NAMI excellent resource on mental illness

DEAR DR. GOTT: Many of us have lived the frustration of trying to get help for a mentally ill adult daughter. Because the brain is the dysfunctioning organ in this illness, the person has no insight into the condition and, thus, refuses to help. Most mentally ill people know how to “shape up” when appearing before a judge so it’s difficult to have the person deemed a “danger to themselves or others,” which is the criteria for forced treatment in most states. The tragic part is the fine line between dangerous and non-dangerous and, way too often, the first evidence that would enable this classification causes death or injury to an innocent person or a mentally ill person. I would recommend that parents attend a support group in their area for families of the mentally ill. A good place to start is www.NAMI.org.

DEAR READER: You are correct that forcing treatment can be incredibly difficult and often leads to hard feelings, even though it is for the patient’s benefit. NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is one of the leading mental-health advocacy organizations in the United States. They work to provide and improve support, education, advocacy and research. You can learn more about them and the services they provide on their website or by calling (800) 950-NAMI (6264).