HOUSTON - s4story -- Two Harvard trained psychiatrists have authored a practical guide to help people better understand how to deal with the growing crisis in America where more than 40 million people in the US suffer from mental health problems—yet less than half receive adequate care and treatment.

In their new book to be released in September, "Understanding Mental Illness: A Comprehensive Guide to Mental Health Disorders for Family and Friends," Dr. Carlin Barnes and Dr. Marketa Wills say that ignoring mental health illness can have devastating effects on our families and for society at large. The book is available for preorder on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

"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 very likely to lead to much more positive outcomes."

More on S For Story

• June Employment Report Reveals Hidden Weakness Beneath Lower Unemployment
• Kasinohai Audit: Most Slots Could Be Affected by Finland's Draft Gambling Rules
• Why More Phoenix Families Are Turning to Private Autopsy Services for Answers
• The Compassionate Writer Wins Silver Medal in the Independent Publisher Book Awards
• Make America French Again Launches National Campaign

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."

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, geriatric mental health and professional athletes and mental health.

"Armed with this knowledge," Dr. Barnes said, "you and your loved one can better appreciate the real struggles at hand, and as a result, seek the proper care needed."

To interview Dr. Barnes and Dr. Wills, contact Neil Foote, Ascendant Group Branding, 214.448.3765.

About the Authors

Carlin Barnes, MD, is a board-certified practicing psychiatrist and behavioral health medical director at a Fortune 500 managed care company. For the past eighteen years, she has practiced child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry. She trained in the specialty of psychiatry at programs affiliated with both Harvard University and Emory University Schools of Medicine and attended Texas A&M University College of Medicine, where she received a Doctor of Medicine degree.

More on S For Story

• RAS AP Consulting Expands AP Governance & Automation Practice and Named Finalist for Heidelberg Materials SAP Vendor & Customer Data Project
• Dr. Stewart Nozette Releases New Techno-Thriller The Day of Infamy – Space Pearl Harbor
• Prince George's County Chapter Hosts Craft Session with Deliah ("Dee") Lawrence
• Jenn Bouchard's "Palms on the Cape" Releases July 2nd
• New Children's Book Teaches Kids the Lesson Its Author Spent a Career Learning: Your Worth Doesn't Need Permission

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 executive at a Fortune 500 health insurance company. 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.