Therapy and Self-Help: Mental Health Myths and Facts

This post is a continuation of  my experiences with mental health myths and facts. All the myths I quote in these posts are taken verbatim from Mental Health Myths and Facts on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at mentalhealth.gov.

Therapy and self-help are a waste of time. Why bother when you can just take a pill?

I have some experience with this myth. When I was first diagnosed with bipolar around the age of nineteen, I’d just had a full manic episode — scary stuff. Still, after I came out of the episode and went back to college, I didn’t think much about how my behavior and ways of thinking that could exacerbate or lead to manic or depressive episodes. I figured my medication would be enough.

As I’ve aged, I’ve found it’s very important to have a toolbox of skills of which to draw from when coping with and preventing symptoms of mental illness. After my last major depressive episode, which led to a hospitalization, I picked up a self-help book on sleep called, “The Insomnia Workbook.” Using the cognitive behavioral therapy skills in it has definitely helped me manage my sleep, keeping me more mentally healthy.

After a previous depressive episode that also led to a hospitalization, I went to a skills group on DBT, or, “dialectical behavoir therapy.” The skills I’ve learned in that class have helped maintain my mental health and is especially helpful in managing anxiety, depression, and the racing thoughts

While medications are imperative for me to stay mentally balanced, using the skills I learn in therapy makes a huge difference. Therapy is not just me sitting and talking about my problems. Instead, I get homework on managing my thinking and my behaviors.

I could write for hours on the skills I’ve learned, how they help, ones that haven’t helped, and how I struggle when I stop practicing those skills, but that is beyond the scope of this post. Running and exercise have also been a huge self-help tool in staying physically and mentally fit.

There are two angles to look at about therapy, self-help, and medication — the perspective of the person struggling with mental illness and the friends and family members of that person.

First, for those struggling with a diagnosis of mental illness, whether newly diagnosed or not, be patient. Be gentle with yourself and work slowly at building skills to cope with mental illness. You.may need medication, and you may not. What’s important is finding a care team that you feel is working in your best interest and wants to help you reach your goals. This care team can include doctors, therapists, support groups, and close friends and family members.

It can take time to find that team, especially given the cost and access barriers in the mental health field, but again, be patient.

For those who need psychotropic medications, I would recommend finding a clinician who will take time to coordinate with your therapist, loved ones, and your family practitioner to do the best she or he can to get you on the right medication and the right dose. I’d also recommend seeing a nurse practitioner rather than a psychiatrist. There are definitely good psychiatrists, but I have found the nurse practitioners are more responsive and willing to be in partnerships with the patients rather than, “here’s your prescription and good luck.”

Second, for friends and family of a person diagnosed with mental illness, be patient. Don’t expect that your loved one should just take her or his pills and be fine. For one thing, psychotropic medications can take two weeks or more to be effective, so you won’t see a change for a while. Also, it often takes several tries to find the right medication for that individual. Remember that your loved one is going through a difficult time with their mental health. Instead of telling them what they should be doing, ask them what you can do to help.

In my previous blog post, I linked an article from MentalHealth.gov called, “For Friends and Family.” If you haven’t yet, I’d encourage you to read the whole thing. The article gives great advice on talking with someone you’re concerned about because of their mental health:

Medications for mental illness can quite literally be lifesavers. I shudder to think where I’d be had there not been medications for bipolar. However, while medications can be a godsend, they are not tiny white magic bullets. Therapy, self-help, and the support of a care team are vital in coping with and recovering from mental illness.

What types of self-help, therapy, and daily routines do you use to keep mentally fit?