Your treatment depends on the type of
mental illness you have, its severity and what works best for you. In many cases,
a combination of treatments works best. Some of the treatment are:
Although psychiatric medications don’t cure
mental illness, they can often significantly improve symptoms. Psychiatric
medications can also help make other treatments, such as psychotherapy, more
effective. The best medications for you will depend on your particular
situation and how your body responds to the medication. Some of the most
commonly used classes of prescription psychiatric medications include:
- Antidepressants.
- Anti-anxiety medications.
- Mood-stabilizing medications.
- Antipsychotic medications.
Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy,
involves talking about your condition and related issues with a mental health
professional. During psychotherapy, you learn about your condition and your
moods, feelings, thoughts, and behavior. With the insights and knowledge you
gain, you can learn to cope with and stress management skills.
- Brain-stimulation
treatments
Brain-stimulation treatments are sometimes
used for depression and other mental health disorders. They’re generally
reserved for situations in which medications and psychotherapy haven’t worked.
They include electroconvulsive therapy, repetitive transcranial magnetic
stimulation, deep brain stimulation, and vagus nerve stimulation.
- Hospital and
residential treatment programs
Sometimes mental illness becomes so severe
that you need care in a psychiatric hospital. This is generally recommended
when you can’t care for yourself properly or when you’re in immediate danger of
harming yourself or someone else.