Mental health treatment needs more than pills: Experts reveal why therapy and lifestyle changes matter
A rise in cases of mental disorders among populations of the world is becoming quite alarming. There are numerous types of disorders including depression, anxiety, bipolar, obsessive compulsive disorder, and others that can negatively affect lives. As far as treatment goes, pills have usually been prescribed to treat the problem. Although this may be quite beneficial in many aspects, using only tablets is not a comprehensive solution.
“The reason is that mental health depends not only on biology, but also on psychology, emotions, and society. Pills focus on chemicals in the brain and can help patients cope with sadness, panic, insomnia, mood swings, and so forth. However, there are problems that medication cannot solve like trauma, stressful events, negative environment or unaddressed emotions. In order to be effective, pills should be used along with other treatment methods,” says Dr Sasha Raikhy, consultant- psychiatrist, director at Possitive Vibes Mental Health Clinic, New Delhi.
Dr Raikhy says, “There are effective therapies used to enhance emotional resilience, including cognitive behavioral therapy, counseling, mindfulness techniques, physical activity, and improved sleeping habits. They all help a person to better comprehend their mind and cope with stresses. Social support is also essential to recover from psychological issues, and it involves social networks and families helping an individual become healthier emotionally. The problem with focusing on medication is that it does not consider other factors contributing to the well-being of an individual.”
In some instances, people who use tablets to deal with their mental problems suffer from different negative outcomes that may affect their health. Some drugs might be responsible for fatigue, weight fluctuations, difficulty falling asleep, or lack of emotions. There are situations when people do not benefit from their treatment because of its ineffectiveness, and their disease becomes treatment-resistant.
Mindfulness and spiritual guidance
“Young Indians’ openness to therapy shows a real change in how people think about emotional health and self-awareness. Not only therapy, though, but a lot of them also go for more holistic healing like mindfulness and spiritual guidance, as if they want something that feels deeper and more lasting, with emotional resilience as the end goal,” says Hitesh Chakraworty, a spiritual healer. As India keeps getting more emotionally aware and digitally connected, therapy culture among Millennials and Gen Z is likely to grow.
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Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (DTMS) refers to a new treatment option that has been created for individuals who do not get better from regular medication. The principle of this therapy involves delivering magnetic waves to activate certain areas of the brain associated with emotional and mood issues. Unlike pills, DTMS is less intrusive, and patients tend to tolerate it better. This form of treatment has proven itself to be useful in dealing with such conditions as depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
To sum up, the process of treatment of mental problems needs to go beyond the “pill-only” strategy. There must be a more holistic approach which would combine pharmacotherapy with counseling, changes in lifestyle, etc.
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(This article is meant for informational purposes only and must not be considered a substitute for advice provided by qualified medical professionals. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about medical conditions.)
