Lived experience on improved management of major depressive, schizoaffec...

                             

    I organized my first event and was so lucky to have two of our staff members from NAMI Southeast Minnesota join me! We all share our stories from diagnosis through recovery while keeping providers front of mind. Here's the description and thank you all so very much for your continued and endless support and encouragement!!!

In partnership with NAMI Southeast Minnesota ( @namisemn ) we bring you three stories of lived experience managing severe mental illness. With providers in mind, we share our stories of misdiagnosis, medication management, positive and negative therapeutic practices and experiences, breakthrough moments in recovery and finding success and peace while living with one or more major mental illnesses. Rae Gravenish, one of our Certified Peer Support Specialists and our Interim Volunteer Coordinator, takes you through her journey with depression starting with diagnosis at 17 under extremely difficult circumstances, an incredibly fair and honest discussion of her experience with ECT (a must listen for any person considering this treatment or any providers who have or might offer this treatment!!), WRAP leading to her lasting recovery, the importance of family, complications with postpartum depression, and how employment and community have aided in her recovery living with major depression. Nicholas Mann, also one of our Certified Peer Support Specialists and Chair of the Adult Mental Health Initiative for Southeast Minnesota, shares his journey from diagnosis with OCD as a teen to depression and eventually to schizoaffective disorder with major depression and PTSD. Nick is incredibly vulnerable leading you through how his worst moments led to the correct diagnosis over time and how he recovered after each new challenging diagnosis. He has since found recovery and stability in his life and reveals, with incredible insight and vulnerability, how he has overcome every challenge he faced to become the wonderful and deeply contributing member of our community that he is today! Lastly, myself, Lee Formella. I am the current Director or Education Programs for @namise @namisemn . I started this position about three months ago after volunteering with NAMI for over 18 months sharing my personal story living with bipolar disorder. I take you through the many "missed opportunities" where there could have been a frank discussion about mental health and a possible route to an earlier diagnosis. I discuss the luck, care and warmth involved with my diagnosis, poor experiences with therapy, phenomenal therapists that led to eventual recovery and stability, best self-care practices, the necessity of providing hope for others, and the next steps in managing bipolar and growing as a member of our community! Here is the full intro: Mental health providers play a critical role in the potential recovery for individuals living with a severe mental illness. Join us for an insightful discussion featuring three individuals who will share their lived experiences with bipolar disorder, major depression, and schizophrenia. Through their stories, they will offer invaluable perspectives on diagnosis, treatment, and recovery, and providing mental health providers with unique insights to enhance patient-centered care. From the challenges of receiving an accurate diagnosis to the importance of personalized treatment plans, our panelists will explore the journey of managing mental health conditions from a patient's perspective. They will highlight the nuances of each diagnosis and discuss the diverse approaches to treatment that have proven effective in their recovery journeys. This panel aims to deepen providers' understanding of the lived experience of mental illness and equip them with practical insights for delivering compassionate, effective care. #bipolar #mentalhealth #wellness #anxiety #depression #schizophrenia #schizoaffective #bipolardisorder #mania #recovery #recoveryispossible #mentalhealthawarenessmonth #medicationmanagement #ptsd