"Oily beaches and lost livelihoods are the visible effects of the massive well leaking into the Gulf Coast.

But consequences that are harder to spot are starting to get more attention now, like the need for mental health care. On June 23, an Alabama boat captain, whose friends say he was 'despondent' over the oil spill, took his life.

And if the reaction to this spill mirrors that of the Exxon Valdez case, follow-up litigation may bring more anguish than the initial disaster. State officials across the Gulf have started pushing BP to donate money for mental health outreach."

Julie Rose reports for NPR July 8, 2010. [2]