Mental health treatment starts at Footprints to Recovery. Our team of therapists offer a full continuum of care, including behavioral therapy and addiction treatment, for anyone who needs it. Don’t hesitate to find mental health treatment from the certified therapists at a Footprints to Recovery location.
Mental health is a broad term used to describe mental well-being. It includes cognitive, emotional, and social aspects of our lives that influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Mental health issues can affect your ability to cope with daily life, and several factors can influence your mental health. Some of those factors you can’t change, like your genes, your family history, and your brain chemistry. Other factors can change, like getting help for trauma or any other mental illness.
Mental illnesses are diagnosable conditions. They often involve changes in emotion, thinking, or behavior associated with distress or impaired functioning. The different types of mental health issues often have similar symptoms which can make them difficult to diagnose. Only mental health professionals with proper training and experience can help people living with mental health issues or alcohol and drug abuse.
Types of Mental Health Disorders
Mood Disorders
A mood disorder is a psychological condition characterized by persistent feelings of:
- Sadness
- Anxiety
- Emptiness
It can affect your ability to function in daily life, maintain relationships, and pursue your goals and aspirations. Mood disorders can range from mild to severe in intensity and often need professional treatment to manage symptoms.
Common treatments for mood disorders include:
- Therapy
- Medication
- Lifestyle changes such as increased physical activity and relaxation techniques
- Support groups
With the right combination of therapies and interventions, many people can better regulate their emotions and live healthy lives free from the negative effects of mood disorders. Some of the mood disorders treated at Footprints to Recovery are below.
Depression
Depression is a serious mental health disorder that can have long-lasting effects on your life. It can interfere with your work, your relationships, and even the way you care for yourself. People experiencing depression often struggle to pick themselves up and carry on with everyday activities. They may feel overwhelmed by the smallest tasks and unable to enjoy activities they once enjoyed.
Some common symptoms of depression and depressive disorders include:
- Sadness
- Emptiness
- Hopelessness
- Changes in appetite
- Changes in energy levels
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Difficulty concentrating
Bipolar Depression
Bipolar depression is a type of mood disorder that involves periods of extreme lows and highs in mood, energy, and activity levels. People with bipolar depression may experience episodes of mania. During manic episodes, people often experience symptoms like:
- Elevated or irritable mood
- Restlessness
- Decreased need for sleep
- Racing thoughts
- Increased talkativeness
- Impulsive behavior
During hypomanic episodes, people may feel an elevated mood like mania but without the severe impairment associated with full-blown manic episodes.
Bipolar depression can be a difficult diagnosis to accept, but understanding what it is, how it affects you, and the management options are essential to living with the condition. With proper treatment, lifestyle changes, and ongoing support, you can lead a full and productive life.
Complicated Grief
Complicated grief is a severe and persistent form of grief that lasts more than six months after the loss of a loved one. It can interfere with daily functioning, relationships, work, and other life activities. People who experience complicated grief are often preoccupied with thoughts and memories of their loved one. These thoughts are so intense they can’t move forward or even function as normal.
Symptoms of complicated grief include:
- Feeling numb or detached from others
- Avoiding reminders of the person who died
- Having trouble trusting others
- Difficulty concentrating or sleeping
- Frequent episodes of crying or sadness
Treatment for complicated grief involves therapy sessions focused on processing emotions related to the loss. It also involves developing coping skills to manage feelings of sadness and depression.
Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are a group of mental health issues that cause people to feel intense fear, worry, and unease. These feelings can be so strong that they interfere with everyday activities. Symptoms vary depending on the type of anxiety disorder but can include:
- Physical symptoms such as sweating or trembling
- Negative thought patterns
- Avoidance behaviors
- Difficulty concentrating or sleeping
- Trouble controlling worrying
Anxiety disorder treatment involves talk therapy and sometimes medication to reduce the intensity of symptoms.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Obsessive compulsive disorder is an anxiety disorder that causes persistent, intrusive thoughts and fears (obsessions). They feel compelled to address these tics through specific behaviors known as compulsions. Obsessions are different from case to case, but some of the most common OCD tics include:
- Fear of contamination or germs
- Worries about harm coming to yourself or others
- Feeling the need for symmetry and orderliness in your environment
- Preoccupation with religious beliefs
While some people can acknowledge that their obsessive thoughts are irrational, it doesn’t stop them from engaging in compulsive behavior like counting or checking. The most common symptom of OCD is excessive washing or cleaning.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Someone with social anxiety disorder feels intense fear of judgement by others in social settings. They may experience physical symptoms such as:
- Sweating
- Trembling
- Difficulty speaking
- Blushing when they are around other people
They may also have thoughts that they will embarrass themselves in public situations. In severe cases, individuals can become so anxious that they avoid social interactions altogether.
Treatment for social anxiety includes psychotherapy and/or medication to help manage the symptoms of the disorder.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is a type of anxiety disorder characterized by frequent and unexpected panic attacks. Panic attacks are sudden, intense episodes of fear or terror that leave you feeling overwhelmed, powerless, and unable to control your reactions.
Symptoms of a panic attack may include:
- Trembling
- Sweating
- Chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Palpitations
- Dizziness
- Sensations of unreality or detachment from oneself
During an attack, many experience feelings of dread or impending doom. Depending on the severity of the attack, these symptoms can last for several minutes or hours. If left untreated, panic disorder can seriously impact your day-to-day functioning and quality of life.
Trauma
Trauma is a psychological, emotional, and physical response to a distressing or disturbing event. It can come from a one-time event like an accident or abuse, or it can stem from prolonged exposure to stressful situations like war, childhood neglect, or domestic violence. Trauma can cause long-term changes in how someone views the world. It affects their ability to cope with everyday life.
If you’ve experienced a traumatic event, it’s important to seek professional help so you can find healthy ways of managing the effects of trauma on your life.
Some of the trauma-related conditions the mental health professionals at Footprints to Recovery treat include the following.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a serious illness that can develop after exposure to a traumatic event. In the United States PTSD affects about 8% of women and 4% of men at some point in their lives. Symptoms of PTSD include:
- Flashbacks
- Nightmares
- Intrusive memories
- Fear and anxiety
- Avoidance of situations or events related to the trauma
- Irritability or angry outbursts
- Difficulty focusing or concentrating on tasks
- Difficulties in social situations
- Trouble sleeping
Dissociative Disorders
Dissociative disorders cause people to have disruptions in:
- Memory
- Consciousness
- Identity
- Perceptions
They can cause people to feel disconnected from their own emotions or environment. This leads to feelings of depersonalization or detachment from reality.
The most common dissociative disorder is dissociative identity disorder. The original name for the condition was “multiple personality disorder.” This condition involves the presence of alternate personalities that are independent from one another. It’s a way of coping with trauma or stress. Other forms of dissociative disorder include depersonalization disorder, dissociative amnesia, and dissociative fugue.
Childhood Trauma
Any event or experience causing emotional, physical, or psychological damage to a child can lead to issues with trauma that last into adulthood. Common types of childhood trauma include:
- Abuse (physical, emotional, sexual)
- Neglect (emotional and physical)
- Various kinds of loss (the death of a loved one, parental divorce, etc.)
- Witnessing traumatic events experienced by others (family violence, war, etc.)
The impact of childhood trauma can be far-reaching. It can lead to difficulty regulating emotions, building relationships with others, and managing everyday stressors. These issues can persist into adulthood if not addressed.
Personality Disorders
Personality disorders are a group of mental health conditions characterized by inflexible and unhealthy patterns of thinking, feeling, and behaving. These disorders can cause significant distress in your life and hurt your relationships with others.
Common symptoms of personality disorders include:
- Difficulty controlling emotions and impulses
- Extreme mood swings
- Problems managing relationships
- Inability to handle stress or crisis situations
- Rigid adherence to specific ways of thinking or behaving
It is important to note that these patterns must be pervasive throughout your life for a personality disorder diagnosis.
Obsessive- Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)
Obsessive compulsive personality disorder is a mental health issue that preoccupies people with orderliness, perfectionism, and control. OCPD is not the same thing as obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), although they share some similarities.
People with OCPD tend to have a rigid and inflexible personality style. They are excessively focused on details, rules, and regulations. They often set unreasonably high standards for themselves and others, striving for perfection in everything they do. They can be overly devoted to work and productivity and often give up leisure time and relationships to pursue their goals.
Treatment for OCPD often involves psychotherapy, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). This aims to help you develop more flexible thinking patterns and improve your ability to cope with uncertainty.
Borderline Personality Disorder (PBD)
Borderline personality disorder is one example of a personality disorder. People with BPD experience volatile emotions and unstable behavior. This can lead to impulsivity and a distorted self-image. People with BPD also struggle to manage relationships, control their emotions, and make decisions.
Common symptoms of BPD include:
- Intense fear of abandonment
- Extreme mood swings
- Impulsive behaviors such as substance abuse or reckless driving
- Chaotic relationships with others
- Difficulties setting boundaries and fear of being alone
People living with BPD can often see the world in only black and white. Everything is either all good or all bad; there’s no middle ground or gray area.
Substance Abuse Disorders
Someone with a substance abuse disorder feels an uncontrollable urge to use drugs or alcohol. They may continue to use the substance despite negative consequences like changes in health or financial standing. Substance abuse can lead to physical health complications and mental health issues such as depression and anxiety.
Substance abuse disorders often carry signs and symptoms like any disease. These vary depending on the substance abused, but there are some general similarities:
- Inability to control the use of the substance and/or cravings for it
- Increased tolerance for the drug or alcohol, needing more to achieve desired effects
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not using the substance
- Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed
- Spending large amounts of time obtaining or using substances
- Financial difficulty due to spending on drugs or alcohol
- Neglecting responsibilities such as work, school, and family obligations
- Risky behaviors such as driving while under the influence or engaging in unsafe sex
Treatment for Substance Abuse Disorders
Your treatment for addiction will vary depending on what substance you’re abusing, the severity of the condition, and other individual factors. But treatment generally includes some combination of:
- Group and individual counseling
- Lifestyle changes
- 12-step programs
- Inpatient or outpatient treatment
- Medications
- Other programs to help improve mental well-being and prevent relapse
Footprints to Recovery offers levels of care that can help you turn your life around. Depending on your situation, you may find the following treatment programs helpful.
- Medical detox – When mental illness leads to addiction, medical detox may be a necessary first step in the recovery process. Detox rids the body of substances and toxins. It’s best done under the supervision of experienced medical and addiction professionals who can help manage withdrawal symptoms.
- Inpatient care – Some people need 24/7 supervision and guidance while in recovery. Residential treatment offers the chance to live at an inpatient rehab facility and attend treatment programs. Without outside distractions, you can place your full focus on getting better.
- Partial hospitalization program (PHP) – PHP is for those who need structured addiction treatment without 24-hour supervision. It’s considered a middle step between residential and outpatient treatment. You may spend up to five days a week in treatment at a rehab facility.
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP) – IOP allows you to attend therapy while living at home or in a sober living home. IOPs are shorter than inpatient programs. They focus on re-integrating you into society while using the skills you learned and the tools you gained in rehab.
- Outpatient rehab – Those in outpatient treatment only attend treatment once or twice per week. This is the most flexible of the treatment options. It allows you to attend work or school while also getting the help you need for addiction.
Treatment for Mental Health Disorders
Treating mental health disorders typically involves a combination of different approaches, tailored to the specific needs of the individual. Speaking with the mental health professionals at Footprints to Recovery can offer better insight into which treatment path is right for you and your situation. Some of the options for mental health treatment include:
Talk Therapy
Also known as psychotherapy or counseling, talk therapy involves working with a mental health professional to explore and address the underlying causes and symptoms of your disorder. You’ll develop a therapeutic relationship with a trained mental health professional. This can happen on a one-to-one basis in individual therapy or in group therapy. Either way, the aim is to address emotional, behavioral, and psychological challenges.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Cognitive behavioral therapy is a therapeutic approach for treating various mental health issues. It focuses on identifying and modifying negative thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors that contribute to distressing symptoms. CBT is typically conducted in a structured and goal-oriented way. It aims to empower individuals to develop effective coping strategies and make positive changes in their lives.
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
DBT is a form of therapy developed to treat people with mental health issues that cause emotional dysregulation and difficulties in interpersonal relationships. DBT combines elements of CBT with mindfulness-based practices and incorporates a dialectical approach that emphasizes balancing acceptance and change.
During DBT treatment, you attend one-on-one therapy sessions with a trained DBT therapist. These sessions focus on:
- Enhancing motivation
- Addressing specific concerns
- Helping you apply skills learned in group therapy to your life situations
The therapist provides guidance and support in developing coping strategies, managing emotions, and navigating challenging situations.
Medically Assisted Treatment
There are various medication-assisted treatments available for mental health issues. Your specific treatment options depend on your specific mental health condition and how severe it is. Common medications used in treatment include:
- Antidepressants
- Antianxiety agents
- Mood stabilizers
- Antipsychotics
These medications are prescribed to manage symptoms of mental health disorders. They can help alleviate symptoms by regulating brain chemistry and improving your mood. They work by regulating neurotransmitters in the brain, such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. These play crucial roles in mood regulation.
There are various types and classes of medications for mental health. This allows treatment professionals to prescribe medication based on individual needs and symptoms. This flexibility means they can find the most effective medication for each person, improving the chances of getting better.
Making a Treatment Plan
When you’re in mental health treatment, making a treatment plan can help you find a path to recovery that fits your needs. Usually, a combination of therapies is most effective. Lifestyle changes are also important in successful treatment plans for all types of mental health conditions. They help create healthier habits that lead to better decision-making and a more stable mood. They also make it easier to stop using drugs and alcohol, if that’s a problem for you.
At Footprints to Recovery your treatment plan will be created during a consultation with a clinical professional who identifies issues and diagnoses any mental health conditions. They will help you establish the proper medications, programs, and therapies to treat your condition. Together, you set goals and outline the steps it will take to reach them. A treatment plan can help you be more aware of triggers in life so you can effectively manage them and prevent a relapse. Treatment plans are individualized, meaning everyone finds the path to a better life that works best for their needs.
Footprints to Recovery uses the latest in evidence-based and holistic mental health treatments. Our caring and dedicated counselors are available to help anyone with an issue with addiction or mental illness. Contact our admissions team today for a free insurance verification or to learn more about the treatment options available.
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mood-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20365057
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/complicated-grief/symptoms-causes/syc-20360374
- https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/anxiety-disorders
- https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/social-anxiety-disorder-more-than-just-shyness
- https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/panic-disorder-when-fear-overwhelms
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dissociative-disorders/symptoms-causes/syc-20355215
- https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/posttraumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd
- https://www.samhsa.gov/child-trauma/understanding-child-trauma
- https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/bipolar-disorder
- https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/borderline-personality-disorder
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