This episode of The Just A Mom Podcast features a conversation with parent and advocate Laura Craciun. Laura shares her journey as a parent of an adult child who suffers from a serious mental illness and how difficult it is for families of adults to help their loved ones receive the treatment they need.  Laura’s son’s journey started right before he turned 18, at which time parents are no longer able to act on behalf of their children. Laura’s son’s journey has included multiple hospitalizations as well as ongoing legal issues. Laura is passionate about educating people on anosognosia (https://www.nami.org/about-mental-illness/common-with-mental-illness/anosognosia/), which is a lack of awareness of one’s own illness. Laura says that 50-60 percent of those struggling with a serious mental illness also have anosognosia, and this likely interferes with the patient seeking the proper treatment. Laura wants everyone to know about Assisted Outpatient Treatment Laws. These laws work to help individuals receive proper treatment and divert them away from the justice system and inappropriate incarceration.

With the rise in the legalization of marijuana, Laura also advocates for parents to understand Cannabis-induced psychosis and the rise of this problem among teens and young adults (https://learnaboutsam.org/,
https://johnnysambassadors.org/stopdabbing/?gad_source=1).