Treatments for Mental Illness

The good news is mental illnesses can be treated. The correct treatment plan can help a person's condition to improve or even recover completely.

There are various different treatments options available for mental illness. They often involve a combination of approaches, which may be offered by different professionals. A person may receive medication from a doctor – either a general practitioner or a psychiatrist – and may find additional help by utilizing one of the psychological, "talking" therapies.

Who should I turn to for treatment of mental illness?

Some of the professionals involved in the treatment of mental health problems include:

• General practitioners – can make an assessment and prepare a plan to help a person get treatment and support. They determine if the symptoms are the result of an underlying physical illness, a side effect of a medication, or a normal reaction to current life circumstances. If the symptoms are part of a mental illness, general practitioners may perscribe medication and/or provide a referral to a specialist. They also ensure that a person with a mental illness maintains good physical health, even if the mental illness is being treated elsewhere.
• Psychiatrists – are medical doctors with specialized training in how to diagnose and treat mental illness. They work in hospitals, community mental health centers, and also in private practice. Psychiatrists are able to prescribe and monitor medications, and can also offer psychological therapy themselves or though Psychologists and other therapists.
• Psychologists and other therapists – are professionals who specialise in counseling and interpersonal therapies. Some psychologists undertake extra training to become specialist clinical psychologists. Some hold PhDs and are thus called doctor, but they are not medical doctors, so they do not prescribe medications. Psychologists work in both community health centers and in private practice.

What type of medications can help mental disorders?

Medications are mainly helpful for people who are more seriously affected by mental illness. However, for some people, medication is a short-term solution used to help them over an immediate crisis.

Different types of medication treat different types of mental illness:

• Antidepressant medications – about 60 to 70 per cent of people with depression respond to initial antidepressant treatment. These medications are now also used (in combination with psychological therapies) to treat phobias, panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and eating disorders.
• Antipsychotic medications – are used to treat psychotic illnesses (for example, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder). Most people who take these medications can live normal lives at home, rather than spending many years in a psychiatric hospital. The newer medications have fewer side effects (for example, stiffening and weakening of the muscles and muscle spasms) than the traditional antipsychotic medications.
• Mood stabilizing medications – are helpful for people who have bipolar disorder (previously known as manic depression). Lithium carbonate can help reduce the manic or "high" episodes. and the recurrence of major depression.
• Antianxiety medications – can be used on a short-term basis for accute attacks of anxiety.

What psychological treatments are for mental illness?

"Talking" treatments, or psychological therapies, try to help people understand the basis of their problem, and how they can overcome it. Psychotherapy is effective for a range of mental health problems, and can be combined with other forms of therapy, such as medications.

Psychological therapies used in the treatment of mental illness include:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) – is based on the idea that the way a person feels and behaves depends on how they think about and interpret experiences. CBT helps uncover negative thinking patterns and develop alternative ways of thinking and acting often reducing stress and improving coping abilities and self esteem. Therapy usually includes tasks to perform outside the therapy sessions. Depression, biploar and anxiety disorders, as well as schizophrenia can be treated with CBT.

• Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) – examines how a person's relationships and interactions with others affect their own thoughts and behaviors. Relationships with underlying problems can cause stress and improving these relationships can improve a person's quality of life. Problems often include unresolved grief, role dispute (one spouse want to be a stay-at-home parent, other wants them to be the breadwinner), social role transitions (going from worker to retiree), and difficulty communicating with others. IPT is a useful treatment for depression.
• Counseling – lets a person discuss their difficulties on a one-to-one basis with a professional. The counselor will listen, provide support, help problem solve, and may offer advice on how to deal with their difficulties in a practical way. Counseling is appropriate for treating milder forms of depression and anxiety disorders.
• Psychoanalysis – is somewhat similar to counseling in that it involves one-to-one communication with a professional, but it is much more intensive. A psychoanalyst will encourage you to explore your feelings in depth, particularly in relation to how these feelings relate to experiences you have had early in your life. Psychoanalysis is very often a long-term treatment.
• Group therapy – is when people who share a common problem such as self-harm, substance abuse or social anxiety disorder (excessive shyness), work together in small groups to resolve their difficulties in a supportive environment under the guidance of a professional.
• Dialectical behavior therapy – is a treatment for people with borderline personality disorder (BPD). A key problem for people with BPD is handling emotions. This therapy helps people to better manage their emotions and responses.

Are there other forms of treatment for mental illness?

Effective treatment of mental illness may go beyond medication and psychological theraphy to include:

• Community support – including information, accommodation, help with finding suitable work, training and education, psychosocial rehabilitation and mutual support groups. Understanding and acceptance by the community is very important.
• Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) – is a highly effective treatment for severe depression that is resistant to other treatments. After a person consents to the treatment, they are given a general anaesthetic and muscle relaxant, and an electrical current is passed through their brain.
• Hospitalization – is only required when a person is very ill and needs intense treatment and/or supervision for a short period of time (few weeks).
• Alternative therapy – can include art, music, water or play therapy, massage and biofeedback.