Mental health care is a common issue that has probably affected someone in your life. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, one in four Americans has a mental health issue. Mental health care issues include many different disorders, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, substance abuse problems and eating disorders. Doctors, therapists and other alternative practitioners treat these patients on both an inpatient and outpatient basis.
Causes
Like all medical problems, mental health problems have biological, psychological and environmental causes. Mental health problems are not a choice and patients do not suffer from them because they want to or are lazy. Effective care for mental health patients is extremely individualized, so treatments that work well for one person may not work as well for another.
Less Severe Conditions
Some patients with less severe mental health issues are able to resolve them through therapy and lifestyle changes, such as reducing substance use, exercising and eating healthier. However, these kinds of treatments cannot help everyone with mental health issues.
Medication
Patients who don't or are unlikely to respond to therapy are usually prescribed medication. Patients suffering from anxiety and depression may be able to achieve remission by taking one medication. Those with depression and anxiety who do not respond to a single medication may have better results when multiple medications. Although medication is often helpful, it can worsen symptoms in some individuals, and at times in some people medication can cause suicidal thoughts and thoughts about inflicting self-harm. Patients experiencing these severe side effects should contact their doctors immediately. Other less severe side effect of prescription drugs include digestive problems and fatigue.
Patients with more severe mental health disorders such as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are usually treated with multiple medications.
Medication Efficacy
How quickly a medication may help a patient varies, depending on the medication and the disorder being treated. Prescription drugs for anxiety and depression can begin to work within two to four weeks, but sometimes it may take as long as six to eight weeks for the drugs to take full effect. The same is true for many of the medications prescribed for other mental health disorders.
When patients do not respond to medication they may be treated with electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) or vagus nerve stimulation.
Seek Treatment as Soon as Possible
In situations when patients are unable to care for themselves or are a threat to themselves or others, they may be treated on an inpatient basis at a mental health facility or the psychiatric ward of a hospital.
Mental health problem are most likely to achieve remission when they are treated immediately. If you believe you are suffering from a mental health issue, make an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible.
Tags: mental health, mental health, they treated, treated with, achieve remission