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Janice Koenemann sought help for her
depression. She now volunteers in the day-care at Schweitzer
United Methodist Church in Springfield. |
St. John's
Behavioral Health staff share a spirit of compassion and concern for the total
well-being of each patient. Their central
purpose is an integrated treatment experience in an environment of interaction
and support.
The staff
includes licensed psychologists, clinical social workers, professional
counselors, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, certified employee assistance
professionals, teachers and mental health technicians. These professionals
provide expertise and experience in a broad range of psychological and
psychiatric areas.
Mental health disorders affect millions of US adults each year. Some disorders are mild, while others are more disabling and require intensive management and care. Consider these statistics from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH):
Mental health disorders account for four of the top 10 causes of disability in the US, and include: major depression (also called clinical depression), manic depression (also called bipolar disorder), schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.An estimated 26 percent of persons ages 18 and older - about one in five (or over 44 million) US adults - suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.
Nearly 20 million US adults ages 18 and over, will suffer from a depressive illness (major depression, bipolar disorder, or dysthymia) each year. Many of them will be unnecessarily incapacitated for weeks or months because their illness is left untreated.
One Patient's Story
Sixty-year-old Janice Koenemann, a retired nurse who lives in Springfield,
has suffered from depression on and off for about 20 years. She attributes
the onset of
her
depression to a
combination of job stress and
caring for her
terminally ill father.
A hysterectomy at 30 also contributed to her
depression, Koenemann says.
"I was out of balance both mentally and physically," she says. "I'm
single, never married, and at that time, I was a workaholic and never took time out to have any fun. I was helping my mother care for my father in
their home during his 20-year battle with Parkinson's disease.
By the time
I sought help, I felt like I was in a
fog, completely empty, hopeless and
helpless. I was also exhausted all of the time."
Click here to read the complete storyThe majority of people suffering from mental disorders can effectively return to normal, productive lives if they receive appropriate treatment - treatment which is readily available.
Please call St. John's Behavioral Health at 417-820-7447 to schedule an
appointment.
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