mental health awareness https://www.thebatavian.com/ en https://www.thebatavian.com/themes/barrio_batavian/images/thebatavian_logo.png mental health awareness https://www.thebatavian.com/ Local Matters © 2008-2023 The Batavian. All Rights Reserved. Sun, 19 May 2024 03:48:54 -0400 https://www.thebatavian.com/themes/barrio_batavian/images/thebatavian_logo.png Wed, 31 May 2023 20:54:00 -0400 Dealing with loved ones' mental illness can be a repetitive cycle until you're on the 'same team' https://www.thebatavian.com/jfbeck99272012/dealing-with-loved-ones-mental-illness-can-be-a-repetitive-cycle-until-youre-on-the Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of articles for May’s Mental Health Awareness focus. Despite it being the last day of the month, no topic as important as mental health can be hemmed into such a short time span anyway, as Genesee County Mental Health Director Lynda Battaglia says. Besides, this kicks off June’s “Rebuild Your Life Month,” which will continue with additional articles.

Sue Gagne

Lather, rinse, repeat.

That’s how it felt for Sue Gagne when dealing with a family member struggling with mental illness, she said.

“I would say early in my career as a family member, I didn't know anything about mental illness. And when my loved one first started exhibiting symptoms, the rest of the family didn't really know what to do. So we would wait for a crisis; we would call 911. (Law enforcement) would come and either take them away or settle things down,” Gagne said during an interview with The Batavian. "And I always, when I do the (Crisis Intervention Team) training, I say, you know, it's like, wet, lather, rinse, repeat. It was just this continual cycle of, 'we don't know what to do.'"

]]> https://www.thebatavian.com/jfbeck99272012/dealing-with-loved-ones-mental-illness-can-be-a-repetitive-cycle-until-youre-on-the#comments https://www.thebatavian.com/jfbeck99272012/dealing-with-loved-ones-mental-illness-can-be-a-repetitive-cycle-until-youre-on-the May 31, 2023, 8:54pm mental health awareness Dealing with loved ones' mental illness can be a repetitive cycle until you're on the 'same team' jfbeck_99_272012 <p><em>Editor’s Note: This is the third in a series of articles for May’s Mental Health Awareness focus. Despite it being the last day of the month, no topic as important as mental health can be hemmed into such a short time span anyway, as Genesee County Mental Health Director Lynda Battaglia says. Besides, this kicks off June’s “Rebuild Your Life Month,” which will continue with additional articles.</em></p><div class="align-right"> <div class="field field--name-field-media-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.thebatavian.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/2023-05/sue-gagne_0.jpg?itok=w-eQ37CP" width="260" height="347" alt="Sue Gagne" class="image-style-large"> </div> </div> <p>Lather, rinse, repeat.</p><p>That’s how it felt for Sue Gagne when dealing with a family member struggling with mental illness, she said.</p><p>“I would say early in my career as a family member, I didn't know anything about mental illness. And when my loved one first started exhibiting symptoms, the rest of the family didn't really know what to do. So we would wait for a crisis; we would call 911. (Law enforcement) would come and either take them away or settle things down,” Gagne said during an interview with The Batavian. "And I always, when I do the (Crisis Intervention Team) training, I say, you know, it's like, wet, lather, rinse, repeat. It was just this continual cycle of, 'we don't know what to do.'"</p>