www.nimh.hih.gov

This web site is packed with information pertaining specifically to research in the mental health field, including both neuroscience and clinical studies. One of the main highlights of this site is the vast array of news-related material. There is "Breaking News" that reports the latest information on policies and research. Specific sites are geared for the public, practitioners, or researchers and include such things as fact sheets on one of many disorders, statistics, educational materials, and reports on specific topics related to mental health. There is also data on workshops and conferences to attend, as well as information on grants, career development sites, and training opportunities.

The IJPA web site allows you to view the latest issues on-line as well as have access to the archives. There are six issues released a year and on-line subscription is available. As would be expected from the title, this journal 'regularly publishes extensive contributions by authors throughout the world.' Papers by Joseph Sandler are among those featured regularly. Viewers may join discussion groups or become a member of the book club and receive great discounts. Also included in this site are abstracts of future papers, book reviews, and a message board.

www.nami.org

The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI), is a, "self-help and family advocacy organization solely dedicated to improving the lives of people with severe mental illnesses". This extensive web site provides information on a variety of topics. General and specific information on mental illness and the NAMI organization is available, including legislation issues, research, news, medical articles, and fact sheets. Book reviews are on-line and a bookstore to order pamphlets or books on a variety of topics. One may find NAMI affiliates in any state, receive information about the 5-year nationwide Campaign to End Discrimination, the Family Education Program, or the volunteer assisted Helpline that is available for Information, Referrals, or Support (but not counseling, legal or medical advice, or referrals to a professional).

www.schizophrenia.com

Formerly NAMI/FAMI, this organization's new name is NAMI/NYC. They consist of "family members, or people with, neurobiological disorders ("NBD", formerly known as 'mental' illnesses)" who seek to help other families who are affected by a mental illness. Information is available on disorders such as schizophrenia, depression, bi-polar, borderline and OCD. The main categories of information are Diagnosis, Medicines and Treatment, Rehabilitation and Day Treatment, Coping and Managing Tips, First Person Accounts and Advice, Policy and Advocacy Papers, and Research.

www.human-nature.com

The Online Dictionary of Mental Health is "a global information resource and research tool, compiled by Internet mental health resource users for Internet mental health resource users covering all of the disciplines contributing to our understanding of mental health." Instead of definitions, "there are links to many sites offering different viewpoints on issues in mental health, which are accessible using A-Z links, or a subject index." Also of interest is a Mental Health Search Engine that "provides the facility to search over one hundred other major sources of mental health information, including many organizations which do not have search engines on their own web sites." This useful site also includes a list of bestseller mental health books, a link to Amazon.com, and discussion/debates on such topics as the validity of psychoanalysis.