In Our Own Voice – NAMI

This is an article that was written by a friend of mine about my involvement with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).  For anyone who is in need of support, for any family member or caregiver who needs somewhere to turn, please find your local NAMI affiliate at http://www.nami.org.

In Our Own Voice: What does NAMI mean to our loved ones?

Meet Robert Gray. He is courageous, smart, and a board member for NAMI Cobb. He is also Team Captain for the Cobb County Stigma Busters and happens to live with depression. He is husband to an absolutely amazing wife and father of 4 wonderful children, including triplets. He is an eloquent story teller and has much to offer in the spirit of helping others. He is a walking, talking, breathing example of a person who chooses to fight for his recovery and balance his love of family, community outreach and work.

Recently, NAMI Northside sat down with Robert to learn more about his road to recovery.

Ever since I was a young boy, I always knew something was wrong. I knew I could be happier but I wasn’t. I never felt good enough and couldn’t give myself credit for what I had achieved. I convinced myself that being unhappy was normal. I lived with this notion throughout my high school & college years and into my marriage…basically my entire life.

During a time when I should’ve been enthusiastic and more devoted to my family, I simply wasn’t. My inability to cope with depression and my addiction to the internet reached a horrible turning point in my life and marriage. I became a different person and put my wife through hell. She said to me, “I will not let you bring our family down.” That was in 1998 and is also when I received my one and only round of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) treatment.

Back then, I had no idea support groups even existed, nor that there were others who felt as I did. For the longest time, I thought I was alone. I realize now that I’m not and want others to recognize that they’re not alone either. Others should know that eventually, I would embrace feelings of comfort and empathy by merely attending my support group meetings. Participation in these meetings marked another milestone in my life – a gift that only I could give myself.

I am new to NAMI and am quickly realizing the incredible impact NAMI has in our community. Programs and initiatives such as Family Support Group Meetings and Family-to-Family Education classes play an important role in fighting stigma; helping others and fighting stigma are important to me. I want people to understand that I’m not less of a giving person because of my illness. I didn’t ask for depression and just because I have it doesn’t mean I can’t help my community. I simply have to care for my situation just like a person who is diagnosed with diabetes has to care for theirs. NAMI helps me do just that – helps me and helps others to realize that there is hope.

Thank you, Robert – for sharing your story and helping others.