NAMI event sheds light on mental health in Southwest Florida

Often mental health is only publically talked about after tragedies like the Parkland school shooting. One group in Southwest Florida says it’s time to be open and honest about mental illness and to look out for those who may need help.

Choron Mosco’s brother was murdered when she was just four years old, “I had a mother that wasn’t really there.” she said, adding that the incident triggered post-traumatic stress disorder, “I was stealing. I was charged with grand theft.”

Mosco became a criminal with a mental illness, “I got sentenced to mental health court, which was a blessing. Mental health court introduced me to NAMI.”

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) helps people get mental health help and offers free groups for those dealing with things like anxiety, depression and PTSD.

Vacharee Howard, leader the NAMI Lee County chapter says mental health issues touch many people, to the tune of one out of every five.

She says it’s critical to talk about mental health to combat the stigma, “This is the reason why people don’t want to talk about it because they don’t want to be judged. It is tough living in the dark and even tougher to come out and say, ‘hey, I have a mental illness.'”

NAMI also trains school resource officers with critical de-escalation techniques to prevent school attacks and to identify students who need help. When dealing with a situation, turning down their radio and turning off the siren is just one technique an SRO can do that can calm everything down and give a breather.

Howard also says when you see a classmate who doesn’t seem OK, just ask the question, “[It’s] OK if that person turns away. But you know what, there is going to come a time when you do ask and the other person is going to answer.”

Mosco credits NAMI for saving her own life.

NAMI Lee County is kicking off a walk in downtown Fort Myers Saturday evening from 6 to 9 p.m.

Their goal of the walk is to spread awareness of mental health help in Southwest Florida.

For more information on the walk click here, and to learn how you can identify the signs of mental illness go to nami.org.