Mental health has always impacted and been a part of human society. While it wasn’t talked about tremendously in the past, it was present in our society. As we work together to better understand fostering positive mental health, there have been more and more treatments coming onto the marketplace.
Mental Health in the Past
Back in the 1900s, those who were going through mental health issues either didn’t speak up or were commonly put into asylums. Early doctors tried various medical approaches to correct mental health disorders including convulsion therapy and hydrotherapy. As the mid-1900s approached, psychotherapy became a reigning player in better understanding and treating mental health conditions. As we continue into the 21st century, psychotherapy continues to be a big part of mental health treatments.
The Public’s View on Mental Health
As psychotherapists have worked to construct effective methods for treating all types of mental health disorders including anxiety and depression, their research has become more public knowledge. Mental health disorders have transitioned in the public eye from being something that set you apart from others to something that we all tend to experience from time to time.
The importance of positive mental health is becoming more widely noted as a necessity of a positive lifestyle just as working out is to physical health. With the rise in treatment centers, like the Centers of Psychiatric Excellence, around the country, people are more readily able to seek out help for their mental well-being.
Psychotherapy
One of the most effective treatments for a variety of mental health disorders is psychotherapy. This is also commonly referred to as talk therapy. There are many different branches of this type of therapy. Some of these include cognitive behavioral therapy, psychoanalysis, humanistic therapy, and integrative therapy. Different mental health conditions respond better to select types of psychotherapy.
Medication
Sometimes physicians will prescribe medications to assist with a patient’s mental health disorder. These include anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medication, mood stabilizers, and anti-psychotics. Each of these medications is specifically prescribed to treat particular mental health conditions. These medications work to control the symptoms of mental illness. Psychotherapy is commonly used in accordance with medication to provide long-lasting results.
The concept of mental health in the public’s eye has changed drastically over the last century. No longer is it seen as an illness that stamps you for life. Rather, working to have positive mental health has become a necessity just as physical exercise is to your physical health. As time goes on, more and more advances in treatments for varying mental health conditions are expected.