Mental Illness Considerations and Treatments
Telemedicine. It’s an important part of getting help and a new way of treating patients who have a mental illness. Telemedicine helps in numerous ways. A person might get anxiety from having to see someone in person. A person might just have a busy schedule. But telemedicine also helps in areas where there aren’t many providers. Telemedicine helps in rural areas.
There are many signs that a person may have mental issues. They may be sad all the time, unable to move, with a sense of lethargy, a lack of motivation, and a lack of energy. They may be doing things repeatedly, over and over, without much sense of meaning. They may be high in the sky or abusing substances.
According to recent statistics, mental illness affects one in five Americans. The most common mental illness is anxiety, though depression affects a high percentage of the population as well. There are many reasons for this, including a diagnosing of a great number of people, but there are other considerations as well.
Mental illness affects tens of millions of Americans and it is becoming part of the national conversation. Most people would say that mental illness is a physical illness, treatable through psychiatric medication. But many would say that therapy plays a role and that having the right therapist can benefit someone as well.
The statistics tend to show that the best outcomes for people living with mental illness involve a combination of therapy and medication. Medication can be used as a stabilizing agent sometimes, while therapy focuses on getting a person better through better decisions, better thought patterns, better actions, better home life, and more.
There are some statistics about mental health that are worth covering in this article. Many of them show the prevalence of depression and anxiety within the general population. Others show the presence of substance use disorder, which was formerly known as addiction. There are others as well and they are illuminating. They are:
- Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States.
- 53% of adults have reported that at least one of their close relatives has a drinking problem.
- In 2015, an estimated 21,000 adolescents had used heroin in the past year, and an estimated 5,000 were current heroin users.
- Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the US, with 52,404 lethal drug overdoses in 2015.
- Delirium tremens is a life-threatening condition that involves sudden and severe mental or nervous system changes. The condition usually develops within 48 to 96 hours after the last drink.
- Over 80% of depressed individuals do not seek out professional help.
These statistics are mostly about drinking and addiction issues but they also touch on depression and anxiety as well. Overall, people are seeking treatment at a larger rate than in the past, as the stigma around mental illness has been reduced. This is important for many people looking to seek help, as it is more “accepted” to do so.
There are some terms that are worth noting in this article as well. Some of the are acronyms but in general they are illuminating for this article. They are addiction to alcohol, ADHD and insomnia, ADHD and insomnia Fort Lauderdale, adult ADD treatment, adults with ADD, alcohol detox center, alcohol detox centers, alcoholism medications, and more.
When a person is suffering from mental illness, sometimes they will seek treatment in a more intensive setting. This is usually the case for someone who is suffering from suicidal thoughts, violent ideations, or persistent psychosis. A person might go to a “mental hospital” which is a place where the doctors keep a patient in until they can be released.
A person might also be treated with any number of different therapies. Therapies include cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavioral therapy, family therapy, eye movement therapy, and other forms of therapy. There are even therapies like hypno-therapy, which is supposed to help with addictions, and other forms of therapy.
A person might also be treated with psychiatric medication, such as mood stabilizers, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medication, and other forms of medication. These medications can be helpful but they can also have damaging side effects. The side effects can include sexual dysfunction issues. There are other issues as well.