Treating Mental Health Disorders
Mental health consists of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. Mental health also determines how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. By addressing mental health issues, we can realize our potential, and live lives with purpose and meaning.
Anxiety
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​​​​​​First, we should say that anxiety is not always a disorder. Non-pathological anxiety is an unpleasant emotion which signals a person to be careful. In contrast, pathological anxiety acts like a bully and often can lead to inhibitions that restrict a person's ability to live life freely. The inhibitions related to anxiety disorders are often insidious, with patients often lacking insight and mistaking the inhibition as a preference not to partake in certain activities.
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According to data from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH):
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About 19.1% of U.S. adults experience an anxiety disorder each year, which is nearly 1 in 5 adults.
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Over a lifetime, about 31.1% of adults in the U.S. will experience some form of anxiety disorder.
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Anxiety disorders are more common in women than in men, with women being about 60% more likely to be affected.
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Treatment Options
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While there is a spectrum of anxiety problems, from panic disorder to OCD, treatment usually involves a combination of medications and counseling.
Depression
What is depression?
Depression is a mental health disorder characterized by a persistent low mood or loss of interest in activities often with significant impairment in daily life. Causes include a combination of biological, psychological, and social stressors. In any given case the respective weight of these dimensions may vary.
Types of Depression
There are many different types of depression. One common but confounding type of depression is bipolar depression. While not inherently more severe or difficult to treat than other types of depression, its treatment is different as standard antidepressants often fail to help a patient achieve stability. Complicating our assessment of someone who appears depressed is that sadness and grief, though very painful, are not pathological and can be a normal response to challenges in life.
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Prevalence in Adults:
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About 8.4% of U.S. adults experienced a major depressive episode in 2020, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). This translates to approximately 21 million adults.
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Women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression than men, with 10.5% of women experiencing major depression in a year compared to 6.2% of men.
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Depression tends to be more prevalent among adults aged 18-25, affecting 17% of this age group.​
Treatment Options
The mainstay of treatment is usually a combination of medication and talk therapy. Medications to treat depression have been around for decades, however, exciting new treatments are emerging which may revamp theories on depression's biological causes. Ketamine, for example, has recently been given FDA approval to treat severe depression. Ketamine not only has a novel and strong biological effect, but also offers the promise of enhancing one's counseling due to its quasi-hypnotic qualities.
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Counseling as part of the treatment approach often involves facing loss: actively seeking alternatives for a loss, or creatively finding ways to accept that which cannot be changed. The latter is closely related to what we call mourning.
Bipolar Disorder
What is Bipolar Disorder?
Bipolar Disorder is a diagnosis that relates to individuals who have stormy moods. The condition is characterized by a spectrum of severity, from individuals with mood swings on one end, to classic manic depression on the other. The majority of patients are on the less severe end of the spectrum.
Bipolar depression is not uncommon and does not necessarily reflect more impairment than other types of depression. A problem is that many people with bipolar disorder initially present to their doctors with initial complaints of feeling depressed. When misdiagnosed they are often given multiple antidepressants with poor results. Bipolar patients require specialized treatment.
The exact cause of bipolar disorder isn’t known but a combination of genetics, environment, and altered brain structure and chemistry may play a role. Manic episodes may include symptoms such as high energy, and reduced need for sleep. Severe episodes that are less common can involve a loss of touch with reality.
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Treatment Options
Bipolar disorder is quite treatable but there are a lot of subtleties to its pharmacologic treatment, so that referral to a specialist is often a good option if the condition is suspected.
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Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
What is PTSD?
Post Traumatic Stress is condition in which a person has difficulty recovering after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event or overwhelming event.
The condition may last months or years. Triggers can unexpectedly bring back memories of the trauma accompanied by intense emotional and physical reactions.
Symptoms may include nightmares or unwanted memories of the trauma, avoidance of situations that bring back memories of the trauma, heightened reactions to stress, anxiety, or depressed mood.
Treatment includes counseling with an experienced therapist as well as the possible use of medications to manage symptoms.
Treatment Options
Treatment typically includes working with an experienced therapist as well as the possibility of medications to manage symptoms.
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Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
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What is ADHD?
ADHD is lifelong condition characterized by attentional problems, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness.
ADHD often begins in childhood and can persist into adulthood. It may contribute to low self-esteem, troubled relationships, and difficulty at school or work.
Symptoms include limited attention and hyperactivity.
Types of ADHD
ADHD, combined type is the most common type of ADHD. It is characterized by impulsive and hyperactive behaviors as well as inattention and distractibility.
ADHD, impulsive/hyperactive type. This, the least common type of ADHD and is characterized by impulsive and hyperactive behaviors without inattention and distractibility.
ADHD, inattentive and distractible type. This type of ADHD is characterized predominately by inattention and distractibility without hyperactivity.
Treatment Options
Treatments include medication and talk therapy. Stimulants are the best-known and most widely used ADHD medications.