Psychology

Acute anxiety, one of the most common psychiatric illnesses, makes everyday experiences like walking down the street or talking on the phone a source of potential terror. This program explains how and why this happens as it examines the physiology and psychology of anxiety, its symptoms, its highly maladaptive consequences, and treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Case studies involving panic disorders and social phobia are spotlighted. (48 minutes)

Eating disorders are not about the desire to be thin. Eating disorders are severe psychological illnesses that usually take years to overcome and can be accompanied by devastating and sometimes deadly physical side effects. In this powerful program, four young women and men from a variety of ethnic backgrounds share their stories of the physical pain and emotional torment caused by eating disorders. Medical, psychological, and nutritional experts explain the types of eating disorders, their causes, and who is most at risk, as well as treatment options. A Cambridge Educational Production. (30 minutes)

The snack bowl at a “pharm party” includes a mix of prescription drugs—from Adderall to OxyContin to Xanax—and most of them come directly from the household medicine cabinet. This ABC News program examines a disturbing and rapidly growing trend in teenage drug abuse: getting high on legal drugs, often obtained through parents’ prescriptions or from questionable sources over the Internet. Presenting studies showing a rapid spike in pharmaceutical abuse among students as young as eighth-graders, the program visits a Houston substance-abuse treatment center where recovering teenage addicts and their parents share their eye-opening experiences. (21 minutes)

After a traumatic shock, most people experience immediate symptoms of stress—and for some, the feelings do not fade away. In this program, psychiatrist Cécile Rousseau, psychologist Déogratias Bagilishya, and other specialists in the field of emotional trauma discuss the causes, symptoms, and treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. The effects of adrenaline and cortisol on the body and the mechanics of narrative and emotional memory are also examined. Stories of trauma caused by child abuse, spouse abuse, war atrocities, and terminal illness are related by patients recovering from PTSD. (53 minutes)

In this edition of Investigative Reports, interviews with physicians, psychiatrists, and patients create a composite portrait of schizophrenia. Distributed by A&E Television Networks. (45 minutes)

Over 40 million American adults suffer each year from a variety of chronic sleep problems, prompting extensive research into sleep patterns and potential obstacles to healthy sleep. This program explores sleep disorders, how they are diagnosed, and how they can be easily managed or treated. Viewers will learn how various disorders are usually classified into three major categories: lack of sleep, or insomnia; disturbed sleep, such as obstructive sleep apnea; and too much sleep, known as narcolepsy. Factors such as stress, biology, diet, and environment are overviewed. Several case studies and expert interviews are included. (28 minutes)

Over the last three decades, science has been advancing the understanding of stress—how it impacts the human body and how social standing can make a person more or less susceptible. Through studies of baboons on the plains of Africa and research in the neuroscience labs of Stanford University, scientists are discovering just how lethal stress can be. Understanding how stress works can help people figure out ways to combat it and how to live a life free of the tyranny of this contemporary plague. As Stress: Portrait of a Killer shows, stress is not just a state of mind; it’s something measurable and dangerous. A National Geographic Production. (56 minutes)

"NASP represents school psychology and supports school psychologists to enhance the learning and mental health of all children and youth."

Basic public health information on mental health

The effects of a disaster, terrorist attack, or other public health emergency can be long-lasting, and the resulting trauma can reverberate even with those not directly affected by the disaster. This page provides general strategies for promoting mental health and resilience. These strategies were developed by various organizations based on experiences in prior disasters.

"Welcome to the National Center for Health Statistics' website, a rich source of information about America's health. As the Nation's principal health statistics agency, we compile statistical information to guide actions and policies to improve the health of our people. We are a unique public resource for health information - a critical element of public health and health policy."

"DBHDD provides treatment and support services to people with mental illnesses and addictive diseases, and support to people with mental retardation and related developmental disabilities. DBHDD serves people of all ages with the most severe and likely to be long-term conditions, including consumers with forensic issues."

Board processes licensure applications and receives, investigates and adjudicates complaints issued against licensed psychologists.

The mission of NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities.

"Based in Washington, D.C., the American Psychological Association (APA) is a scientific and professional organization that represents psychology in the United States. With more than 154,000 members, APA is the largest association of psychologists worldwide."

"From its inception in 1979, NAMI has been dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. For three decades, NAMI has established itself as the most formidable grassroots mental health advocacy organization in the country. Dedication, steadfast commitment and unceasing belief in NAMI's mission by grassroots advocates have produced profound changes."

"The Center aims to help U.S. Veterans and others through research, education, and training on trauma and PTSD."

"The mission of NIMH is to transform the understanding and treatment of mental illnesses through basic and clinical research, paving the way for prevention, recovery, and cure. For the Institute to continue fulfilling this vital public health mission, it must foster innovative thinking and ensure that a full array of novel scientific perspectives are used to further discovery in the evolving science of brain, behavior, and experience."

"Find peer-reviewed journals that publish Developmental Psychology. Journal descriptions are excerpts from their websites; impact factors are from Thomson Scientific's 2007 Journal Citation Reports (higher numbers means a greater number of average citations of new papers in the following 2 years)."

"The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) mission is to reduce the impact of substance abuse and mental illness on America's communities."

"Reveals the fascinating processes involved in brain development across a lifetime. The five-part series, which premiered nationally on PBS in winter 2002, informs viewers of exciting new information in the brain sciences, introduces the foremost researchers in the field, and utilizes dynamic visual imagery and compelling human stories to help a general audience understand otherwise difficult scientific concepts."