Why Mental Health Treatment Centers are in High Demand
Providing relief for mental ailments
Every year, the statistic of those who suffer from mental health disorders continues to rise. Because of social stigma, people are ashamed to seek treatment for their ailments and they continue to suffer causing even more damage to their mental and physical health. Sadly, because less and less people are receiving treatment, many mental health treatment centers are closing down around the nation. Even though most people are not receiving treatment, there are those who actually want help and unfortunately they cannot find the resources they need, which is why mental health treatment centers are in high demand.
In Texas, one county is working with government officials and state representatives to boost mental health care. The Center for Health Care Services has offered to purchase land for the construction of new mental health treatment centers that can easily treat over 3,000 patients at one time. Although one Texas county is doing their part, there are 49 other states that need to follow suit in order to cater to all of those who suffer from mental health disorders.
The Importance of Mental Health Treatment Centers
The National Alliance on Mental Illness reports, over 43 million adults suffer from a mental illness which is a whopping 19 percent of the entire United States’ population. About 10 million of those who suffer have experienced an illness, due in part by their mental disorder, that has substantially interfered with their life. In fact, if mental health disorders are left untreated, they can lead to erratic behaviors, broken relationships and even death. Studies show that mental illnesses have contributed to over 350,000 deaths in just one year; having a mental illness can significantly decrease life expectancy by as much as 10 years.
Mental health treatment centers have the tools to teach patients how to take control of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. Therapeutic modalities are the most effective aspects of mental health treatment; they are evidence based and scientifically proven to help patients recognize their negative behaviors in order to replace them with positive coping mechanisms. The most effective therapies include:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Solution Focused Brief Therapy
- Brief Strategic Family Therapy
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy
- Neurofeedback
- Family Therapy
- Outdoor Therapy
- Equine Therapy
- Yoga and Meditation
Each therapy teaches patients different tools to recover successfully and maintain their mental well-being outside of treatment. The goal of every mental health residential treatment program is to teach patients how to function normally in every type of situation; they want patients to be able to handle any type of situation.
Seeking Treatment Before Taking Medication
Often times, people meet with a psychiatrist where they are prescribed medication to ease the symptoms of their mental health disorder. While medication temporarily relieves symptoms, it does not treat them; it only masks the symptoms and can eventually lead to addiction or uncomfortable side effects, such as:
- Nausea
- Headache
- Muscle aches
- Trouble falling asleep
- Nightmares
- Drowsiness
- Weight gain
- Suicidal thinking
- Decreased sexual desire
People who are already suffering from the symptoms of mental health disorders do not need to suffer any more because of the potential side effects; they can successfully treat their disorder through the therapeutic modalities offered at mental health residential treatment centers.
Mental health residential treatment centers are equipped to diagnose and treat each and every mental health disorder, even when they are accompanied by a substance addiction. The centers understand that nobody experiences symptoms or reacts to treatment in the same way as another; therefore, mental health treatment centers offer programs that meet each patient’s’ unique and specific needs.
Beginning with a thorough assessment, followed by a combination of traditional and experiential therapies, patients who suffer from mental health disorders can learn the tools necessary to live a healthy and happy life free from the grasps of their ailments.