(Submitted by National Alliance on Mental Illness)
May is mental health month. In honor of the one in five Americans who lives with a mental illness, NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) Wood County is bringing its “#And I Am” display to public libraries all over Wood County, as well as to the Wood County Courthouse. The national “#And I Am” campaign reminds us that people with mental illness are more than their diagnoses. By encouraging us not to let labels limit individuals, it seeks to fight the stigma that still haunts these biological brain disorders.
Libraries hosting the displays include Way Public Library in Perrysburg, Pemberville Public Library, Rossford Public Library, Stony Ridge Public Library, and Luckey Public Library. NAMI WC staff have also installed the display in the atrium of the Wood County Courthouse.
The “#And I Am” displays feature a flyer, table tents, and brochures sharing facts about the prevalence of mental illness in the United States. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in five Americans suffers from a mental illness. Half of all lifetime cases of mental illness begin by age fourteen, and only forty-one percent of adults in the U.S. with a mental health condition received mental health services in the past year (National Alliance on Mental Illness.) But, with the proper treatment and supports, our friends, family, and neighbors living with these illnesses can lead productive, happy lives. They are not limited by a diagnosis.
That’s why at each “#And I Am” display visitors can fill in a slip with information about themselves to complete the “#And I Am” statement. Some slips filled out at other events read “I have schizophrenia# And I Am a college graduate;” “My father struggles with substance abuse #And I Am his advocate;” “My daughter has bipolar disorder# And I Am a proud father;” and “I live with depression # And I Am a father and ER doctor.” Anyone interested in participating in this campaign can tweet their story using the hashtag #And I Am, send it by email to info@namiwoodcounty.org, or reach out to NAMI Wood County’s Facebook page (namiwoodcounty.org.) The organization will publish these statements anonymously, in the hope that sharing individuals’ struggles and successes will help bring mental illness out of the shadows and into the light of public discussion.
One of over 1,200 NAMI affiliates across the nation, NAMI Wood County has provided support, education, and advocacy for all county residents affected by mental illness since 1987. The Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services Board supports its programs.
