A recent government sponsored study reported that half of the American population experiences mental illness at some point in their lives. People are framing their comments to this in several different ways. I wondered how many opinion writers and bloggers would be shocked at a report that said half of us had do see a doctor for physical illness.
Washington, D.C. Clinical psychiatrist Patricia Dalton had this to say about technolgy's impact on us and what we might do about it:
I'm well aware of the argument that these rates must be exaggerated, but as a clinical psychologist, there is no doubt in my mind that there has been a real increase in the number of mood and anxiety disorders during the 20-plus years I have been in practice.
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Ever since the first electric bulb shed artificial light, we have been detaching ourselves from our natural rhythms. Business travelers cross time zones and go right back to work; adults extend their hours by bringing work home with them; teenagers contact their friends anywhere at any time of the day or night. Until, that is, they end up in therapists' offices having been stopped in their tracks by physical or psychological dysfunction. Many blame themselves when things go wrong. They minimize the impact of our super-charged environment on their psychological well-being.It's hard to believe that not long ago, most people actually went to bed when the sun went down and got up when the sun came up. They were born, lived and died within short distances of their childhood homes. They communicated face to face most of the time, or else by letter or telegram. They gathered frequently at home, in places of worship and in civic organizations.
So, put away your Blackberry, turn off your computer and read a novel, watch a film, go to church, or join a civic organization. If you are interested in Kiwanis, let me know.
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