An advocate of mental health awareness and treatment says diseases of the mind are often incremental in nature.
A number of activities today focus on mental health awareness.
Tuesday is designated as World Mental Health Day. Kelly Gunning is director of advocacy and public affairs for the Lexington chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness.
Gunning says it’s important to intervene when someone exhibits signs of mental illness.
“There are signs and symptoms that reveal themselves far before you would need to be at a crisis of being in a dangerous situation,” said Gunning
Gunning says DNA testing can play a role in determining what kind of medication will work best. She says unfair stigmas about mental illness remain an ongoing problem. The annual NAMI walk and family event is scheduled this Saturday at Masterson Station Park.
Don Rogers, chief clinical officer for Bluegrass.org, that provides mental health services, says therapy is almost always a key component of treatment. He says there are too fee therapists outside of urban areas like Louisville, Lexington, and Northern Kentucky.