As October serves as World Mental Health Awareness Month, the Family Support for Schizophrenia group is urging the public to join.
“We are a family support group offering relatives and carers of people living with schizophrenia an empathetic space for mutual support and learning,” shared its chair, Maureen Robinson.
Strength through sharing
They promote strength through sharing “by coming together to improve our knowledge and understanding of schizophrenia, and by sharing our stories, problems and successes, we gain the confidence, skills and strength to support our loved ones to lead meaningful and fulfilled lives”.
Robinson and her team believe that the more people learn about schizophrenia and mental illness, the more they will realise they are not alone.
“The more comfortable we will be to speak out in our daily lives by raising public awareness, reducing stigma and advocating for the rights of those with mental illness.”
Monthly meetings
Family Support for Schizophrenia provides family-centred information about schizophrenia and mental illness through their newsletter, monthly meetings, their website with schizophrenia FAQs and useful resources, a publication titled Coping Skills for Carers and email service.
“Our free monthly online support group meetings are open to anyone who is interested. Most take the form of a talk by a guest speaker followed by an interactive Q&A session.”
The next online meeting takes place on Monday 28 October at 19:00 with facilitators and social workers Leigh Haselau and Wasima Fisher.
Here, participants are provided an opportunity to ask questions, share their experiences and perspectives and listen to the input of others in an online environment.
“The meeting is open to anyone who is interested. You do not need to be a member to attend,” says Robinson.
You are invited to submit your questions or issues beforehand, to help us make sure that the facilitators are suitably prepared.
For more information, send an email to mail@familysupport.org.za by Monday 21 October if possible.
Their website www.familysupport.org.za offers a wide range of supporting materials and resources designed to assist those caring for loved ones living with mental illness.
