Introduction

How do you know if you or someone you know needs professional help for a mental health condition?

Minding Your Mental Health can help you make this decision. The guide presents information on 24 common mental health topics. Each topic has four parts:

Facts about the topic or condition
“Yes” or “No” questions to help you decide if you should:
- Get immediate attention
- See or call your doctor
- Consult or talk to a mental health care provider
- Use self-help
A list of self-help tips that can help you or someone you know
What you can do for a friend or relative

(Note: “Yes” and “No” questions and self-help tips are not found in four topics:

	Bipolar Disorder
	Obsessive Compulsive Behavior
	Paranoia
	Schizophrenia

These mental health conditions should not be self-diagnosed or self-treated.)

How to Use This Guide

Find the topic in the Table of Contents. Topics are in order from A to Z. Go to that page and read about it. Ask yourself the “Questions to Ask.” Start at the top of the flow chart and answer “Yes” or “No” to each question. Follow the arrows until you get to one of these answers:

	Get Emergency Care
	See Physician
	Call Physician
	See Counselor or Call Counselor
	Use Self-Help

What the Instructions Mean

Get Emergency Care
You should seek immediate attention. Either:

	Go to the hospital emergency room
	Call 911 or other number for emergency medical service (EMS) from your city EMS department or local ambulance service
	Call Suicide Prevention, Crisis Intervention Center or your psychiatrist or counselor right away

Make sure you know phone numbers for emergency help. Write them down near your phone.

See Physician
The term “Physician” is used for a number of health care providers, including:

	Your primary doctor, internist, etc.
	Your psychiatrist
	Your Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) clinic, primary doctor or other designated health professional
	Mental Health Center
	Walk-in clinic or urgent care center

If your answer is “See Physician,” you should do so as soon as you can. You may need medication or treatment for the condition. Call first and ask for an appointment or for immediate care. State the problem. If you can’t be seen soon, ask for a referral. A referral from your physician can help you get to see someone else who can help you. For example, your physician may refer you to a counselor or self-help support group such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA).

Call Physician
Call your physician and state the problem. He/she can decide to:

	Tell you to make an appointment to be seen
	Prescribe medicine or treatment over the phone
	Give you specific things to do to treat the condition
	Give you a referral to see someone who can help you

See Counselor or Call Counselor

The term “Counselor” is used for a number of mental health care providers:

	Your counselor or therapist, if you already have one
	A mental health professional provided by your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) at work (Many EAPs are staffed by mental health professionals who do brief treatment.)
	A mental health professional at your student counseling center
	A Mental Health Center
	A psychologist (Ph.D.)
	A social worker (M.S.W.)
	A licensed professional counselor (L.P.C.)
	Another health care provider in the mental health field, such as a psychiatric nurse

(Note: You may need to call your primary care physician for a referral to a mental health care provider, including a psychiatrist, if you belong to a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) or other managed health care plan. Also, a counselor may have you join a self-help/support group.)

Self-Help

You can probably help yourself with the problem if you answered NO to all the questions. Use the self-help tips listed. Self-help tips may help prevent the mental health conditions discussed. But if things don’t get better, call your physician or counselor. There may also be “after-care” measures that can maintain progress after getting treatment for a condition.

To learn more about topics covered in this Guide and other mental health issues, access the Web site, www.nmha.org. Also check the “National Resources” page.