Minding Your Mental Health

 Section I - Mental Health Facts

Table of Contents 

Previous Topic | Next Topic

Where To Go For Help

Once the decision to seek professional help has been made, the following are places you can go.

bullet Your personal or primary care doctor (to rule out any physical illness first)
bullet Your confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
bullet Your Student Counseling Center. (Most colleges provide free counseling services for their students. Some limit the number of sessions. After that number is reached, students may still need to locate a private therapist for continued treatment.)
bullet Family members, friends, or co-workers
bullet Your religious advisor (i.e., priest, rabbi, minister)
bullet Your County Mental Health Department (listed in the white pages section under Government Offices). Contacting them is especially important if you have no health insurance.
bullet Professional organizations, such as your state’s psychiatric, psychological counseling, or social work associations
bullet Organizations listed in the yellow pages under “Mental Health Services” or “Hospitals” (Ask for their departments of psychiatry, psychology, social work, or their crisis center.)
bullet Community agencies, such as Catholic Social Services, Jewish Vocational Services, Family Services Agency, etc.
bullet Crisis Intervention Centers – especially if you need help immediately. Check your local phone book under “Crisis,” “Suicide Prevention,” “Drug Abuse,” “Rape,” “Domestic Violence,” or “Hospitals.”
bullet Self-help groups and local campus or national organizations for specific disorders. Examples include: Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Agoraphobics in Motion (AIM), National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Overeaters Anonymous (OA), Gamblers Anonymous (GA). See “National Resources"  for listings.

Copyright 2004, 5th Edition, American Institute for Preventive Medicine. All rights reserved.