A PLACE OF SOLACE: Group supports families of mentally ill people

Then she joined the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Fulton/Montgomery County (NAMI), and a support group at St. Mary's Hospital Comprehensive Mental Health and Alcoholism Center in Amsterdam.

"There is nothing like people who are going through what you're going through," she said. "Your family is sympathetic, but eventually they go on and you feel lonely. The group has helped me accept it."

Skills and support

"Without the group, family members would have no real support, said Frank Greco. He is coordinator of discharge planning and case management services at St. Mary's Comprehensive Mental Health and Alcoholism Center as well as president of the Fulton/Montgomery NAMI chapter. "The idea of having many people with the same common thread that provide support is better than being out there alone."

Mrs. Adamowski has nothing but praise for the group. "They've allowed me to help my son," she said. "They're almost like my family. I can bare my soul to them."

Listening

At her first group meeting, "I didn't know if I would even talk," she recalled. "But everyone knew just what I was going through. It was extremely helpful. Group members said, `If you want to talk, call.'"

Besides providing emotional support, the group keeps members informed of the latest information pertaining to mental illness. Mrs. Adamowski has even found times that her son's medical providers call her for information on medication. That's not surprising, according to Doug Cooper of NAMI of New York State.

"There are a lot of studies that show the ill family member of a NAMI member get newer medication first," he said. "The biggest difference [for group members] is that patients have access to new programs and meds."

New focus

At a recent meeting, the members finalized plans for a picnic they were hosting and a billboard they were putting up. Over sandwiches, sodas and vegetable dip, members shared their recent struggles and successes. One member whose son has bipolar disorder (also known as manic-depressive illness) shared her joy that her son was able to go back to work and her fear that he would be discriminated against because he had a mental illness.

Other group members related to her worry and shared stories of the discrimination their loved ones face because of their illnesses.

Sharing

One of the key elements of the group is sharing. "The group gives family members insight into what works and what doesn't," said Mr. Greco.

To further facilitate the sharing, the group is starting a buddy system that would pair new group members with longtime members based on the family member's diagnosis. The group also hopes to educate others about mental illness. For two years, they have hosted a Mental Health Education Day in the spring at which legal, psychological, medical, pharmaceutical and family information is presented.

"We want to get the word out," Mr. Greco said.

(The group meets the first and third Thursday of the month in Group Room A on the third floor of St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam at 4 p.m. The next meeting is August 6. For more information, call 841-7352.)

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