FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions

What are the symptoms of some major mental disorders?

Schizophrenia:
• disconnected and confusing language
• poor reasoning, memory and judgment
• high levels of anxiety
• eating and sleeping disorders
• hallucinations - hearing and seeing things that exist only in the person's mind
• delusions - persistent false beliefs about something e.g. others are controlling their thoughts
• deterioration of appearance / personal hygiene
• loss of motivation and poor concentration
• tendencies to withdraw from others

Depression:
• poor appetite and weight loss - excessive eating
• sleep disturbances such as insomnia, nightmares, restless sleep, and early-morning awakening OR excessive sleeping
• loss of energy, feelings of fatigue / listlessness
• agitation or unusually restless or fidgety
• self-reproach or inappropriate guilt; person blames himself for everything that goes wrong in his environment
• diminished ability to think and concentrate
• recurrent thoughts of death or suicide or any suicidal behavior
• overly aggressive behavior

Manic Depression / Bipolar Disorder:
• boundless energy, enthusiasm and need for activity
• decreased need for sleep
• grandiose ideas and poor judgment
• rapid, loud, disorganized speech
• short temper and argumentative
• impulsive and erratic behavior
• possible delusional thinking
• rapid switch to severe depression

Other Brain Disorders:
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Panic Disorder / General Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

What are the goals of NAMI of Preble County?

• Educate families about brain disorders, treatment advances, coping skills, and accessing the public mental health system.
• Promote public education to dispel myths and stigma associated with mental illness.
• Provide a place where families and mental health consumers can bring their concerns, share their experiences, and learn from one another.
Advocate for a strong community mental health system & parity insurance coverage.

What should you expect from your local NAMI affiliate?

A local NAMI Chapter needs to provide a minimum level of activity and represent itself in accordance with the NAMI requirement of open membership and inclusive activities. In functioning under the NAMI name, a local chapter must:

• Establish officers and working committees; Adopt bylaws.
• Provide real support in an appropriate environment for its members and others.
• Provide for an atmosphere that is welcoming of all mental health constituents - individuals with a serious brain disorder, family members and friends.
• Mental health professionals are often a part of a local NAMI under the "friends" category and are welcomed as such. A NAMI chapter is not to be an extension of an agency's services, but may operate with the support of a mental health entity.
• Provide local outreach through community newspapers, bulletins, notices and information in places (libraries, groceries, businesses, etc.) frequented by the general public.
• Provide referral services to local individuals or family members.
• Actively recruit new members through word of mouth, community notices, newspaper articles, and membership forms strategically placed throughout the community (e.g. doctors' offices, pharmacies, social service agencies, etc.)

NAMI of Preble County
937-472-6034