Updated:

Mental Illness and Effective Treatments Essay

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

What is Mental Illness

Mental illness is a medical condition characterized by the disruption of an individual’s emotional, cognitive or behavioural functioning (National Alliance on Mental Illness, 2011). The key influences to development of the condition are discussed below.

Causes of Mental Illness

Generally, the causes of several mental illnesses have not been established and remain unknown. “However, research into the issue has established that in many cases, the condition develops as a result of a combination of biological, psychological, and biochemical/hormonal factors” (Mayo Clinic, 2009).

Biologically, it is believed that individuals coming from families whose members have a history of mental illness are most susceptible to develop the condition.

This is because they may share a genetic vulnerability in developing the illness at some point in life. Being at that risk, the illness can be triggered by other factors depending on the individual’s way of life. Also, exposure to viruses or toxins while in the womb may lead to traumatic brain damage that can trigger the illness (Mayo Clinic, 2010).

Psychological issues that may lead to development of the illness can not be ruled out. For instance, unbearable experiences in life such as losing a loved one, poverty, and depression can trigger development of the illness (Mayo Clinic, 2010).

According to Chakraburtty (2009) upbringing is a factor that can cause the condition; for example, it may lead to poor self esteem or the inability to relate to others in the society. In addition to that, unbearable psychological trauma at early stages in life, such as sexual or emotional abuse can result in mental illness (Chakraburtty, 2009).

Biochemical causes (brain chemistry) are the changes that take place within the brain as a result of naturally occurring brain chemicals, and may lead to development of the condition. Generally, these changes and hormonal imbalances are associated with a person’s mood and other mental health issues. “It is thought that inherited traits, life experiences and biological factors can all affect brain chemistry linked to mental illnesses” (Mayo Clinic, 2010).

Treatments for Mental Illness

Treatment of mental illnesses depends on the type of illness, its level of development, and the way of life of the patient. In cases of extreme mental severity, for example schizophrenia, a team approach is appropriate. This ensures that all psychiatric, medical and social needs of the patient are met (Mayo Clinic, 2010). Various approaches are used for treatment of mental illness as described below.

Treatment Teams & Treatment Options

“The people who may be involved in the patient’s treatment include; a family doctor, psychiatrist, psychotherapist, pharmacist, social workers, and important family members” (Mayo Clinic, 2010). However, if the condition of illness is mild, a family doctor, a psychiatrist, or a psychotherapist can handle the situation. Depending on the type, severity and doctor’s opinion, there are several treatments that can be prescribed for mental illness. Mostly, a combination of the medications brings the best results.

  • Medications

Medications which can be prescribed include; antidepressants, mood-stabilizers, anti-anxiety, and antipsychotic medications (Mayo Clinic, 2010). Unfortunately, psychiatric medications do not cure the illness, but may help to increase the effectiveness of other treatments like psychotherapy.

  • Psychotherapy

Generally, psychotherapy involves the process of treating mental illness by sharing about the condition with a mental health professional (Mayo Clinic, 2010). Psychotherapy helps the patient to understand his moods, condition, and behaviour, thus, imparting stress-management knowledge (American Psychiatric Association, 2011).

This treatment is usually completed after few months; however, it is advisable to extend the treatment for some time in order to get the best results. “Examples of psychotherapies include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), interpersonal therapy (IPT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)” (Mayo Clinic, 2010).

  • Other Treatments

Other treatments that can be administered include: Brain-stimulation treatments; hospitalization and residential treatment programs; substance abuse treatment; and participation in own care (Mayo Clinic, 2010).

Conclusion

In conclusion, mental illness is a common occurrence which can be controlled through administering various medications as described earlier.

Reference List

American Psychiatric Association. (2011). Mental Illness. Web.

Chakraburtty, A. (2009, February 9). .

(2010, November 5). Mental Illness.

National Alliance on Mental Illness. (2011). Mental Illness. Web.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2018, June 6). Mental Illness and Effective Treatments. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mental-illness-and-effective-treatments/

Work Cited

"Mental Illness and Effective Treatments." IvyPanda, 6 June 2018, ivypanda.com/essays/mental-illness-and-effective-treatments/.

References

IvyPanda. (2018) 'Mental Illness and Effective Treatments'. 6 June.

References

IvyPanda. 2018. "Mental Illness and Effective Treatments." June 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mental-illness-and-effective-treatments/.

1. IvyPanda. "Mental Illness and Effective Treatments." June 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mental-illness-and-effective-treatments/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Mental Illness and Effective Treatments." June 6, 2018. https://ivypanda.com/essays/mental-illness-and-effective-treatments/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1