There are a number of different kinds of treatment which may be available to you. Each may have its benefits and drawbacks, and each will be better for some people than others. It’s important that you find out good information about treatment before you have it. An advocate can help you with this. This is a very brief summary of some of the treatment available.
Sometimes called holistic. Aimed at helping the whole body, a practitioner will look at all aspects of your life, including diet and exercise. There are numerous types of therapy, including acupuncture, aromatherapy and homeopathy.
Use art or music to help you explore and express thoughts and feelings. They can be particularly helpful for people who have difficulty communicating through words.
A large number of people take prescribed drugs as part of their treatment. Many people feel medication is very beneficial, but many experience problems, including side effects and / or withdrawal problems from certain drugs.
The main types of prescribed drugs currently used in mental health:
Perhaps the most controversial treatment, used for depressive illness, mania catatonia and occasionally, schizophrenia. During ECT, electrodes are put onto the head and an electrical current is passed to the brain, which causes a seizure. ECT is given under general anaesthetic. A course of 6-12 sessions, over a period of 3-6 weeks is usually given. The immediate effects of ECT include confusion, weakness, headache and dizziness. Memory loss is common but usually short-lived. The procedure can have an enormous emotional impact, and research by MIND points to a huge range of views among people who have had ECT, from those who feel it seems very helpful, to people who campaign to have it banned completely. NICE (National Institute for Clinical Excellence) published guidelines in April 2003 which state that ECT should only be used for “the treatment of severe depressive illness, a prolonged or severe episode of mania or catatonia…” and also state various conditions.
For people with Seasonal Affective Disorder. A box projects a very bright light which, for some people, can help to make up for the lack of light during winter.
Helps people to learn or re-learn skills. Can help with everyday activities such as planning a return to work, and coping around the house. Treatment
Uses physical means like massage, exercises and activities to help rehabilitation and, for example, relieve mental stress by relaxing the body.
Recovery starts with the individual and works from the inside out and can be defined as a personal process of tackling the adverse impact of experiencing mental health problems, despite their continuing or long-term presence. Used in this sense, recovery does not mean ‘cure’. Recovery is about people seeing themselves as capable of recovery rather than as passive recipients of professional interventions. The personal accounts of recovery suggest that much personal recovery happens without (or in some cases in spite of) professional help. Recovery involves personal development and change, including acceptance there are problems to face, a sense of involvement and control over one's life, the cultivation of hope and using the support from others, including collaborating in solution-focused work with informal carers and professional workers. Some people recovering from mental illness state that this ‘disability’ has increased the depth and reach of their lives. Out of adversity has come change, personal development and growth. This is in contrast to the still predominant yet rarely spoken belief that people may never make a recovery.
Works on the principle that you are an ‘expert’ in your own distress, and can draw on your own strength and solutions. Self-help can take place in a number of different ways, including: 1 Groupwork - listening, sharing and working with others who may be going through similar experiences 1 Peer support - with one or more people 1 Working with books and/or tapes 1 Lifestyle changes - such as increased exercise, and a healthy diet keynotes
There are a vast number of talking therapy approaches ranging from Supportive Counselling to full Psychotherapy; all of these involve talking about yourself and the aspects of your life that are concerning you. Generally, speaking to someone about your problems can help to relieve your distress, but sometimes you may initially feel worse as the issues that concern you come to the surface.
More recently, a specific therapy called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or CBT for short has been widely recommended by bodies such as NICE (National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence) as the treatment of choice of common mental health problems such as anxiety and depression.
This therapy is also now being used for people who experience psychosis e.g. schizophrenia. These treatments are not always widely available through the NHS. If you think that you may require this sort of treatment then speak to your GP or key worker about how you may get a referral.
Many people find talking treatments extremely helpful. Some people are reassured by the fact that no medication is involved (although it may be used alongside talking treatments).
Stands for a Wellness Recovery Action Plan and is usually a written plan, but can take any form that the person developing the plan finds works for them. WRAP is a self-management and recovery system developed by a group of people who had mental health difficulties and who were struggling to incorporate wellness tools and strategies into their lives. WRAP is designed to: decrease and prevent intrusive or troubling feelings and behaviors; increase personal empowerment; improve quality of life; assist people in achieving their own life goals and dreams. WRAP is a structured system to monitor uncomfortable and distressing symptoms that can help you reduce, modify or eliminate those symptoms by using planned responses. This includes plans for how you want others to respond when symptoms have made it impossible for treatment you to continue to make decisions, take care of yourself or keep yourself safe.
Your WRAP can include an Advanced Directive that can be written when a person is well that will give a clear outline of what treatment they do not want when ill. This is a legal document and is intended for use when a person is considered to have a lapse in Capacity. The success of a WRAP plan and an Advanced Directive can be increased by providing copies of this to all health care professionals and people involved in your care prior to any period of unwellness. The more that you are able to ensure people understand your wishes the more likely it is they will be implemented.
You can find a copy of a WRAP at www.mentalhealthrecovery.com.
You can also find information relating to Advanced Directives at www.mind.org.uk/Information/Legal/