1974: Battling mental illness, Anne Sexton commits suicide.

Today: More than 30,000 people commit suicide in the United States.

1974: Although drugs are sometimes prescribed for depression, psychotherapy remains a popular form of treatment.

Today: Prescription drugs such as Prozac, Paxil, and Zoloft are advertised on television and routinely used to treat depression and other forms of mood disorder.

1974: Publishing heiress Patty Hearst is kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army, a left-wing underground organization dedicated to the overthrow of the United States government.

Today: Sara Jane Olson, an alleged former member of the Symbionese Liberation Army, is arrested on a federal fugitive warrant that identified her as a member of the SLA who was wanted on charges of plotting to kill Los Angeles police officers by placing explosives under their patrol cars.

1974: The average life expectancy for Americans is 72 years. For males it is 68.2, for females 75.9.

Today...