Joel Michael Singer Neuro Doctor
                     Why 
Mental  
Health  
Matters
Content  
Synopsis
OVERVIEW OF KEY IDEAS BY 
 JOEL MICHAEL SINGER
Common Disorders  
Mental Health Myths
Feeling Depressed vs. Feeling Blue 
 Self-harm vs. Suicide
CARRYING A GREAT WEIGHT
Mental pain is less  
dramatic than 
physical  pain, but it 
is more  common and 
also  harder to bear.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety is a normal emotion. It’s your brain’s way of reacting to 
 stress and alerting you of potential danger ahead.
Mood disorders
Common If you have a mood disorder, your general emotional state or mood is 
 distorted or inconsistent with your circumstances and interferes 
 with  your ability to function.
Disorders 
 by Joel  
Michael  
Singer
80
Mental Illness
60
Among 
Adults 40
Mental disorders are a diverse group of conditions that 
 primarily impair cognition, emotion, and behavioral  20
control; occur early in life; and have a high aggregate  
prevalence in all countries
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Item 1 Item 2 Item 3 Item 4
Importance 
of  Mental 
Health
RELATION TO OVERALL HEALTH
Normally the body's natural defenses and good oral health care,  
such as daily brushing and flossing, keep bacteria under control.  
However, without proper oral hygiene, bacteria can reach levels that 
 might lead to oral infections, such as tooth decay and gum disease.
People with mental health issues are violent.
Mental  An ongoing problem in the scientific literature is that studies have  
used different methods to assess rates of violence — both in 
Health  people  with mental illness and in control groups used for comparison.
Myths 
Taking a pill cures mental health problems.
by  Medications for mental illness are generally safe and effective when  used as prescribed. As with any medication, however, side effects  
may occur. Research shows that medications like antipsychotics,  
Joel  lithium and antidepressants can actually protect brain cells from  
damage caused by brain illnesses like schizophrenia and bipolar  
disorder.
Michael  
Singer
Feeling Depressed 
vs.  Feeling Blue
Depression Sadness
It’s important to realize that feeling down at times is a  Sadness and depression share some traits but are not 
normal part of life. Sad and upsetting events happen the  same. Understanding the difference is important 
to  everyone. But, if you’re feeling down or hopeless on since  clinical depression requires treatment.
a  regular basis, you could be dealing with depression.
SELF-H ARM
Nonsuicidal self-injury, often simply called  
self-injury, is the act of deliberately harming 
 your own body, such as cutting or burning  
yourself. It's typically not meant as a suicide 
 attempt. Rather, this type of self-injury is a  
harmful way to cope with emotional pain,  
intense anger and frustration.
SUICIDE
If you suspect that a family member or 
friend  may be considering suicide, talk to 
them  about your concerns. You can begin 
the  conversation by asking questions in a 
non-  judgmental and non-confrontational 
way.