Mood Disorders Websites. Reviewed & Critiqued by. Kyle Sprouse. Spring

Transcription

1 Mood Disorders Websites Reviewed & Critiqued by Kyle Sprouse Spring Mental Health America. (2011). Mood disorders. Retrieved from: Mental Health America claims to be the oldest and largest nonprofit organization that addresses mental health. The site offers a great deal of information for people with mood disorders, including help lines, information about mental health, the staff, and many other resources available for use. The quality of the website is very high, and it is extremely easy to navigate. The simplicity of the pages makes it a viable option for people of all ages, because it is not too technologically advanced for the average computer user. There is information on Bipolar I and II, Depression, and Seasonal Affective Disorder. This is the one area I have for concern, because the website does not address Dysthymia, Cyclothymia, or manic episodes. The help line information is extremely valuable. There are listings for support groups, inpatient locations, how to pay for treatment, etc. When examining the pages for professionalism, it is clear that this website is run by a well-managed company. All of the pages are functioning, and the information is rich but not overwhelming. It is also important to note that Mental Health America uses the correct speech for addressing people with mental disorders. This is also the only website I could find that addressed other languages (Spanish). While it still leaves out many languages, it is a start when addressing multicultural concerns.

2 2. U.S. Public Health Service. (Date Not Given). Mental health: A report of the surgeon general. Retrieved from: The next website comes from the United State s Surgeon General. In this report, the topic of mental health is addressed in multiple chapters, which are easy to navigate using the left tab. Mood disorders are easy to find for anyone navigating the site because it is listed in large, bold letters. Under the mood disorder heading are bullets for the different types of mood disorders. By clicking these bullets, the page is automatically centered on the topic chosen so the user does not have to scroll down the page in search for the heading they want to read. Due to the fact that the information comes from the Surgeon General, it is very professional, but almost too professional for the average person to interpret. With the background knowledge that I now have on mood disorders, I am able to say the information is very accurate, but much too wordy. It could be said in much simpler terms for all to understand. While the site does include all types of mood disorders, it does not offer the same support as the previous site. The information listed under treatment simply states what some of the options are, but does not give any contact information to these resources. 3. Psyweb. (2011). Mental health resources, support, and information. Retrieved from: The next website examined is called PsyWeb.com. The first reaction to this website was that it was very difficult to navigate because of the extreme clutter. There are videos, advertisements, links, highlighted words, etc., all over the page. I give this site a very poor

3 rating for quality and simplicity. The text is very short to make room for all of the advertisements, which seem to be predominately pharmacology ads for different drugs that attempt to treat mental illnesses. The list for psychopharmacology goes one for nearly an entire page, which is another reason the actual information about mood disorders gets cut off. There are links to more information about all of the types of mood disorders, which contain high quality information, basically straight out of the DSM. This page does not have poor information, it just lacks the simplicity and clarity that the other websites have. The support options for this website are very strong once they are found (at the bottom of the page to the left side tab). It lists different groups to contact, books for more information, and online therapy/counseling. I was unable to gather more information on the online therapy and counseling, but this makes me a little suspicious. It is essential a blog spot for people to post their problems and wait for a reply. As a counselor, I feel the need for social interaction and visual emotional response is just as important as the information that comes back from questions. 4. AllPsych Online (2004). The virtual psychology classroom: Mood disorders. Retrieved from: AllPsych Online is an extremely well organized website with information that matches the DSM-IV very well. The main page of the mood disorders lists all of the types of mood disorders in plain sight, making it easy for all users of the site to find the disorder they would like to read about. Once a disorder is selected, the information is presented in a very well arranged order: etiology, symptoms, treatment, and prognosis. The information is written in simple terminology, making it easier than the Surgeon General s page to comprehend. The appearance

4 of the website is very professional, with simple font and bold headings that make it easy to navigate. There are small advertisements on the right hand side, but they are very small and do not distract users from the main text. The major downfall of this website is in the area of support. There are no help lines or resources given to the viewers of the page, only the information about all of the different types of mood disorders. I would highly recommend this site had it addressed the area of support, but in the end, finding support is one of the most important things for people dealing with mental disorders, especially mood disorders. 5. National Youth Network. (Date Not Given). Mood disorders, bipolar disorders, and teenage depression. Retrieved from: This website addresses parents dealing with a son or daughter who may have a mood disorder. The information is clearly presented and is easy to find. Advertisements and pictures do not surround the font, so there is a nice flow to the site. The tabs on the left hand side make it easy to find the pages in need. It is my understanding that there is a religious undertone to the website, but this is not overwhelming. The site offers accurate statistics (which are cited) about the prevalence of mood disorders in America s teens. The site goes on to list symptoms, treatment available, and other resources similar to the other pages. What makes this site different are the alternative options to the normal treatment. There are day camps such as a wilderness camp in which teens receive counseling while exploring nature. There are camps that work outpatient treatment in with the standard camp activities.

5 Where I grow uncertain about this website is the boarding school options. There is an option that would send the teenager who is dealing with a mood disorder to a rigorous boarding school to help them get back on track. The information listed sounds like it would be a positive experience for teens that are defiant or disobedient, but I am unsure the benefits of rigorous course work for a teen dealing with depression or bipolar disorder. Because of this, I question the professionalism of this website.