Book Nook: Understanding Mental Illness - A Comprehensive Guide to Mental Health Disorders for Family and Friends

 We are living in stressful times.  From social unrest to an ongoing global pandemic, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues are on the rise.  Two Harvard trained psychiatrists have authored a practical guide to help people better understand how to deal with the growing mental health crisis we are facing in America.   In their book, Understanding Mental Illness: A Comprehensive Guide to Mental Health Disorders for Family and Friends, Dr. Carlin Barnes and Dr. Marketa Wills have provided an easy-to-understand guide to explaining mental illness in a conversational way for all readers. 

According to Census Bureau data from last year, a third of Americans are showing signs of clinical anxiety or depression. Yet many do not get needed or adequate treatment.  According to Drs. Barnes and Wills ignoring mental health illness can have devastating effects on our families and for society at large.

“Many people living with mental illness go untreated, and as a result, people with untreated mental illnesses make up one third of the nation’s homeless population and can be imprisoned,” said Dr. Wills.  “Study after study has shown that the longer one waits to begin treatment, the greater the severity of the mental illness, and the more difficult it may be to effectively treat. Conversely, early treatment is highly likely to lead to much more positive outcomes.”

Even in the 21st century with the most advanced medical care in the world, social stigma still surrounds psychiatric problems, and this, combined with a lack of understanding, perpetuates a national mental health crisis affecting those in need and their families. To meet these challenges, Dr. Barnes and Dr. Wills wrote Understanding Mental Illness to educate and help everyone better understand and deal with mental health issues. Each chapter offers insights and wisdom concerning a variety of psychiatric conditions, including:
•    Mood disorders
•    Anxiety disorders
•    Substance abuse issues
•    Eating disorders
•    Women’s mental health issues
•    Suicide in America
•    Geriatric mental health

Dr. Barnes adds, “Knowledge is power. Being aware and informed is the first step in helping a loved one or family member get the proper treatment they need to begin the road to recovery and emotional wellness.  Armed with the knowledge of clear and factual information, you will be able to begin the process of helping your loved one. Change will not happen overnight; recovery is a process that is a different journey for each person.”

2021 will see a continuation of mental health issues affect most Americans.  With concerns ranging from homelessness, food insecurity and health, Understanding Mental Illness is the must-read to help us navigate through the rough times ahead.

Dr. Carlin Barnes and Dr. Marketa Wills are the co-founders of Healthy Mind MDs, LLC – a wellness enterprise whose sole mission is to improve the emotional and mental well-being of all Americans.  

“Dr. Carlin Barnes and Dr. Marketa Wills have delivered a well needed resource! This book will help family and friends who struggle with loved ones suffering from mental illness. They have managed to take extremely complicated psychological concepts and deliver them in ways anyone can understand. This book is a real step forward in explaining how many people we care about can suffer from life-altering mental illnesses. It allows us to better understand and support the people we care about, but who struggle with mental illness.”
—Thomas Kerrihard, MD, practicing psychiatrist

Carlin Barnes, M.D. is a double Board certified and licensed child, adolescent and adult psychiatrist.  For the past twenty years, she has practiced child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry while delivering quality, compassionate, and excellent clinical care in a variety of settings.  She is the owner of and psychiatrist at a thriving, diverse boutique private practice located in Houston, Texas.  Dr. Barnes has previous experience as a physician executive and medical director at a Fortune 100 managed care company.  She is the co-founder and co-owner of Healthy Mind MDs, LLC.  Dr. Barnes earned her medical degree from Texas A&M Health Sciences Center.  She completed a residency in adult psychiatry at Harvard’s The Cambridge Health Alliance.  She completed a child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Emory University School of Medicine where she served as Chief Resident.   She has received several accolades and awards which highlight her commitment to clinical excellence and dedication to the field of psychiatry.  She is most passionate about delivering culturally sensitive and quality mental health care to special populations.  She is a member of several professional and civic organizations including The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.  In her free time, she enjoys traveling, Zumba, and spending time with her son, Ryan. 

Marketa Wills, MD, is a board-certified psychiatrist with a master’s in business administration from the Wharton School of Business and serves as a physician leader in a provider-led managed care organization. She currently sees patients in the student health setting. Dr. Wills earned her medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and completed a residency in adult psychiatry at Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital program. In her last year of the program, she served as chief resident. She has received numerous accolades and awards highlighting her clinical and community achievements. Originally from Dayton, Ohio, she currently resides in sunny Tampa, Florida. Her passions include travel, community service and the arts.

The doctors have been featured in numerous articles, posts and interviews such as GoodHousekeeping.com, Goop.com, CBS News Radio and CBS Morning Saturday. To learn more visit https://healthymindmds.com/