Month: February 2015

Addiction has long been studied as a mental and physical illness. Many studies on addiction emerged from American culture due to a history strongly tied to combating addiction. In the mid to late 1800’s, studies on and treatments for addiction began forming in the United States, and into the following century, they only continued to grow and multiply. Rehabilitation centers, halfway houses and other psychological treatments were employed to fight the problem of addition. Ethics have changed drastically in approaching these illnesses, and the long history of evolving addiction studies has been preserved in literature on addiction, which includes published book volumes, articles and internet circulations.

The internet has become the most common way of sharing and circulating reading material. We are more influenced by the information we take in on the internet than any other information source because of how pervasive and accessible it is. We prefer to receive information digitally to laptops, computers, tablets and phones than we do in libraries, book stores or magazine suppliers. Therefore, information on addiction that is circulated on the internet is the most important exposure society at large receives on the subject. It is very important to circulate addiction information responsibly, verifying each source before accrediting it as quality reading material. Quality addiction information will be created by an industry professional, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, professor of behavioral studies and rehab specialist.

Hard copy reading materials, such as books, magazines and newspapers, still contain excellent sources of information on addiction. They are simply less accessible than what is on the internet. Credible hard copy addiction resources contain information from formal studies, expert opinions and mental health industry trends. There is still a great deal of respect for hard copy publications because of their history and tradition. The professionals who publish these items come from a variety of psychological, behavioral and cognitive study backgrounds. These publications can be found anywhere that reading material is sold and specialized in.

The volume of literature on mental health is astounding. Psychology dates back to the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, but it did not become its own modern discipline until the 1870’s. Studies into mental health as they relate to thoughts and behaviors have been evolving ever since, changing and being elaborated on. Very little of the groundwork for modern psychology is applicable today because of how rapidly the subject evolves. There is new information gained daily that needs to be circulated among industry professionals and laypeople alike. The most common method of circulating this information is through reading literature, whether it is in the form of books, articles, websites or other reading materials.

Books on mental health are very valuable resources on the subject. The most knowledgeable of industry professionals publish books on mental health. These are people who have devoted a great deal of time to specializing in particular areas and have enough of a following to interest a large number of readers. Books on mental health are studied in academic settings, referenced in the mental health industry and sought after by avid individual readers.

Articles published on the subject of mental health are also a popular means of taking in new information on the subject. Again, industry professionals, such as professors, psychologists, rehab specialists and counselors are typically the ones to publish credible articles on mental health. However, this form of literature is more loosely defined as articles may appear in official sources, such as journals and psychological magazines, or they may appear in personal blogs or less credible sources. It is very important to verify the credibility of your information sources before buying into them or circulating them.

The internet has, of course, altered the way we take in information. Some internet content is valuable and some is useless, but there is no denying that it is the fastest and most accessible way of circulating information. If a website belongs to a credible organization, institution or professional, it can be an excellent source of information on mental health. Just be sure to verify the origins of the website before putting any stock into it.

 

Matters of mental health and addiction are of the utmost importance to our mental welfare, our healthcare and our society in general. There is a great deal of information currently emerging on mental disorders and addiction that must factor in to the way we approach these subjects. Written literature on mental health and addiction is a long standing, traditional method of communicating important information. It is very important that we preserve the literature on mental health and addiction from the past to monitor our progress, but also make a great effort to circulate the information that is emerging now to keep society current on what we understand about these conditions.

The key function of literature on mental health and addiction matters is to enlighten and inform readers. When readers encounter new information on mental disorders and addiction, they subconsciously factor it into their thinking and their behavior. Receiving new and important information on mental health and addiction can make a person go from being intolerant and unaccepting of those with disorders and addictions to forgiving and supportive of them, the latter of which obviously the more responsible method of approaching these matters. In being enlightened on mental disorders and addiction, people will make an emotional connection with the need for patience and acceptance and will exude more commendable behavior toward addicts and people with mental disorders.

By changing the way people think and act when it comes to mental health issues and addiction, harmful stigmas will be brought to an end. This is a very important step in the healing process for people afflicted with these disorders and should not be overlooked. A vast majority of people with mental disorders and addictions feel the weight of stigmas, which is negative self talk and low self esteem due to harsh judgments and stereotypes made by others. People with addiction and disorders already battle a great deal of mental torment, and when fuel is added to the fire by other people, the demons they battle only grow stronger. The best thing we can do as a society is learn to reach out and support those with addictions and disorders rather than chastise them.

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Literature on addiction and mental disorders is valuable for a number of reasons, the strongest of which is probably the part that it plays in ending societal stigmas and complexes for addicts and people with mental disorders. Educating the public is always important, but when it comes to addiction and mental disorders, educating the public is urgent. Did you know that addiction and a mental disorder can attack a person in unison, and the individual requires a highly specialized form of help called co-occurring disorder addiction treatment? A great deal of damage is done when ignorance is perpetrated against people with these disorders, and the public buys into myths about addiction. Addiction and mental disorders are hard enough to live with even when people are not kicking you down misinformed judgments. Addicts and individuals with mental disorders would have an easier time recovering from them and rejoining the world as productive persons without these additional hardships.

Credible information on addiction and mental disorders can be found on the internet through legitimate news sites and through certified mental health organization sites. The key is simply doing a bit of your own research to find out who published it and what their credentials are. Widely circulated and respected editorials, such as major newspapers and academic journals, are another excellent source of information on addiction and mental disorders. Any literature that the mental health industry puts out is valuable also, although some of it needs to be read with discretion. There is a vast body of literature available on addiction and mental health, and circulating it is vital to creating awareness about it.

If we all do our part to circulate accurate articles and information sources on addiction and mental disorders through out our social media sites, as well as through out our personal and professional lives, we can make an incredible difference. One of the hardest parts of being addicted or having a mental disorder is being made to feel like an outsider by society. This kind of dejection only makes people withdraw farther into their unhappiness and mental unhealthiness. Imagine the positive turn it could take if addicts and individuals with mental disorders felt their culture coming to their defense rather than chastising them. If you are serious about wanting mental unhealthiness to come to an end, do not complain about it. Fight it with the truth.