Saturday, May 30, 2020

MENTAL HEALTH IS NOT A WASTEFUL INVESTMENT!


“Oh no! I don’t have enough money for luxuries.”

Now suppose, unfortunately, one of these people get in an accident and break their leg. What do you think will the person do? It’s simple. They will go to the doctor, pay the heavy fees for consultation and for the cast for their leg, and do as the doctor advises them to do. Pretty ordinary right? That’s what anybody would do. Let’s take another example from the group of these people. One of them is diagnosed with cancer. Now what would the person do? Obviously, they will do anything they can do save their life and become healthy again. They’ll find the money from somewhere and pay for the cancer treatment which, believe you me, costs a fortune. Now suddenly why did they have the money? In both the cases, they shouldn’t have the sufficient amount of money to pay for their treatment. But they did pay. Why? Because they want to be and seem healthy, physically at least.

Now let’s consider a person who harms themselves. They make a cut on their arm. You see the cut and immediately tend to the wound. You scold them for what they have done and to never repeat it. It is a bad thing. You shouldn’t physically harm yourself, intentionally more so. But did anybody think about the reason why the person did the act? Turns out the person suffers from a mental illness that gives them so much pain mentally that they have to tear themselves apart physically to feel relieved. They want the pain to come out of their bodies and this way seems to be the only one that works. Now it may sound crazy, but this is a real disease. There comes a point when you can’t deal with the mental strain and you want the pain to go away by any means possible. This happens mostly because the mental strain isn’t taken out by appropriate and harmless means.

Now normally, the person should go to a psychologist and psychiatrist for treatment but they don’t. Why? Because they think it’s a waste of money. It’s a luxury. Why should they have to pay anything just to regularly talk to and consult a doctor and take medicines that show no physical effect? But they don’t understand that the mental strain they have isn’t normal strain. It’s an illness. Over time, if untreated, it will keep getting worse. Today it’s just a cut on the arm, later that may turn into suicide attempts. Now do you still think that mental illness treatment is a luxury? Of course it isn’t. it’s a necessity to treat mental illnesses as a priority just like any physical illness. It’s not a luxury.

You think you are saving money for the future, but what future do you have if you aren’t healthy? Both physical and mental health hold equal importance. You can’t run a marathon if you injure your leg.  At the same time, you can’t lift a spoon if you are mentally ill. How will you perform daily tasks if they are too much for you, mentally? They tire you out so much you can’t do anything else. You can’t fight mental illness without help. So reach out. Go to the doctor. Save your future. Don’t wait to see it crash down in front of you forever. It will happen if you don’t reach out. Of this, I can guarantee. Don’t make mental health your least priority. Make it your foremost priority. If you are mentally healthy, only then can you fight physical illnesses. That’s the reality.

There will be no future for the money you are saving by not going to the doctor. Spend today, save tomorrow. Don’t be afraid. Those who have gone through this will understand what I’m trying to explain. Consult before it’s too late. Save yourself and the people around you. 
Be your own savior.

Monday, July 22, 2019

Case Study on Panic Disorder


Case:
Dave is a 41-year-old male who was referred by his primary care physician after presenting to the ER with difficulty breathing. Dave’s physician was unable to find a medical explanation for his symptoms, which left Dave feeling confused, stressed, and angry. Over the last 6 months, Dave has had several instances where he felt an intense fear that would reach a peak within a few minutes. During these instances, he would also experience sweating, heart palpitations, chest pain and discomfort, and shortness of breath. At times, Dave worried that might die. As a result, Dave has persistent worry about having another attack. In addition, he has begun to avoid unfamiliar places and people where it may be difficult to get help in the event of another panic attack. The panic and associated avoidance are significantly impacting Dave’s life as he has been turning down social invitations, making excuses to stay at home whenever possible, and relying on his wife to drive their children to their various activities. Although she was understanding at first, Dave’s wife has grown frustrated with what she perceives as his irrational fear of panic attacks.

Symptoms

  • Agoraphobia
  • Anger
  • Anxiety
  • Panic
  • Suicidal thoughts
  • Worry

Diagnoses and Related Treatments

Panic Disorder
The following treatments have empirical support for individuals with Panic Disorder:
  • Applied Relaxation for Panic Disorder
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Panic Disorder
  • Psychoanalytic Treatment for Panic Disorder


Saturday, June 1, 2019

Case Study on Schizophrenia


Case:
Chris is a 20-year-old Caucasian male who is in his second year of college. He is seeking treatment due to persistent fears that campus security and the local police are tracking and surveilling him. He cites occasional lags in his internet speed as evidence that surveillance devices are interfering with his electronics. His intense anxiety about this has begun getting in the way of his ability to complete schoolwork, and his friends are concerned – he says they have told him, “you’re not making sense.”
Chris occasionally laughs abruptly and inappropriately and sometimes stops speaking mid-sentence, looking off in the distance as though he sees or hears something. He expresses concern about electronics in the room (phone, computer) potentially being monitored and asks repeatedly about patient confidentiality, stating that he wants to be sure the police won’t be informed about his treatment. His beliefs are fixed, and if they are challenged, his tone becomes hostile.

Symptoms

  • Anxiety
  • Delusions
  • Hallucinations
  • Psychosis

Diagnoses and Related Treatments

Schizophrenia
The following treatments have empirical support for individuals with Schizophrenia and Other Severe Mental Illnesses:
  • Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) for Schizophrenia
  • Cognitive Adaptation Training (CAT) for Schizophrenia
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for Schizophrenia
  • Cognitive Remediation for Schizophrenia
  • Family Psychoeducation for Schizophrenia
  • Illness Management and Recovery (IMR) for Schizophrenia
  • Social Learning/Token Economy Programs for Schizophrenia
  • Social Skills Training (SST) for Schizophrenia
  • Supported Employment for Schizophrenia
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Psychosis
For more information,
Visit:  https://mtlhealth.blogspot.com/2019/04/schizophrenia.html

Tuesday, May 28, 2019

Case Study on Pain Disorder


Case:
Bob is a 50-year old male on disability support. In your intake, he tells you that he was “just fine” until he got injured on the job, which led to a series of acute medical procedures, physical therapy, and major stress from filing disability paperwork. Disability was recently awarded. He tells you that he sits at home most days, despite his wife’s attempts to get him out of the house with her. He dislikes leaving the house because he never knows when his pain will flare up and therefore feel the immediate need to lay down and take his pain medication. He feels very guilty for not being a better partner to his wife and tries to make up for this by taking care of long-standing home repairs. Bob recognizes that he often overdoes it when he takes on one of these projects, which exacerbates his pain and leads him to feel hopeless. He starts to focus on all that he has lost and imagines a future in which he is weak and house-bound. He also acknowledges that, when he is in this physical and emotional state, he is likely to snap at his wife and say things he later regrets.

Symptoms

Chronic Pain

Diagnoses and Related Treatments

Chronic or Persistent Pain
The following treatments have empirical support for individuals with Chronic or Persistent Pain:
  • Multi-Component Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Fibromyalgia
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Chronic Pain
  • Behavioral and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Chronic Headache
  • Multi-Component Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Rheumatologic Pain
For more information,
Visit: https://mtlhealth.blogspot.com/2019/04/pain-disorder.html