NAMI Contra Costa
P.O. Box 21247
Concord, CA 94521

(925) 465-3864
xnamicc@aol.com

What is a Mental Illness:
Mental Illness Facts


Mental illnesses are medical conditions that disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others, and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.

Serious mental illnesses include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and borderline personality disorder. The good news about mental illness is that recovery is possible.

Mental illnesses can affect persons of any age, race, religion, or income. Mental illnesses are not the result of personal weakness, lack of character, or poor upbringing. Mental illnesses are treatable. Most people diagnosed with a serious mental illness can experience relief from their symptoms by actively participating in an individual treatment plan.

In addition to medication treatment, psychosocial treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, peer support groups, and other community services can also be components of a treatment plan and that assist with recovery. The availability of transportation, diet, exercise, sleep, friends, and meaningful paid or volunteer activities contribute to overall health and wellness, including mental illness recovery.


Here are some important facts about mental illness and recovery:


  • Mental illnesses are biologically based brain disorders. They cannot be overcome through "will power" and are not related to a person's "character" or intelligence.
  • Mental disorders fall along a continuum of severity. Even though mental disorders are widespread in the population, the main burden of illness is concentrated in a much smaller proportion — about 6 percent, or 1 in 17 Americans — who suffer from a serious mental illness. It is estimated that mental illness affects 1 in 5 families in America.
  • The World Health Organization has reported that four of the 10 leading causes of disability in the US and other developed countries are mental disorders. By 2020, Major Depressive illness will be the leading cause of disability in the world for women and children.
  • Mental illnesses usually strike individuals in the prime of their lives, often during adolescence and young adulthood. All ages are susceptible, but the young and the old are especially vulnerable.
  • Without treatment the consequences of mental illness for the individual and society are staggering: unnecessary disability, unemployment, substance abuse, homelessness, inappropriate incarceration, suicide and wasted lives; The economic cost of untreated mental illness is more than 100 billion dollars each year in the United States.
  • The best treatments for serious mental illnesses today are highly effective; between 70 and 90 percent of individuals have significant reduction of symptoms and improved quality of life with a combination of pharmacological and psychosocial treatments and supports.
  • With appropriate effective medication and a wide range of services tailored to their needs, most people who live with serious mental illnesses can significantly reduce the impact of their illness and find a satisfying measure of achievement and independence. A key concept is to develop expertise in developing strategies to manage the illness process.
  • Early identification and treatment is of vital importance; By ensuring access to the treatment and recovery supports that are proven effective, recovery is accelerated and the further harm related to the course of illness is minimized.
  • Stigma erodes confidence that mental disorders are real, treatable health conditions. We have allowed stigma and a now unwarranted sense of hopelessness to erect attitudinal, structural and financial barriers to effective treatment and recovery. It is time to take these barriers down.

To find out more about specific illnesses visit the By Illness page at the NAMI National website here.


"Source: NAMI--The National Alliance on Mental Illness, [copyright year 2007]; www.nami.org; 1-800-950-NAMI"




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Evening in the Tropics Gallery


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Family to Family Classes


General Contact Info:

Thomas Cloney: 510-705- 2608 famtofamcc@gmail.com

Family to Family Education Program is a twelve week, free week-night series for family members and friends of those individuals with mental illnesses.

Class Schedule:
May - Pleasant Hill
September - Lafayette & Richmond

For information and/or registration contact Nancy Seibert at
fam2fam4u@gmail.com or 925-285-5995

Pleasant Hill F2F Class:

When: Wednesday, May 16th
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Where:404 Gregory Lane
Pleasant Hill
Hillcrest Congregational Church

Download the flyer here.

Contact Information:
Nancy Seibert: 925-285-5995 fam2fam4u@gmail.com

Veterans F2F:

When: Monday, June 11
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Where: Martinez VA Campus
150 Muir Road

Download the flyer here.

Contact Information:
Susan Horrocks:
925-262-3404 or sl2read@comcast.net
NAMI Office:
925-942-0767 or namicc@att.net

De Familia a Familia

Curso gratuito de 12 semanas.
Para mayor información, haga click aquí.

Para mayor informacion, contactar a Verónica a 925-250-4034 ó defamiliaafamilia@pacbell.net.


Peer to Peer Classes
Starting May 19, 2012

The next Peer - To - Peer class will be starting Saturday May 19, 2012 through July 28 from 2:00 - 4:00 pm. Classes will be held in Central Contra Costa County with the location to be announced soon.

For information or to get an application for the next available class, please contact
The NAMI CC Office:
(925) 942-0767
namicc@att.net


NAMI-CC Care and Support Group


NAMI CC Care and Support Group
3rd Mondy of each month
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Walnut Creek Campus
John Muir Hospital
1601 Ygnacio Valley Road
Downstairs in the Epstein Conference Room

Park in the free public garage on the La Casa Via side of the hospital.
Facilitated by Sharon Madison and Bob Thigpen.

For more information
E-mail: xnamicc@aol.com
or call
925-256-9640
925-676-5771 or
925-521-5121.


ClutterLess:
Clutterer's Support Group

Overwhelmed by clutter?


ClutterLess is a 510(c)3 non-profit, peer-based, self help support group for people who want to change their cluttering behaior on a deeper level than learning how to organize.


For more information,
please call us at:
925.200.1943
or visit or
www.clutterless.org


NAMI FaithNet

NAMI FaithNet is a new information resource for faith communities, NAMI members and community partners and for clergy and congreations of all faith traditions who working together to create welcoming, supportive faith communities for individuals and families living with mental illness.

Contact: Kay Derrico
(925) 933-4012
kayderrico@comcast.net

NAMI Office
(925) 942-0767


NAMI-CC Writers' Group

1st thursday of each month
7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

You may drop in or attend regularly. All are welcomed. All writing levels welcomed.

Crestwood Healing Center, far back room by back parking area. Call for room location, as it can be tricky to find.

550 Patterson, Pleasant Hill
Contact: Susan Medlin
(925) 957-5104 or
smedlin@hsd.cccounty.us

RSVP is helpful:
Leave a message at
925-942-0767
To help with cookies, set up, or get information: leave a message at 925-942-0767

Sponsored by a partnership of NAMI CC and Office of Consumer Empowerment


New Hope Support Group

New Hope Support Group -

Offering support, education and resources to parents/caregivers of older teens and young adults diagnosed with a mood disorder, (bipolar, depression, anxiety and more). Meets the 2nd Monday of the month at the Lafayette/Orinda Presbyterian Church, 49 Knox Drive in Lafayette from 7-9pm.

Contact Annette 510-733-0577 or
Cyndy 925-362-9434 for more information.

Membership in the support group is free and open to the community.


Dual Recovery Anonymous

Dual Recovery Anonymous is a 12 Step self-help program that is based on the principals of the Twelve Steps and the experiences of men and women in recovery with a dual diagnosis. The DRA program helps us recover from both our chemical dependency and our emotional or psychiatric illness by focusing on relapse prevention and actively improving the quality of our lives. In a community of mutual support, we learn to avoid the risks that lead back to alcohol and drug use as well as reducing the symptoms of our emotional or psychiatric illness.

Tuesdays 5:45 pm to 6:45 pm
John Muir Center for Recovery Classroom B
2730 Grant Street, Concord
Contact: 925.212.2241




Special Events

FaithNet Conference

 

What:
A conference for faith leaders and others interested in creating welcoming communities for those with mental illness and their loved ones

When:
Saturday, November 10, 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

Where:
Concord Rooms I and II, Concord Campus of John Muir Medical Center, 2540 East St., Concord

Fee: TBA

Presenters:
A partnership with NAMI CC, John Muir's Faith and Health Partnership Program, Sozo Health & Wellness Services, and Minister Monique Tarver

RSVP/Information:
kayderrico@comcast.net or
925-933-4012