[...]... the present There will probably be a number of threads to your story—one that concerns your symptoms (depression? anxiety?), another about the difficulties you’ve had at work or school, still others about the effects your problems have had on your family, or your family on your problems During these first few minutes of the interview, your mental health clinician will listen carefully to learn what sorts... making informed decisions about your care This page intentionally left blank CHAPTER 1 Taking Charge of Your Care What Mental Health Clinicians Do I n this chapter I outline how clinicians go about the business of taking care of their patients—how we gather information and how we use it to make a diagnosis and recommend treatment Any mental health professional is likely to approach your problem using an... with straight facts that will clear up persistent myths and, I hope, assuage fears If you are new to the field of mental health, you should probably begin with Part I There I explain where to go for help, how clinicians determine what is wrong, and your role in your own treatment Consult Part III to learn about the symptoms and 4 Introduction course of the various mental health diagnoses and about. .. we learn about you comes from what you tell us In the Introduction I mentioned the fears that keep people who need help from seeking it Another big deterrent is a lack of understanding about what the mental health profession can do for those who need help In the chapters of Part I, I discuss how mental health problems are diagnosed, what help you can expect, where you can get it, and what your role... discuss in Chapter 3 YOUR RIGHTS, OUR RESPONSIBILITIES The preceding list is just a glimpse into the myths about mental health professionals that I continue to debunk in the following chapters Even more important are the positives—what you should expect from us This is how I view the responsibilities of any mental health clinician The flip side, of course, is that they are also your rights as a patient:... for your disorder—in short, the inside information that will light your way to mental health USING THIS BOOK How you use this book will, of course, depend on your own needs I write to you, the reader, as though you are the patient If you are a relative, spouse, or close friend, you should find the information equally useful in understanding and helping the person you care about My main focus is mental. .. symptoms You’ll probably be asked about your sex life, drinking habits, and how you get on with your relatives—information that may seem off the point but that can have a bearing on nearly any mental disorder To develop the fullest picture possible of you as a person, you’ll be asked about many areas of your life Even the *Technically, a symptom is something you complain about (such as anxiety attacks... what is troubling you Another potential source of information is your physical exam Mental or emotional symptoms can be caused by endocrine disorders, head trauma, tumors, and other medical conditions That is why you may be referred to an internist or family doctor for a complete medical workup Sometimes your doctor may want to consult with your relatives, friends, or other physicians and medical caregivers—anyone... beings Suppose you had a sudden pain in your abdomen and, in great agony, you went to your doctor Would you want your doctor to say, “Gee, I wouldn’t devalue your humanity by trying to classify you Your pain is unique to you; it could be anything We’ll just have to wait and see”? Perhaps you’d prefer to hear, “Based on your symptoms, age, and physical exam, it’s probably appendicitis We’ll do some tests... I use the terms mental health professional” and “clinician” to refer to psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and other professionals who help those with mental and emotional problems In recent years, the mental health field has sometimes been called “behavioral health, ” reflecting a broad sphere of activity that includes treatment of substance use as well as traditional mental disorders It . class="bi x0 y0 w0 h0" alt="" Straight Talk about Your Mental Health This page intentionally left blank STRAIGHT TALK ABOUT YOUR MENTAL HEALTH James Morrison,. Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Morrison, James R., 1940– Straight talk about your mental health / James Morrison. p. cm. Includes index. ISBN 1-57230-786-2