The Person-to-Person toll free telephone support program goes beyond the traditional warm line. It gives reminders for all kinds of appointments. Besides my psychiatric appointments, I have had Person-to-Person remind me about dental appointments, appointments for my work and appointments to give testimony about mental health legislation. Person-to-Person balances out the disorientation of my psychiatric condition.
An example of how a Person-to-Person call saved me from a major hospital crisis occurred last summer. I had gone to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill convention held in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1997. I had gone through a medication change just before I had left for the convention. The new medication wasn’t working, I was able to immediately put Person-to-Person to work to help me.
I dialed their toll free 800 number, 1-800-376-8282, several times to reach my doctor, and then he spoke with me directly to get me on a medication that worked. Person-to-Person demonstrated to me their skill and dedication during those difficult days in Albuquerque, calling my doctor and then calling me. They enabled us to brainstorm together to find out what medication would work, and we actually discovered what medication was effective through these phone calls. The conference calls from New Mexico to Massachusetts cost me nothing. Imagine, my doctor and I could talk as long as we wanted, sometimes up to a half hour without any charges. My psychiatric condition was stabilized and I was able to deliver two talks at the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Convention.
Most people, professionals, consumers, and family members, don’t seem to understand the immense disorientation that comes with schizophrenia. A telephone call can go a long way toward orienting and stabilizing people. The Person-to-Person 800 telephone support line represents a new and important step towards putting telecommunications and all the new technologies to work for us, our family members, psychiatrists and others. I have learned this firsthand.
Mental health care has always placed a lot of emphasis on face-to-face contact. This was alright when we were in fully staffed hospitals and outpatient programs. One visit a month to the doctor and therapist doesn’t provide enough support for most of us. The mental health system needs to recognize that people with psychiatric disabilities need a lot more contact with people. Many of us live far away from psychiatrists, therapists and programs. It is easy for us to isolate ourselves and become confused. A telephone call is one less trip for us to make during the week. We can increase contact through several phone calls. Person-to-Person uses the phone to increase our contact with people. And, this support program is also a great adjunct to assist us to be sure we go to our traditional psychiatric and medical appointments.
Person-to-Person is a free comprehensive support service for mental health consumers and their family members. Counselors are specially trained to connect us and our families to services and resources that can help us meet the challenges of recovering from our illnesses.
I always say mental illness makes it easy to get hurt, easy to get confused and easy to get tired. I have made a lot of mistakes because I have been hurt, confused or tired. I told these things to Larry King this summer when I appeared on CNN’s "Larry King Live" to discuss schizophrenia. The Person-to-Person program cuts through these states of hurt, confusion and tiredness and get me where I’m supposed to go and on time. Person to Person is one more tool to keep me well; to keep me going through the day on schedule. Imagine. When you miss appointments it can only increase your confusion.
Many mental health consumers are also working or going to recovery oriented day programs. Person-to-Person is a reminder to encourage people to get up and out of bed to participate in their programs. One more place to go and one more person to meet can be very difficult for the mental health consumer who has many therapeutic visits, Person-to-Person assists in organizing our day.
I need the once a week therapy visit and the calls from Person-to-Person in between. The therapist visit and the calls from Person-to-Person are not exclusive. We, mental health consumers, need both of them. In fact we often may need several calls from Person-to-Person, our therapist and our doctor. I get these calls and they work for me. I highly recommend this telephone support network to everyone.
Person-to-Person has worked for me and continues to work for me today. This is a practical program. Never underestimate the positive influence and importance of a phone call—and especially one from Person-to-Person, a 7-days-a-week toll free support program developed by Janssen Pharmaceutica, the makers of Risperdal (risperidone). This service, however, is available to help anyone who needs information, referral, and resources, regardless of the what medication they take. Test them out yourself: call 800-376-8282.
(Editor’s Note: See the information below about services provided by Person-to-Person. Moe Armstrong is the Director of Consumer Affairs and Family Affairs for Vinfen Corporation in Massachusetts, a company which provides mental health peer education, support and leadership training. A member of the Presidents Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, he has traveled to the White House, meeting with Mrs. Tipper Gore to discuss mental health disability issues. Armstrong’s experiences as a mental health consumer have been reported on both network television and in major print media. Besides appearing on "Larry King Live," this past July, Armstrong has been featured on ABC National News about his work with support groups. Additionally, he has been the subject of articles in the Boston Globe and the Washington Post. He is a very active member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill on the local, state, and national levels and he is a member of many of NAMI’s Advisory Boards and Councils.)
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Crisis in Albuquerque
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Thursday, December 1, 2011
Crisis in Albuquerque
The Person-to-Person toll free telephone support program goes beyond the traditional warm line. It gives reminders for all kinds of appointments. Besides my psychiatric appointments, I have had Person-to-Person remind me about dental appointments, appointments for my work and appointments to give testimony about mental health legislation. Person-to-Person balances out the disorientation of my psychiatric condition.
An example of how a Person-to-Person call saved me from a major hospital crisis occurred last summer. I had gone to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill convention held in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1997. I had gone through a medication change just before I had left for the convention. The new medication wasn’t working, I was able to immediately put Person-to-Person to work to help me.
I dialed their toll free 800 number, 1-800-376-8282, several times to reach my doctor, and then he spoke with me directly to get me on a medication that worked. Person-to-Person demonstrated to me their skill and dedication during those difficult days in Albuquerque, calling my doctor and then calling me. They enabled us to brainstorm together to find out what medication would work, and we actually discovered what medication was effective through these phone calls. The conference calls from New Mexico to Massachusetts cost me nothing. Imagine, my doctor and I could talk as long as we wanted, sometimes up to a half hour without any charges. My psychiatric condition was stabilized and I was able to deliver two talks at the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Convention.
Most people, professionals, consumers, and family members, don’t seem to understand the immense disorientation that comes with schizophrenia. A telephone call can go a long way toward orienting and stabilizing people. The Person-to-Person 800 telephone support line represents a new and important step towards putting telecommunications and all the new technologies to work for us, our family members, psychiatrists and others. I have learned this firsthand.
Mental health care has always placed a lot of emphasis on face-to-face contact. This was alright when we were in fully staffed hospitals and outpatient programs. One visit a month to the doctor and therapist doesn’t provide enough support for most of us. The mental health system needs to recognize that people with psychiatric disabilities need a lot more contact with people. Many of us live far away from psychiatrists, therapists and programs. It is easy for us to isolate ourselves and become confused. A telephone call is one less trip for us to make during the week. We can increase contact through several phone calls. Person-to-Person uses the phone to increase our contact with people. And, this support program is also a great adjunct to assist us to be sure we go to our traditional psychiatric and medical appointments.
Person-to-Person is a free comprehensive support service for mental health consumers and their family members. Counselors are specially trained to connect us and our families to services and resources that can help us meet the challenges of recovering from our illnesses.
I always say mental illness makes it easy to get hurt, easy to get confused and easy to get tired. I have made a lot of mistakes because I have been hurt, confused or tired. I told these things to Larry King this summer when I appeared on CNN’s "Larry King Live" to discuss schizophrenia. The Person-to-Person program cuts through these states of hurt, confusion and tiredness and get me where I’m supposed to go and on time. Person to Person is one more tool to keep me well; to keep me going through the day on schedule. Imagine. When you miss appointments it can only increase your confusion.
Many mental health consumers are also working or going to recovery oriented day programs. Person-to-Person is a reminder to encourage people to get up and out of bed to participate in their programs. One more place to go and one more person to meet can be very difficult for the mental health consumer who has many therapeutic visits, Person-to-Person assists in organizing our day.
I need the once a week therapy visit and the calls from Person-to-Person in between. The therapist visit and the calls from Person-to-Person are not exclusive. We, mental health consumers, need both of them. In fact we often may need several calls from Person-to-Person, our therapist and our doctor. I get these calls and they work for me. I highly recommend this telephone support network to everyone.
Person-to-Person has worked for me and continues to work for me today. This is a practical program. Never underestimate the positive influence and importance of a phone call—and especially one from Person-to-Person, a 7-days-a-week toll free support program developed by Janssen Pharmaceutica, the makers of Risperdal (risperidone). This service, however, is available to help anyone who needs information, referral, and resources, regardless of the what medication they take. Test them out yourself: call 800-376-8282.
(Editor’s Note: See the information below about services provided by Person-to-Person. Moe Armstrong is the Director of Consumer Affairs and Family Affairs for Vinfen Corporation in Massachusetts, a company which provides mental health peer education, support and leadership training. A member of the Presidents Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, he has traveled to the White House, meeting with Mrs. Tipper Gore to discuss mental health disability issues. Armstrong’s experiences as a mental health consumer have been reported on both network television and in major print media. Besides appearing on "Larry King Live," this past July, Armstrong has been featured on ABC National News about his work with support groups. Additionally, he has been the subject of articles in the Boston Globe and the Washington Post. He is a very active member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill on the local, state, and national levels and he is a member of many of NAMI’s Advisory Boards and Councils.)
An example of how a Person-to-Person call saved me from a major hospital crisis occurred last summer. I had gone to the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill convention held in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1997. I had gone through a medication change just before I had left for the convention. The new medication wasn’t working, I was able to immediately put Person-to-Person to work to help me.
I dialed their toll free 800 number, 1-800-376-8282, several times to reach my doctor, and then he spoke with me directly to get me on a medication that worked. Person-to-Person demonstrated to me their skill and dedication during those difficult days in Albuquerque, calling my doctor and then calling me. They enabled us to brainstorm together to find out what medication would work, and we actually discovered what medication was effective through these phone calls. The conference calls from New Mexico to Massachusetts cost me nothing. Imagine, my doctor and I could talk as long as we wanted, sometimes up to a half hour without any charges. My psychiatric condition was stabilized and I was able to deliver two talks at the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill Convention.
Most people, professionals, consumers, and family members, don’t seem to understand the immense disorientation that comes with schizophrenia. A telephone call can go a long way toward orienting and stabilizing people. The Person-to-Person 800 telephone support line represents a new and important step towards putting telecommunications and all the new technologies to work for us, our family members, psychiatrists and others. I have learned this firsthand.
Mental health care has always placed a lot of emphasis on face-to-face contact. This was alright when we were in fully staffed hospitals and outpatient programs. One visit a month to the doctor and therapist doesn’t provide enough support for most of us. The mental health system needs to recognize that people with psychiatric disabilities need a lot more contact with people. Many of us live far away from psychiatrists, therapists and programs. It is easy for us to isolate ourselves and become confused. A telephone call is one less trip for us to make during the week. We can increase contact through several phone calls. Person-to-Person uses the phone to increase our contact with people. And, this support program is also a great adjunct to assist us to be sure we go to our traditional psychiatric and medical appointments.
Person-to-Person is a free comprehensive support service for mental health consumers and their family members. Counselors are specially trained to connect us and our families to services and resources that can help us meet the challenges of recovering from our illnesses.
I always say mental illness makes it easy to get hurt, easy to get confused and easy to get tired. I have made a lot of mistakes because I have been hurt, confused or tired. I told these things to Larry King this summer when I appeared on CNN’s "Larry King Live" to discuss schizophrenia. The Person-to-Person program cuts through these states of hurt, confusion and tiredness and get me where I’m supposed to go and on time. Person to Person is one more tool to keep me well; to keep me going through the day on schedule. Imagine. When you miss appointments it can only increase your confusion.
Many mental health consumers are also working or going to recovery oriented day programs. Person-to-Person is a reminder to encourage people to get up and out of bed to participate in their programs. One more place to go and one more person to meet can be very difficult for the mental health consumer who has many therapeutic visits, Person-to-Person assists in organizing our day.
I need the once a week therapy visit and the calls from Person-to-Person in between. The therapist visit and the calls from Person-to-Person are not exclusive. We, mental health consumers, need both of them. In fact we often may need several calls from Person-to-Person, our therapist and our doctor. I get these calls and they work for me. I highly recommend this telephone support network to everyone.
Person-to-Person has worked for me and continues to work for me today. This is a practical program. Never underestimate the positive influence and importance of a phone call—and especially one from Person-to-Person, a 7-days-a-week toll free support program developed by Janssen Pharmaceutica, the makers of Risperdal (risperidone). This service, however, is available to help anyone who needs information, referral, and resources, regardless of the what medication they take. Test them out yourself: call 800-376-8282.
(Editor’s Note: See the information below about services provided by Person-to-Person. Moe Armstrong is the Director of Consumer Affairs and Family Affairs for Vinfen Corporation in Massachusetts, a company which provides mental health peer education, support and leadership training. A member of the Presidents Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, he has traveled to the White House, meeting with Mrs. Tipper Gore to discuss mental health disability issues. Armstrong’s experiences as a mental health consumer have been reported on both network television and in major print media. Besides appearing on "Larry King Live," this past July, Armstrong has been featured on ABC National News about his work with support groups. Additionally, he has been the subject of articles in the Boston Globe and the Washington Post. He is a very active member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill on the local, state, and national levels and he is a member of many of NAMI’s Advisory Boards and Councils.)
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