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Support group created for friends and family of those with mental illness
July 8, 2009
By Laura Geggel
By Laura Geggel
Mary Jeffers does not know where her youngest brother is, but she tries to support him whenever she learns of his whereabouts.
Her brother has been living with mental illness – doctors have diagnosed him with a form of schizophrenia – and Jeffers knows he has trouble taking his medication and finding a stable life with a job and housing.
“It’s been a nightmare,” the North Bend resident said. “Most times, we have no idea where he is.”
Jeffers has sought out support groups in the past, and now she will be able to find one locally. The local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, better known as NAMI Eastside, is starting a monthly support group for the friends and families of people living with a mental illness. The group will meet in the Coho Room at Issaquah City Hall, 135 E. Sunset Way, Issaquah from 7-8:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of every month. Its first few meetings will take place July 15, Aug. 19 and Sept. 16.
For Jeffers, talking with people who have similar experiences helps her deal with her own. Last August, her brother showed up in Oregon after seven years of absence. The family was overjoyed to hear from him, but his reappearance was emotionally difficult for Jeffers. She loves her brother, but his mental illness makes it difficult for her to connect with him, especially when he has schizophrenic episodes.
“After his visit, I was thrown back into a horrible emotional state,” Jeffers said. “It was bad enough to begin with.”
Speaking with people who understand the challenges of caring for people with a mental illness can be a gratifying release.
“My husband understands it from a brother-in-law perspective, but he doesn’t get it from a sibling perspective or a parental perspective,” Jeffers said. “He would say, ‘I want to help you, but I don’t know how.’”
NAMI Eastside invites people who are friends or family of any type of mental illness patient to the meetings. Mental illnesses include diagnoses such as depression, bulimia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
“Mental illness is not a choice,” NAMI Eastside Director Paul Beatty said. “The one in four people who are affected by it are affecting their family members and friends.”
People who attend the meetings can be as anonymous as they want. NAMI Eastside does have a sign-in sheet. The only information required is city and zip code, data needed by NAMI to apply for grants. A lengthier form is available for people who feel comfortable providing more information.
The meeting will begin with each person briefly describing his or her situation. If one person appears to need immediate attention, the group will focus on supporting him or her.
“I heard a story about a woman who was there and she was sobbing uncontrollably because she had had to commit her husband involuntarily,” NAMI Eastside Office Director Barbara Thompson said. “Seeing the stress she was in, that was what they talked about.”
A trained facilitator leads the support group. Karin Miller, who works at Overlake Hospital Medical Center as a geriatric social worker, will lead the Issaquah group. Once discussion is underway, the group will find an arena to discuss their personal situations and learn about coping strategies and resources.
Will Leslie of Issaquah has used different NAMI Eastside support groups himself and encouraged others to visit the group.
“I think it removes isolation,” Leslie said. “It gives you a different perspective. You can ask questions.”
Thompson added she was glad the new group would save Eastside residents from having to drive to Bellevue or Kirkland to seek help. This year, the city of Issaquah funded NAMI Eastside with a $3,000 grant and the city of Sammamish awarded the group with a $5,000 grant. A voluntary annual fee for the support group costs $35.
NAMI Eastside also runs Hero House, a psychiatric rehabilitation center where people living with a mental illness can voluntarily join. To donate or learn more, visit www.nami-eastside.org.
Reach reporter Laura Geggel at 392-6434 .221 or lgeggel@snovalleystar.com. To comment on this story, visit www.snovalleystar.com.
Mary Jeffers does not know where her youngest brother is, but she tries to support him whenever she learns of his whereabouts.
Her brother has been living with mental illness – doctors have diagnosed him with a form of schizophrenia – and Jeffers knows he has trouble taking his medication and finding a stable life with a job and housing.
“It’s been a nightmare,” the North Bend resident said. “Most times, we have no idea where he is.”
Jeffers has sought out support groups in the past, and now she will be able to find one locally. The local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, better known as NAMI Eastside, is starting a monthly support group for the friends and families of people living with a mental illness. The group will meet in the Coho Room at Issaquah City Hall, 135 E. Sunset Way, Issaquah from 7-8:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of every month. Its first few meetings will take place July 15, Aug. 19 and Sept. 16.
For Jeffers, talking with people who have similar experiences helps her deal with her own. Last August, her brother showed up in Oregon after seven years of absence. The family was overjoyed to hear from him, but his reappearance was emotionally difficult for Jeffers. She loves her brother, but his mental illness makes it difficult for her to connect with him, especially when he has schizophrenic episodes.
“After his visit, I was thrown back into a horrible emotional state,” Jeffers said. “It was bad enough to begin with.”
Speaking with people who understand the challenges of caring for people with a mental illness can be a gratifying release.
“My husband understands it from a brother-in-law perspective, but he doesn’t get it from a sibling perspective or a parental perspective,” Jeffers said. “He would say, ‘I want to help you, but I don’t know how.’”
NAMI Eastside invites people who are friends or family of any type of mental illness patient to the meetings. Mental illnesses include diagnoses such as depression, bulimia, obsessive-compulsive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
“Mental illness is not a choice,” NAMI Eastside Director Paul Beatty said. “The one in four people who are affected by it are affecting their family members and friends.”
People who attend the meetings can be as anonymous as they want. NAMI Eastside does have a sign-in sheet. The only information required is city and zip code, data needed by NAMI to apply for grants. A lengthier form is available for people who feel comfortable providing more information.
The meeting will begin with each person briefly describing his or her situation. If one person appears to need immediate attention, the group will focus on supporting him or her.
“I heard a story about a woman who was there and she was sobbing uncontrollably because she had had to commit her husband involuntarily,” NAMI Eastside Office Director Barbara Thompson said. “Seeing the stress she was in, that was what they talked about.”
A trained facilitator leads the support group. Karin Miller, who works at Overlake Hospital Medical Center as a geriatric social worker, will lead the Issaquah group. Once discussion is underway, the group will find an arena to discuss their personal situations and learn about coping strategies and resources.
Will Leslie of Issaquah has used different NAMI Eastside support groups himself and encouraged others to visit the group.
“I think it removes isolation,” Leslie said. “It gives you a different perspective. You can ask questions.”
Thompson added she was glad the new group would save Eastside residents from having to drive to Bellevue or Kirkland to seek help. This year, the city of Issaquah funded NAMI Eastside with a $3,000 grant and the city of Sammamish awarded the group with a $5,000 grant. A voluntary annual fee for the support group costs $35.
NAMI Eastside also runs Hero House, a psychiatric rehabilitation center where people living with a mental illness can voluntarily join. To donate or learn more, visit www.nami-eastside.org.
Reach reporter Laura Geggel at 392-6434 .221 or lgeggel@snovalleystar.com.
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