October 7-13, 2007 is national Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW). Sponsored by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), MIAW was established in 1990 by Congress in recognition of NAMI’s efforts to educate the public about mental illnesses, which occupy more hospital beds in the US than cancer and heart disease combined. Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible, if people have access to the treatment and services they need.
The fifth annual Bipolar Disorder Awareness Day is on Thursday, October 11, 2007. People diagnosed with bipolar disorder, which affects an estimated 10 million Americans, experience alternating episodes of mania (severe highs), depression (severe lows) and mixed states which contain elements of both. Unfortunately, seven out of ten people with bipolar disorder receive at least one misdiagnosis, and many wait years for an accurate diagnosis. It is estimated that 80 percent to 90 percent of people with bipolar disorder can be treated effectively with medication and psychotherapy.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. NAMI has more than 1,100 affiliates in communities across the country who engage in advocacy, research, support and education. NAMI -Skagit joins other affiliates nationwide this week in raising awareness about mental illness.
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