Millions of people are suffering from anxiety disorders, depression, and other mental health issues because of a wide number of socio-economic factors affecting modern societies. The coronavirus pandemic, for example, created adverse health, safety, and economic conditions that completely disrupted normal life.
Science-based methods have been very effective in treating patients with certain mental health concerns, says TherapyTrainings.com, a website that offers free CEUs for counselors. When it comes to mental health, science-based methods are proving to be more effective than traditional means of treating patients.
Science-Based Methods to Solve Mental Health Problems
There are a variety of different treatment options, such as psychotherapy, support group, self-help plans, case management work, and medication that has proved effective in treating patients with a wide range of mental health concerns.
1. Psychotherapy
Mental health issues can affect anyone in some way. It is crucial to understand the role that psychotherapy can play in improving these issues. For individuals dealing with mental health issues, psychotherapy often provides relief from symptoms and helps to restore a sense of order and stability.
Psychotherapy techniques include behavioral therapy, cognitive therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing), mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction among others.
There are many benefits of psychotherapy, which lead people to seek it out. They are often quick to point out once they have found a psychotherapeutic modality that suits them how much therapy has helped them overcome extremely difficult circumstances.
Some benefits of psychotherapy include: helping people with anxiety and depression, offering a way for people to process their feelings in a healthy manner, and allowing people to work through emotional conflicts or stress-inducing situations in their lives.
2. Support Groups
A psychological support group can offer a variety of benefits that are not offered by traditional therapy. It can be a low-cost alternative and provide immediate access to services for people who have otherwise been turned away from services.
Today, there is significant scientific evidence supporting the benefits of psychological support groups. These groups have also been found to promote camaraderie, improve social skills, and reduce levels of depression and anxiety for participants.
Psychological support groups are available to help people with common mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, drug addiction, and other conditions like ADHD or autism spectrum disorder.
3. Self-Help Planning
Self-help is a type of treatment that is commonly used for people with mental health issues. It consists of taking a practical approach to challenges by setting goals, creating tasks to solve problems, and enjoying the rewards of moving past difficulties.
Creating self-help plans is a step towards improving mental health by making the person feel in control of their well-being and aiding in developing self-efficacy. Self-help plans are sometimes successful, but they may also be unsuccessful if the person does not follow through with their plans. When self-help planning is effective, it is usually because of asking for help from a therapist or life coach, people who provided relevant guidance, education, and motivation.
4. Medication
The recent surge in using medication for mental health has led to a huge increase in the number of people who are now taking medication. This has led to a lot of benefits for those who otherwise could not cope with extremely stressful situations that would cause panic attacks.
People with mental health issues will also need support from doctors and therapists. Medication can help bring peace into the lives of those with depression and other mental disorders by increasing their coping skills and lowering their stress levels. It will also help them lead a better quality of life because they will feel that they have more self-control and can stay focused on getting things done.
The latest medical technology, including the use of pharmaceuticals, can make life easier for people who suffer from overwhelming mental disorders or emotionally overwhelming conditions by providing them with the biochemical support that they need when they need it. For instance, medication can provide serotonin to increase motivation or a substance like 5 htp can provide a calming effect to reduce anxiety.
5. Case Management
Case management provides a way for people with mental health issues to cope with their illness and recover. Case managers help people get treatment, find housing, keep track of medications, and provide other resources that allow them to take on responsibilities in their life.
Case management also helps mental health professionals more easily identify the needs of their patients as well as provide feedback to employers on how they can make an employee’s mental health better.
In addition, case managers help ensure that the transition from hospitalization back into society is easier for those who are discharged from the hospital. They can provide job skills assistance and help with transportation so that workers don’t have to worry about such things when returning home.
The benefits of case management work are becoming increasingly more evident as more organizations become interested in it as a way of managing society’s mental health concerns.
Conclusion
Mental health can be a difficult and complicated issue to deal with. Often, people are not willing to talk about their issues because they feel ashamed or embarrassed about them. This leads to an increased amount of suffering that could have been prevented by assistance from modern technology and scientific advancements.
Fortunately, there are many scientific ways to help with mental health issues. Besides having conversations with mental health professionals or groups without feeling judged or uncomfortable, people facing mental health challenges can also turn to technology to offer some assistance when they are not able to get immediate help from a therapist, case manager, or support group.