When a loved one has mental illness, families often struggle to cope.
Over years, the challenges and demands of the condition can leave them exhausted, isolated and at a loss for where to turn, at times when they most need support.
A powerful source of help is NAMI -- the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Founded in 1979, with affiliates in every state, NAMI provides support, education and advocacy for those living with mental illness and their families.
Previously, those who wanted to join the grassroots organization had to drive to Morganton, Charlotte, Winston-Salem or other locations. But now there's good news: A group of area residents has formed a chapter of NAMI in Catawba County.
The new affiliate, NAMI Greater Hickory, will have its first monthly meeting 7 p.m. May 22 at the AHEC Building beside Catawba Valley Medical Center, said Paul Mulqueen, president of the group.
The idea for a local chapter grew out of experiences Mulqueen and his wife, Marie, who's vice president of the group, had with Family-to-Family, a 12-week educational program offered once a year by Catawba Valley Behavioral Health. A NAMI program, the acclaimed course is taught by trained family members of those with mental illness.
After retiring to Granite Falls a year and a half ago from New York, the Mulqueens learned about the Family-to-Family program in the newspaper, Paul Mulqueen said. Because they have an adult child with mental illness, they signed up to take the course.
"I have son who's 24 who has mental issues," Mulqueen said. "He's still in New York but we're planning to relocate him down here, and we wanted to get some help for when he does come.
"We read in The Charlotte Observer about the Family-to-Family meetings and I can tell you after attending the course, it was an eye opener. We learned about how our son feels and ways for us to deal more effectively with our son, and for us it was great," he said.
During the course, Mulqueen said, participants talked about NAMI and how there was no affiliate in the Hickory area.
"There was interest in the group about starting one here," he said. "They asked for volunteers and my wife and I decided to give it a try. (We're) not organizers but the Family-to-Family program was so effective, we wanted to help. A lot of people have loved ones with mental illness, and there are other people out there who are just not aware of the help that's available. NAMI has a lot of information about mental illness -- medications, pending legislation, how the funding for programs is always changing. And if you don't have advocacy, your funding can get cut."
Mulqueen said 13 families that took the Family-to-Family course have now joined NAMI. "You need at least five families to start your affiliate, so we're kind of off and running. So far we've had one meeting and elected our officers and five board members," he said.
At the first official meeting May 22, plans are to identify goals for the organization. "We want to do advocacy in the local area, plus strengthen public awareness of mental illness," Mulqueen said. "The more people understand, the better it is for everybody. It will be a great source of information for those who are struggling with this.
"So we're trying to get the word out. Mental illness affects family life completely. Dealing with somebody who has mental illness -- it's not like dealing with somebody who has a broken arm, it doesn't ever get back to normal -- and of course it does impact society, too.
"Maybe somebody will see this and get help." People | chanda blitch
NAMI Greater Hickory will have its first monthly meeting at 7 p.m. May 22 in the AHEC Building beside Catawba Valley Medical Center.
Families of those with mental illness, consumers, friends and professionals are welcome. For more information, call Paul Mulqueen at 828-396-1835, or visit www.nami.org or www.naminc.org.
