Article by Aloysius Aucoin

The healthcare field is unique and unlike any other. There are new discoveries and methods of treatment surfacing almost daily, and this is no different for the mental health field. Psychiatry professionals who wish to provide the best care for their patients should not end their education after getting their doctorate degree and licensing to practice in their jurisdiction. In the field of mental health continuing education can help professionals in the field stay up-to-date on the latest medications, technologies, and behavioral therapies to better serve their patients.

In many jurisdictions, all health care professionals are required to pursue continued education, and this includes psychiatry and mental health professionals. In fact, mental health continuing education is a requirement for many professionals in remaining current with the licensing and certification requirements in most states. This is the main motivation for mental health professionals to pursue further education even after they have graduated with an advanced degree in psychiatry. Many times, mental health professionals will seek courses to brush up on some of their skills, especially if they do not have the opportunity to practice these skills on an everyday basis. All medical doctors, including psychiatrists, must complete two years of hands-on training in their field before they can receive their medical degree. This training covers a lot of basics that will be valuable throughout the doctor’s career. However, sometimes there are aspects of this training that can be forgotten if there isn’t much repetition in using those skills.

There are also benefits when it comes to learning and understanding new developments in the field. Although other aspects of the medical field have been somewhat mastered and easier to understand, the human brain is still a mystery to even the most seasoned professionals. Therefore, there are advancements and new discoveries almost everyday, and it can be difficult to cover much of this new information by simply reading medical journals and discussing them with colleagues. Responsible mental health professionals will typically take courses covering this new information along with the typical refresher courses.

Professionals within the field understand that the field they work in is complicated and ever-changing. While an advanced degree within this field is necessary to have certification and licensing to practice, courses to continue education are also vital. Patients with needs within this field will need a professional who is knowledgeable and aware of any and every development that can help them. In the field of mental health continuing education helps build a strong community of professionals who can provide these services to their patients.

About the Author

As with other fields, within the domain of mental health continuing education is vital to a practitioner’s relevance. To find out how these professionals keep up with current trends in their line of work, check out http://www.psychotherapynetworker.org/

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Article by Ron Ayalon

Maggie seems tired. Although her Lyme disease test came back negative, she is just sleepy and listless day after day. She doesn’t seem interested in food, and doesn’t even want to destroy her stuffed squirrel anymore.

Sadie seems to tremble and shake during thunderstorms, and her tail is glued between her legs when new people come to the house. When her owner tries to coax her out from under the furniture, she drools and jumps up, despite not doing this when strangers aren’t around.

Mollie paces, licks her paws repeatedly, and seems to sniff at the front door then all the shoes in the shoe rack then the front door again. If she gets interrupted, she start whines and pulls to go back to her routine.

Clinical depression, anxiety, which include separation anxiety, noise anxiety and social anxiety, and obsessive compulsive disorder are all bona fide canine health concerns worthy of veterinary care. While it may seem odd to think of a dog as being able to suffer from these illnesses, remember that brain chemistry plays an important role in mood and behavior. Dogs’ brains are set up similarly to a human’s brain in terms of the electrical impulses and chemistry responsible for certain functions. This is why the drugs used to combat mental illness in people are often used on dogs showing similar signs of brain chemistry problems. That’s right, Prozac for your pooch!

Common Conditions:

• Depression. In the Maggie’s case, above, depression might be suspected after medical causes were ruled out. Depression in dogs presents with apathy, loss of appetite, fatigue or listlessness, loss of interest in formerly pleasant activities, and in some cases constipation.• Anxiety. General anxiety or stress overload include excessive drooling, shivering, moaning, panting, whining or acting “frozen” or unwilling to move. There are three main types of anxiety that are common in dogs: separation anxiety, in which dogs become destructive and may even soil the home or owner’s belongings when left alone. Noise anxiety impacts dogs exposed to loud noises such as thunderstorms, fire works and traffic noises. These dogs will try to escape and often panic and run in the opposite direction, bolting out of houses or away from their owners. Social anxiety shows up as anxious behavior (shivering, drooling, tail between the legs, etc) when around new people or unfamiliar situations. This typically affects dogs that were not well socialized as puppies.• Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Dogs who have been abused or have experienced severe trauma, such as loss of their owners, or dogs used in military combat experiences can develop PTSD, just like people.

A Multi-Step ApproachIf Maggie, Sadie or Mollie’s problems sound familiar, the time to act is now. While canine mental health problems are not typically fatal, they are serious and can worsen or become real behavioral nightmares to manage if steps are not taken to address them quickly. In addition, early diagnosis and treatment will alleviate discomfort and restore quality of life for your dog.

Step 1: enlist your vet’s help in ruling out medical problems such as thyroid issues or other diseases that can manifest with behavioral symptoms. Provide your vet with as clear a picture of Duke’s behavior as possible including when it began and how it has changed over time. Your vet may suggest running some tests, such as blood work or thyroid panels.

Step 2: Once you have a diagnosis, educate yourself. There are many resources both on the Internet and in print on all of the canine mental health concerns discussed here. Learn about the treatments options and be informed about the pros and cons of all the different treatments available.

Step 3: Consider medications carefully. Your vet may recommend medications to help Maggie maintain a positive mood or to help Sadie relax. Be sure to ask questions about side effects and voice any and all concerns you may have. Also ask you vet about any risks of not using medication – be sure to get the full picture before making any decisions.

Step 4: Explore dietary changes. Again do your research and seek input from your vet. Explore whether lower or higher protein would be helpful for Mollie’s condition, or if a trial on a specialized diet might be recommended.

Step 5: Consider hiring a trainer. A balanced approach using behavior modification along with medications and lots of loving support and patience may help your dog move through this tough spot and find his way back to being his playful, happy old self.

About the Author

Puppy City has been around for over 50 years, we pride ourselves in being the home for quality puppies for sale in Brooklyn, New York. We also have all of the supplies you will ever need, from dog food, to wee wee pads, to all the treats you will ever need in a lifetime. Visit us at http://www.PuppyCityNY.com

Article by Dr Deryck Pattron, Ph.D.

Introduction:Mental health has become a major international public health concern and the World Health Organization has placed high profile focus on the importance of mental health. Mental health is recognized by the World Health Organization and April 7, 2001 was first devoted for its observance.

It is estimated that 450 million people worldwide are affected by mental, neurological or behavioral illnesses at any given time. Mental illnesses are common to all countries and cause immense suffering. People with these disorders are often subjected to social isolation, poor quality of life and increasing mortality. These disorders are the cause of staggering economic and social costs. Mental illnesses affect and are affected by chronic conditions such as cancer, heart and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and HIV/AIDS. Untreated, they bring about unhealthy behavior, non-compliance and prescribed medical regimens, diminished immune functioning, poor prognosis and eventual loss of valuable human potential.

Definition of Mental Health:Mental health is defined as a state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in fruitful activities, gratifying relationships with other people, and also includes the ability to adapt to change and to cope with diversity. Mental health is crucial to personal well-being, family and interpersonal relationships and contribution to community or society.

Mental disorders are health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, personality, or behavior, which are associated with distress and/or impaired functioning. Mental illness is a term that is applied collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders.

Types of Mental Health Illnesses:The difference types of mental illnesses are enumerated in the International Classification of Mental and Behavioral Disorders published by the World Health Organization.* Organic mental disorders e.g. Alzheimer’s disease and delirium.* Mental and behavioral disorders due to psychoactive substances use e.g. alcohol, street drugs and medications.* Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders e.g. paranoid schizophrenia and psychotic disorders.* Mood (affective) disorders e.g. depression and manic depression.* Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders e.g. anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorders.* Behavioral syndromes associated with physiological disturbances and physical factors e.g. eating disorders and non-organic sleep disorders.* Disorders of adult personality and behavior e.g. paranoid personality disorder and transsexualism.* Mental retardation e.g. learning disabilities.* Disorders of psychological development e.g. specific reading disorders such as dyslexia and childhood autism.* Behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescent e.g. attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder and conduct disorders.* Unspecified mental disorders.

Burden of Disability:Mental disorders generate an immense public health burden of disability. Mental disorders vary in severity and their impact on people’s lives. Mental disorders such as schizophrenia, major depression and manic-depressive or bipolar illness and obsessive compulsive disorder and panic disorder can be enormously disabling. This burden of disability often is profoundly under recognized in most parts of the world. In the United States, mental illness is on par with heart disease and cancer. Mental disorders occur across the lifespan, affecting persons of all racial and ethnic groups, both genders and all educational and socioeconomic groups.

Mental disorders are not only the cause of limitations of various life activities but also can be a secondary problem among people with other disabilities. Depression and anxiety, for example, are seen more frequently among people with disabilities than those without disabilities.

Socioeconomic Burden of Mental Illness:In the United States approximately 40 million people aged 18 to 74 years of the population, had a diagnosis of mental disorder alone of a co-occurring mental and addictive disorder in the past year. At least one in five children and adolescents age 9 and 17 years has a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.

It is estimated 25 percent of people over 65 years (8.6 million) experience specific mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse and dementia that are not part of normal aging. Alzheimer’s disease strikes 8 to 15 percent of people over age 65 years, with the number of cases in the population doubling every 5 years of age after age 60 years. Alzheimer’s disease is thought to be responsible for 60 to 70 percent of all cases of dementia and is one of the leading causes of nursing home placement.

The direct costs of diagnosing and treating mental disorders in the United States totaled approximately $ 69 billion in 1996. Lost productivity and premature death accounted for an additional .9 billion. The total cost of mental health disorders in England has been estimated at ₤32 billion. More than a third of this cost is attributed to lost employment and productivity related to schizophrenia, depression, stress and anxiety.

Etiology of Mental Illness:The etiology of mental illness may be as a consequence of complex neurochemical, anatomical and physiological changes in the brain. Social factors have also been implicated in the pathogenesis of mental illness. Some of the main causes of mental illness are given below:* Hereditary.* Environmental contaminants e.g. lead, copper and mercury.* Other disease such as kidney impairment may lead to Alzheimer’s disease.* Poor nutrition.* Poor sanitation.* Homelessness.* Microbiologically unsafe food.* HIV infection.* Poor physical health.* Psychological stress.* Posttraumatic stress.* Brain injury.* Metabolic disorders e.g. hypothyroidism.

Modern Treatments for Mental Illness:Treatments for mental illness take many different forms, including medication, psychotherapy, complementary therapies and self help strategies. It is worth bearing in mind that what works for one person may not work for another. Some treatments work best in combination and even the same person may prefer different treatments at different points in his or her life.* Physical therapies include maintaining the general physical health of the patient, providing psychiatric medication, such as anti-depressants, or administering electroconvulsive therapy.* Psychological treatments or talking treatments may take many different forms, including counseling and psychotherapy. Psychological therapies usually depend on the person with a mental health problem talking to somebody else, often a trained professional.* Alternative and complementary therapies offer alternatives, which replace orthodox Western medicine. The term complementary therapy is generally used to indicate therapies which differ from orthodox Western medicine and which may be used to complement, support or sometimes to replace it. Examples include aromatherapy, meditation and yoga.* Self help strategies serve to alleviate mental health problems, ranging from individual strategies for adapting to day-to-day difficulties and symptoms through to self-help group and support strategies. Examples of self help strategies include: self-management of manic depression, hearing voices strategies, self-harm strategies and self-help groups for depression.* Social support is not a treatment as such but it can have a beneficial effect at least equivalent to that of other forms of interventions. Social support involves providing practical help around the social dimensions of a patient’s mental health problems. For example by ensuring that the patient is properly housed and receives an adequate weekly income.

Recommendations on Ways to Reduce, Eliminate or Prevent Metal Illness:* Develop effective mental health policies and legislation.* Improve mental health by ensuring timely access to appropriate, quality mental health services.* Develop service delivery mechanisms for early recognition of symptoms and interventions.* Develop fundamental structural changes that require creative and flexible responses from service providers, administrators, researchers and policymakers alike.* Develop more social and behavioral research programs to explore the concept of resilience to identify strengths that may promote health and healing.* Implement strategies for translating new knowledge into critical applications.* Use community support programs and facilities for severe and persistent disorders.* Develop educational and outreach programs to reduce negative consequences of mental illness.* Develop rehabilitation programs.* Develop new drug treatments based on the best available science.* Develop alternative methods of treatment.* Develop family support groups.* Develop global action programs that focus on forging strategic partnerships to enhance countries capacity to combat and reduce the burden of mental disorders and promote mental health.* Adopt health lifestyles such as: (i) Develop emotionally, creatively, intellectually and spiritually.(ii) Initiate, develop and sustain mutually satisfying personal relationships.(iii) Face problems, resolve them and learn from them.(iv) Be confident and assertive.(v) Be aware of others and empathize with them.(vi) Use and enjoy solitude.(vii) Play and have fun.(viii) Laugh, both at themselves and at the world.

Future Research and Mental Illness:Research on the brain and behavior in mental illness and mental health is moving at a rapid pace. An increasing strong consumer’s movement in the mental health field is adding urgency to the tasks of translating new knowledge into clinical practices and refining service delivery systems to use new and emerging information optimally for patient/consumer needs. The elimination of stigma associated with mental disorders will in turn encourage more individuals to seek needed mental health care.

Progress in fundamental science with an emphasis on translating new knowledge such as the use of neurogenesis and stem cell research into clinical applications can strengthen opportunities for future clinical and service system innovations. Research-based treatments afford an unprecedented opportunity to achieve a major reduction in the burden of mental illness. With enhancements of clinical service and service systems, recovery is an achievable objective of mental health clinical intervention.

References: Lebowitz, B.D., Pearson, J.L., & Cohen, G.G. (1980). Clinical Geriatric Psychopharmacology. Baltimore, MD: Williams & Wilkins. Murray, C.J.L., & Lopez, A.D. (1996). The Global Burden of Diseases. Cambridge. MA: Harvard University Press. Pattron, D.D. (2004). Recent Research in Public Health. New York: Scientific Publishers. Ritchie, K., & Kildea, D. (1995). Is senile dementia age-related or ageing related evidence from meta analysis of dementia prevalence in the oldest old. Lancet 34, 931-934. Robins, L.N., Locke, B.Z., & Regier, D.A. (1991). An overview of Psychiatric Disorders in America. New York: Free Press. Brain Work: The Neuroscience Newsletter. (2004). New York: The Dana Foundation. http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk http://www.who.int

About the Author

Dr Pattron is a Public Health Scientist in the Ministry of Health, Trinidad

Article by Christine Crotts

The process of choosing a mental health clinic begins by first identifying which kind of clinic you wish to opt for. There are various options of clinics to choose from such as – a mental health clinic that only caters to outpatients and is run by a privately owned organization or clinics which offer inpatient facility or a day patient facility, most of which are usually run by the government or the clinics run by health services or communities. Depending on what exactly are your needs, you can choose a particular kind of clinic.

The next important factor to be considered before selecting a clinic is whether the clinic accepts insurance or any other form of medical payments. Also, find out about the services being offered at the clinic, in detail. If you are not sure about the insurance coverage, then consult your insurance provider and find out about the mental health clinics covered by them or just go online to your insurance provider’s website and you can get these details. If you can, it is better to get a referral from your family doctor or the health care provider you have been visiting. Otherwise, you can speak to your friends and family members and ask for their inputs too. Since insurance policies on providers of mental health vary widely, always check your coverage details beforehand.

If a patient is quite unstable and requires hospitalization, then it is advisable to opt for a mental health clinic operated by government, as they have direct link ups with government mental hospitals, it is a better choice. However, even private clinics have their own advantages such as they may house a number of psychiatrists and therapists who work together and render their services to the patients, this way, if a patient requires the services of therapist and psychiatrist, then he can get that in a single place. Moreover, few of these clinics may have mental health practitioners who have specialization in certain kinds of clients or therapies, such as a a child psychiatrist or a couples therapist in particular, etc. Payments for services such as therapy for an individual or for groups can be very expensive, hence never forget to contact your insurance provider before you sign up for any of these activities.

Finding the best mental health clinic, requires considerable amount of effort, since not all the clinics cater to all kinds of requirements, you have to do intense research to narrow down onto the clinic that is the best for you. Especially for people who are not residing in urban areas, there might not be much choice, since there may or may not exist a mental health care center in their neighborhood. For most of these people, it is better if they can get a referral and then find out about the clinic before making any efforts of visiting the clinic.

You might not really realize the various kinds of options available in mental health clinics, until the day you start your search. Hence, keep the above mentioned factors in mind, before you begin searching.

About the Author

Christine Crotts likes to travel a lot and makes sure that her dog can travel with. Christine has written a site containing reviews on small pet carrier models, as well as a pink pet carrier.

Article by Smithsmith

(Wednesday, February 09, 2011)There are many types of clinics such as Medical , Nursing Home , Health , Walk In , Mental Health, Physical Therapy, ChiropracticMental Health – Nursing Homes- Physical Therapy A (or an outpatient ) is a small private or public health facility that is devoted to the care of outpatients, often in a community, in contrast to larger hospitals, which also treat inpatients .- the one word for all types of s such as nursing Home , health , and physical therapy in all medical terms. This site contains the information for all medical hospital and information about all specified as well as specialized ones which guide for selecting right decision in medical hospitals and doctors. Medical helps free for all types of surgical events, walk in in all health s with physical therapy and chiropractic . In the nursing homes there is a need of some skilled persons that will take a part with patients. The suggestions may help you a lot in seeing your dream a reality it is a line of becoming a doctor or is one step away in becoming a doctor. Medical where you will find the medicines for getting cured from all this or even you can go to the medical where also you will find the medicines. Medical s are present in a market in an appropriate capacity. From the medical s you can get the appropriate medicines for your disease or for your pain. helps vulnerable immigrants and increases the availability of well trained, affordable legal services. Medical which provides best care and treatment nursing homes, medical s, health , walk in mental health , physical therapy , free , chiropractic s. In the health or the medical s you will find the powders that keep your body fit. The specialist may have another option to open a nursing home is the best way to start with. Nursing homes requires a very talented and skilled person to take care of the patients. , where you can find drugs to cure all this, or even be able to go to the , which can also be found in drugs Tips can help a lot to see his dream a reality is a line of becoming a doctor or a step in becoming a doctor. This site contains information for all hospital services and health information in all specified and those specialized guide to choosing the right decision at the hospitals and doctors. Free medical to help all types of surgical events, walk-in health s, all with a physiotherapy and a chiropractic .clinic a word relates to all kinds as nursing, health center, physiotherapy and all medical terms. From medical s for appropriate medication for pain or disease.In medical centers, you’ll find dishes that will keep your body in shape. , which offers the best care in nursing homes, medical s, outpatient physical therapy.About :Name: Email: smthjohn@gmail.comWebsite: http://www..org.in

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There are many types of clinics such as Medical Clinic, Nursing Home clinic , Health Clinic, Walk In Clinic, Mental Health Clinic, Physical Therapy Clinic, Free Clinic, Chiropractic Clinics

At the mental health hospital on Queen Street West, there’s a eight-foot high brick wall that runs the length of the property on the east side. The wall was constructed by the inmates years ago, ostensibly as occupational therapy. The hospital is currently going through a reconstruction as a CAMH facility and the original plan of the redo included tearing down the wall. Luckily, saner heads prevailed and the wall will stay. When the wall was built, the hospital was then considered to be on the western edge of downtown, and the wall instantly becoming the demarcation between the city core to the east and Parkdale to the west. A sort of Checkpoint Charlie, dividing the safe and prosperous from the not so much of either. This division became part of Toronto’s psyche and still is today, despite the slow roam of gentrification westwards. The wall was built by the hospital patients and one can only guess that it wasn’t their idea. So, what’s the point of the wall, other than being a therapeutic project? As walls are wont, does it protect the east from the west (management’s ulterior motive for the project) or the west from the east (the patients’ willingness to throw up barriers)? I suppose it depends on where you live. I made this film shortly after I broke my ankle this summer and my limp is quite the animator. The results are surprisingly effective, given the context of the subject, at least in my mind. filmed July 28, 2007 music: Yo La Tengo “Tired Hippo”

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Article by Ella Holmes

As far as mental health care job is concerned, let me inform you that these days many hospitals are offering different types of job opportunities. If you are one of those candidates who want to deal with the care of mentally bothered persons then you should be prepared for all hiring stages including interview process. All hiring stages are easy more than the final step i.e. interview. Preparing hard for the interview will surely enhance the chances of being employed. Some of the interview questions are written below:

Tell me something about yourself.There are many questions that you might be asked during the interview and this question is one of the easiest interview questions ever. You need to be so much confident when replying to this question. Many people cannot be able to tell about themselves. It is very essential that you answer in clear and short way. Don’t tell him about your family until you are asked. You can include your qualification, your name, hobbies, experiences etc.

Why do you feel that this job is best for?I have all the needed qualification with strong working experience therefore I think that I should be hired for this post. My professional abilities and qualities make me a suitable person for this job post. Hence I am good person to be posted at this job profile. If you possess an excellent personality with strong experience then you will surely be selected.

Why should we choose you?Well sir, there are many reasons why you should hire me. I possess the best qualification with the advanced knowledge of technology changes and development. I can easily perform all the job functions accurately. Hence you can select me.

Who do you think as your role model?It is hundred 100 % true that everyone has a role model in his life. You too must have a role model. If you are asked this question, tell his or her name. Make sure that you know all the important details about your role model then you only you will be hired.

Have you ever worked in any mental hospital?If you have ever performed in any mental hospital then it will good for your career. Let me tell you most vital thing that your work experience is a best possible way to get employed by the employer.

These are some important questions what can be frequently asked from you during the interview of mental health care. All I really feel that you will surely be hired if you prepare well for the interview.

A grand collection of standard job Common Interview Questions. These are some traditional questions which are often popped up by the employers at interviews. Read more about Mental Health Interview Questions

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Article by Katrina Holgate Miller

Have you ever awakened in a terror, only to realize that the horrifying fate you had just witnessed was only a nightmare? How would life be different if nightmares were real? Perhaps there would be no more tomorrows, where you could continue to live with those you love and continue to do what you love doing. Zap–you awaken, and life and its beauty come back to you.

Mental illness is like a nightmare. Recovering from mental illness is like wakening to find ourselves once again fulfilling our roles in life successfully. Recovery does not change the fact that an illness occurred, and that symptoms of the illness may even be present. However, recovery frees us from believing we don’t count because we are crazy and irrational. It puts our repertoire of “can’ts” in the background, and reminds us of the many options for the good life that are available to us. Recovery allows us to shed the sick role and use sound thinking to guide our future.

How Do I Start the Recovery Process?

Doctors and therapists encourage but do not create recovery. That is the job of the individual patient. Recovery begins with hope–the insight that things can get better. The Center for Mental Health Services (2004), a division of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), summarized how to begin recovery in their consensus statement:

“Recovery begins with an initial stage of awareness in which a person recognizes that positive change is possible.”

Natasha spent most of her adolescence in acute and residential treatment facilities. Her Bipolar illness interrupted her ability to function at home and school. Her intense emotionality and quick anger made it uncomfortable for others to be around her, and people sometimes felt threatened by her. She was miserable–and often wondered if life had any meaning. One day, she had an insight that life could get better–and she started to work to make that happen. This started her recovery process. She enrolled in college and got a degree in fine arts. She fell in love, got married (later divorced) and had a son. She got an administrative position at a prestigious college. Her peers at work recognized her brilliance. She was the life of the office and kept everyone in good spirits. She had an eye for detail, and if anything was missing from a plan of action, Natasha knew how to fix it fast.

Her son, Randy, however, was her most precious endeavor in life. She made sure he went to the best schools, and that he had the tools to master his academic subjects. He was always on the honor roll–until his sophomore year in high school. That was the year that Randy became very ill with Bipolar Disorder. The hardest part of Randy’s illness was the experience of psychosis: Hallucinations, delusions, not caring for any of his responsibilities–even his own grooming.

At first, it was relatively easy to stabilize Randy on medications. But by his senior year at high school, it became harder and harder to stabilize Randy when he would become psychotic.

The best psychiatric hospital for adolescents was three hours away from Natasha’s home. She would accompany Randy to the hospital, and stay in the Ronald McDonald House. She was unable to keep her job and spend so much time away from work, so she retired. In fact, she gave up almost everything that had kept her going in life to “be there” for Randy.

Several months into the last hospitalization, Natasha told me she was starting to “lose it”. She felt the old feelings of anger and despair surfacing daily. She felt like she might end up in the hospital herself.

One day, I shared an observation with Natasha. “You know, Natasha, you are one of the most emotionally expressive and powerful women I have ever met. Have you ever written any poetry?”

In fact, Natasha had written many poems about her experiences over the years. She kept them in a journal at home. She sent me an email with a couple of her poems. They were much better than any of the published poems I had read–another observation I shared with Natasha.

The realization of her value as a poet enabled Natasha once again turn to recovery. Natasha made arrangements for Randy to have the care needed until he was stabilized, and she returned home. She used the despair and anger and loneliness that troubled her to write “confessional poetry”. She started attending “open-mike” night at her community’s poet organization, and recited her poetry on stage. Her blatantly honest descriptions of her feelings drew readers into her experience. They found the feelings she described “intriguing” rather than “sick”-in fact, many of them had felt the same way–but never admitted it. Natasha’s description dignified their feelings. Before long, she was a local celebrity. But most important, she had transformed her self-definition to “poet” and “friend” instead of “bipolar” and “lonely”.

How Do I Stay in Recovery?

Natasha’s story informs us that recovery involves redefining life in ways that empower us as valuable players in life. As summarized by the consensus statement of the Center for Mental Health Services (2004):

“Recovery focuses on valuing and building on the multiple capacities, resiliencies, talents, coping abilities, and inherent worth of individuals.”

Can you believe in possibilities? Then you can find the road of recovery. Do you know and practice coping skills that work for you? Can you work a little each day on sharing your capabilities and talents? Then you can stay “in recovery”, and find it again if you ever get stuck.

Katrina

About the Author

Katrina Holgate Miller, PhD writes about the strengths and skills people use to face their mental health issues with empowerment (moxie) rather than victimization. She has turned her 30+ years of clinical experience with thousands of clients into stories and tips about how her clients were able to recover from mental illness and addiction and return to the roles they enjoyed during times of wellness. She is author of the website www.moxiementalhealth.com. Her email is katrina@moxiementalhealth.com

See the original video, by Asrar Ghani here: www.vjmovement.com Afghan with English subtitles
Video Rating: 5 / 5

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Article by Thessayist Network

Overwhelming intolerance towards mental illnesses is a global problem and has predetermined that countless sufferers simply be denied the professional care and treatment they require and with which they can overcome their condition and lead normal lives. The magnitude of the problem and the urgency of devising strategies for the destigmatisation of mental illnesses can only be fully appreciated within the context of the prevalence of mental illness incidents. On the global level, and as estimated by the World Health Organisation, mental health complaints account for 25% of all visits to general practitioners. Often manifesting themselves in physiological symptoms, mental illnesses are difficult to diagnose and, in more cases than not, are identified only after a vast array of physical tests are conducted for determination of the source of health complaint. In other words, mental health illnesses are diagnosed through a process of elimination (Read and Baker, 1996; Barraclough, 1998). The implication here is that approximately one-quarter of the global population suffers, at one point in their lives or another, from mental health problems. Very few have access to the required professional help and those who do seek help, resort to medical, rather than mental health professionals, often contributing to the further complication of the problem. In brief, and as mentioned, the problem is further complicated simply because diagnosis and treatment by any other than mental health professionals is problematic and inefficient.The diagnosis, treatment and control of mental heath problems are problematic for a variety of reasons, all relating to the stigmatisation of this disease category. Diagnosis, treatment and control are problematic because (1) stigmatisation makes admission of a mental health condition by a patient and/or his/her family difficult; (2) stigmatisation of mental health conditions implies that sufferers visit medical, rather than psychiatric professionals for diagnosis and treatment and the latter do not possess the professional knowledge required to either make an accurate diagnosis or provide an effective treatment programme (Grob, 1994); (3) stigmatisation of mental health illnesses, in numerous countries and cultures, discourages psychiatric specialisation, either among nursing or medical practitioners, with the consequence being a dearth in mental health professionals; (Loza, 2006) (4) stigmatisation of mental health conditions has resulted in the virtual exclusion of mental health services from state healthcare programmes with the consequence being that very few can afford treatment; and (5) the stigmatisation of mental health illnesses has determined that this disease category not be taken seriously or, as seriously as are physiological diseases, with the consequence being that state-run services in do not have the resources needed to provide patients with the necessary treatment (Satcher, 2000).As may be determined from the foregoing discussion, the mentally ill are discriminated against by the very nature of their suffering. The fact that their illness is not understood has not only determined that public health policies and private medical insurance not cover psychiatric treatment but has further ensured that they are openly discriminated against. The mentally ill are ostracised from society to the extent that people fear associating with them, renting housing to them, working with them or providing them with employment opportunities. Stigmatisation, implying discrimination, therefore means that the mentally ill are denied access to resources and opportunities. This only contributes to the increased severity of the condition insofar as isolation and denial of access to opportunities leads to low self-esteem, loneliness and hopelessness (Penn and Martin, 1998; Corrigan and Penn, 1999). The stigmatisation of the mentally ill, or of mental illness in general, represents a challenge that must be addressed through the adoption of intervention strategies specifically designed to foster understanding about mental health and promote tolerance towards the mentally ill. Lauber et al. (2004) urges that education be the primary vehicle for the destigmatisation of mental illness. The proposal is valid because it correctly identifies ignorance of mental illness as the root cause of its stigmatisation and the promotion of awareness and knowledge as the solution. While valid, however, the proposal is incomplete because it does not identify the educators nor the content of the educational/awareness-promotion program. From the researcher’s perspective, and as shall now be argued, the nursing profession has a fundamental role to ply in the promotion of awareness about mental illness and the successful destigmatisation of mental illnesses is largely dependant on the destigmatisation strategies which nurses will adopt and the extent to which they will efficiently and effectively carry out this responsibility.[To be continued...]Stigmatisation of Mental Illness in the Arab Middle EastAccording to Arab mental health professionals, among whom one may mention Loza (2006), Sadek (2006) and Okasha (2006), the mental health care system within the Middle East is virtually non-existent. The mental health care system within the Arab Maghreb countries is barely existent; within the Levantine countries inefficient and within the rich Arab Gulf countries, designed for the isolation of sufferers from their communities, rather than their treatment. For a variety of reasons, Egypt stands out as the only Arab country with what can pass as a mental health care system despite its being largely confined to the public sector and therefore, out of the financial reach of the majority (Zidan, 1999).Certainly, there are state mental health care facilities in all of the Arab countries. However, with no exception, these facilities are overpopulated high-security institutions wherein the average patient receives no more than one hour of professional attention a month. Otherwise, a strong regime of drug therapy is administered to patients and, in extreme cases, electrotherapy. As Sadek (2006) notes, the purpose of these institutions is not the treatment of the mentally ill but their isolation from society. Even if mental health professionals intended treatment, the fact is that required resources are simply not available, be it trained mental health nurses, psychologists or psychiatrists.Arab Middle Eastern health professionals have determined that the singular failure of the Arab countries to develop a strong and efficient health care system is directly consequent to the stigmatisation of, and the misunderstandings and misconceptions which surround mental illness (Zidan, 1999; Loza, 2006; Okasha, 2006). The stigmatisation of mental illness has ensured that only a miniscule percentage of the totality of medical students specialises in psychiatry and that hardly any of those who enrol in nursing degrees specialise in mental health nursing (Belal, 2003). There is a significant shortage in mental health professionals and within the medical community, a lack of understanding and awareness of the reality of mental illnesses. The stigmatisation of mental diseases and illness are responsible for this situation.The stigmatisation of mental illnesses in the Middle East is primarily rooted in ancient beliefs and practices. The widespread perception of the mentally ill as being possessed by evil spirits or being, themselves, evil and dangerous to the point of criminal insanity, has never been adequately addressed. Prejudicial beliefs have been allowed to proliferate and have only been fostered by a media which invariably presents mental illness as an outcome of demon possession or criminal insanity, and urges the isolation of the mentally ill from society (Okasha, 2006).Societal attitudes towards mental illnesses are informed by dominant stigmas and not by facts. As earlier mentioned, those suffering from mental illnesses, whether mild depression or severe schizophrenia, are diagnosed as `possessed,’ with the severity of the condition interpreted as directly relating to the nature of the `possession.’ This particular stigma is extremely popular among the Bedouin and lower-class urban and rural communities throughout the Arab World and has determined `treatment’ by religious figures, whether Christian priests or Moslem sheikhs, rather than by mental health professionals (Saleh, 2004).Amongst the middle classes, both urban and rural, all forms of mental illness are discriminated against. They are perceived of retribution for immorality and, therefore, shameful; symptomatic of laziness and weakness of character and therefore resolvable through corrective behavioural approaches. In those few instances where family members acknowledge the illness to be real and realise the necessity of professional intervention, they resort to physiological, not psychiatric, treatment (Loza, 2006). There is, in other words, a persistent refusal to take mental illness seriously as determined by stigma and supported by ignorance.Private mental healthcare facilities are available throughout the Arab world and have the resources necessary to diagnose, treat and control mental illnesses. However, they are extremely costly and consequently, not an option for the majority of mental health sufferers (Loza, 2006).The only way to ensure that mental health sufferers in Arab countries receive the professional care they need is through the destigmatisation of mental illnesses. Destigmatisation, as Sadek (2006) argues, will encourage sufferers to seek help and that, in turn will expose the true extent of the demand for mental health treatment and services throughout the Middle East, will reveal the cost of suppressing/ignoring the problem and, accordingly, will encourage the adoption of public health policies which adequately address the needs of the mentally ill and provide professionals with the resources necessary for illness control and/or treatment (Okasha, 2006).Several strategies and approaches for the destigmatisation of mental illness have been proposed, with the majority based upon the deep involvement of nursing professionals. Within the context of Arab countries, the destigmatisation of mental illness through the involvement of nursing professionals will confront numerous challenges but if these challenges are overcome, will positively contribute to destigmatisation. Nursing Intervention StrategiesConsidering that the stigmatisation of mental illnesses in the Arab World is rooted in ancient beliefs, traditions and cultural rituals, anthropologists and sociologists have argued that the elimination of these stigmas can only occur within the context of a socio-cultural approach. Saleh (2003) , writing from the perspective of a cultural anthropologist, insists that the only effective method for the elimination of the stigmas surrounding mental health in the Arab World is through an educational media campaign. As proposed, this campaign will focus on the prejudices surrounding mental illness, expose the ancient roots of these prejudices and effectively illustrate that they are based on myths, not facts, and contradict scientific findings and research (Saleh, 2003). A mental illness awareness campaign would probably contribute to deconstruction of prevailing myths about mental illness. More importantly, it could spread awareness regarding the curability/controllability of mental illness and educate public opinion regarding its causes and consequences. However, a critical analysis of this particular proposal reveals that it is limited in scope and hardly has the capacity to change fundamental beliefs about mental illness. Quite simply stated and as further affirmed by Fadel (2001), not only would such a campaign be extremely costly but it could not be sustained for any long periods of time and if ingrained prejudices are to change, long-term solutions are required, not campaigns whose message will probably be forgotten as soon as the campaign itself ends.Nursing intervention comes across as the most viable and effective long-term effective solution to the problem of the stigmatisation of mental illnesses. The position of the nursing professional within the community, as attested to by several researchers, greatly facilitates this task. The nursing professional/practitioner, as opposed to the psychiatrist, is ideally situated to address the stigmatisation of mental illness within the profession, by the mentally ill themselves and by the community. As regards the stigmatisation of mental illness from within the medical profession, several researches have indeed proven that the healthcare community, both medical nurses and doctors, have misconceptions and misunderstandings about mental illness. A significant percentage of medical doctors and nurses tend to stereotype the mentally ill and regard them as an unwanted burden upon the healthcare system. As Harpell (2005:1) writes, within hospital settings “mental health consumers were portrayed as disturbed and aggressive, with strong underlying assumption that they were accessing services at the expense of others more deserving, namely the physically ill and the injured.” Writing from the perspective of a mental health nurse, Harpell (2005) maintain ns that the stigmatisation of mental illnesses from within the medical community are symptomatic of the inexplicable disconnect that has developed between the physical and mental health sciences. This disconnect is largely traceable to the stigmatisation of mental illnesses and the underlying assumption that mental illness, or psychiatry, is not a serious branch of medicine and certainly not equal in value to the physiological branch (Swindle et al., 1997). In other words, the existing separation between mental and physical healthcare is expressive of the medical community’s stigmatisation of mental illness and only serves to encourage the perpetuation of discrimination against the mentally ill.Krizner (2002) argues that the first step towards the provision of adequate mental healthcare to sufferers is the destigmatisation of mental illness from within the medical community itself. According to Krizner (2002) none are better situated to address the stigmas surrounding mental illnesses from within than are mental healthcare nursing professionals. This argument is based on two assumptions. The first is that nurses work in close association with doctors and are the primary channel of communication between doctors and patients. Therefore, they play a fundamental role in shaping the perception of doctors towards patients and their complaints. The second assumption is that senior nurses are responsible for the training of newly graduated nurses, in addition to which, they play a pivotal role in the training and support of medical intern and residents. Consequently, and as Krizner (2002) argues, educating professional nurses about the implications of mental illness, whether or not that is their chosen speciality, is a fundamental step towards the destigmatisation of mental illnesses from within the medical community, given the positioning and role of nurses therein.Krizner’s (2002) argument is only valid to a point. Certainly, if nurses are knowledgeable about mental illnesses, they can communicate that knowledge/awareness to medical practitioners and contribute to the destigmatisation of the mental health problems. Generally speaking, however, if nurses are to adequately fulfil this task, it is necessary that the professional nursing training and education programmes be revised to include a solid grounding in mental health, irrespective of whether or not that is the chosen area of specialisation.Even were one to suppose that professional nursing education and training curriculum were revised to include a thorough grounding in mental health, this still does not emerge as a valid and effective solution insofar as the destigmatisation of mental illness in the Arab World. Quite simply stated, and as expressed by Loza (2006) no more than 10-15% of nurses throughout the Arab World have undergone the required educational and professional training. This has resulted in both a dearth in professional nurses throughout the region and in the entrance of non-professionals into the vocation, implying that they bring their own stigmas regarding mental illnesses along with them. In fact, finding nurses, even non-professionals, willing to work in a mental health setting, or with mentally ill patients is extremely difficult. Therefore the notion that, the destigmatisation of mental illnesses can occurs from within the Arab nursing profession is hardly sound (2006). [To be continued...]

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Article by Thessayist Network

IntroductionMental health professionals in the Arab Middle East estimate that at least 60% of the population, age 14 and upwards, suffers mental health problems. Dr. Nasser Loza (2006), owner and director of the largest private mental health hospital in the region, Behman Hospital in Egypt, disagrees with this estimate. Loza (2006) insists that the figure is much higher. In Egypt, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, for example, both medical and mental health practitioners have estimated the figure at around three-quarters of the above 14 age group and have identified depression as the most prevalent condition (Loza, 2006).Mental health problems, like the vast majority of physiological illnesses, are curable or, at least, controllable. Treatment or control of the problem, however, is primarily dependant upon the acknowledgement of its existence and the subsequent seeking of professional help. Within the Arab Middle East, as is the case with regions, countries and cultures across the world, there exists a persistent unwillingness to admit to the presence of a mental health problem or, at least, to acknowledge its existence to the point of seeking curative treatment. As Professor Loza (2006) explains, despite the fact that there are some very good mental health facilities and professionals in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, it is incredibly rare for a Saudi or a Kuwaiti national to seek treatment within his home country. The stigma associated with mental health problems makes it virtually impossible for many to tolerate the notion of the social isolation/exclusion that would inevitably result from the acknowledgement of such a problem. Accordingly, when the mental health problem reaches the point where it is debilitating and difficult to conceal, the sufferer’s family only agree to treatment if that treatment is received from outside the home country and anonymously. Needless to say, many cannot afford this treatment option and, so, the vast majority are either left untreated which, as bad as that is, is infinitely preferable to the widely popular practice of self-medication and treatment (Loza, 2006).The stigmatisation of mental health is a formidable obstacle to treatment. Fearing stigmatisation, sufferers are reluctant to admit their condition and seek help. Family, friends, employees and society at large, plays an active role in helping to ensure that this reluctance is maintained and transformed into an outright refusal to admit to the problem and seek treatment. Needless to say, mental health professionals have repeatedly addressed this problem and have outlined strategies for the resolution of the stigma surrounding mental health complaints and conditions, believing that upon the elimination of stigmatisation, access to treatment will be facilitated. A World Health Organisation (2001) White Paper on the stigmatisation of mental health argues that the nursing profession, primarily mental health nurses, must play a more active role in the elimination of the stigma surrounding mental health problems. A critical analysis of the nursing intervention strategies outlined for the confrontation, and the removal of the stigma surrounding mental health illnesses indicates that several of the proposed intervention strategies can play a positive and constructive role in the reduction of the mentioned stigma but that its removal is a long-term process which requires much more than nursing intervention.This research shall argue that nursing intervention strategies can play an invaluable role in the reduction of the stigma surrounding mental health. Within the context of the Middle East, at least, the reduction of the stigma will help sufferers admit to their problem and actively seek treatment. However, upon tracing the background relationship between stigma and disease and the factors determining the stigmatisation of mental disease, it becomes evident that nursing intervention strategies must be expanded to embrace the addressing and education of societies and not just of professionals, sufferers and family members, as has been suggested (World Health Organisation, 2001).The Stigmatisation of Disease”Stigma is a pervasive influence on disease and responses of nations, communities, families and individuals to illness” (Keusch, Wilentz and Kleinman, 2006, p. 526). It has a pervasive influence on disease and the spread of disease because the stigma which surrounds a large array of physiological and psychological diseases actually prohibits victims from expressing their complaints, admitting to the presence of the disorder and/or its symptoms and seeking treatment. The stigmatisation of certain diseases further renders their admission in particular cultures useless. For example, in numerous villages and communities in China and India, HIV and cancer patients are completely ostracised. Their children are prohibited from attending schools; their relatives and family members are dismissed from their place of employment and in more cases than not, village administrators cut of water and power supply to the sufferer’s home, and those of all of his relatives, to drive them out of the area (Keusch, Wilentz and Kleinman, 2006). The stigmatisation of disease actively prevents admission of its presence and/or any of its symptoms. The consequence is not only death from possibly curable, or controllable, diseases, but the uncontrolled spread/transmission of disease. When looked at from that perspective, the cost of stigma to individuals, families, communities and nations is near-incalculable. Conceding to the magnitude of the problem, the Fogarty International Centre, in association with the World Health Organisation, the US National Institute of Health and the Canadian Institute of Health Research organised a landmark international conference entitled “Stigma and Global Health: Developing A Research Agenda” (Michels et al., 2006). The conference’s primary objectives were the development of a research agenda for the identification of the causes of disease stigmatisation and the articulation of effective intervention strategies designed to address and resolve the causes of stigma (Michels et al., 2006).The Conference identified several diseases whose treatment and control were virtually prohibited by their stigmatisation. While noting that the stigmatisation of physiological diseases such as HIV had potentially drastic effects on communities and nations, insofar as their stigmatisation facilitated their transmission, the Conference noted that no set of diseases suffered from stigmatisation as did mental health ones. It is, thus, that the Conference organisers emphasised the urgency of examining the reasons behind the stigmatisation of mental health problems, the consequences of their stigmatisation upon sufferers and communities and the articulation of corrective strategies designed to resolve the problem (Michels et al., 2006).The Stigmatisation of Mental Health DiseasesEvery society, culture and nation possesses ingrained prejudices against mental health sufferers. Jamison (2006) emphasises that research has effectively proven that the stigmatisation of mental health problems has its roots in ancient beliefs about, and attitudes towards, mental illnesses. As both Link et al. (1999) and Lauber et al (2004) explain, these beliefs and attitudes, passed down from one generation to another over the ages have, in numerous societies, determined the evolution of overt societal prejudices towards mental health sufferers with the predominant attitude being a complete refusal to tolerate mental illnesses and sufferers. Alternately feared and despised, mental health sufferers are generally regarded as either a danger to society or as weak and ineffective personalities who simply do not have what it takes to confront life and survive. Both of these attitudes have lent to deconstructive public opinions about mental health sufferers. The first opinion maintains that as dangers to society, mental health sufferers should simply be locked up. The second opinion quite explicitly states that since mental health sufferers do not have what it takes to live life and survive it, they, as would their families, be better of were they to die (Link et al., 1999; Lauber, 2004; Jamison, 2006). Given the negative public opinion towards mental illnesses, not to mention the unsympathetic attitudes towards sufferers, Link et al. (1999) argue that there is little opportunity or tolerance for open discussions on mental illnesses. In a surprising number of countries, the media is allowed to print and broadcast discriminatory opinions on mental health which would never be tolerated were they made in reference to any other group of people. The ability of the media to do so, whether in the supposedly enlightened West or the Middle East, is not simply an expression of the prevailing deconstructive and negative opinions on mental health but, more importantly, serves to justify intolerance and sustain discrimination.The stigmatisation of the mentally ill is largely a consequence of ignorance about mental health and the various illnesses which it embraces. A research on the stigmatisation of mental illnesses and the strategies which may be deployed to address the various stigmas surrounding the condition maintains that the first step towards destigmatisation is the articulation of the dominant prejudices regarding mental illnesses (World Health Organisation, 2001). Studies on the stigmatisation of mental illnesses reveal that prejudicial attitudes towards the mentally ill stem from a set of erroneous belies. The first is that the whole concept of mental illness is a myth and that psychological problems do not constitute serious illnesses which require treatment (World Health Organisation, 2001). The second is that mental illness is a blanket excuse for laziness and a fundamental unwillingness to work and be a constructive member of society. The third is that mental illness is nothing other than a symptom of character weakness which will only be compounded if `sufferers’ are coddled (Bolton, 2003). Mental illness, in other words, is not taken seriously and insofar as it is defined as an excuse for the unwillingness of some to work and take responsibility for themselves, is not tolerated. Within the context of societies which are intolerant towards mental illnesses, public health policies towards the expression of discrimination towards mental illnesses. Little public funds are allocated to mental illness, access to mental health care is problematic because available resources fall far short of the required, health insurance policies rarely cover mental illness, employees openly discriminate against mental health sufferers and mental illness research occupies the lowest of public priorities (Jamison, 2006). Stigmatisation of mental illness has, in other words, seeped through public policy and determined that sufferers suffer in silence and survive their condition as best as they can, often without access to the professional healthcare they require.The stigmatisation of mental illnesses and the pervasive unwillingness to help mental health sufferers is not confined to any single country or culture. Corrigan et al. (2004) explain that studies and surveys on public opinion towards mental illnesses has revealed that stigmatising attitudes, culminating in discriminatory health policies and employment practices, is a formidable problem throughout the United States and much of Western Europe. Brockington et al. (1993) supports this finding and maintains it to be an immediate outcome of social and communal intolerance towards mental health sufferers. Concurring, Weiner (1995) presents evidence which confirms that discrimination against mental illnesses and mental health sufferers operates on a global level. In fact, while mental health professionals in the United Kingdom may urge for greater societal understanding of mental illnesses and argue the urgency of greater public support, Western societies are infinitely more tolerant of mental health illnesses than are Eastern ones. In Eastern societies such as Asia and the Middle East, there is an overwhelming tendency to equate all forms of mental illness with insanity and to completely ostracise the mentally ill (Weiner, 1995). [To be continued...]

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Article by Children Health

If a friend or someone in the family is to be treated in a mental facility, we try to find the best facility for them. After all, the goal is for them to get well, and we believe that our choice of hospital is vital for the person’s recovery. In Illinois, when we speak of psychiatric facilities, one hospital easily comes to mind. That is Elgin mental health center or EMHC.

As the second oldest state hospital in Illinois, this facility opened in 1872 under its former name, Northern Illinois Hospital and Asylum for the Insane. The first-ever physiological measurements of mental patients were recorded by the Elgin Papers back in the 1890s. By 1997, the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations gave EMHC its commendation for two years in a row.

How the hospital was developed can be broken down into five phases. The first phase ended in 1893. A stable leadership was responsible for the gradual growth during this period.

After this phase, the hospital immensely grew to more than twice its size. This second phase, which ended by 1920, was characterized by a lot of politicking, leadership changes and power struggles in the system.

For the third period, growth was more rapid. Hospital population, which reached its peak by the 1950s, increased for both geriatric and veterans. This is because the period was post World War I and World War II.

By the time the third phase ended, hospital population declined. During this phase, psychotropic medications were introduced. Other milestones for this period include the development of community health facilities, deinstitutionalization, until the decentralization of decision-making and authority. This fourth phase ended until the 1980s.

The last phase is what some call the “rebirth.” It began in 1983, when hospital census was at its lowest. Because of this, the hospital was on the verge of closure. However, the state decided to close Manteno Mental Health Center instead.

During this time, the hospital was practically rebuilt. While the old buildings used a congregate model called the Kirkbride plan, new physical facilities were added such as cottages in order to adhere to a segregate plan. There are two divisions, civil and forensic. Each division has an acute treatment center, office and conference rooms which faculty and trainees can use.

Forensic programs were further developed, and new affiliations with medical schools were also made. Affiliations include that with The Chicago Medical School, among others. An increase in educational activities showed that EMHC is also concerned with the education of future doctors and medical graduates.

Hospital system operations were also modified. Activities of community mental health centers are integrated in the system operations. Community mental health centers refer their patients to EMHC. These community mental facilities include DuPage County Health Department, Lake County Mental Health Center, Ecker Center for Mental Health, and Kenneth Young Center.

At present, admissions are close to 1300 annually. Patients are usually African-American, Euro-American and Hispanic. The hospital holds 582 to 600 beds and about 40 full-time physicians.

Just like any health facility, EMHC is harassed with problems and controversies with respect to their policies and programs. Nevertheless, Elgin Mental Health Center continues to do what it is supposed to do, and that is to provide the best treatment for their patients.

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