Like many other diseases, mental illness does not come with a manual.

Starting June 5, a 12-week class will be offered to any family member of a loved one affected by mental illness. Over the past 20 years that NAMI has been present in the community, many classes have been hosted to help family members understand and cope with mental illness.

While mental illness or brain disease may not be their battle, helping a family member battling the disease can be trying, Paul Quinn, President of the local NAMI Six County, said.

About 20 years ago, Quinn’s parents began the first local branch of NAMI International after their son was diagnosed with Schizophrenia. Since its development in Zanesville, Quinn and other leaders have taken over the leadership of the group and continued to educate the community about mental illness.

“He went to a hospital, we thought, you know, you go to a hospital they fix you up and you come and it’d be fine,” Quinn said of his brother with Schizophrenia. “And of course (we) know now, it’s a life-long condition, but we didn’t understand that then.”

The class is designed to educate family members on coping with their loved one’s illness while also showing them how to support and help their loved one that’s suffering with the disease.

“We always say mental illness is not a casserole illness. If you have any other disease, heart disease, cancer, whatever you want to say, people are sending cards and letters and bringing over a casserole to show their support,” Quinn said. “But, if you have a mental illness, you don’t hear from anyone, no one visits … people avoid you and a lot of that is just because of ignorance.”

While the class offers classroom-based education components, Quinn said there is also role playing and interactive exercises to help teach family members how to best de-escalate scenarios and other situations.

The class leaders, Pam Kirst and Becky Allison, are certified instructors through NAMI International and incorporate the larger organization’s components into the class.

Quinn said the class is also beneficial for the family member’s own sanity when it comes to supporting those with mental illness.

“It helps keep your own sanity. We’re always looking for logic in people … we’re always asking ourselves why why did they do this, why me, why now. Well, there is no real suitable answer there isn’t logic for any of it and I have to remind myself of that all the time,” Quinn said.

Many people suffering with mental illness become trapped in a cycle of people they love abandoning them and falling into addiction or legal trouble, and not understanding how to cope with their own illness. The class is designed and offered to help family members understand the illness and help break the cycle.

“We know there are people in the community that need it,” Quinn said.

Registration for the 12-week long class ends on June 1. Anyone interested in signing up for the class can contact Becky Allison at 419.709.5838. The class will be on Wednesdays, through Aug. 21, from 6 to 8:30 p.m. at the Mental Health and Recovery Services Board.