Mental Illness

When we think about health, we often take mental health for granted. However, mental illness affects many persons in our society and its effects go beyond just personal suffering to affect whole families and even communities.

This site focuses especially on chronic long-term mental illness. An illness which affects the mind still carries with it some of the most durable stigma in our society.  Families who have a member with mental illness face a multitude of issues in functioning as a part of communities.

The purpose of this site is to give information to begin the process of overcoming the stigma of mental illness and begin reintegrating persons back into community.

I am indebted to Crystal Horning, mental illness consultant for Mennonite Mutual Aid for many of these links. In addition to many general links, there are sites dedicated to major mental illness categories such as schizophrenia and depression/bipolar disorders.

General Information

Pathways to Promise: Ministry and Mental Illness
An interfaith technical assistance and resource center which offers liturgical and educational materials, program models, and networking information to promote a caring ministry with people with mental illness and their families. The site is intended for clergy, interested laity, people with mental illness and their families, friends and supporters and mental health professionals interested in working with the faith community. Some excellent resources!

Mental Help Net
One of the earliest web sites on mental health on the net, features a wealth of information for both casual readers and researchers.

American Psychological Association
Professional site with a vast collection of information resources in psychology.

Mental Health Info Source
Home of Psychiatric Times  with links to many informational sites, including  Ask the Expert where you can get answers to your most important mental health questions with the help of Ron Pies, MD, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Tufts University and popular Psychiatric Times columnist.

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill--NAMI
The nation’s leading advocacy group and source of information on mental illness with affiliate groups in most major cities in all 50 states.

Open Minds, The Behavioral Health Analyst
A resource and consulting organization that specializes in behavioral health and human services.

Expert Consensus Guideline Series
Comprehensive fact sheets on schizophrenia, bipolar and obsessive compulsive disorders along with psychiatric treatment guidelines for the most difficult questions facing clinicians. Useful for consumers and families as well.

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia.com
A nonprofit group offering information, support, and education about schizophrenia and related conditions.

Schizophrenia Digest
Online version of a Canadian bimonthly publication.

Depression and Bipolar

WalkersWeb
Nonprofit organization for persons who suffer mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder.

Dr. Ivan's Depression Central
This site describes itself as a "central clearing house for information on all types of depressive disorders and on the most effective treatments for individuals suffering from Major Depression, Manic-Depression (Bipolar Disorder), Cyclothymia, Dysthymia and other mood disorders."

The Mercurial Mind
One woman's insight into what it is like living with bipolar disorder.