Hartsville District to host free mental illness symposium Aug. 16

SUMTER—Don Cornelius, Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain, Robin Williams. These celebrities experienced major mental illnesses, yet mental illness does not discriminate. It can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, income, social status, religion, spirituality, race or ethnicity.

To help clergy, laity and community members understand some of the causes and myths concerning mental illness, the Hartsville District is hosting a symposium, “Clothed in My Right Mind: Mental Illness Prescriptions for Healing and Wholeness.”

The symposium begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 2 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 16, at Aldersgate United Methodist Church, 211 Alice Drive, Sumter.

The South Carolina Department of Mental Health and National Alliance on Metal Illness have partnered to provide facilitators and resources for this event. Topics include Destigmatizing Mental Illness, Trauma and Grief, Drugs and Alcohol, Suicide Prevention and Ideation, and What Can the Church Do? The symposium will also offer tips for families struggling with mental illness.

This workshop is free. Lunch is included.

According to statistics, one in 17 people live with persistent or severe mental illnesses. Mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in thinking, emotion or behavior. Mental illness takes many forms. It can interfere with daily life. Some are more severe than others. Families with loved ones who are mentally ill often don’t know where to turn for support.

To register: 843-858-3003.