The article “Crisis help a phone call away,” (Jan. 15) should have read, “If you know you have a mental illness and want help, crisis help is a phone call away.”

Getting someone help with a mental illness isn’t easy. Some families do seek help, but hit brick walls.

Unless the person is mentally capable of saying they have an issue, they can’t get help. Even after police have been called, Taser used, family or loved ones stated facts, unless the person says, “I need help” or, “I’m going to kill myself, or someone else” at the moment a physician or medical care is around, they won’t be helped. If the ill person is asking for help, help is a phone call away.

What about the person who has no idea that they are mentally ill? Why is there no help? Loved ones shouldn’t have to wait for loved ones to snap before they get help they need.

There should be more places for loved ones to seek help or advice on how to help someone who doesn’t know they need help before it’s too late.

Again, if the person doesn’t ask for help, he or she can’t get help.

According to the website wordiq.com, a mental illness is a psychiatric disorder that results in a disruption in a person’s thinking, feeling, moods and ability to relate to others. So, if a mentally ill person was thinking properly, how many instances like the one in Arizona would happen?

Carry Gosselin, Lewiston