Header=Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General
Text=The Surgeon GeneralÆs Report on Mental Health was produced in 1999 through collaboration between the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). The first of its kind, the report emphasizes the inextricable link between mental health and physical health and the need to dispel the stigma associated with mental illness. The report provides explicit detail about the prevalence of mental illness in the United States and its impact on people in different age groups. It also describes current treatments, which are much more effective than they used to be, given the body of knowledge that has developed on how the brain works.
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Graphic=chart from word document.
Header=Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General
Text=Medications used today improve mental functioning in much the same way by alleviating physical ailments, yet negative perceptions and attitudes about mental illness continue to stand in the way of people getting help. One goal of the report is to use it as a vehicle for responding to the needs of the one in five Americans whom suffer from mental illness and to find ways to effectively promote mental health throughout the lifespan. The following table describes overarching themes of the report
Notepad=What are some lifestyle changes YOU can make that will help reduce heart disease as well as improve other aspects of your health?
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Graphic=Chart from word document.
Header=Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General
Text=The report is divided into chapters covering: a) current research in neuroscience and its connection to behavior in mental health and mental illness, b) the mental health field as it applies to children, adolescents, adults and older adults, and c) the organization and financing of mental health services.
Source=U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General-Executive Summary. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, 1999.
Text=PBS journalist Bill Moyers has written a book that explores the Topics between our minds and our bodies. In his book, he explores how modern science and new research are making these Topics clear to us. Traditionally, we study the body and the mind separately. However, in his book, Mr. Moyers provides an account of a series of interviews with physicians, scientists, therapists, and patients who are searching for mind-body Topics and the pathways that allow them to influence one another.
Caption=Scientists are searching for mind-body Topics and the ways in which they influence one another.
Credit=⌐ David A. Wagner, 1993
Notepad=What do you think? How closely do you think that the mind and body are connected?
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Graphic=Lady with needles in her back (acupuncture)
Header=Healing and the Mind
Text=The two questions he seeks to answer throughout this series of interviews are: How do thoughts and feelings influence health? and How is healing related to the mind? Also discussed in his book is our fascination with the traditionally Eastern medical practices such as acupuncture and massage. Mr. Moyers also covers the coexistence of Western and Eastern medicine and emphasizes the best each has to offer. Although there is more that is unknown than is known about how the mind affects the body, this book delves thoughtfully into this complex topic.
Caption=There is growing fascination towards Eastern medical practices, such as acupuncture.
Credit=⌐ Kindra Clineff
Notepad=Do you think your health can be influenced by your thoughts? How?
Source=Healing and the Mind by Bill Moyers, 1993
[01-03-05-03] Suicide Research Consortium
[01-03-05-03-01] pg. 1 of 3
Graphic=Generic
Header=Suicide Research
Text=Some people may believe that people who attempt suicide are doing it as a bid for attention. However, a suicide attempt is a serious sign of mental distress that should be addressed immediately. Researchers and policymakers are taking the problem seriously, and they have been increasing their efforts to understand its nature and how to intervene early with well-designed programs that can be evaluated for effectiveness.
Text=A primary effort is the Suicide Research Consortium, which is comprised of scientists from various parts of the National Institute for Mental Health who coordinate program development in suicide research and identify gaps in scientific knowledge. They also keep up with policy issues related to suicide surveillance, prevention and treatment as well as disseminate research findings to the public, media and policy makers.<r>The ConsortiumÆs Web site contains current statistics, fact sheets, frequently asked questions about suicide, a bibliography of research on suicide behavior, and abstracts on funded research.
Text=In July of 1999, Tipper Gore and Surgeon General David Satcher held a press conference presenting steps that communities, organizations, and policymakers could take to prevent suicide. The Surgeon GeneralÆs Call to Action to Prevent Suicide emphasizes the importance of broadening public awareness about suicide and its risk factors, improving clinical and population-based services, and advancing the science of suicide prevention through research.
Source=National Institute of Mental Health. 1999. Suicide Research Consortium. National Institutes of Health: Bethesda, MD
[01-03-05-04] Depression is a Treatable Illness
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Graphic=Lady trying to console man who has his face in his hands at a table.
Header=Depression is a Treatable Illness: A Patient's Guide
Text=Depression is a common illness that can affect anyone. About 1 in 20 Americans are depressed each year and depression affects twice as many women as men. Depression is more than just "feeling blue" or "down in the dumps." It is a medical disorder that affects thoughts, feelings, physical health, and behavior. Some common symptoms of depression include loss of interest in things one usually enjoys, feelings of sadness or guilt, increase or decrease in appetite or
Caption=Depression is a medical disorder that affects thoughts, feelings, physical health and behavior.
Credit=⌐ Steve Skjold
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Graphic=Generic
Header=Depression is a Treatable Illness: A Patient's Guide
Text=weight, problems concentrating, thinking, or making decisions, loss of energy and feelings of tiredness, trouble sleeping or sleeping too much, feelings of hopelessness, and thoughts of death or suicide. Physical symptoms can include headaches, digestive problems, sexual problems, heart problems, and many other aches and pains. For those who are depressed, it is important to seek help from a health professional in order to determine the cause of the depression and to seek treatment. The major treatments for depression are antidepressant medicine, psychotherapy, and the combination of medicine and therapy. Many people with depression can be successfully treated by a general health care provider, such as a physician or nurse practitioner. Others may be referred to a mental health specialist, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, or social worker.
Notepad=Why do you think more women than men suffer from depression?
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Graphic=Older lady with a blue shirt on in a chair looking down.
Header=Depression is a Treatable Illness: A Patient's Guide
Text=Depression is not caused by any one factor. It is most likely caused by a combination of biological, genetic, psychological, and other factors. Certain life conditions, such as extreme stress or grief, may trigger depression. Sometimes, drinking too much alcohol or using drugs can cause depression. Depression is not caused by personal weakness, laziness, or lack of willpower. Without treatment, depression can last months or longer. Early treatment of depression may help to keep the condition from becoming worse and can prevent chronic depression and suicide attempts. Without treatment, the chance of recurrence of another onset of depression is great.
Caption=Early treatment of depression can help the condition from becoming worse.
Credit=⌐ PhotoDisc/Family & Lifestyles, Vol. 15
Notepad=If someone you know is depressed, do you think you should help or do you think it is none of your business? Why?
Source=Depression is a Treatable Illness: A Patient's Guide, April 1993, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.
