If symptoms interfere with an ability to be satisfied and effective at work or school and in personal relationships, it's a good idea to seek professional help. At home, in community A loving atmosphere helps sufferers to cope with the sometimes terrifying world of mental illness. Marjorie Manning Vaughan, a parish Eucharistic minister, has bipolar disorder and finds her colleagues' support invaluable. I have been loved by almost everybody that I have come in contact with for any length of time. In Salt of the Earth magazine, Thomas Lambert writes that without compassion hope and faith can shatter.
Families can also feel overwhelmed, frustrated, angry and guilty.
Concern from friends and neighbors, peer support groups and family counseling can help. Being there and listening, offering time out from everyday tensions can mean all the difference in tough circumstances. Bear one another's burdens. Untreated mental illness limits one's choices and chances. Sometimes people are ashamed, afraid, don't know the signs of mental illness, or are unaware of treatment options.