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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 1999-05-12, Page 6S --TRE HURON EXPOSITOR, May 12, 1999 A day in the life of... Counsellors bring people up from life's low points ...a counsellor BySusan Hundsflmark Expositor Staff "Hell on -earth"`is the way' Mary describes her life several years ago when she was at the bottom of a very deep depressidn. She wanted so badly to escape her life that she would 'walk , out to the highway everyday and stick her thumb out. hoping to catch a ride away from .her troubles, but never found the courage- to. leave . town. She spent day after- - day. crying. And; She was hospitalized for several. weeks when .she become fearful" that . she' -d hurt herself if' she stayed at. home alone any longer. When she joined.'a support -group at the Seaforth.Psychiatric Centre. she didn't believe. anyone could help hint. She ',al crying through -four weeks of meetings. "They twhen and theratd he Maureen Thomas, counsellor at Seaforth Psychiatric Centre. • a day when ['d he at the Y very bottom and when h meil.talillness can:he a only people in the 'World reached it. I hit at:very 'c_hemical; disorder •or a suffering.. from Mental hard. But; soon after [i. genetic disposition ,and illness and that. with help: ' began to: realize' that they Char's not inybodvr. fault. life can bebetter., - had all been 'where [ was: Sometimes they need "People who ars. and they. no .better rrte•diatiou. - • But than was. The nett thing I sometime.,. just. learning .knew. I was laughing again new skill; or a different kill themsel-yes and find with the group." she says. sway if looking at heir. out in a support gro(ip that "C still go up. -and down oyes is all pcopie need."'- everyone els! has felt the hut with.the•help of: the 'she says. Lme way but wtth help. . centre' and some. .anEi Ov'erc_uming the ,U9ma depressed cdn feel so sad and.low that they want to -depressant medication.: Cm that's :still attached doing -so: much better now, mental Hines; and seeking she says. • ' /help ,irmetlines _he most The first time Maureen difficult part , of lac Thomas. or oneof. the other. : pro ess. For '.ht, I 2 new { counsellors at the Seaforth clients .the ,entre has ,seen Psychiatric Centre meets each year ,ince- li Opened to Someone, he or. she i, 1091. turning right itnto the Usually at a ve"ry low point psvehiatric: centre "instead in life. • / . • ot. left !ntu-the Seaforth "It usually takes a crisis'. medical cenirecan requlrc to get people to us. They a lot oI ,;ourage., might have been -depressed "W ill moi_ to k4ep it so . or, under stress for along 'iecret if sce- feet we're not time" but it takes that:last- coping well wrth,rvur lives. straw before they admit' But: when clients come in .they.can't handle -it. .for'co-tinselling. they're anymre;" she says surprised to tinct that:their - Btit, once they Seek some next-door neighbor. 'their help; it usually only takes a co,w'r rker or their cousin is sew months to learn_ the_ inhere too says Thomas: skills. Yind:.the support and .as one in, tour possibly, discover . the psychiatric . centre in medication to improve • Hurn County sponsored their mental health. • by the \le'tander and Thomas says,statistics NlartneiGenerat Hospital in- state •that one in three Goderich. Thomab says The. people. will have a mental.: tree counselling: service is health problem at Fast "tairty. 'unique.- in the once intheir lives- and that. province. ;problem can, range from 'The .most. important depression. anxiety and; thing we do here. is bring stre$s.''ti more severetogether-pcupie in similar . problems of bi=polar rJisordet . tmanic depression). schizophrenia or multiple personalities. "So often people think its a failure of character or a temporary problem that- - hat` they can lust wait lout but circumstances who can. (earn front each other., she says. Along with one-on-one counselling. the centre offers several "support groups 'and recreational programs where clients can learn. that they're not the Ratepayers, of,Tuckersmith We extend a sre T aitk=Y O 1(7 -ALL -the - Ratepayers of Tuckersmith for participating in the vote on amalgamation heli May `1st to May 3rd Our only disappointment was the fact that Your Council would not recognize YOUR vote. After knocking on EVERY door in the Township, rural and'urban, we ended up with a total of 1`61 votes cast. The breakdown as follt,ey:: Group of Six 659 Ballot. ZurichRleiay, Hensall, Bayfield, �I utlev Tuckersmith Group of Three 298 Ballots Seafoith McKillop Tuckersntith Undecided/No Opinion/No C'.omment 104 Ballots I t)% • . Thanks Again to ALL of you for taking the time to voice your opinion! Signed: Bernie MacLellan, David Townsend," Jun & Brenda. McIntosh, Matt Haney, .Alex Townsend; Ken Renning, Bob Wilson, Stu Wilson, Bob Fotheringham, Larry Butt, George Cantelon, Kitn & Barb Hodgins, Jim & Diane Ryan. are doing much Netter n,tc, - it's usually ,uch. a relief to fine! out it=s not just them." she Says. - In ;Seaforth; suppeirt i roups exist for adults with attention,.defi.ctt disorder and friends and family of 'schizophretnics while in Wingham. there's a support • ,croup for,:people with obsessi‘c • compulsive disorder and in Clinton. there',, a support group for people with eating disorders, - Recreational programs Such. as'' - howling. swimming. an art. club. a ;.lunch club and men:s and women's club +3tvi' the 'support and Ongoing social contact some people need to keep a handle on an ongoing mental illness. Aimmemeteimmummummemew WADE 4 BERARD a PLUMBING 3 3 Committed to Quality. 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