MENTAL ILLNESS continues from page 9
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Eunice and Jim Eckberg spend much of their time on community outreach efforts to increase awareness about mental illness.
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10 CITY FEBRUARY 26 - MARCH 4, 2014
mother and grandmother were nurturers, too, he says. “It’s in my DNA,” Brown says. Brown has participated in a URMC program called Natural Helpers, which trains people in neighborhoods throughout the city to be supportive of others as a way to build community wellness. A natural helper’s support can take many forms – everything from reporting crime to noticing when a neighbor’s health is declining and helping the person find professional care. And Brown mentions a man he knew who had mental illness. “When he was taking his meds, he was fine,” Brown says. “When he didn’t take his meds, it would cause trouble. Sometimes I would see him talking to himself and I would just say, ‘How you doin’ today? Are you taking your medications like you’re supposed to?’ And it was O.K., because he knew I wasn’t trying to harm him.” The natural helper’s relationship is built on trust, Brown says. And he says there are a lot more natural helpers than we probably realize. They’re often the glue that holds neighborhoods together, he says. “You become a sounding board,” he says. “I listen. But the reason people will talk to me is because I live in the same neighborhood as they do. I see them every day. I know what they’re going through. Were you ever homeless? Ever lose your RG&E? Ever suspended from school? There’s common ground.” For many people who are living with mental illness, connecting with others who have a mental illness can offer hope and inspiration. Despite the horrific difficulties Jim Eckberg endured as a young man with schizophrenia, he spends much of his time these days with his wife, Eunice, in community outreach efforts. The couple facilitates support groups.
“I HEARD A VOICE THAT OTHERS DIDN'T HEAR.” - JIM ECKBERG
Eunice Eckberg, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, says having a mental illness doesn’t mean you can’t have a rich and fulfilling life. But some aspirations and dreams may not be possible, she says. For instance, she says she wanted to be a teacher, but later decided against it. But she says that hasn’t stopped her from pursuing other goals, including having a happy marriage – something many people with a mental illness might assume isn’t possible. After Eunice Eckberg’s mother had all but convinced her that her mental illness was something she brought upon herself, she thought she would remain single, she says. “My mother would say, ‘It’s your burden to bear; don’t blame me,’” says Eunice. ‘“If you just lived your life like you were raised, have a Christ-like lifestyle, you wouldn’t have these problems.’” Shortly after Eunice introduced her mother to Jim, her mother suffered a stroke. The couple ended up being her caretakers. Eunice describes it as a turning point in her life: the moment she was finally able to take control. “Have you heard the story about the ugly duckling that became a swan? Well, Eunice is the swan,” Jim Eckberg says. “I got lucky and married a swan.”