On Sunday, June 6, it is anticipated that more than a thousand people will gather in the Village of Huntington to participate in The Third Annual Long Island Festival and Walk for Mental Health. A planning committee comprised of numerous mental health agencies and organizations on Long Island, including Central Nassau Guidance and Counseling Services, Inc., is coordinating this unique and important bi-county event.

The Long Island Festival and Walk for Mental Health is designed to focus attention on the plight of individuals and their families diagnosed with mental illness and other psychiatric disabilities residing on Long Island. It also provides the public with opportunities to access valuable information and resources about the mental services and programs that are available in both Nassau and Suffolk counties. One significant aspect of the walk is that it brings together a diverse group of Long Islanders. Among the participants that walk down Main Street in Huntington are individuals diagnosed with mental illnesses, their families who provide care and nurturance, professionals who provide treatment, government planners and decision makers, and mental health advocates.

Although this event will also feature live entertainment, art exhibits, informational displays, guest speakers, and a variety of food and crafts vendors, its significance lies in its ability to address and dispel some of the myths and misconceptions associated with mental illness and the mentally ill. We all have some preconceived ideas of what people diagnosed with a mental illness are like. However, most of our views and interpretations of mental illness and/or the mentally ill have often been distorted through exaggerated portrayals in the media.

We continue to be surrounded by numerous stereotypes about people with mental illness. These individuals have sometimes been portrayed as potentially dangerous or violent; news coverage of tragedies and violence attributed to people diagnosed with mental illnesses has been inaccurate and grossly overstated; and jokes and humorous portrayals about people with psychiatric disabilities reinforce misconceptions about mental illness.

We can begin to erase the stigma that surrounds mental illness when we learn the facts. We all have the capacity to feel depressed. We can all feel overwhelmed and burdened by anxiety sometimes. Fear, confusion, sadness, and guilt are often feelings experienced by children and adults diagnosed with mental illness and/or psychiatric disabilities. There is no one cause of mental illness. For some people it might develop as a result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. For others, it might be related to the amount of stress they experience in their lives, the result of a violent or catastrophic event or trauma, family histories, socioeconomic factors, interpersonal relationships, or other contributing factors.

No matter how a person develops a mental illness, there is usually an approach to recovery that will help them improve their ability to function and lead a more productive life.

If taking time out of one Sunday in your life to reach out and understand someone diagnosed with mental illness or the people who care for them sounds like a good idea, then you're probably ready for a walk. A walk that we can take together toward better understanding a significant health care issue that affects nearly 20 percent of the population in the United States. For more information about The Third Annual Long Island Festival and Walk for Mental Health on Sunday, June 6, please call 822-6111, extension 252.