The number of people going to mental health centers for treatment is rising, and so is the complexity of the cases that are being treated by clinicians at these centers.
In addition to the common issues of stress and anxiety, there is an increase in serious depression, bipolar disorder, psychosis, addiction, OCD, self-harm behaviors, and suicidal crises that call for better monitoring.
In a world where work stress, school stress, social isolation, fast urbanization, financial insecurity, pandemic-related sleep disruption, drug and alcohol abuse, and the long-term psychological impact of the pandemic are common, mental illnesses are also on the rise. More people are becoming aware of the support available and turning to it, but there is an increasing need for specialist mental health services, and the infrastructure to support the provision of these services is not keeping pace.
If symptoms are ongoing and severe and are affecting a person’s ability to function in his or her workplace, relationship, or daily life, it is an indicator of a serious mental illness, not just a short-term stressor. Archana Singhal, counsellor, family therapist, and founder of Mindwell Counsel, says, “At this stage a more advanced treatment approach might be necessary, which means that the person will need more than occasional therapy sessions. This may mean that people need to be seen by psychiatrists for a long time, supervised with medicines, seen often, and given formal psychotherapy and support from a multidisciplinary team. Early intervention can be important, as if left untreated, these mental disorders can get worse, be disabling, lead to fractures in relationships, and increase risk of harm to self.”
Mental illness-related issues are typically complicated and require very aggressive multimodality treatment. The recovery team may consist of a psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, nurse, occupational therapist, addiction specialist, and social worker, all focused on providing whole-person recovery. “A gradual and structured recovery program may be beneficial for some, to help them to return to daily life, develop coping skills, manage medications, and gradually return to the workplace, school, and social settings. Inpatient care may be needed to protect the patient, to give an opportunity for stabilization and clinical supervision, and in some cases when the patient is at significant risk of committing suicide, has become psychotic, or their addiction is out of control,” says Singhal. Individualization, intensity, and simultaneous treatment of the biological, psychological, and social aspects of mental health disease are the most effective approaches to mental health disease management.
Families can be a first point of contact and support to those who have severe mental illnesses. Being a caregiver can also be an extremely stressful and difficult experience, particularly if the family must cope with the symptoms being inconsistent, having more than one crisis, treatment resistance, or safety concerns. “Stress, burnout, anxiety, guilt, and financial pressures are experienced by many caregivers. Family members may not know the disease and may not be well informed on what to do in case of an emergency. That’s why the role of the family in planning treatment, providing support, counseling, and providing psychoeducation is significant. Families have a role to play in helping to be a positive influence in recovery and can do so with the help and guidance of the community,” says Singhal.
As mental health cases become more complex, a specialized psychiatric infrastructure becomes increasingly important to their treatment and recovery. It makes possible coordinated psychiatric care, structured recovery programs, crisis intervention, rehabilitation services, and inpatient facilities, if necessary. A complete mental health system provides the ability to obtain the required treatment at the required time, ranging from outpatient services to more intensive rehabilitative therapy, help with addiction recovery, or brief hospital stays during acute mental health episodes. It also provides a structure for bringing the family member into treatment and a follow-up plan after discharge. Increasing psychiatric facilities is not simply a matter of more treatment for patients; it is to provide a system so that those with more complicated mental health problems are able to be successfully treated for the duration of their recovery.
If you’re based in the United States and you or someone you know is dealing with a mental health crisis, you can use the National Suicide and Crisis hotline calling 988, or check out 988lifeline.org
