Treatments for mental health problems
Introduction
The treatment of mental illness is very effective. Most treatment methods for mental health disorders can be categorised as either:
- Somatic (means ‘body’)
- Psychotherapeutic.
Somatic treatments include drugs and electroconvulsive therapy.
Psychotherapeutic treatments include psychotherapy (individual, group, or family and marital), and behaviour therapy (such as relaxation training or exposure therapy).
So. What are the most common treatments for mental health problems?
Drug treatment
A number of psychoactive drugs are highly effective and widely used by psychiatrists and other medical doctors. These drugs are often categorised according to the disorder they are primarily prescribed for.
Antidepressants
For example, antidepressants are used to treat depression. The most widely used class of antidepressants is:
- Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) – such as fluoxetine, sertraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine, vortioxetine, vilazodone, escitalopram, and citalopram
Other classes of antidepressants include:
- Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) – such as venlafaxine, duloxetine, levomilnacipran, or desvenlafaxine
- Norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs) – such as bupropion
- Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) – such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline. They are now seldom used to treat depression because of their side effects. However, these drugs may be used if people also have a disorder causing chronic pain that interferes with activities and work. Tricyclic antidepressants can help relieve certain kinds of pain.
- Monoamine oxidase inhibitors MAOIs) – such as phenelzine, tranylcypromine, and selegiline patch may be effective but are rarely used except when other antidepressants have not worked.
Antipsychotic drugs
- Older antipsychotic drugs – such as chlorpromazine, haloperidol, and thiothixene – are helpful in treating psychotic disorders such as schizophrenia and certain behavioural problems.
- Newer antipsychotic drugs (commonly called atypical or 2nd-generation antipsychotics) – are now commonly used as initial treatment. Newer antipsychotic drugs include aripiprazole, asenapine, brexpiprazole, cariprazine, iloperidone, lumateperone, lurasidone, olanzapine, paliperidone, quetiapine, risperidone, and ziprasidone. For people who do not respond to other antipsychotic drugs, clozapine is being increasingly used.
Drugs for anxiety (minor tranquillisers)
- Antianxiety drugs – such as clonazepam, lorazepam, and diazepam – as well as antidepressants, are used to treat anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder and phobias. These drugs can also be used as sleeping pills.
Mood stabilisers
- These include lithium, carbamazepine, divalproex sodium, sodium valproate and lamotrigine. They are used to treat bipolar disorder. Also, several antipsychotic drugs can be used to treat bipolar disorder. They include aripiprazole, asenapine, cariprazine, lurasidone, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, and ziprasidone.
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
In electroconvulsive therapy, electrodes are placed on the head, and while the person is under anaesthesia, a series of electrical shocks are delivered to the brain to induce a brief seizure. This therapy has consistently been shown to be the most effective treatment for severe depression.
Many people treated with electroconvulsive therapy experience temporary memory loss. The use of modern anaesthetics and muscle relaxants has greatly reduced any risk.
Psychotherapeutic treatment (‘talk therapy’)
In recent years, significant advances have been made in the field of psychotherapy, which is sometimes referred to as talk therapy. By creating an empathetic and accepting atmosphere, the therapist often is able to help the person identify the source of the problems, and consider alternatives for dealing with them.
Psychotherapy is appropriate and effective in a wide range of conditions. Even people who do not have a mental health disorder may find psychotherapy helpful in coping with such problems as employment difficulties, bereavement, or chronic illness in the family. Group psychotherapy, couples therapy, and family therapy are also widely used.
Most mental health practitioners practice one of six types of psychotherapy:
- Behavioural therapy
- Cognitive therapy
- Interpersonal therapy
- Psychoanalysis
- Psychodynamic psychotherapy
- Supportive psychotherapy.
Summary
We have described the treatments for mental health problems. We hope you understand the options better now.
