MENTAL HEALTH BOOKS

According to the National Institute of Mental Health, an estimated 26.2% of Americans ages 18 and older suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year. The Report of the Surgeon General on Mental Health defines a mental disorder as: "A health condition characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with distress and/or impaired functioning." The following list of mental symptoms comes from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS, 1994-95) and the National Health Interview Survey on Disability (NHIS-D 1994-95):

The 7 Mental Health Symptoms

1. frequently depressed or anxious
2. have a lot of trouble making and keeping friendships
3. have a lot of trouble getting along with other people in social or recreational settings
4. have a lot of trouble concentrating long enough to complete everyday tasks
5. have serious difficulty coping with day-today stress
6. frequently confused, disoriented, or forgetful
7. have phobias or unreasonably strong fears, that is a fear of something or some situation where most people would not be afraid

If you suffer from any of these symptoms, you may have a mental health disability. Getting the right information is the first step toward a treatment, and there are plenty of mental health books available that discuss major disorders such as schizophrenia, paranoia, major depression, Alzheimer’s, alcoholism, drug abuse, etc. Of course, it would be unwise to depend solely on a mental health book to establish a diagnosis, but it can help guide you in the right direction.

Once a diagnosis has been established, the patient is usually in the best position to decide what treatment to pursue. Unfortunately, many mental health professionals don’t seem to think a patient should have a say in their own treatment. It’s no wonder many frustrated people turn to mental health books to help them understand what their options are.

There are many forms of treatment for mental health problems. They include psychotherapy, medication, diet and exercise, and complementary therapies. The problem with some mental health books is that they don’t appreciate just how important nutrition and exercise are to maintaining good mental health.

While Basic Health Publications doesn't print any mental health books dealing with specific mental disorders, we take pride in publishing a great number of books dealing with diet and exercise, as well as complementary therapies, that can be used to treat — or even prevent — a variety of mental health problems.

Integral health involves a new way of thinking about oneself. It’s not just another self-help remedy, therapy, or technique. It’s taking responsibility for one’s health and life in a completely new, holistic way.