
The 300-pound Mental Health Bell, forged in 1953 from shackles and chains that once restrained patients in state mental hospitals, represents hope for all Americans, particularly those with mental and emotional disorders.
The Mental Health Association of Montgomery County will join this nationwide focus on the bell's message of hope as we launch our monthlong campaign to help the people of Montgomery County understand that mental illnesses, like physical illnesses, have warning signs.
These warning signs constitute symptoms of diagnosable disorders, which require the more effective treatments available.
As I reflect on examples of progress in the mental health movement, each step, no matter how small or large, results in a resounding message of hope: a heartwarming, positive and thought-provoking media portrayal of an individual who "has made it" in spite of his illness.
There are improved medication with the potential for fewer negative side effects; and the passage of legislation, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, which increases the potential for equitable treatment.
In the scientific realm, breakthroughs over the past decade have tremendously increased the capacity to identify and treat mental illnesses.
Scientists now think severe mental disorders are linked to functional abnormalities in the brain. As with many other diseases, mental disorders can be brought about by heredity or other biological factors. There also is increasing sensitivity to how environmental factors, such as stress and personal loss, can trigger the onset of an illness.
But these advancements toll hollow victories when so many fathers, mothers, daughters and sons avoid getting help because they do not consider mental illnesses to be serious health problems requiring professional attention.
No family is immune. Mental and emotional disorders can strike anyone. Today, more Americans suffer from these disorders than from cancer, heart and lung disease combined. The message of hope worth shouting from the rooftops is that mental illnesses are real and treatable, and not the result of personal failure, lack of willpower or moral weakness.
Sadly, the misperceptions are still stubbornly entrenched in American "pull-yourself-up-by-your-boostraps" logic.
Learning to recognize the warning signs of these illnesses is the first vital step on the road to better health. While a single symptom or isolated event isn't necessarily a sign of a mental illness, if symptoms persist, worsen or recur, professional help should be sought.
Common warning signals include:
Inappropriate or extreme behavior.
Marked personality change over time.
Confused thinking.
Grandiose ideas.
Prolonged severe depression or apathy.
Excessive anxieties.
Withdrawal from society and a growing inability to cope with problems and daily activities such as school, job or personal needs.
During May, the Mental Health Bell will ring out symbolically across the nation for:
40 million American adults with a diagnosable mental or emotional disorder.
More than 12 million emotionally disturbed children in this country whose services are inadequate or nonexistent.
Inclusion of mental health in any health-care reform package.
Continued positive changes in federal and state legislative efforts.
The mental and emotional well-being of all Americans.
The MHA of Montgomery County, along with families, mental health professionals and our community members, is working through education, social action and advocacy to raise awareness about mental illnesses.
It is a United Way agency and an affiliate of the National Mental Health Association, a voluntary, charitable organization that works to change the way America thinks about mental health and mental illnesses.
The Mental Health Bell is on display in the headquarters of the National Mental Health Association in Alexandria.
To find out what you can do for your community during Mental Health Month and throughout the year, contact the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County at 552-4531.
To learn about the warning signs of mental illnesses for yourself or someone close, call 552-4531 or (800) 559-2800 for Montgomery County Mental Health Association or (800) 969-NMHA, for a free informative booklet.
Lacey Cundiff is executive director of the Mental Health Association of Montgomery County.
by CNB