In the News Program aims to destigmatize mental illness The Times, May 24, 2005 By ALBERT RABOTEAU Staff Writer On Mother's Day 1990 Carol Kivler decided it would be best for her, her husband and their three children to all commit suicide to ensure they would never be apart. Talked out of it by her husband and eventually diagnosed with clinical depression, Kivler has been hospitalized three times as a result and given electro-shock therapy more than 50 times. But her story does not end there. "During recovery periods, I have received a master's degree with highest honors, becoming President of the National Speakers Association of Philadelphia and published two books," the Lawrence woman said yesterday in an attempt to counter pervasive stereotypes that mentally ill people are weak willed, incompetent or dangerous. Kivler is one of 12 people with mental illness who plan to give 150 talks around Mercer County during the next three years to reduce the stigma attached to problems like depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. It is not a new tactic by the Mercer County chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), but for the first time the county's government is participating in the effort and providing $6,00.0 in grant money. The awareness campaign also comes at a time when the often hidden problem of mental illness is drawing increased attention, thanks largely to acting Gov. Richard J. Codey. He created a mental health task force on his first day in office and has proposed increasing spending on the problem by $40 million, including $250,000 to establish a Governor's Council on Mental Health Stigma. Meanwhile, Codey's wife, Mary Jo Codey, has put a face to mental illness by talking in public about her struggles with it, drawing widespread support and, in one notorious instance, ridicule. Officials involved in the local push to reduce mental illness stigma said their effort, announced yesterday, was being planned before a shock radio host's jokes about Mary Jo Codey drew a much-publicized invitation to fight from the governor. Nonetheless, that widely-covered incident showed how widespread the stigma against mentally ill people is and why an educational campaign is needed, said NAM1 Mercer Executive Director Jerry Lindauer. "They could have been poster boys" for the bad attitude that remains towards the mentally ill, Lindauer said of WKXW-FM 101.5's "Jersey Guys" program. The station's studios are in Ewing Township. "Such a stigma is harmful," County Executive Brian Hughes said in explaining why the county got involved. "It keeps people who are ill and in need of treatment and in need of compassion and in need of human connections; isolated, and that's one thing that we can't afford here in Mercer County." The United Way of Greater Mercer County is another sponsor and a host of other organizations are described as "participating partners." Kivler was a part-time college professor when diagnosed. She kept her condition secret for six years. I felt embarrassed, ashamed and odd," she said. "What would people think? How would the dean react? How would my colleagues view me? Would the neighbors feel comfortable letting their children play at our house? "Shock treatment, ECT, was portrayed by the media as a procedure given to people who were crazy - lunatics confined to a mental institution for life." Kivler said she went public "to break down the stigma surrounding. mental illness. At times the stigma surrounding mental illness can be worse than the diagnosis." Hughes said the 150 talks will be targeted for maximum effect. Officials hope to reach 5,000 people. Some presentations are likely to take place in schools, others will be for law enforcement and others are likely to be for medical professionals. Advocates say the latter are not immune to treating mentally ill patients worse than other patients. Carol A. Kivler Courageous Recovery "Changing the face of mental illness" 33 Traditions Way, Suite 101 Lawrence, NJ 08648 (609) 882-8988 carol@CourageousRecovery.com www.CourageousRecovery.com A Division of Kivler Communications www.kivlercommunications.com