Thirty-One Days to Mental Health Awareness, One Day at a Time

NEW CANAAN, Conn., May 1, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Silver Hill Hospital, the nationally recognized psychiatric hospital, introduces a free month long public service campaign to educate the public about mental illnesses. "Thirty-One Days to Mental Health Awareness, One Day at a Time," can be found on the Silver Hill Hospital website, www.silverhillhospital.org. It is designed in small, easy to understand, daily segments for a data hungry world that is eager for expert information but has also become accustomed to the anonymity of the web.  

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"Twenty percent of Americans suffer from a diagnosable mental illness each year and yet social stigma prevents many people from getting help," says Dr. Sigurd Ackerman, President and Medical Director of Silver Hill. "To advance public education and awareness, we're presenting these complex medical conditions in layman's terms so people can recognize possible warning signs and seek proper medical care."

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. With this campaign, Silver Hill discusses one topic a day such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, addiction, suicide prevention and eating disorders and even gives advice about how things like food and nature can positively effect your mental well-being.  It will also provide the public with a comprehensive list of support groups and easy to find resources and books.

One benefit of making the content available in this format rather than a more public venue is that the Silver Hill Hospital website can be checked anonymously.  Each day it is possible to learn about mental illnesses from the privacy of their own computer or mobile device.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) reports that seventy to ninety percent of seriously mentally ill individuals can have a significant reduction in symptoms and a greatly improved quality of life with proper care.

According to Kate Mattias, Executive Director of NAMI Connecticut, "Mental illness is stigmatized because it is so misunderstood. Often people do not even know where to begin their research. Silver Hill breaks down complex topics into a few readable paragraphs should people need to delve more deeply."

Established in 1931, Silver Hill Hospital is not for profit psychiatric hospital in New Canaan, Connecticut that sees 3,000 patients each year in its inpatient, residential and outpatient programs for psychiatric and addictive disorders. Call to discuss mental illnesses, proper medical care and new treatments with Dr. Sigurd Ackerman or Kate Mattias. 

Media Contact: Elise Levine Cooper Silver Hill Hospital, 914-584-7952, [email protected]

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SOURCE Silver Hill Hospital