Free Course Offered For Families of Mentally Ill Relatives

If you have a mentally ill loved one, their words, feelings and actions can often be confusing or even frightening.

A free class offered by the National Alliance on Mental Illness aims at helping family members understand what their loved ones are going through.

The 12-week class begins on Sunday, February 10 and will meet every Sunday except Easter Sunday until May 5 at Fort Hill Presbyterian Church, located at 101 Edgewood Avenue in Clemson.

The Family-to-Family class is open to first degree adult relatives (parents, spouses/significant others, sibling or adult child) of someone with a mental illness.

The major mental illnesses addressed in the course are depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizoaffective disorder, borderline personality disorder, panic disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder as well as co-occurring brain and addictive disorders.

Topics covered will be brain biology, psychiatric medications, communication skills, problem-solving skills, empathy, self-care, recovery, and advocacy.

The course is taught by a team of trained NAMI family member volunteers who know what it’s like to have a loved one struggling with one of these brain disorders.

Class size is limited to 20 people, and pre-registration is required. For more information contact Michelle Ready at 882-5131 or email her at michelleready@hotmail.com.

This NAMI Family-to-Family Education Program is sponsored and funded by NAMI SC and the NAMI Anderson-Oconee-Pickens affiliate.

Visit www.namiaop.org for more information on the National Alliance on Mental Illness