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Parents' mission is mental health education

After the suicide of their daughter, Spotsylvania County couple begin their quest to educate others about mental illness

Date published: 7/6/2009

By CATHY DYSON

The parents of Carol Anne Brown are keeping their vow to educate others about the illness they believe led to their daughter's death.

Todd and Michelle Brown are speaking to service groups in Culpeper County, where they have a business. Then they plan to contact organizations in Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County, where they live.

Then the Browns hope to speak to legislators in Richmond and beyond.

"We're trying to figure out the best way to make an impact," Todd Brown said.

The Browns are spreading the word about bipolar disorder, a mental illness they believe their daughter suffered with from age 15.

Less than two months before her 19th birthday, she hanged herself in her bedroom closet. She died on April 12, Easter Sunday.

In a May 31 story in The Free Lance-Star, the Browns encouraged families to discuss mental illness instead of hiding it.

They talked openly about their daughter's varied achievements, as well as her irrational behavior and feelings of hopelessness.

The Browns discovered after Carol Anne's death that she was displaying some of the trademark symptoms of bipolar disorder.

More than 70 people who didn't know the Browns contacted them by e-mail after the story appeared. Those people fell into three categories, Todd Brown said: those who suffer from bipolar disorder, their parents, and those who had a loved one with the illness who committed suicide.

He made his first formal presentation, called "Carol Anne's Mission for Bipolar Disorder Awareness," to the Rotary Club of Culpeper recently. He showed a brief video, described his family's experiences and gave the audience a two-page handout with statistics about mental illness.

He also answered questions from parents who wanted to know how to tell the difference between typical teenage rebellion and more serious issues.

A lot of people have asked him that in recent months, and he goes back to the same topic: consequences.

He asks parents whether their children realize the consequences, that negative behavior leads to negative results.

"With people with bipolar disorder, there's no consequences to their actions," he said. "When you ask them, 'Why did you do this?' they say, 'I don't know.'

"Well, guess what, they don't know," Brown continued. "You can't logically understand the illogical, and this illness breeds illogical behavior."

The presentation was moving, said Rotary member Wade Schick. The 30 members of the club are a tight-knit group who rallied around the Browns after Carol Anne's death, Schick said.

Like others, he knew how Carol Anne reached out through various volunteer groups.

"Carol Anne's still trying to help people, even though she's no longer here," Schick said.

Any group interested in the Browns' presentation on bipolar disorder can contact them at todd@brownharris inc.com.

Cathy Dyson: 540/374-5425
Email: cdyson@freelancestar.com

Bipolar disorder, or manic depression, affects three of every 100 adults in America. Researchers believe it's even more prevalent, and that 75 percent of cases go undiagnosed. Ten percent to 15 percent of people with bipolar disorder commit suicide. More than 1,200 teenagers commit suicide each year. It's the third leading cause of death among those 15-24. Mental illness is the leading risk factor. Nationwide, more teenagers die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, stroke, pneumonia, influenza and chronic lung disease combined. In Virginia, two young people a week commit suicide. --Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Suicide Prevention Resource Center, Virginia Department of Health, WebMD Call 911 in an emergency. The Rappahannock Area Community Services Board offers crisis-intervention services 24 hours a day: Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania and Stafford counties: 540/373-6876 Caroline County: 804/633-4148 King George County: 540/775-5064 The USA National Suicide Hotline is staffed 24 hours a day: 800/273-TALK (800/273-8255) The National Hopeline Network also is staffed 24 hours a day: 800/SUICIDE (800/784-2433)

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Date published: 7/6/2009

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