It makes it all worthwhile.......

I received a call today from a parent who has known me for quite some time but only as an acquiantance.  She didn't know exactly how to talk to me the way she was stammering but I figured it out quite quickly what she was getting at.  She wanted to talk to me about her son who has both depression and a chemical dependency.  She knew I was advocate (about suicide prevention) and she knew about T because her other son was in his graduating class and had played soccer together.  What she didn't know is what I'm doing about the drug situation.    She is struggling more than her son right now.  I believe I was helpful and gave her some words of "wisdom" (no jokes) that may have helped her.  She told me she still is having a very difficult time with the embarrassment part of this ugy situation.  I tried to reassure her that the people who shun her or her son are not the people she would want to be around anyway.  Our town reminds me of pleasantville......very difficult for the ones who suffer the stigma illnesses.  People rally around people with cancer - have fundraisers, photos posted on websites, provide meals, sympathy etc. but when it comes to a mental illness or an addiction illness........lepers.  We are treated like lepers.  This woman has wanted to call me for TWO YEARS  but for some reason....didn't have the nerve until now.  In my small way - I hope I'll be able to change that attitude the parents have around there.   She said she is proud of me and is glad someone is doing something.  Well.......guess what?  I invited her to come with me to talk to the assistant principal at the high school.  I joked and told her that I'm passing the baton to her and that she needs to work on getting things going there!  I told her that the best therapy is to do something to change things and make them better.  She agreed to go!  With that said ---- it DOES make me feel that what I'm doing worthwhile!