DEAR ABBY: You were wise to advise the concerned family members to seek help for the sister whom the mother was avoiding because of her newly unpleasant behaviors. However, you were incorrect in your statement that she may have a mental illness or depression. Abby, depression -- along with a whole host of other neurobiological brain disorders -- IS a mental illness. -- CYNTHIA HAMMER, PRESIDENT, NATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR THE MENTALLY ILL, PIERCE COUNTY, WASH.
DEAR CYNTHIA: Thank you for pointing this out. Readers, NAMI (the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill) is a nonprofit organization of more than 190,000 members that advocates for research and services in response to major illnesses that affect the brain. Anyone interested in learning more about mental illness is encouraged to call NAMI's helpline at (800) 950-6264 or visit the Web site at www.nami.org.