Blog
NAMI Keystone PA’s Blog features personal stories, press releases, news articles, and other content that provides information, insight, personal experiences, and more.
Staff Blog: Trauma Response Team Training
Out of the Darkness
I experienced social anxiety when I was only five years old. I couldn't speak to anyone, especially girls, all of my elementary school years. In 1958 there was NO awareness or understanding of Mental Health so I was just considered shy and told by many to "just snap out of it and get some guts."...
NAMI Southwestern PA 16th Annual Education Conference, "Call to Action: Creating A Movement to Change Lives."
Promising, new intervention programs for First Episode Psychosis (FEP) have shown to offer real hope for recovery to the hundreds of thousands of adolescents and young adults who experience their first psychotic episode each year....
Life is a journey, not a destination...
My life has been anything but dull, this is for sure! My diagnosis came while I was in high school. It came after a mental break after trying to be too strong, from traumas in my childhood, for too long. I was 17 years old and rebelling against everything in my life. I was drinking and doing...
Recovery is a Process
My first break with reality came when I was 25. It was the summertime, and I was a high-school teacher who had my summer off. I was severely depressed and would stay in bed all day. I was isolating, not eating, not sleeping at night, and drinking a lot of caffeine and alcohol...
WQED-TV: Bundle of Nerves - Our Anxiety Epidemic (documentary)
Anxiety is among the most common, yet under-reported of all behavioral health issues. 40 million Americans suffer from anxiety and panic disorders - overwhelming worrying that results in physical symptoms such as pounding heart, chest pain, shortness of breath and nausea...
WQED-TV: Bundle of Nerves - Our Anxiety Epidemic (Promo)
Half-hour documentary, Thursday, Dec 3 at 8pm on WQED. Through personal stories of those affected, this documentary examines the causes, diagnosis, prevention and treatment. It also spotlights innovative initiatives that explore the issue in vulnerable populations, such as efforts to address...
WQED-TV: Living with Mental Illness, Part 4 - Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a severe developmental brain disorder that interferes with a person's ability to think clearly. While it affects only about 1% of the population, it is a traumatic illness for individuals and their families. In this report, Dr. Michael Rancurello from the Allegheny Health Network...
This Is Our Mom
This brother and sister team created a beautiful video of their mom Mary Lou for the NAMIWalks. Their team, Mary Lou's Krew, is our top fundraising team of 2015. Take two minutes and watch the video now.
WQED-TV: Living with Mental Illness, Part 3 - Depression
People often say they're feeling depressed. But major depression is a serious illness which affects millions of people of all ages and all racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. During this conversation, Dr. Gary Swanson from the Allegheny Health Network explains the symptoms of major...