UM’s Binder has helped others cope

The families of people with an illness that happens to be located in the human brain were truly jubilant this week. I can honestly say I didn’t have a dry eye as I read the second of two wonderful articles written by Pete Warner about UMaine football star Chris Binder.

Chris courageously told the press he would have to temporarily resign from the fall football season because he had an illness called schizoaffective disorder. By talking so openly about a subject most patients and family members want to keep secret Chris has helped to weaken that immoveable wall of stigma and prejudice that lurks so tirelessly around this subject.

The Bangor affiliate of The Alliance of the Mentally Ill of Maine would like to thank Chris for his bravery and for the fresh, strong wind that he has stirred up throughout the state of Maine… a good northeaster overdue.

Hopefully, it will open the doors of our community to the neglected subject of mental illness. It is a particularly important subject because it tends to start during the teen-age years, when body chemistry is changing so much. This is a subject that high school students should be familiar with.

The brain can be affected with a biological illness just the same as a kidney or a heart. The brain as an organ is no different just because we do our thinking with it. With young people like Chris, there are tell-tale signs, behavior patterns that indicate something is different other than the usual “teen-age problems.”

For instance, a good student notices increasingly that he can’t focus on reading; thoughts race together causing time warps and lapses of concentration; a once-dedicated athlete falters in his motivation; depression may keep the person in bed all day, or conversely, it may be difficult to sleep for days; the person may isolate themselves from family and friends; and the result of all this is a lot of pent-up anger.

Are these behaviors sometimes typical? Or indicative that something more severe is happening? People – teachers, counselors, ministers, friends, parents – can learn what the distinquishing symptons are… and this is what must happen, especially in our schools.

The Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Maine, its staff, and local Bangor members are willing to work with church and school groups and willing to help set up some initial educational programs for principals, teachers, counselors and the religous leaders throughout our communities.

The Bangor affiliate is asking our local community to remember the sacrifice and courage of Chris Binder, we are asking our schools and churches to join us in developing programs that will help to dispel the horrible fears and prejudices associated with this tragic illness. Let’s not forget about the struggles Chris has gone through because of his illness. Let’s make sure that others like Chris get the early help they so desparately need!

During the next few months, we will be in contact with schools in particular. We will be interested in giving talks and showing a short video on teen-age mental illness. We look forward to sharing our knowlegde with a more open community, thanks to one brave young man. – Nancy E. Grimes, for members of The Alliance of the Mentally Ill of Bangor

Thank you and your staff writer, Pete Warner, for printing and writing Chris Binder’s story regarding his illness and his decision to take care of his health instead of trying to continue his outstanding career as the UMaine Black Bears’ place-kicker. The BDN deserves high marks for helping to erase the stigma of mental illness.

As Chris was quoted in the story, “We aren’t crazy. We just have a disease like anybody else.” Thank you Chris for helping to break the stigma of mental illness as well.

Our daughter developed mental illness during her senior year in the University of Maine System. It has taken us, as parents, a long time to understand mental illness. The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, including the Maine Alliance and its Maine Affiliates, have helped to educate us that mental illness is a brain disease and deserves the same respect and treatment as any other disease.

Thank you, Chris Binder, for taking this stand – you can win and beat this illness. Great strides have been made in diagnosing and new medications are helping patients to have a normal, happy life. Go for it.

– Robert Treworgy, Calais

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