I Need Help – Struggling With Mental Health Conditions

Struggling With Mental Illness

Too often, people who struggle with a mental illness resist getting the help they so desperately need. This may be due to the perceived stigma attached to mental health disorders, creating a huge barrier for someone to overcome in order to get needed treatment. Some who suffer may not know if they have health insurance coverage for psychological services, and simply don’t inquire. Still others have no idea where to even begin to locate the right treatment for their particular mental health issue.

Thankfully, there are resources available that offer free treatment locator services that are aligned with the individual’s specific mental health condition and resources. Once the severity of the illness is determined, usually through a psychological assessment tool, the individual will be guided toward an inpatient or outpatient treatment center that specializes in that mental health disorder.

I Need Help With Depression

Some one who needs help with depression may have been suffering for months or even years before getting to the point of seeking treatment. Depression can be completely debilitating, affecting about 16 million Americans each year. Symptoms of depression include:

• Persistent feelings of despair, worthlessness, or hopelessness
• Extreme fatigue
• Changes in sleep habits
• Loss of interest in participating in events or activities once enjoyed
• Changes in appetite or weight
• Substance abuse
• Difficulty concentrating
• Thoughts of death or suicide

Treatment for depression will involve antidepressant drug therapy and psychotherapy. There are also alternative treatments available, such as TMS therapy and holistic therapies.

I Need Help With Anxiety

Anxiety has the power to keep a person trapped in their fears, unable to face the world. Anxiety presents in many forms, such as social anxiety, PTSD, phobias, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety, and at the heart of them all is excessive worry and fear. Other symptoms may include:

• Sleep disturbances
• Racing thoughts
• Restlessness
• Heart palpitations
• Sweating
• Trembling
• Irritability

Treatment for anxiety will include medications, such as antidepressants, sedatives, and anxiolytics, along with psychotherapy and relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing exercises, mindfulness training, and yoga.

I Need Help With Addiction

Drug or alcohol addiction is a chronic, relapsing brain disease that can have serious consequences across all aspects of life. Over 21 million Americans struggle with a drug or alcohol addiction. Substance use disorders often coexist with a mental health disorder, such as anxiety or depression. Symptoms of addiction include:

• Obsessing about obtaining and using the substance
• Neglecting responsibilities
• Decline in work or academic performance
• Risk-taking behaviors, DUIs
• Deterioration of appearance and personal hygiene
• Secretive behavior
• Lying about how much they drink or their drug use
• Increased tolerance to the effects of the substance
• Cannot quit the drug or alcohol, even if they want to
• Withdrawal symptoms commence when the substance is not available

Treatment for a substance use disorder involves detoxification and rehabilitation. Rehab can be inpatient or outpatient, and includes psychotherapy, group counseling, addiction education, relapse prevention planning, medication management if applicable, and participation in a 12-step or non 12 step recovery group.

I Need Help With an Eating Disorder

Eating disorders affect about 30 million people in the U.S. each year, and can be fatal. Eating disorders are associated with anxiety disorder, but also depression. Disordered eating can take various forms, including anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, so the symptoms will vary depending on the particular eating disorder. Some general symptoms of eating disorders include:

• Being obsessed with one’s weight
• Preoccupied with calories, fat grams, carbohydrates
• May eat alone to hide disorder
• Distorted body image, body dysmorphia
• Engaging in eating rituals
• Extreme dieting methods, cutting out entire food groups
• Dizziness and fainting
• Menstrual irregularities
• Gastrointestinal complaints
• Abusing diuretics or laxatives
• Feeling cold all the time
• Concentration difficulties
• Noticeable changes in weight
• Dental problems
• Evidence of binge eating, large volumes of food missing, empty wrappers.

Treatment for an eating disorder can be obtained in either an inpatient or outpatient setting and may include antidepressants in addition to cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and dialectical behavior therapy (DBT).

I Need Help With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

 Obsessive-compulsive disorder is a type of anxiety disorder that involves obsessive thoughts and fears that lead to compulsive behaviors to help mitigate the anxiety the obsessive thoughts cause. OCD affects about 2% of the U.S. population each year. Examples of OCD include a fear of germs, with compulsive hand washing or refusing to go into public places; obsessive checking in fear of forgetting to do something importance, resulting in compulsively turning off the lights or checking to see that the oven is off. Those who suffer with OCD know their thoughts are irrational but fear demands they take these extra measures just to be sure, which alleviates anxiety.

Treatment for OCD includes medications such as SSRIs, SRIs, and anti-psychotic drugs in combination with psychotherapy. Therapies beneficial in treating OCD include CBT and exposure and response therapy (ERT), as well as the alternative therapy called eye movement desensitization reprocessing (EMDR).

I Need Help For Bipolar Disorder

Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness that is difficult to manage. Bipolar disorder, also referred to as manic-depression, features extreme and unpredictable mood swings, alternative between manic highs and intense depressive lows. Symptoms of bipolar disorder include:

• Euphoria
• Hyperactivity
• Rapid speech
• Impulsivity
• Apathy
• Loss of interest in life
• Feelings of hopelessness
• Delusions
• Irritability
• Racing thoughts
• Sleep disturbances
• Weight gain or loss

Treatment for bipolar disorder may include such medications as antipsychotics, SSRIs, and anticonvulsants. Psychotherapy used to treat bipolar disorder includes CBT, psychodynamic therapy, family therapy, and psychoeducation.

If You Think You Need Help, Contact a Treatment Specialist

 The Treatment Specialist will connect you to a treatment center that offers a mental health treatment program. When someone, or their loved one, is in need of mental health treatment, our specialists will use a free online assessment tool to help determine the correct level of care needed. In addition, our team will do a free insurance benefit check. For more information about how a Treatment Specialist can guide you to the help you need, call today at (866) 644-7911.