Evening star., 1962-12-20
MENTAL HEALTH REPORT
Community Leaders
StudyPreventive Roles
By ALTON BLAKESLEE
Asaociatad praas aeIsnre Writer

SNNNI1SV
By ALTON BLAKESLEE
Associated Press Science Writer
TOPEKA, Kans.. Dec. 20
Along the highways to th'
Menninger Foundation are
coming clergymen, business
men, doctors, lawyers, teachers,
community leaders.
They share common goal
the prevention of mental illness
with its incalculable human
suffering.
THE exciting thing is to help
people before they become ILL.,"
says DR.. william Menninger, q
big, relaxed man, who with his
brother Karl, is among the pio-
neers In psychiatric care who
have helped change State men,
tai hospitals from keepers of
the i'll to effective treatment
centerS.
Where Illness Begins
Mental illness begins or is
aggravated in the home. the
school, on the job. in many
situations. Life can begin going
sour In hundreds Of ways-for
the woman feeling useless after
her children leave home the
man failing Of his dreams {.
the child feeling inadequate to
parental expectations and de-
mands.
There are not enough psy-
chiatrists and PSYCHOLOGISTS
for troubled persons to turn ".
Many physicians give such aid,
and half the people going to
family doctors do so because
OF symptoms arising from psy-
Geological causes. Psychiatric
education Of the general physi-
clan is a major program Of the
American Psychiatric Associa-
ton.
Community leaders could be-
come a small army Of men and
women giving counsel to help
solve emotional problems.
Some already know intuitive-
ly how to advise the emotionally
troubled, says DR.. Joseph Sat-
ten, director Of the Menntnger
Foundations social psyciiatry
department. emphasizing re-
search on prevention.
Can Ease Situations
Others can be given an un-
derstanding Of some scientific
principles, the ABC's with
which to recognize problems, to
counsel people, to prevent SIT
uations from becoming worse,
to suggest helpful courses of
action in a useful way. It Is
not a matter Of trying to make
them junior psychiatrists."
The foundation exemplifies
some Of the grass roots ap-
proaches toward prevention.
A job means more besides
money, and what happens to
people ut work can powerfully
Influence mental health, ex-
plains DR.. Harry Levinson. So.
since 1856, top business execu-
tives have been coming to spe-,
cial week-long seminars to
learn what makes people tick
Why does Q top salesman fail
as q desk bound executive?
Why do seemingly successful
men turn to alcoholism, or
threaten suicide7 What infiu.
ences company morale, what
makes employees angry or frus-
trated2 What STILES creativ-
ity?
A drill press never sulks, or
objects to being transferred to
another city. but men and
their families may. BY one esti-
mate. 80 to 80 per cent of emo
tional problems seen on the Job
among employees arise in their
home life. That accident at the
plant in the morning may be
rooted IN a marital fight at
the breakfast table.
Listening Is Helpful
The objective is to teach
business leaders how to listen,
TO know how human beings
feel, DR.. Levinson adds. And,
since top men have emotions
also, how to maintain their
own balance.
One survey finds that AZ per
cent Of people turn first to
their ministers or pastors when
emotional troubles begin to
take a toll. Appropriate train
ing for future clergymen is
sponsored by the National In
stitute Of Mental Health at
Loyola University in Chicago,
Yeshiva University in New York
and at Harvard Divinity
School.
Thousands Of school children
run into serious emotional
problems. The nervous, tyran-
nical, and lackadaisical child
can be reflecting emotional and
family problems.
Or. Edward Greenwood heads
a program in which Topeka
schools, teachers. psychiatrists
and psychologists join hands in
counseling to detect troubles,
find causes and remedies. In
variably this involves volun-
tary consultations with parents,
who may unwittingly be trig-
gering the child's reactions.
Being a good parent is one
Of the most difficult tasks Of
ALL" DR.. Greenwood remarks
sympathetically. This teamwork
approach for children reaches
into elementary and junior
high schools.
Growing Old Causes Stress