The summer 2017 Berks NAMI newsletter. It is about a Bill of Rights for the Mentally Ill and contains my biography as someone who is thriving as an undedicated bipolar.

1. June 12, 2017
ThisSummer2017 newsletteristhe firstnewsletterNAMIBerksplansasa twice yearlypublication,summerand
winter. All NAMIBerksmembersare encouragedtocontribute articlesontopicsimportanttothem, theirlife
experienceswithmental healthissues,andannouncementsof relevantevents.If sufficientmaterialisreceivedand/or
topicsof importance arise additional newslettereditionswillbe developed. Contactforthe NAMI Berksnewsletteris
berksnaminewsletter@hotmail.com.
For nowthe newsletterwill be dividedinto3sections:1.article on a topicof interestwithdiscussion,2.biography,life
experiencesorsimilarand3. announcements,eventsandrelated.
I hope youfindthisnewsletterinterestingandof value,
Richard Gardner, vice-president NAMI of Berks County, Pennsylvania
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Bill of Rights for the Mentally Ill
Thisismy proposedBill of Rightsforthe MentallyIll basedon myexperiences/observations andreadingthe Bill of
Rightsfor the mentallyill fromotherorganizationsincludingthe Federal governmentandPennsylvaniastate
governmentversions:
1. We have the rightto be treatedasintelligentpeoplewithindividualhealthcare needs.
2. We have the rightto be fullyinformedaboutourdiagnosisincludingreferenceswe canuse toresearchour
condition.
3. We have the rightto decide whichtreatmentswe will use suchas:
a. cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, life coachingandgrouptherapytohelpus
make the necessarybehavioral andlifestyle changes,
b. medications, withthe purposeof all suggestedmedications,theirbenefits,side effectsandthe
consequencesof usingthemornotusingthem explainedclearlytous,
c. alternative therapiesorcombinationsof therapiesprovidingtheyare notinjurioustoourselvesorthe
people around us,includingfamily,friendsandsocietyingeneral.
4. We have the rightto pickan advocate or championwhowill:
a. be fullyinformedaboutourcondition,treatmentsandotherrelevantinformation,
b. helpusmake treatmentdecisionsandintervene if necessarytoensure we are gettingthe right
treatmentforour condition,
c. make decisionsforus regardingourphysical and/ormental health whenwe are incapableof doingso.
5. We have the rightto full informedmedical care forconditionsnotrelatedtomental illness.
Relevantreferences:
PennsylvaniaMHBill of Rights: http://www.health.state.pa.us/pdf/hosp-regs/028_0103.pdf startingat section103.21
US GovernmentMH Bill of Rights:https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/9501

2. My thoughts and discussion:
Recognizingthatmodernmedicine islessthan100 yearsold,withthe developmentof psychotropicmedicationsbeing
about60 yearsold I realize thattheyare still intheirinfancy.Inhumantermsusing30 years as a careeror one
generation,thismeans alittle overthree generationsformodernmedicine andtwogenerationsforpsychotropic
medications.Itisaninsignificantamountof time to fully understandanaturallyoccurringprocess,letaloneoureffects
on that process.
Medications are notthe only option whentreatingmentalillness.Cognitive behavioraltherapy, dialectical behavioral
therapy, life-style counseling, learningtocope withsymptomsandbehaviors,dietchanges,regularphysical activity and
similarare significantparts, canbe usedinconjunctionwith medication orbe the firstline treatmentformental illness.
Knowingthatmuchmental illnessis intensified byunhealthylife-styleswe needtobe giveneveryopportunityand
encouragementtouse alife-coachinhelpinguschange toa healthylife-style.
Physical illnessandinjury treatmentincludingdental care mustbe part of every treatmentplan because they often
increase emotionalstressand the severityof the manifestationsof mental illnessbesidesbeinganinherentrightforall
citizens.
The catch inany Bill of Rightsforthe MentallyIll isthe issue of competencyof eachmentallyill person. Humanshave
huge variationinintelligences,abilities,resiliency andotheraspects whichaffectmentalandphysical health.Thismakes
determiningcompetencyverytoughas itis unique andcontinuallyfluctuating acrossaverylarge group of variables.
That is whychoosinganadvocate while healthyisessential.This personprotectsand helpsyougetthe care you desire
whenyouare notcapable of expressingyourdesires.
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Thisisthe firstinwhatI hope is a seriesof autobiographies andpersonal experiences bythe BerksNAMIBoard of
Directorsand itsmembership. If anyone wantstocontribute theirstoryorrelate theirexperienceswithmental illness
and howit affectsthem,theirfamily,friendsandthe communityplease email me at
berksnaminewsletter@hotmail.com.The storylengthshouldbe aminimumof 250 wordsand nomore than 1500 words,
¼ to a full single spacedtypedpage.Iretainthe rightto editwhatyouwrite withyourhelp. Frommy experience the
writingisofteneasierthanediting.However,editingcantake a good piece of writingandmake itan excellentpieceof
writing. Imake no promisesonwhen yourcontributionwill appear.
Richard Gardner, vice president NAMI of Berks County, PA
I am an unmedicatedbipolar2whohas mixedepisodesandcanhave ultra-rapidcycles. Bythe age of 35, I knewthere
was somethingdifferentgoingoninmylife.Atthat time Icalleditmanic/depression.Thiswasa term I didnot even
begintounderstand. The firstdiagnosableonsetforme wasabout13 yearsago while working towardsaBS Biology.I
was about47 yearsold,at the start of a divorce andundera lotof pressure fromschool.
My giftof bipolarisinherited frombothpaternal andmaternal sidesof myfamily.Iam certainthatmy paternal
grandfather,possiblymyfatherand definitelyamaternal aunt were bipolar. Furtherback,probablyapaternal great-
grandfatherandotherson that side of myheritage hadmental healthissues.The same istrue onmy mother’sside of
my family.Several of mysiblingsandat least twocousinshave (undiagnosed) mentalhealth problems.Twoorall three
of mychildrenhave mental illnesses whichwere inheritedfrommaternal andpaternal sidesof theirheritage.
A fewyearsago, withthe strongpossibilityof suicide (alwaysaclose companion forme), Ihadto walkawayfrom
siblings andparents.Mybrothersandsisterare egotists.Like mostegotiststheyare bullies. Mymotherwasunable to
deal withmyissues,eventhoughtheyrundeepinherfamily.So,she gave themintomyfather’shands.Myfather’s
answerwasnot much differentthanmymother’s,denial. Excepthe wentone stepfurther;he wasenablingme to
suicide whilethinkinghe wasdoinggood.The endresultwasIwalkedawayto protect myself and preventmychildren
fromlosingtheirfathertosuicide.The onlycontactwe have witheachotheris that myparentsand I exchange holiday
and birthdaycards. I do not communicate atall withmysiblingsasthat isstill upsetting.Communicationwithcousins,
auntsand uncles istenuous.

3. My social historyhasbeenone of not fittinginwithotherpeople whilenotunderstandingthe reason. Ihave little
patience with deliberately stupidandlazy people. Ioftenprefermycompanytothat of otherpeople.Inthe lastseveral
yearsI have quitor beenkickedoutof several social groups.Iam okaywiththis,eventhoughIwishthatfitti ngin
sociallyatsome level waseasier.
Many yearsago I was hospitalizedoverThanksgivingweekend bythe brotherIwaslivingwithatthat time.Inaddition
to the Tegretol Iwas taking,anothermoodmodifierwasgivenme.Irejectedthe secondmedicationalmostimmediately
due to the uncomfortable changesthat itcausedinmy personality.Tegretol wasdroppedwhenattemptingtoobtaina
teachingcertificate acouple yearslaterasit wasblockingsome of the intelligence andcreativityIneededin the
coursework,anunfortunate side effect of some medications.
I viewwhatI have beengiven asa giftwitha price.There are veryfew worthwhile giftsthatdonot have a cost
associatedwith them. Bipolarhasmade me muchhealthierandstrongerbecause it givesme the choice of livinga
healthyandmindful life ornotlive atall.The strengthand resiliency necessarytomake the necessarylifestyle changes
and live the wayIdo developedthroughultra-marathoning.Thisactivityincreasedmental,physical andspiritual
strengthandresiliencybypushingme farbeyondwhathadbeendone previouslyinmylife. (Forotherpeople,other
activitieswill dothe same aslongas theyforce you to challenge yourselfbeyondperceivedlimits.)Iknowall these
aspectsof what I am have limits,butamthankful forwhatI have.
The otherpart of the giftside isthat I have beengiven creativity, astrongdrive forexcellenceineverythingIdo andan
unusual type of intelligence.Ihave aselectiveeideticmemorywiththe abilitytoproblemsolvethroughvisually
perceivingaproblemanditssolution. Thisgifthelpsme asan ecologistdeal withnearlyinfinite datasetstosee the
trendsand patterns whichdefineecology.Partof the relatedcostisthat I have huge intellectual andsocial holes.Like
ThomasJefferson,whatIdowell Ido verywell.WhatIdo poorlyis done poorly.AlongwiththisIam ofteninsensitive
and oversensitive tothe people aroundme.ThisismoderatingasI get olderandam beginningtogrow throughsome of
the emotional immaturitiesthatare commonwithbipolar.
My onlyreal regretwithbeingbipolaristhatI didnot learnearlierwhoandwhatI am eventhoughitwasapparentin
my familyforseveral generationsand inme since at leastmymid-teens.If Iwouldhave hadthisknowledgeandthe
understandingwhichcomesfromit,lifefor me, myfamilyandthose aroundme wouldhave beenmucheasier.This
knowledge wouldhave alsohelpedme contribute earlier, more andbettertoour societyandour world.
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Announcements,eventsandrelated
Berks NAMI Board of Directors meetingsare at 6:30 p.m. every third Wednesdayofthe month exceptJuly and
December.CalvaryUCC, 640 Centre Ave,Reading,PA 19601.
We may start a speakerserieswith at most one speakereveryquarter. To dothiswe needsuggestionsfor topicsof
interestandspeakers. We are especiallyinterestedinspeakersfromourmembership. We wanttohearyour stories,
your challengesandyourvictoriesinapositive non-therapysituation.
Our first general membershipmeeting istentativelyscheduledforSeptember20, 7:00 p.m.at Calvary UCC, NAMI
Facilities(Pine Lounge),640 Centre Ave, Reading,PA 19601. The subjectwill be aBill of Rightsforthe MentallyIll. An
official announcementwillbe sentlaterthissummer.
NAMI ConnectionRecoverySupport Group. Opento everyone 18and above who wantsrecoverysupport formental
healthchallenges. One of the facilitatorswillrespondwithin24hours. EveryThursdayeveningfrom6:30 to 8 PM.,
CalvaryUCC, NAMI Facilities(Pine Lounge),640 Centre Ave,Reading,PA 19601. Please email specificquestionsto
john.p.connection@gmail.com.
NAMI Endingthe Silence Training coming to Lansdale PA in August
NAMI Endingthe Silence isanin-school presentationdesignedtoteachhighschool studentsaboutthe signsand
symptomsof mental illness,howtorecognize the earlywarningsignsandthe importance of acknowledgingthose
warningsigns.
There will be another NAMI Connectionstrainingthis fall. Call AlanMcDaniel,610-685-3000, if interested.

4. r.gardner
24PheasantDrive
Bernville,PA19506