What Parents Need to Know...
if their daughter or son is diagnosed with a mental illness...
- Learn as much as you can about the mental illness (e.g., consult the many on-line resources, books, take a course, etc.).
- Look into joining an existing support group or start your own.
- Consult with health professionals with expertise in working with people with mental illnesses and their families--pay equal attention to your own comfort level with the health professional, as you do to her/his education/experience/other credentials.
- Advocate for your daughter/son by encouraging them to meet with the UNH's Counseling Center for counseling/psychiatry referrals in the area. In addition, encourage your daughter/son to meet with a UNH ACCESS staff member to explore possible academic accommodations. Sometimes it is appropriate to accompany your son/daughter to these initial appointments, with the ultimate goal of promoting their own capacity to get their needs met.
- Be sure that you have people in your life whom you can talk to.
- Be compassionate, caring, and concerned with your child and other family members impacted by your son/daughter's mental illness--but don't forget to take care of yourself
Selected On-line Resources:
National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI)
http://www.nami.org/
Mission Statement: NAMI is dedicated to the eradication of mental illnesses and to the improvement of the quality of life of all whose lives are affected by these diseases. NAMI on Campus is a network of student-led mental health awareness, education, and advocacy groups tailored to the needs of individual college communities.
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA)
http://www.dbsalliance.org/
Mission: To improve the lives of people with mood disorders. DBSA is the nation's leading patient-directed organization focusing on the most prevalent mental illnesses - depression and bipolar disorder. The organization fosters an understanding about the impact and management of these life-threatening illnesses by providing up-to-date, scientifically-based tools and information written in language the general public can understand. DBSA supports research to promote more timely diagnosis, develop more effective and tolerable treatments and discover a cure. The organization works to ensure that people living with mood disorders are treated equitably.
Manic-Depressive & Depressive Association of Boston (MDDA-Boston)
http://www.mddaboston.org/
MDDA-Boston (Manic-Depressive and Depressive Association of Boston) is an affiliated chapter of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA ). MDDA is a nonprofit, self-help organization run by and for people with affective disorders such as depression and manic-depression. MDDA members come together to share support and information with others in similar situations. MDDA is dedicated to improving knowledge and awareness of affective disorders among our membership, healthcare professionals and the general public.