Debbie Reynolds:  For Her It's Personal Connie Midey The Arizona Republic Feb. 1, 2006 12:00 AM   Debbie Reynolds began volunteering with children at a California mental health hospital when she was 17, at the start of an acting, singing and dancing career that continues to this day. Reynolds, 73, is a 50-year member of the Thalians, a group of Hollywood personalities that has raised more than $30 million for the Thalians Mental Health Center in Los Angeles.   "My interest has always been in mental health," Reynolds says by phone, "but little did I think in the years before I married (singer-actor) Eddie Fisher that I would face mental illness in my own family."   Carrie Fisher began treatment when she was 14 and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, or manic depression. Reynolds' son, Todd Fisher, does not have the illness. Question: What was it like for you to see your daughter struggle with her mental health issues? Answer: It's hard for the whole family. Your child has a disorder which in the old days was never diagnosed. People thought children were just being difficult or had a bad temper or bad manners. Of course, more is known about it now, and it has a name. Carrie has had this illness quite a long time, and we've gone through many, many doctors, many, many clinics, many treatments. She's had a rough time of it, but she's been brave and faced it and managed to be terribly successful and creative. Q: What have you learned about ways to help a family member or close friend who suffers from mental illness? A: Not to butt in, but to be patient, understanding and knowledgeable. I have read so many books on how to help families with this particular illness: to be supportive, to be there for the family, and not to be a nosy gossip or someone who makes judgments, because you don't know what's going on in the next person's home. Q: You come across as such an upbeat character in your TV, movie and Broadway roles. Have you ever suffered from depression? A: Only because of the problem my daughter has. It throws you into feelings of helplessness and frustration, because you can't take away their difficulties quickly enough. I think a mother suffers right along with her child.				Q: What helps you maintain your own mental health? A: I am a very lucky person, because I was raised in a really normal atmosphere. My mother and father were very loving, and I was very religious. Religion has played a great part in my mental status, in order for me to help Carrie be strong. I always tell her, "You have to have faith." I had two children who died, and Carrie says, "Mother, how did you get through all that?" I say always, "Faith." Q: What is your message to people with mental illness? A: It's a very lonely disease. It's hard for the person who has it and for the family. Faith is important, and seeking the proper care, like Banner Behavioral Health Hospital and the facility I work for in Los Angeles. Those of us who are blessed with good health need to give our time and help raise money for these facilities.
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