Understanding treatment options
Understanding treatment options
There are a range of treatment options available to help people suffering from a mental health condition. These can be separated into pharmacological treatments and non-pharmacological treatments.
Pharmacological Treatments
- Antidepressants - Used in depression and anxiety but don't work immediately. They can be associated with side effects but these do wear off. They need to be discontinued gradually. As they don't address the cause they are usually used in combination with therapy.
- Anti-psychotics - Used in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Used as initial treatment for symptoms of an acute episode. A combination of medication may be required to treat the patient.
Non-pharmacological Treatments
- Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) - a short term goal orientated psychotherapy treatment, which helps to change patterns of thinking or behaviour.
- Counselling - a talking therapy that involves a trained therapist listening to you and helping to find ways to deal with emotions
- Support groups - Sharing with a group of people with similar experiences, a way to share feelings, coping strategies or firsthand information about the condition