According to the June 7th issue of the Wall Street Journal, more Americans are seeking treatment for mental illnesses than ever before, but most of them fail to get adequate care, according to a major new government study.

In the once-a-decade report funded by the National Institutes of Health(NIH), researchers found that one-quarter of Americans had a psychiatric disorder in the year prior to the survey, and 40% of them sought treatment, up from just 25% who sought treatment in the previous report a decade ago.

The NIH finding was that only one-third of affected people received even "minimally adequate" care -- which was defined by the researchers as getting at least two months of appropriate medication and seeing a doctor at least four times, or undergoing at least eight psychotherapy sessions of 30 minutes or more. Also notable was that just 12% of patients who saw a general practitioner got adequate care compared to nearly half of those who see a psychiatrist or other specialist.

Do yourself a favor, and make an appointment with a psychiatrist. If you don't get the right diagnosis, you won't get the correct treatment.

Many patients do not get adequate relief from anti-depressants. Within the next few weeks, the FDA is exected to approve the first ever long term treatment-option for chronic or recurrent treatment-resistant depression: vagus nerve stimulation.

For additional information, visit www.VagusNerveStimulator.com. There is a free electronic newsletter to keep you up-to-date on the latest developments. Learn more how this therapy can bring genuine happiness and joy to your life. Also available on the site is the book Out of the Black Hole: The Patient's Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression. Do yourself a favor and become fully educated about this remarkable device. It could change your life.

Charles Donovan was a patient in the FDA investigational trial of vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for chronic or recurrent treatment-resistant depression. He was implanted with the vagus nerve stimulator in April of 2001. He chronicles his journey from the grips of depression thanks to vagus nerve stimulation therapy in his book:

Out of the Black Hole: The Patient's Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression

The book was exhibited at the American Psychiatric Association's Annual Meeting, May 21st-May 26th in Atlanta, GA. This was the largest gathering of psychiatrists in the world( 25,000 attendees).

He is the founder of the http://www.VagusNerveStimulator.com Web Site