Full Guide Why People Seek Treatments for Mental Disorders

Why Do Some Mental Patients Seek Treatment for Mental Disorders?

Despite the odds and challenges against people with a mental disorder, many patients choose to seek treatment for mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, substance use disorders, etc. Taking the first step toward treatment is a massive milestone toward recovery, but only less than one-third of mental patients do so. Before we applaud the patients’ courage to seek mental treatments, let’s understand the challenges and problems in perspective.

What’s currently changing the population of mental patients in the mid of Covid-19 and after?

Covid-19 is rapidly increasing the number of mental patients to a 1,000% increase over the average growth rate of 0.5% annually. Unfortunately, in the mid of this pandemic, many governments are too focused on resolving Covid-19 infections and saving the economies, jobs, and businesses. But too little effort has been put into handling mental disorders globally.

There are many sites on the internet that give great advice to better manage mental disorders and stress during Covid-19. The challenges on job losses, business closures, and people going bankrupt are only going to get worse. So, it’s essential to stay positive during this challenging period and encourage friends and family members to look on the bright side.

2. What are the Reasons for Objecting Treatment?

There are so many personal reasons for mental patients not seeking treatment. So far, we have listed 13 significant reasons why mental patients refuse treatment. The most common causes include

costs,

medications,

potential shame by others,

too busy,

unsure if treatment could work,

no insurance coverage

Not So Common Reasons for Refusing Treatment

Interestingly, there are a few not so common reasons why people refuse mental treatments. These reasons include

stigma,

don’t think they need it,

the mental conditions make it hard,

practice issues,

fearing treatment,

These uncommon reasons make it harder for medical reasoning to help mental patients to seek treatments for anxiety and depression disorders. However, in society, why would people label or discriminate against mental patients?

3. What Constitutes a Basis to be Labeled as Having Trouble for a Mental Disorder?

The truth is social isolation has been known for a long time as critical triggers for mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression disorders. Adults with lesser friends tend to be more socially isolated that would have a higher chance of developing mental illness. Women’s friendship networks are more important to families for their mental wellbeing. For men, it’s more friends and family members that are more important.

However, when individual work performance is affected due to mental illness, that’s where the need to seek treatment starts. In other words, when daily chores or regular work routines are disrupted due to mental health, the basis of having trouble related to mental disorders is crossed. Such measurements are probably the best gauge to realize that mental treatments are required.

4. At What Stage do Mental Disorders Become Unbearable?

Many people chose to ignore the pain caused by mental disorders. Unfortunately, there is no measuring scale of such mental or emotional problems, and it depends entirely on the individual’s tolerance level. Similarly, in medical science, the experts have no way to illustrate or measure such mental pains.

However, at the individual level, unbearable mental pain would mean the inability to perform daily tasks or socialize normally. When the individual’s work or social routine is affected, this is probably the best indication that either mental treatment or non-treatment activities need to happen.

5. How Should People with a Mental Disorder Take the First Step Toward Seeking Mental Treatment?

Logically, the first step toward seeking mental treatment is to recognize that there is a mental illness. The journey started when the individual realized that he/she is powerless to overcome the mental illness on their own. There is a great variety of mental treatments that include different types of psychotherapeutic “talk therapy” and mindfulness activities.

Examples of Psychotherapy Include

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT),

Psychodynamic Therapy (PT),

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT),

Other non-treatment mindfulness activities include

meditation,

yoga,

breathing exercise,

acceptance,

goal setting,

Regardless of mental or non-mental treatments, do some research into these activities and assess what’s best for you.

6. Why are There Stigmas Against Mental Patients?

Over the years, the perceptions, stigmas, and discriminations of others toward mental patients have minimized. Fortunately, due to the education done by various medical institutions and governments, more people are accepting that mental health is of primary concern. Similarly, a better understanding that many mental illnesses are beyond the individuals’ control.

However, we do not expect such stigmas to disappear any time soon, but ongoing education will help to minimize the negative public perceptions. For mental patients, the courage to seek mental treatment is an excellent step toward resolving mental disorders. In the process of seeking treatment, getting support from family members and loved ones are essential. So, don’t feel ashamed; mental disorders are just another form of pain that is no different from other chronic illnesses.

7. What Constitutes Recovery From Mental Disorders?

From a mental patients’ perspective, recovery from a mental disorder means getting back to everyday life without the mental burdens. In medical science, a mental disorder recovery implies

the improvement of mental patients’ health and wellness,

living a self-directed life,

striving to achieve full individual potential.

Some evidence of mental disorder recovery also includes

attaining better relationships with friends, colleagues, and family members.

achieve satisfying work in the office, personal growth, and the right living environment

Regardless, it’s once again to find joy and happiness in daily life, work and socializing, that contributes to a meaningful recovery from mental disorders.

8. Will Mental Disorder Patients Relapse?

The recovery from mental illnesses or disorders is a journey and not a destination. This is because many mental patients have a good chance of suffering a relapse. Unfortunately, more than half of mental patients experience relapse after their recovery. Notably, patients with bipolar disorder and schizophrenia are among the highest cases of suffering relapse than other mental disorders.

There are many causes of relapse of mental disorders, such as stopping of medication at once (not gradual), use of drugs or alcohol, overstress, conflict in relationships, illness or death of a loved one, and other significant life changes beyond the mental patients’ control. So, to minimize the chance of a relapse, the mental patient needs to take prevention controls as much as possible.

What Preventions Should Be Done to Avoid Relapses?

Relapse prevention of recovery from mental health is desirable for many patients. This prevention is an essential journey as part of recovery, and every effort should be directed to attain the patients’ recovery. Notably, recovered mental patients are more dependent on their family members and work-life to sustain their recovery. Additionally, participation in joyful and meaningful activities help to support recoveries for the longer term.

The relapse process usually follows a sequence of events that act as a trigger. Examples of common triggers can be

people,
places,
things,
events,
or something that relates to memories of mental patients.

Each mental patient should identify their trigger(s) and be equipped with the necessary thoughts or emotions to prevent the recurrence of mental disorders. However, this is not an easy process, but determination and love can help to overcome such triggers.

Summary

So, we have explained the various stages of the journey of a mental patient and their treatment journey. Finding the courage to start seeking treatment is one of the hardest, but it’s possible. In many cases, encouragements, understanding, and love are the most common reasons why mental patients embark on their treatment journey.

There is NO shame in seeking treatment for mental illness, which is so prevalent in so many countries. At any point in any year, more than 10% of the population is suffering from these mental illnesses.

ahealos.com is an online psychotherapy video conference platform with the mission to provide quality and very affordable psychotherapists to treat mental illness and addressing these patient concerns. Ahealo is committed to bringing treatment-based psychotherapy and non-treatment mindfulness video activities to patients.

Ahealo understands all the patients’ rejections clearly. Therefore, we have tailored every aspect of the platform to overcome all patients’ concerns and to provide mental care without the need for patients’ identity and at the patients’ time of choice, without the need to travel and absolutely no medications.

Check out ahealos.com today. Get an appointment with any of our psychotherapists of your choice and at your comfortable time and budget.