Related NIMH Brochures

The following brochures, giving more detailed information on various anxiety disorders and related topics, are available by contacting: NIMH, Room 7C-02, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20857-8030.

Understanding Panic Disorder
(NIH Pub. No. 93-3482)

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
(NIH Pub. No. 94-3755)

Medications (DHHS Pub. No. (ADM) 92-1509)

Plain Talk About Depression
(NIH Pub. No. 94-3561)

Message From The National Institute Of Mental Health

The year 1996 marked the fiftieth anniversary of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). Throughout the past 50 years, the results of research supported by the Institute have brought new hope to millions of people who suffer from mental illness and to their families and friends. In work with animals as well as human participants, researchers have advanced our understanding of the brain and vastly expanded the capability of mental health professionals to diagnose, treat, and prevent mental and brain disorders.

During this last decade of the twentieth century--designated "The Decade of the Brain" by the U.S. Congress-- knowledge of brain function has exploded. Research is yielding information about the causes of mental disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. With this knowledge, scientists are developing new therapies to help more people overcome mental illness.

The National Institute of Mental Health is part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Federal Government's primary agency for biomedical and behavioral research. NIH is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Acknowledgments

This brochure was written by Marilyn Dickey, a freelance writer in Washington, DC. Scientific information and review was provided by NIMH staff members Hagop Akiskal, M.D.; Jack Maser, Ph.D.; Barry Wolfe, Ph.D.; and Susan Solomon, Ph.D. Also providing review and assistance were Jim Broatch, M.S.W., OC Foundation; Stephen Cox, M.D., National Anxiety Foundation; Jack Gorman, M.D., Columbia University; Alec Pollard, Ph.D., St. Louis University; Jerilyn Ross, M.A., L.I.C.S.W., Anxiety Disorders Association of America; and Sally Winston, Psy.D., Anxiety and Stress Disorders Institute of Maryland. Editorial direction was provided by Lynn J. Cave, NIMH.

All material in this publication is free of copyright restrictions and may be copied, reproduced, or duplicated without permission of the Institute; citation of the source is appreciated.

National Institutes of Health
National Institute of Mental Health

NIH Publication No. 95-3879
Printed 1994, Reprinted 1995

Bulk sales (Stock No. 017-024-01541-5) by the U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, Mail Stop: SSOP, Washington, DC 20402-9328.