The Farmville herald and farmer-leader. (Farmville, Va.) 1934-1957, 1954-03-19
DR.. Robertson, State Hygiene Leader, Says
Mental Health Is Nations Top Problem
With 1850 Hospitalizcd in Virginia
State Auxiliary
Officers Attend
Local Legion Meet

The serious problem Of mental
and emotional disorders abound
ing today was the content of the
message brougNt by Or Abner
Robert on to tn anoue. reeetng
Of the American Legion ond AUX
iliary IN the Assembly Room #
the Fagmville Baptist Church.
Tuesday night As executive direc-
/ tor Of the Virginia Association for
Mental hygiene. Dr. Robertson
spoke with authority on the in
creaSing number of people IN VIZ
punia and throughout the nation
who undergo the miser1es of a
| breakdown In mental health
| Addressing the more than so
Legion and Auxiliary members
present, Or. Robertson stated that
III town the size Of Farmyille.
/ 1t cap be estimated that around
/ 800 citizens are IN peed Of psy
I chiatric treatment and that Is
/ out OF 100 p9 sons have less acute
I emotional problems, In Richmond
! there are an estimated $4,000 who
need help. while 1880 patients
are IN Virginia mental hospitals
/ alone
Number One Problem
This problem is the nations
number one problem Everyone l
meet know few people that have
or have d mental or emotional
disturbance that require medical
treatment
According TO On. Robertson a
person is mentally healthy If he
gets along we'll with himself, with
others. if nc can adjust we'll to
his environment. and II he has a
good working relationship with
God. The Mental Health Society
aims to promote these four points
and to prevent mental and emo
tional disturbances Of which pSv-
choncuroscS ARE greatly on the
incrcase.
He pointed 70 Tive realm OF bur
man lciutionyAl1S, AZ a case in
point where many difficulties oc-
cur. Out Of every four marriages
in the United States. one ends in
divorce" he said Forty-two per
cent Of tho first marriages made
involve one member OF the couple
who is Internationally the Enl.
OF this ar, 80. terminate in
divorce Why? Dr. Robertson
stated that ii WAS because the ma
joIitv want to get away from
home, and will take marriage as
the only solution. And he added.
they want to escape from home
because the parents don't under
stand how to build good WORKING
relationships with their children. Pc
$3.50 Per Day
Or Robertson expressed his
concern over the State $ efforts
TO help such people. The present
allotment allowed mental patients
IN Virginia hospitals 10 now $3.50
treatment, medicines, etc. Virgin
Ia ranks 42nd among the "a states
in TINS problem. It is not d prob
lem that We can Turn our backs
on. II is getting worse and worse
Other problems that need The
serious attention OF all people. he
continued. are chronic alcohol
ism. which has as its basis feel
mgS OF lnadcquacy, insecurity, and
desires to escape. mentally def
cient children. who must be taught
simple SkillS With which they can
take proper place liz society.
children with pSychotic disturb
anceS, and the increasing number
OF old people who feel unWanted
and useless and whose children
avoid responsibility for their care.
Dr. Robertson called for a
greater aWareneSS and interest on
the part Of Virginia citizens He
said that the problem remains q
problem 70 great extent because
Of the stigma attached to it~--a
stigma that once also covered tn
bCrcWoSiS and cancer
Words of Greeting
Brief words of greeting were
spoken by various officials of the
local district and state organiza-
tons preceding Dr. RobcrtSon'S
address. Auxiliary out-of town
guests included Mrs Robert w.
irwin department president, Mrs.
I Patrick Mills. department vice
president. Mrs. j. r. Sheffield
chairman. department citation
committee. Mrs. Charles Levin,
I Fourth District counnttCcWoman,
and Mrs. Frank B. AkcrS, depart
u,eui secretary treasurer, Mrs
( George kelsey, OF farmyillc. Pre-
! NdeG and others Of the lark Gar
land ro1t 10 peak d fcr word
! rere " Y Gllls, tr local post
comma nder, F. \ Crawford. Dc
psrtmeut Legislative chairman
Mrs. Grace c Gordon. and Mis-
/ Anna Dickhotf.
New Auxiliary members were