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Cydne Campbell

Prof. Hughes

ENG 1201

26 April 2020

Research Paper: Mental Health Treatment

Do you know what it is like to live with someone with a mental health disorder? I live

with my 20-year-old sister who suffers from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and paranoia. In our

house it is just the four of us: mom, dad, my older sister, and me. My parents and I try our best to

be understanding and supportive throughout her journey. We try to help her feel extra loved and

comfortable when she feels down. She was first diagnosed with depression and anxiety when she

was in high school. She was always in denial about her diagnosis until this past summer when

she realized how serious it was becoming. She had some traumatic events happen to her during

her fall semester at college which caused her depression and anxiety to flare up. Also, resulting

in her diagnosis of PTSD and paranoia. The first question my family thought was, how could we

help her? Mental health disorders are becoming more common in people nowadays and

treatments need to be found in order to lower this number or lower the severity of these cases.

Most people know someone who struggles from a mental health disorder. Mental health

issues are becoming more relevant in today’s society. “Over 24 million individuals experiencing

a mental health illness are going untreated (Howley).” Less than 20% of American adults have a

mental health disorder. Most Americans with mental health conditions do not receive treatment.

12.2% of Americans do not have insurance to receive the correct treatment they need.

Elaine Howley describes in depth the statistics of how many Americans that are

diagnosed with mental health illnesses go untreated. Meanwhile, the World Health
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Organization, in their article “Mental Disorders,” explain that the statistics for people who are

diagnosed with depression go untreated is more significant than the overall number of

Americans who go untreated for mental health in general.

Some of the conditions that will be discussed are depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

“Depressive disorders affect how you feel emotionally, such as the level of sadness and

happiness, and they can disrupt your ability to function (Mayo Clinic).” An example would be,

major depressive disorder, which is exactly what my sister was diagnosed with. Anxiety

disorders can include behavior aimed to where person would avoid situations that cause anxiety.

“Anxiety is an emotion characterized by the anticipation of future danger or misfortune, along

with excessive worrying (Mayo Clinic).” Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is an example

of an adjustment disorder in which a person has trouble coping during or after a stressful life

event (Mayo Clinic). This disorder is often caused by war, physical violence, or a natural

disaster. What are the best treatments for PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other mental health

disorders? The three most common treatments being used in the United States are

psychotherapy, medication, and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

therapy.

When a person with a mental health disorder needs treatment you usually hear about

them going to psychotherapy, also known as talk therapy or counseling. Psychotherapy differs

counseling. During psychotherapy the patient focuses on bettering themselves. Throughout this

process emotional problems are brought up to the surface. “Psychotherapy also helps you learn

your moods, feelings, thoughts, and behavior as well during these episodes (Mayo Clinic).”

Since this is a talk therapy, the patient should feel comfortable with the therapist they choose or

are placed with. The patient should feel confident that the therapist will be able to help them and
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keep what is said confidential. Depending on the patient, psychotherapy can be completed in the

span of a couple months, but it can also be achieved in a longer-term if needed. The patient can

choose to have one-on-one talk sessions with the therapist, or they can include their families.

During these meeting sessions with your therapist you will learn coping, grounding, and stress

management skills. Once you have learned these skills, they will help better develop your mental

health.

Some people respond to treatments differently. Different types of psychotherapy work

better than other in treating certain conditions and disorders. For psychotherapy, there have been

various studies that have found this therapy to be effective at bettering symptoms for mental

health disorders. This study has made talk therapy both a more common and resourceful

treatment. Some patients may need to obtain more than one treatment at a time. Psychotherapy

may be working in some areas for the condition, but they may also need medication or another

type of treatment as well.

My sister has been seeing a therapist for ten months now. She is comfortable with her

therapist and the therapist knows everything about from her past until now. She has given her

coping mechanisms and grounding skills. Her therapist has also recommended and taught her

different strategies to handle and control her depression, anxiety, PTSD, and paranoia to the best

of her ability. My sister has benefited in some ways from talking with her therapist. As a family

it is hard trying to help and support her because we do not always know what she is truly

thinking or how she is feeling. She has not shared all her techniques and coping mechanisms

with us, so we do not know what exactly to do to help her. All she tells us the most we can do is

be there for her when she needs us. We try to be by her side every step of the way and when she

is down, we try to talk with her. Talking with her obviously is not the same as speaking with her
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therapist, but it does help some knowing she has other people she can trust to at least open up

about somethings to. We try to be as supportive as we can. Although the psychotherapy has

helped her since she has started. She still struggles with her anxiety and depression to an extent

to where she had to make the tough decision to be put on medication. Her therapist referred her

to a psychiatrist in November to see about being put on an anti-depressant.

Medications are often prescribed to mental health patients. The best medication to

prescribe to the patient depends on their diagnosis and how the body reacts to the medication.

Medicine does not cure mental health issues, but can strongly improve the symptoms.

“Psychiatric medications can also help make other treatments, such as psychotherapy, more

effective (Mayo Clinic).” Some medications that are prescribed are anti-depressants, anti-

anxiety, mood-stabilizing, and antipsychotic. The anti-depressants help decrease depression and

anxiety symptoms. The anti-anxiety medication is usually an anti-depressant that is long-term.

The mood-stabilizing medication treats bipolar disorders which includes episodes of depression.

Antipsychotics are for psychotic disorders like schizophrenia and can also help treat bipolar

disorders. Antipsychotic medications can also be taken with anti-depressants to help treat

depression.

Zoloft is the number one used anti-depressant in the United States. Citalopram (Celexa) is

one of the top anti-depressant drugs for anxiety. In most cases anti-depressants will be used more

for anxiety than actual anti-anxiety medications will be used for it. Zyprexa (Olanzapine) is one

mood-stabilizing medication used for bipolar disorders and can be used to treat psychotic

conditions such as schizophrenia. Chlorpromazine is one of the most common antipsychotic

medications. All medications and what work best for people does not necessarily have to be the

top medication on the list. It could be something cheaper or a lesser dosage. It just depends on
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the person, the way their brain process and reacts to the medications and the family health

history too.

As I have stated before, my sister has been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and other

disorders as well. She has been on different medications because somethings were not working

as they should have. The way this works is psychiatrist called it trial and error. You keep trying

medicines until you find the right one at the right dosage to see what works best. In November

she was prescribed Prozac, an anti-depressant. This was used to lower her symptoms of

depression and PTSD. It wasn’t working after a month the way it should have so her psychiatrist

upped her dosage to see if that would help. Within another month her medicine was making her

go insane and she almost ended up in the hospital due to how severe her conditions were. She

made an emergency appointment with her psychiatrist. The psychiatrist asked my sister what

medications other family members were on that were dealing with depression. She then

prescribed my sister Effexor, which is also an anti-depressant, just at a different dosage to match

her needs. This medicine has made such an improvement on my sister’s moods. She still suffers,

but she can function daily and feel somewhat normal again. Effexor is used for her depression

and she also takes an anti-anxiety medication on an as needed basis. Thankfully, those conditions

have gotten under control, but her PTSD and paranoia are still an everyday obstacle.

Another common treatment Americans have been receiving is Eye Movement

Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. EMDR helps those who have post-traumatic

stress disorder (PTSD). Some people have flashbacks or nightmares of past trauma that has

happened to them. People can get triggered by their past experiences when they talk about the

situation. EMDR is a therapy for those who struggle talking about their past. They often feel like

they are living in the traumatic moment still. “During EMDR therapy sessions, you relive
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traumatic or triggering experiences in brief doses while the therapist directs your eye movements

(Healthline).” This therapy is believed to be more successful because talking about your past is

less emotional while you are being distracted. The memories or thoughts that you have are to be

reduced over time.

A study that was conducted found that 77 percent of the individuals with PTSD and

psychotic disorders found EMDR therapy helpful. The effects from this type of therapy are

aimed to be maintained long term. During the 2012 study, when patients would return for check-

ups the therapist would realize that the patient was benefitting from the treatment session. The

study found the participants continued these benefits long after the treatment had ended. PTSD

symptoms are reduced during and after. Patients who go through this therapy can go to as many

sessions needed to help decrease the symptoms, flashbacks, or nightmares of their trauma. There

was also a study done to show the significance that this therapy can have on patients with

depression. A study was done using 32 people. “The study found that 68 percent of the people in

the EMDR group showed full remission after treatment (Healthline).” The effects of this

treatment are said to be significant and can have impressive results even for veterans of war.

Although, all these sources discuss ways to get treatment and how to get help, they all

have a little different opinion in what would work best. The Mayo Clinic staff, discuss on

their website in the section of “Diagnosis and Treatment” that the best way to heal and

recover is through a combination of treatments at once, regardless of which illness you have.

The National Institute of Mental Health analyzes how certain illnesses can still be treatable

even if another illness is present. The National Institute then goes into depth about the

different types of treatment but says that one specific one could work best for certain

situations.
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Even though my sister has been in psychotherapy for almost a year now and she has been

on medication, her PTSD and paranoia are still affecting her immensely. Her therapist knew of a

local therapist who was specifically trained in EMDR therapy. The therapist referred my sister to

him for a consultation to discuss her options. My sister met with this therapist and is going to

start the process of EMDR therapy. She must go back for two more sessions to prep for before

she can officially start the EMDR part. Once she begins the process, she will have to complete

three, one-hour long sessions between seven to ten days. If she feels that she needs more she can

go back as many times necessary. This will allow her to return to her daily life without having to

be afraid to do things that were second nature at one point, such as, get gas or even go to the

store alone. Nowadays the term mental health has a negative stigma around it and how it can

affect people.

Fig. 1. These graphs show the percentages of suicide attempts for each mental health disorder

(Robb-Dover).
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One stigma around mental health is that it increases suicide among young teens and

adults. The second leading cause of death due to mental health illness is suicide. Each day

around 16 American teens and young adults take their lives. Out of the people that commit

suicide, two-thirds are depressed at the time of their death. “More people die by suicide than

from homicide, and that holds true for teens, too (U.S. News).” As young adults we need to be

more aware of these happening in the world around and what we can do to help.

Throughout the world there are many opinions, disagreements, and misconceptions

around mental health. On Psychology Today, Amy Morin discusses the five most common

misconceptions. One of the highest misconceptions is you’re either mentally ill or mentally

healthy. Not everyone is 100 percent mentally healthy ever. Some physically healthy people may

encounter minor health issues, not everyone will always be 100 percent mentally healthy. You

can’t prevent mental health problems. Individuals cannot put a stop to the genetic and traumatic

experiences. You can take precautionary actions to boost mental health or prevent further mental

health conditions. Some people think mental illness is a sign of weakness. Remarks like this

come from people who automatically think mental health disorders are “mentally weak.” Mental

strength is not the same thing as mental health. People can be trained to strengthen their mental

health.

While these negative stereotypes are floating around social media and the internet, they

are creating more mental health issues for those who have these disorders. People think that

when violent tragedies go on around the world, such as mass shootings, they are automatically

connected to mental health and that they were raised in a bad environment. “The American

Psychological Association reports that only 7.5% of crimes are directly related to symptoms of

mental illness (Morin).” Although, news and other social outlets may portray mental health to be
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this way, people who have one or multiple mental health conditions are more than likely non-

violent. Many people around the world are afraid of speaking out and telling their story because

of the stigma that exists around mental health.

The last common misconception is “mental health problems are forever.” Although

conditions like schizophrenia is one that does not disappear, most mental health conditions are

treatable and able to be “cured.” More than 60 percent of people have symptom relief after going

through a combination of treatments like therapy and medication. Even a full recovery is

possible in some patients. Raising awareness for mental health issues and proving that these

misunderstandings are false can play a key role in saving lives.

One of people’s biggest obstacles in getting help is taking the first step to speak out and

second finding someone who is willing to accept them and their insurance or be reasonable

amount of money for them to afford treatment. Mental health therapists are specific with what

insurance their therapy practice will accept and who they are willing to take in. This is causing

people to be turned down and have options to get the proper treatment they need to get their

mind healthier in hopes to someday return to a somewhat normal life. People who seek treatment

for behavioral health problems are more likely to get help than people who are seeking treatment

for mental health problems.

As you can tell, knowing someone or living with someone with mental health can be

challenging at times. They deal with many obstacles and challenges daily. Mental health

disorders are becoming more common in people nowadays and treatments need to be found in

order to lower this number or lower the severity of these cases. There are many times when they

feel like they are helpless and when certain treatments do not work, they can become

discouraged. Thankfully, for my family, my sister can receive all the treatments she needs to heal
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and recover from her conditions. She may not fully recover, but every day she works hard to

maintain a stable mindset and become a better version of herself. As always, my family and I

will always be here to support her and care for her whenever she needs us. The treatments that

she undergoes make a tremendous difference in the way her life is changing in a positive way. I

hope that more people around the world and especially America will be able to receive

treatments regardless of their health care issues. Everyone deserves a chance to get help and feel

better.
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Works Cited

“Chronic Illness & Mental Health.” National Institute of Mental Health, U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/chronic-illness-

mental-health/index.shtml. Accessed 23 March 2020.

Gotter, Ana. “What You Need to Know About EMDR Therapy.” Healthline, Healthline Media,

15 July 2019, https://www.healthline.com/health/emdr-therapy. Accessed 23 March

2020.

“Mental Illness.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 8 June

2019, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/diagnosis treatment/drc-

20374974. Accessed 23 March 2020.

Morin, Amy. “The 5 Most Common Misconceptions About Mental Illness.” Psychology Today,

9 Nov. 2015, www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/what-mentally-strong-people-dont-

do/201511/the-5-most-common-misconceptions-about-mental.

 “NAMI.” NAMI, www.nami.org/learn-more/treatment/psychotherapy. Accessed 29 March 2020.

Robb-Dover, Kristina. “Mental Health Diagnoses That Can Pose Risks of Suicide: FHE

Health.” FHE Health – Addiction & Mental Health Care, 10 Oct. 2019,

https://fherehab.com/learning/mental-health-suicide-risk/.

“What Mental Health Statistics Can Tell Us.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World

Report, health.usnews.com/conditions/mental-health/articles/what-mental-health- statistic

s-can-tell-us. Accessed 23 March 2020.

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