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& opinions expressed in these article/video's are those of the authors |
Testimonials
Ted Coburn’s Testimony
What happened during that Oct. 8, 2001 flight made news around the globe.
Ted Coburn became the world’s latest face of fear. ByRobert Herguth
@RobertHerguth | email
At the time of the 9/11 attacks, Edward A. “Ted” Coburn was a 31-year-old field support engineer for a division of Rockwell Automation. He programmed machines used in manufacturing, helping clients like Budweiser, Intel and Campbell Soup “get what they want” from the equipment. Coburn got that “job of my dreams” after graduating from Purdue University with near-perfect grades. But the workload and travel were grueling. He was away so much he says Fresno, California, where he lived, wasn’t home as much as it was where he “worked out of.” On Sept. 11, 2001, Coburn was working from his apartment on a rare day “there was no pressing thing” at work. He found himself glued to his TV and the images of planes slamming into the World Trade Center, the towers collapsing. The attacks seemed to flip a switch inside Coburn. Over the following weeks, his mental health spiraled. His father, alarmed, decided to fly him to Chicago, then head to Indiana to get treatment near family there. What happened during their Oct. 8, 2001, flight made news around the globe. Ted Coburn became the world’s latest face of fear. But he was no terrorist. Suffering from delusions that one of the pilots and some passengers were intent on downing the jetliner, Coburn charged into the cockpit — still possible then before their doors were reinforced in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks. But Coburn was quickly subdued. As fighter jets scrambled to escort the aircraft to O’Hare Airport — a British tabloid headline proclaimed “Fighter escort in cockpit drama.” Coburn was arrested. But, after 20 months in federal prisons and hospitals, he was acquitted of criminal charges because of mental illness, which Coburn by then had discovered included bipolar disorder. Now 48 and living in Indiana, Coburn has spent the past 15 years rebuilding his life and trying to help others who, like him, deal with mental illness. “I clearly see that millions of Americans with mental illnesses struggle to get the kindness and compassion that other illnesses, such as cancer, bring,” says Coburn. In a series of interviews, he spoke with the Chicago Sun-Times to try to combat the “stigma” surrounding mental illness, which he says “holds many people back from getting the help they need.” Please watch both videos and read the whole article, and see how much of a difference getting help for your loved ones can make |
Reducing the Stigma
In May 2018, NAMI member, Cynthia Gabbard, interviewed with community radio host, Gena, on her weekly program called Speak Now: Jammin With My Jazz. Once a month, Gena focuses on mental health issues in the attempt to help reduce stigma.
Cynthia discusses her lifelong journey with bipolar 1 disorder. “After many years of battling depression, I find myself a mentally ill mother as well. I talk about raising my two children on a wing and a prayer and with much help and support from my family. I discuss empty nesting and the steps I have taken to heal and empower myself.”
Finding Peace By Cynthia Gabbard
--I never will be totally--
but I certainly have found a clearing,
where the sun is shining brightly,
even through the occasional cloud.
What a Relief! What a blessing!”
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"I love this group..."
Date:07/16/2015 Dear NAMI friends, Tonight I invited Kathy Bayes to speak at a group that I belong to called 100+ Women - a National organization with a local group. We gather four times a year and by nominating and listening to three presentations at each of the meetings we vote for a nonprofit organization and then each of the women write a check to that organization for $100. Well,,,,,, I didn't realize that Kathy couldn’t speak, but that I, a member and person nominating the organization had to speak! So I took Kathy’s handouts and prayers from Anne Koehl (Women’s Care Centers director) that the Holy Spirit be with me and I spoke from my heart! We were the winners!!! That means that a check in the neighborhood of $6500 will be presented to NAMI Fort Wayne at our next meeting in October!! I love this group and I was able to articulate the significance of its presence here in Fort Wayne!! I am so proud of all this group has done and that I am a part of it! Hugs, Kellie Dean and Kellie Stanley |
Hope for Schizophrenia
The Inside StorySchizophrenia
Brandon Staglin went from brilliant engineering student to
institutionalized. Over the next decade he fought his way back, to help
found a leading brain research organization. The unfiltered hard truth of the onset of schizophrenia but for Brandon Staglin the story has a happy ending! IMHRO as mentioned in this video. |
BPD Recovery
Debbie, who wrote this letter, no longer meets the criteria for
Borderline Personality Disorder. She overcame through learning DBT skills and now teaches them at www.DBTpath.com The views and opinions expressed in this article/video are those of the authors and may or may not reflect official NAMI policy, practices or philosophies. |
Youn, Black and Bipolar
>Story from NAMI's Not Alone website.< I decided to share a secret that many Black people are not able to share with anyone, not even their loved ones. My secret is that I live every day with Bipolar I Disorder but I suffered in silence because in our community we are considered nothing short of crazy. That’s it. There is no help just a quick dismissal that you are crazy. I didn’t want that, not anymore. You see, on Feb. 20 my bipolar mania hit an all time high... >>> finish reading <<< |
Corrie Ten Boom
“Today I know that such memories are the key not to the past, but to the
future. I know that the experiences of our lives, when we let God use
them, become the mysterious and perfect preparation for the work He will
give us to do. ”
― Corrie ten Boom, The Hiding Place |
Family-to-Family
DEAR AMY: Several weeks ago I read a letter in your column from “Angry Sister” that broke my heart. This young woman has been adversely affected by her sister’s instability and her frequent and disruptive moves back to the family home. She asked if she is a terrible person. No! I grew up with a sibling who is mentally ill and is now considered disabled. With community support my sib lives in an apartment, with visits from our family members who help with housework. At times we have had a strained relationship, until a year ago when I attended a Family-to-Family 12-week program provided by NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). The volunteer facilitators have family members who also are ill, and the support was overwhelming. This led to my understanding, and brought both of us so much healing. There is no charge for this valuable program. You will do your readers a great service by providing this information: nami.org. -- Grateful DEAR GRATEFUL: The family support offered through NAMI is excellent — I should have recommended it. Thank you for following up. March 1, 2015 |