KQED | Hope on the Street : CA Mental Health Guide

This section provides information about diagnosis and treatment, and how to use mental health services.

Understanding the symptoms of mental illness
Understanding severe mental health symptoms
How to talk with your mental health clinician
Learning about diagnosis
Learning about medications
Dual diagnosis: When alcohol and drugs compound mental illness
Understanding wellness and recovery

Understanding the symptoms of mental illness

People have a hard time seeing the difference between a rough patch and the start of mental health symptoms. When do problems become too difficult for you to handle alone?

Finding help for yourself
Part of the Mental Health Association in California's web series Reaching for the Light, this Web page "How Do You Know When You Need Help?" lists signs and symptoms to look for that signal the need for help.

When mental illness is in your family
This factsheet from the National Mental Health Association "Mental Illness in the Family -- Recognizing the Warning Signs and How to Cope" explains what mental illness may "look like" in adults and youth and offers suggestions for family members on how to recognize and cope with mental illness in the family.

Understanding severe mental health symptoms

In the Mental Health Association in California's (MHAC) Web series Reaching for the Light, the page "Severe Mental Disorders" provides descriptions of some severe mental illnesses: schizophrenia; mood disorders; anxiety disorders; obsessive/compulsive disorders; eating disorders; personality disorders.

How to talk with your mental health clinician

Finding a clinician
The MHAC booklet, "Finding Help," suggests questions that will help you decide if a mental health provider is the right one for you. The Mental Health Association in California (MHAC) sponsors support groups for clients and family members and provides information and referrals. MHAC chapters represent diverse viewpoints on mental health issues.

Building a relationship with your clinician
The National Mental Health Association (NMHA) booklet "Dialogue for Recovery," offers suggestions on how to establish a collaborative relationship with your clinician or case manager and how to make sure that person becomes an ally in your recovery. The NMHA is a research and advocacy organization that supports chapters across the United States. It represents diverse viewpoints on mental health issues.

Collaborating with psychiatrists to find the right medication
The National Empowerment Center is a SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) Technical Assistance Center. Its mission is to carry a message of recovery, empowerment, hope and healing to people who have been diagnosed with mental illness. The article, "Reclaiming Your Power During Medication Appointments With Your Psychiatrist," written by Pat Deegan, Ph.D., talks about how to structure your medication evaluation and follow-up appointments in order to cultivate collaboration between you and your psychiatrist.

Tell me about licensed mental health professionals in California
This one page document describes services provided by different kinds of mental health professionals. The Mental Health Association in California (MHAC) sponsors support groups for clients and family members and provides information and referrals. MHAC chapters represent diverse viewpoints on mental health issues.

Learning about diagnosis

Diagnosis is a tool used by clinicians to summarize symptoms and life stressors. The following sites might help you understand how the many mental illnesses are defined.

The Mental Health Association in California (MHAC) Web site offers information about diagnoses written by mental health professionals. MHAC sponsors support groups for clients and family members and provides information and referrals.
The Mental Health Matters Web site was founded by a client to bring technical information and resources to clients, students and professionals. This Web page link to "Demystifying the Diagnosis" is a one page description of the language used by clinicians to describe mental illness -- the DSM-IV (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition). This is just one of many technical briefs offered by this Web site on a wide range of mental health issues, ranging from treatment to self-help to advocacy to research.
Diagnosis and treatment links from a client-managed Web site. The California Association of Mental Health Patient's Rights Advocates promotes public policy to further the rights and well-being of mental health consumers.
The Mental Health Matters Web site was founded by a client to bring technical information and resources to clients, students and professionals. Find technical briefs on a wide range of mental health issues, ranging from treatment to self-help to advocacy to research as well as summaries of major diagnoses.

Learning about medications

With recent advances in science and technology, clients now have more and better psychotropic drug options than in previous generations. Finding the right balance in medication can be a lengthy, enduring process for some clients. Here are resources that will help you understand how medications work, written by mental health professionals from organizations representing families, clients and researchers.

What is a formulary?
It is often difficult to discern whether certain medications are covered by insurance. The California Internet Formulary Reference guide, created by Citizens for the Right to Know and linked from the Mental Health Association of California, helps consumers research coverage.

Links about medications -The Mental Health Association of California
This is a portal to information on the Web about mental health medications. This page provides links to resources about medications, adverse reactions, California's formulary, and information from the Food and Drug Administration.

A booklet about medications from the National Institute of Mental Health
This resource provides easy-to-understand information about medications used for treating mental health problems. The site describes what different medications are used for, what their effects are and which medications are used for specific groups, and it offers an alphabetical index of medications. Included is information about effects on children, the elderly and women of childbearing years.

A self-help resource to assist you with medications
The U.S. Mental Health Information Center is an information clearinghouse that is part of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The brochure, "A Self-Help Guide to Using Medications," was written for clients and family members. Included is a list of questions to help you develop a collaborative relationship with your clinician.

Working with your psychiatrist
The National Empowerment Center is a SAMHSA Technical Assistance Center. Its mission is to carry a message of recovery, empowerment, hope and healing to people who have been diagnosed with mental illness. Find information on how to structure medication evaluation and follow-up appointments in order to cultivate collaboration between you and your psychiatrist.

Dual diagnosis: When alcohol and drugs compound mental illness

Without diagnosis and treatment, many people with mental illness use alcohol and other substances to control symptoms, and they sometimes become addicted. Alcohol and drug dependence can exacerbate mental illness, resulting in some clients having "dual diagnosis" or "dual recovery," as they attempt to recover from both symptoms of mental illness and addiction. Here are some resources for treating dual-diagnosis.

Find treatment in your community. The SAMHSA, in collaboration with the state of California, has a service locator that will identify programs in your community for alcohol and substance abuse. The site will tell you if these programs have a dual recovery emphasis, what languages are spoken and what forms of payment are accepted.
Through this link, you can find sources for information on being in recovery from mental illness and alcohol/substance abuse, like the Dual Diagnosis Recovery Network.
Find peer support groups for individuals facing recovery from psychiatric symptoms and alcohol/substances. Dual Recovery Anonymous is a 12-step program for individuals facing recovery from psychiatric symptoms and alcohol/substances.
Northern California meetings
Southern California meetings

Understanding wellness and recovery

According the U.S. Surgeon General's report on mental health, recovery is a journey hallmarked by hope and expansion, despite the day-to-day challenges of having mental health symptoms. Recovery is about understanding and managing these symptoms and regaining one's sense of self. It's also about recovering from the stigma of having a mental illness. Clients view the process of recovery as unique for each person, depending on their strengths, life situations and culture...The guides listed below will explain the many different paths that lead towards recovery.

The U.S. Mental Health Information Center is an information clearinghouse that is part of the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The site includes nine downloadable how-to publications about mental health recovery. Topics include dealing with trauma, speaking out for yourself, making friends, building self-esteem, self-help, client rights, and action-planning for recovery.
Mary Ellen Copeland's Web site provides various methods for nurturing wellness/recovery, including an explanation of Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP). Resources include seminars, correspondence courses, workbooks, videos, publications, and newsletters. Copeland used her experience with manic depression to develop the WRAP tool, which aims to bring insight into staying well and what to do when symptoms become difficult.

The Hope and the Street Web site and discussion forums are provided solely for educational and informational purposes. As such, they are not meant to provide professional medical advice, counseling or services. Only a qualified medical professional who is familiar with your particular circumstances can provide specific guidance regarding your health questions and we encourage you to ask your doctor or health care provider any questions you may have relating to the information contained on this Web site. KQED does not preview, endorse, review, censor or control the content of pages linked to this site and therefore cannot be held responsible for errors or consequences arising from use of this information.