Mental Health Tips And Treatments

1. Mental health conditions are medical conditions. Mental health conditions may be due to brain dysfunction, like diabetes and high blood pressure are due to organ dysfunction. They are not just emotions.

2. Imaging the brain of people with mental health conditions like depression and anxiety show physical changes of the brain. Early treatment might help avoid or reduce the risk of these changes that cause brain damage.

3. Mental health conditions are common, affecting about 18% (almost 1 in 5) of adults in the U.S. in any given year. Mental illness can begin at any age, from childhood to later adult years, but most cases start earlier in life.

4. The effects of mental illness may be temporary or long-lasting. It is possible to have more than one mental health disorder at the same time.

Mood disorders (particularly depression) and anxiety disorders are the most common mental health conditions, affecting over 6% of the U.S adult population in any given year. They tend to run in families and are often triggered by life stressors. Treatments include healthy diet and exercise, meditation, therapy (cognitive behavioral therapy), and medication. If you are depressed or anxious, it is helpful to work with your physician to determine a comprehensive treatment plan. If it includes medication, be patient, as it may take time to find the right one at the dose that works perfectly for you. Don’t stop your medication without communicating with your doctor. With close, frequent communication with a trusted doctor, you are likely to find a regimen that works well.