1. Knowledge about the Unseen Killer
Anna Dodson
Ms. Mclean
December 4, 2013

2. Why this topic? Personally- Family History
Interest in the Brain and its complex processes
Socially- There is a negative stigma surrounding psychological disorders.
Not many people truly understand mental illness and the vastness of the problem.

3. Thesis Statement
Information and treatment for psychological disorders should be made more available to the general public because the majority of the populace is ill informed, underinsured, and inaccessible for the appropriate precautions to be taken.

4. Background Information
Patients with mental illnesses once were forced to undergo torture and other various degrading testing.
Seventeen Percent of US citizens suffer from mental illness within a given year.
Almost forty-five percent of people are affected by psychological problem at least once in a lifetime.
Legislation

5. Expansiveness of the Problem
In a given year= 17% of population at any given time…
One in five adolescents
Nearly half of the entire population…
50% Do not seek aid

6. What are the Symptoms? Guilt, Worthlessness, Apathy, Mood swings,
Confusion,
Exhaustion
Decreased Performance
Separation
Anti-Social Behavior
Over achieving
Excessive Happiness
Outrageous Ideas

7. The Stigma

8. Lack of Monetary Capabilities
Underinsured
Overly Denied
Out of Pocket Costs can reach $2,000-5,000
Insurance companies are more likely to deny someone who claims mental illness because of the extremely high costs it would take to sufficiently provide for them.
Private Insurance pays for
approximately 35%
Public Insurance covers only 19%
Homeless
Limited Coverage
85% of the homeless have psychological illnesses.
12 Days of paid treatment

9. Access Denied Long Waits Closed Door Policy… Over Capacity
“Non- Emergency”
Over
Capacity

10. Suicide
Physical Ailments
Homelessness
Violence
The Consequences

11. Conclusion
Providing more information and treatment for those with mental disorders would not only improve their own lives, but those of society as a whole because it would eliminate the negative stigma, provide more accessible facilities, and more affordable options so that all citizens could live in equality.

12. MEntor Allison Mitchell
Day Treatment Program Advisor at Long Mill Elementary School
Works hands on with students suffering from mental illness

13. Product Map of North Carolina
Represents the vastness of the problem within our own state.
Intended to make people aware of the reality of the issues.
Information was gathered from numerous websites in order to maintain accuracy.

14. Project Process Prepared me for college research.
Learned a lot about my personal learning style.
Developed and improved many skills.
Found something I am really passionate about.

15. Successes and Challenges
Writing a long paper was far easier than I had imagined.
I found research fun and enjoyable.
Challenges
Time management
Developing concrete points and conclusions from a wide rang of information.

16. Plans For the Future UNC Chapel Hill Duke University
Wake Forest University
Pursue medical degree- Pediatrician
Specialization in Neuroscience