What Is Mental Health?
Good mental health is a condition when a person attains a calm and peaceful mental condition. This condition allows a person to think more clearly and be more focused during activities. Mental health, similar to physical condition, is important to be maintained.
Someone with good mental health can optimize their potential to face problems and establish positive relationships with other people. Meanwhile, disrupted mental conditions may have a bad influence on a person’s emotions, mood, and ability to think.
Without proper treatment, disrupted mental conditions may cause problems in daily life that will affect the patient’s quality of life, such as reduced performance at the workplace or school, or even ruin their social relationships with others.
Therefore, it is advisable for everyone to maintain their mental health and start to recognize signs of mental disorders as early as possible, without perceiving mental health disorders as a taboo discussion.
Causes of Mental Health Disorders
When someone experiences a mental health disorder or poor mental health, there should be a trigger, such as a traumatic experience in the past. Some causes of mental health disorders are:
Genetic factors or history of mental health disorders in the family.
Living in unhealthy home environments.
Having a history of physical, sexual, or other kinds of abuse.
Victims of discrimination and stigma.
Socially isolated or alienated.
Have been under heavy stress for a long period.
Head trauma.
Brain disorders or other chemical compound abnormalities in the brain.
Suffering from huge financial losses, e.g. bankruptcy or huge debt.
Losing jobs, unemployed, or homeless.
Death or losing loved ones.
Drug abuse or excessive alcohol consumption.
Having severe trauma, such as a serious accident or being in war.
Symptoms of Mental Health Disorders
Mental health disorders may cause different symptoms based on the mental health problems experienced by the patients. Nevertheless, some common symptoms that patients with mental health disorders may experience are:
Difficulty focusing and concentrating.
Difficulty dealing with stress or daily problems.
Tendency to get emotional and abusive.
Like to shout or fight.
Frequently hallucinating or becoming paranoid.
Withdrawing from social activities.
Losing motivation to do activities that they previously enjoyed.
Thoughts of self-harm or harming others.
Suicidal thoughts.
Sudden mood change.
Change of dietary habits or patterns, such as decreasing or increasing appetite.
Appearance of excessive anxiety, fear, despair, and sadness.
Frequently feeling fatigued and experiencing sleep problems.
Change of sexual desire.
Disrupted daily routine and decreased productivity or performance.
Difficulty understanding others.
Feeling confused, forgetful, and easily offended.
Loss of confidence.
Diagnosing Mental Health Disorders
The doctor will diagnose mental health disorders by conducting an anamnesis or medical interview to ascertain the patient’s behavioral symptoms, life experience, medical history, medication consumption history, and family history.
Then, the doctor will perform a physical examination to eliminate indications of other diseases. In some cases, the doctor will perform diagnostic tests, such as medications and alcohol screening tests, thyroid function examination, and CT scan to ensure there is no problem in the brain.
Thorough examination is crucial to diagnose mental health disorders, it helps the doctor to determine the proper diagnosis and treatments needed by the patient.
Treatments for Mental Health Disorder
There are some treatment methods that the doctor will recommend to help the patients manage or overcome their mental health problems. The methods used to treat mental health disorders vary based on the patient’s mental health conditions. Some of the treatment methods are:
1. Medication Intake
The medication should be administered according to the doctor’s prescription with the aim of treating mental health disorders caused by chemical compound abnormalities in the brain. Generally, the doctor will ask the patient to undergo psychotherapy for the optimal and effective result.
Some types of common medications prescribed by the doctor are tricyclic antidepressants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).
2. Psychotherapy
Through psychotherapy, the patient will convey their thoughts and feelings, while the doctor will provide proper advice about it. Usually, the doctor will lead the patient to control their feelings, emotions, and behavior.
Some common examples of psychotherapy used to manage mental health disorders are exposure therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy.
3. Supporting Group
Patients with mental health disorders are also recommended to join a supporting group consisting of people who have mental disorders or have just recovered from their disorder. Through this activity, they are expected to share their experience and suggestions to optimize the recovery process.
4. Brain Stimulation
Brain stimulation is divided into several types, namely magnetic transcranial stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation, and deep brain stimulation. This therapy is effective in helping patients overcome mental disorders.
5. Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation is generally suggested for patients with mental health disorders caused by drug abuse. This method’s goal is to stop the patient’s dependency on those medications.
6. Hospitalization
If strict monitoring by medical experts is required, the patient is advised to undergo intensive care in the hospital. This is usually done to prevent emergencies, such as suicide attempts.
7. Self Treatment
Apart from medical help or therapy, patients with mental health problems can also perform self-treatment. They can begin by applying a healthy lifestyle and managing their stress.
How to Maintain Mental Health
Similarly to physical health, mental health can be maintained by adopting a healthy lifestyle, namely:
Fostering positive thoughts and saying positive affirmations to oneself.
Properly managing stress.
Engaging in regular exercise.
Maintaining good relationships with others.
Getting adequate rest.
Lending a hand and understanding other people’s conditions.
Seeking medical help if necessary.
Mental health disorders require immediate treatment by medical professionals to avoid a decrease in quality of life. Inform your problem to the psychologists or psychiatrists online through the Teleconsultation service and get treatment advice suitable to your condition. Download MySiloam app now to access the Teleconsultation service.