Treatments and Solutions
Taking the First Step
The symptoms of emotional or behavioral disorders can have a profound effect on someone’s quality of life and ability to function. Treatment can address symptoms as well as assist someone experiencing severe or ongoing stress. Some of the reasons that you might consider seeking out psychotherapy and or neurofeedback include:
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Overwhelming sadness or helplessness that doesn’t go away
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Serious, unusual insomnia or sleeping too much
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Difficulty focusing on work, or carrying out other everyday activities
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Constant worry and anxiety
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Any behavior that harms self or others
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Dealing with a difficult transition, such as a divorce, children leaving home, job difficulties, or the death of someone close
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Children’s behavior problems that interfere with school, family, or peers
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Anxiety
The cause of anxiety disorders is thought to be a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Risk factors include a history of child abuse, family history of mental disorders, and poverty.
Anxiety disorders often occur with other mental disorders, particularly major depressive disorder, personality disorder, and substance use disorder. Psychotherapy can address many of these issues and aid in substantial improvement without the use of prescription drugs and harmful chemicals.
Depression
There are a number of different psychotherapies for depression which are provided to individuals or groups by psychotherapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, clinical social workers, counselors or psychiatric nurses. With more chronic forms of depression, the most effective treatment is often considered to be a combination of medication and psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is the treatment of choice in people under 18.
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As the most studied form of psychotherapy for depression, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is thought to work by teaching clients to learn a set of cognitive and behavioral skills, which they can employ on their own. Earlier research suggested that cognitive behavioral therapy was not as effective as antidepressant medication in the treatment of depression; however, more recent research suggests that it can perform as well as antidepressants in treating patients with moderate to severe depression.
Relationships
One of the most complex parts of our lives is the experiences and relationships we share with others. Our relationships guide our lives through sharing with and relying on others for all types of support. This can be a mixture of emotional, financial, and spiritual support.
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As a friend or family member, you often have the very first opportunity to notice if someone you are close to is going through a hard time in their life. The best thing you can do is recommend help, whether it is a helpline or a great therapist. Here are some signs to watch for:
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Warning Signs
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Noticeable changes in mood, energy level, or appetite
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Feeling flat or having trouble feeling positive emotions
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Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
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Difficulty concentrating, feeling restless, or on edge
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Increased worry or feeling stressed
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Anger, irritability or aggressiveness
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Ongoing headaches, digestive issues, or pain
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A need for alcohol or drugs
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Sadness or hopelessness
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Suicidal thoughts
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Feeling flat or having trouble feeling positive emotions
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Engaging in high-risk activities
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Obsessive thinking or compulsive behavior
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Thoughts or behaviors that interfere with work, family, or social life
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Unusual thinking or behaviors that concern other people
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Couples Therapy
The most common issue in relationships is communication. High rates of relationship breakdown have been consistently associated with negative health consequences for both adults and children following divorce/separation. These include isolation from support networks, and reduced income and standard of living for both adults and children, dilemmas of loyalty over children for men, and depression and loss of identity for women. In a meta-analysis of 70 US studies, children of divorce scored significantly lower on measures of academic achievement, conduct, psychological adjustment, and social development. Longitudinal studies also suggest that children of divorce have a higher incidence of psychological disorders, drug and alcohol use, and risky sexual behavior.
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The support systems for couples are hard and embarrassing to navigate, but here we can make it simple. Psychotherapy for the married or long term couple can change the energy, achievement, and development of your entire household.
Trauma & PTSD
Everyone is different, and PTSD affects people differently, so a treatment that works for one person may not work for another. It is important for anyone with PTSD to be treated by a mental health provider who is experienced with PTSD. Some people with PTSD may need to try different treatments to find what works for their symptoms.
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If someone with PTSD is going through an ongoing trauma, such as being in an abusive relationship, both of the problems need to be addressed. Other ongoing problems can include panic disorder, depression, substance abuse, and feeling suicidal.
Many types of psychotherapy can help people with PTSD. Some types target the symptoms of PTSD directly. Other therapies focus on social, family, or job-related problems. The doctor or therapist may combine different therapies depending on each person’s needs.
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Effective psychotherapies tend to emphasize a few key components, including education about symptoms, teaching skills to help identify the triggers of symptoms, and skills to manage the symptoms. One helpful form of therapy is called cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT. CBT can include:
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Exposure therapy. This helps people face and control their fear. It gradually exposes them to the trauma they experienced in a safe way. It uses imagining, writing, or visiting the place where the event happened. The therapist uses these tools to help people with PTSD cope with their feelings.
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Cognitive restructuring. This helps people make sense of the bad memories. Sometimes people remember the event differently than how it happened. They may feel guilt or shame about something that is not their fault. The therapist helps people with PTSD look at what happened in a realistic way.
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There are other types of treatment that can help as well. People with PTSD should talk about all treatment options with a therapist. Treatment should equip individuals with the skills to manage their symptoms and help them participate in activities that they enjoyed before developing PTSD.
How Talk Therapies Help People Overcome PTSD
Talk therapies teach people helpful ways to react to the frightening events that trigger their PTSD symptoms. Based on this general goal, different types of therapy may:
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Teach about trauma and its effects
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Use relaxation and anger-control skills
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Provide tips for better sleep, diet, and exercise habits
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Help people identify and deal with guilt, shame, and other feelings about the event
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Focus on changing how people react to their PTSD symptoms. For example, therapy helps people face reminders of the trauma.
Adolescent Therapy
It can be tough to tell if troubling behavior in a child is just part of growing up or a problem that should be discussed with a health professional. But if there are behavioral signs and symptoms that last weeks or months, and if these issues interfere with the child’s daily life at home and at school, or with friends, you should contact a health professional.
Young children may benefit from an evaluation and treatment if they:
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Have frequent tantrums or are intensely irritable much of the time
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Often talk about fears or worries
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Complain about frequent stomachaches or headaches with no known medical cause
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Are in constant motion and cannot sit quietly (except when they are watching videos or playing videogames)
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Sleep too much or too little, have frequent nightmares, or seem sleepy during the day
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Are not interested in playing with other children or have difficulty making friends
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Struggle academically or have experienced a recent decline in grades
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Repeat actions or check things many times out of fear that something bad may happen.
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Older children and adolescents may benefit from an evaluation if they:
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Have lost interest in things that they used to enjoy
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Have low energy
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Sleep too much or too little, or seem sleepy throughout the day
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Are spending more and more time alone, and avoid social activities with friends or family
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Fear gaining weight, or diet or exercise excessively
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Engage in self-harm behaviors (e.g., cutting or burning their skin)
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Smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs
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Engage in risky or destructive behavior alone or with friends
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Have thoughts of suicide
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Have periods of highly elevated energy and activity, and require much less sleep than usual
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Say that they think someone is trying to control their mind or that they hear things that other people cannot hear.