NAMI Walk

Earlier this year I participated in NAMI's 12 week course for families of people that were mentally ill.  At that time Keven was under a doctor's care who diagnosed him both as bi-polar, then later schizoaffective disorder.  Yes, he was hallucinating and had major paranoia, but after months of buying into his "illness" the truth slapped me in the face:  he is not mentally ill, he is an ADDICT that has messed his life up to the point that he has symptoms of mental illness.  And yes, he has some "mental and emotional problems" who doesn't?  I suffer from depression to the point that I consider suicide several times per year - seriously consider it - but I am not mentally ill.

So its a bit ironic and unnerving that the program Keven is in through court  is very involved with NAMI and one of the qualifiers is that you mut be dually diagnosed with addiction and mental illness.

Today Keven is at the annual NAMI walk up in Huntington Beach "volunteering".

I think NAMI is very helpful for the people that have true mental illness.  I think that people do have psychotic breaks and need help.  But I think its rare compared to how often things are diagnosed.  Bipolar for example - is it an illness?  I know lots of people who fit the description of it and we just say "that's Joe, he's just that way" and he lives his life. I don't know.  I am not an expert but I am very leery of the whole Pharmaceutical Industry and therefore the mental health industry....it really is an industry moreso than any other "health agency" because once they have you convinced your mentally ill you are hooked for life on their meds - there is no cure.

Read Kris's blog, "Borderline Families", if this topic interests you.  She's an advocate against mental illness industry and Big Pharma and has inspired me to look deeper into it, which is how I formed some of my new opinions on this topic.

I am glad Keven's up there "volunteering" (his PO made him do it) because he's out in the fresh air among people in a festive atmosphere and that is positive.

Peace, Hope and Love, Barbara