PRESIDENT S MESSAGE By Marjorie Antus

Transcription

1 May2018 Vol. 5 P.O Box 1423 Woodbridge, VA PRESIDENT S MESSAGE By Marjorie Antus I had a dream the other night that every volunteer in this country had set sail for another country, humorist Erma Bombeck once wrote. I stood smiling on the pier shouting, Good-bye phone committees... No more getting out the vote. No more playground duty, bake sales, and three-hour meetings. But in Bombeck s world without volunteers, she quickly came to see that the hospital was quiet... rooms were devoid of books, flowers, and voices. The children s wing held no clowns and no laughter. Social agencies were unable to implement their programs of scouting, recreation, drug control. Health agencies had signs in their windows: Cures for cancer, birth defects, multiple sclerosis and heart diseases have been canceled for lack of interest. Schools were strangely quiet, with no field trips and no volunteer classroom aides. Symphony Hall and the museums that had been built and stocked by volunteers were dark and would remain that way. Flowers on church altars withered and died.... The poor had no recourse for health care or legal aid. As Bombeck fought in her dream to regain a last glimpse of the ship of volunteers, she realized that it would be her final sighting of civilization as it was meant to be. (Erma Bombeck, So Long, Volunteers ) What is NAMI Prince William meant to be? Let s take Bombeck s approach. Without volunteers, the NAMI-PW helpline goes cold and the web site NAMI Prince William As It Was Meant To Be disappears. Family Support Groups and Family-to- Family classes cease to operate. Without volunteers, high school and college students no longer receive NAMI s guidance concerning mental health and suicide. Local police in Crisis Intervention Training hear no stories of mental illness in families and, thus, gain no potentially lifesaving insights about mental illness and crisis intervention. Without volunteers, local mental health needs go unaddressed at state budget hearings and before members of Congress. Members of civic clubs and churches remain unaware of the hopeful good news that NAMI-PW has to share. Local business people who might donate to the mission never hear about it and write no checks. Without volunteers, inmates at the county Adult Detention Center and people strolling through community health fairs do not receive accurate mental health information from NAMI brochures, nor do they have a chance to talk about their mental health concerns. Without volunteers, there is no October Go Green for Mental Health Walk, no Walk camaraderie, no Walk fund-raising and no Walk stigma-dismantling. The point is, we at NAMI Prince William are all volunteers. Those of us working to support, educate, and advocate need affiliate members to offer their time and humanity to the mission. Volunteer training will take place this summer; details to follow. or phone and let us know you re willing to help NAMI-PW be what it s meant to be.

2 UPCOMING EVENT Call to NAMI-PW to Register: Hosted By: Wear Green on Thursday, May 24, and mark your calendar to Join NAMI Prince William for its Go Green for Mental Health 5K Walk/Run October 6,

3 MEET THE NAMI PRINCE WILLIAM 2018 BOARD OF DIRECTORS OFFICERS: Marj Antus, President Sonja Flood, Vice President S. L. Higginbottom. Carol Ray, Secretary Treasurer DIRECTORS: John Antus Pauline Hunter Pat Victorson 3

4 IT S WHAT WE DO Do you have a mental health condition? Are you interested in enhancing your recovery? We are in the process of planning our next free, 10-session NAMI Peer-to-Peer Education. Call NAMI Prince William now to get on the wait list,

5 Impact of Cannabis Use on Long-Term Remission in Bipolar I and Schizoaffective Disorder By Liz Downey Just 5 days before my son turned 19, he was hospitalized for a week with psychotic features. At the time, he had identified his alcoholism and had stopped drinking for several months. Upon his release, he was diagnosed with bipolar I disorder. Approximately two months later, my son s psychotic symptoms returned and he checked back into the behavioral health hospital for another week-long stay. At that time his diagnosis was changed to schizoaffective disorder and a new combo of medications were started. Shortly after two years, I noticed that he had not had any relapses and wondered to my son why he hadn t had any more episodes. He replied, I wonder if it s the two times I smoked pot. I decided to ask a local psychiatrist his thoughts about it and he explained that research has shown that cannabis can induce psychosis for some people with bipolar disorder. My son s doctor later changed his diagnosis back to bipolar I. That was 10 years ago, and since that time, my son has continued to take his medications, remains clean and sober and has had no further episodes. However, I have stayed abreast of research in this area as I continue to hear from family members that their loved ones have bipolar disorder and are not doing well. When I ask, many report they are pot smokers. There have been a few recent studies in the UK of small groups, but I usually look for larger studies. In 2015, there was a 2-year study, Bipolar Comprehensive Outcomes Study (BCOS), of 239 individuals with bipolar and schizoaffective disorder that seemed to again confirm the adverse effects of marijuana use by individuals with bipolar disorder. With the recent legalization of pot in many states, I feel this is an important area of research that must be continued, especially in the use of pot by adolescents. In summary, the study showed, Cannabis use negatively affects the long-term clinical outcome in patients with bipolar spectrum disorders. A comprehensive assessment and integrated management of cannabis use are required to achieve better treatment outcomes for bipolar spectrum disorders. Excerpts from I have heard from many individuals with mental health challenges and family members as well, who insist that pot is natural, or smoking marijuana helps lower my anxiety. When you consider that smoking cigarettes can lower the efficacy of psychiatric medications, what would we expect to happen when pot (a mood-altering substance) is smoked. Remember, not all that is natural is healthy for humans. I In light of the ongoing research, it is important for mental health professionals to be informed of their patients cannabis use so that they can provide better care, especially if medications are not effectively treating the mood symptoms. It is equally important for individuals with bipolar spectrum disorders who smoke pot to stay abreast of the latest research so that they can make better-informed decisions about their own care 5

6 NAMI PRINCE WILLIAM FAMILY SUPPORT GROUPS The challenges of mental illness do not only affect an individual's family members but also friends, teachers, neighbors, coworkers and others in the community. Family member and caregiver refer to anyone giving emotional, financial or practical support to a person with a mental health condition. Whether you're providing a lot of assistance or very little, the information and support you receive from a NAMI Family Support Group can help you better understand the issues that you might face. (Excerpt from: The most important thing to know is YOU ARE NOT ALONE. Below are the three NAMI Family Support Groups currently being held in Prince William County: WOODBRIDGE Second Tuesday of the Month, 7:00 pm to 9:00pm Sentara Potomac Hospital Room "C" in the Hylton Education Center 2300 Opitz Boulevard, Woodbridge, VA Contact: Donna Fortunato, Third Sunday of the Month, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Sentara Potomac Hospital Room "D" in the Hylton Education Center 2300 Opitz Boulevard, Woodbridge, VA (Group focus is families with dependent children youth through age 26, but open to all.) Contact: Liz Downey, HAYMARKET: Third Tuesday of the Month, 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm Haymarket Gainesville Community Library Community Room Lightner Road, Haymarket, VA Contacts: Liz Downey and Bonnie Cuppett Most family members attend the groups when their loved one is in crisis. When the crisis is over, they stop coming. Get in the habit of attending every month, whether things are going well or not. That way, if a crisis does hit, you know where you need to be. And remember, there are others who are new to this journey, and they need the support you can offer. 6

7 VOLUNTEER POSITIONS AVAILABLE NAMI Prince William is looking for: BOOKKEEPER - Must be able to provide bookkeeping/accounting services for a min. of 6 hrs. per month. Experience required. DEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR - Must have passion for planning and coordinating community outreach and fundraising events. Experience required. Qualified candidates, please submit your resume by to info@nami-pw.org National Children s Mental Health Awareness Week Join NAMI Prince William to hear the experience of a young adult living with mental illness who shares their journey of recovery in this interactive presentation. You ll learn the warning signs of mental health conditions and the steps you can take to find support for you or your friends. Presentations at the following libraries: May 7, Potomac Library, 7:00 pm May 15, Central Library, 7:00 pm May 24, Haymarket Library, 6:00 pm MEMBERSHIPS: Household $60 Regular $40 Open Door $5 SPONSORSHIPS: Family $55 Professional $65 Corporate $250 NAMI Membership exists at 3 levels: Affiliate, State & National. NAMI Prince William (NAMI-PW) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, charitable organization contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. Together, we can continue to fight for all those affected by mental illness. PLEASE NOTE: If making a donation, in order for NAMI-PW to receive your full donation, please send your donation to the NAMI-PW office. Thank you! CONTRIBUTIONS BENEFIT NAMI-PW, A NOT-FOR-PROFIT TAX EXEMPT ORGANIZATION, TAX ID A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION OF NAMI-PW MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE VIRGINIA STATE OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL AND CONSUMER SERVICES, P.O.BOX 1163, RICHMOND, VA REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. NAMI-PW RECEIVES 100% OF EACH Check here for renewal: Date: Name: Address: City/St: Zip:...Phone: I d like to support NAMI- PW with a donation of: $25 $50 $100 other: $ I d like to volunteer for NAMI-PW s 2018 Go Green for Mental Health Walk/Run. I wish to receive NAMI National s solicitations. P.O. Box 1423 Woodbridge, VA T info@nami-pw.org Website: nami-pw.org Members are NAMI-PW s lifeblood; your membership helps us continue to provide free outreach, support & education. In bringing mental health issues to wider attention, we advocate for better treatment. As our membership base grows, our voice becomes stronger. Respect, Compassion & Hope NAMI Works! 7