MEMO

To: Mrs. Cruz and RWS 1301 Classmates

From: Francisco Flores
Date: 09/12/15
Subject: National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)
Dear: Mrs. Veronica Cruz and RWS 1301 Classmates,
Our brains are pretty spectacular, without them we would not be able to do
anything literally. Thanks to our brain, we are able to experience so much, and we
are able to write papers like this. Most of us have been sick or ill in the past, either a
cold, virus, or some type of infection, and in a few days or weeks we are back to our
normal selves. However, being mentally ill or sick is something different. In most
cases, you are born with the illness or develop it at a stage of your life. Mental
illnesses are capable of restricting one or all of your senses and capabilities, which
is why it is no joke. So how do you know if you are mentally unhealthy?, or if you are
how do you get help?, thankfully you are not alone, an organization called National
Alliance on Mental Health in campus or NAMI on campus exist.
NAMI on campus is an organization in the UTEP campus, it is a student led
organization that its purpose is to inform everyone about the different types of
mental condition as well as to provide support and treatment. NAMI on campus is
partnered with NAMI El Paso and UTEPs counseling center, to provide mental health
awareness throughout the campus and city, awareness on conditions such as ADHD,
Anxiety disorders, Autism, Bipolar Disorders, Dementia, Schizophrenia, and
Depression. In some cases, it is not possible to notice if a person is being affected
by any of these types of conditions, and the person itself may be unaware, people
who suffer from any type of disorder may end up with more complications. For
example, people with depression, unfortunately some people do not take depression
seriously, but people who suffer from depression if left unattended for an extended
amount of time can affect not only their mental health but their physical health as
well. With a serious amount of constant stress, caused by either personal problems
or even school problems, people may develop hypertension or high blood pressure,
which in the long run may alter the chances of strokes, heart attacks, or other heart,
and artery related complications. Then there are conditions such as Downs
Syndrome and some types of dementias that people are born with, which affects the
lives of not only the person with the condition but their loved ones as well. One
mental health problem can create another mental health problem, some people are
not informed of the types of conditions that are out there, or the many types of
support they could be receiving, which is why NAMI exists.
NAMI on campus tries to help in three different ways, the professional, social, and
volunteer levels. In the social point of view, NAMI tries to inform everyone using the
media, such as Facebook (NAMI on campus- The University of Texas at El Paso), as
well as using UTEPs resources like the Universitys counseling center and students
to spread the word. On the volunteer side of things, NAMI hosts and helps in many
events or projects, one of these is the Special Olympics, an event in which people
with different types of mental or physical restrictions, are able to compete in a
variety of friendly events while having fun. This past week was National Suicide

Prevention week, another example of the type of events NAMI participate in and
another event people can volunteer in. As you may have noticed, these types of
events are very delicate and morally secured, in the way that only support is
welcome and any type of negativity is not. People can volunteer in these types of
events or projects to help, whether you live with a mental health condition or with
someone who does, or just to help out. In the last level, the professional level, NAMI
on campus teams up with NAMI of El Paso and UTEPs counseling center to give
quality care by actual Physicians and other professional personnel.
School can cause stress and other mental difficulties, if you are having any mental
complications just know that you are not alone, and there is always a way to fix
things. If you need help, not just mentally, NAMI on campus can help. NAMI on
campus can provide, alongside their partners, assistance towards your mental
homeostasis or wellbeing.

Sincerely, Francisco Flores