A Complete Guide To Getting Diagnosed Finding A Therapist And Getting The Right Help
Im a licensed clinical psychologist. In addition to seeing clients, teaching, and doing research, I regularly have friends and family consult me when they, or their loved ones, are facing mental health issues.
Thats actually one of the greatest benefits of my training: I get to make sure that the people in my life have the resources and mental health support they need to feel well. While providing therapy for people I have a personal relationship with is against the code of ethics for psychologists, I am able to provide support and resources to make sure my friends and family receive adequate care.
Recently, Ive had several people in my life come to me wondering what to do about their own depression or the depression of a loved one. Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions. And, because the pandemic has created a bunch of extra stressors, like unemployment, more people than usual may be experiencing depression. So its not a surprise that Im having so many people ask me about it.
What sometimes does surprise me is the variable quality of mental health services. As just one example: a friend of mine recently came to me about a friend of his who was facing some sort of unknown mental health crisis. Jeff had been in counseling for almost a year, but his counselor had not noticed anything severe. Jeffs girlfriend, noticing Jeffs distress, encouraged him to go to a psychologist.
What Type Of Talk Therapy Is Best For Depression
There are many different kinds of talk therapy. The two most commonly used for depression are cognitive-behavioral therapy and interpersonal therapy. CBT focuses on looking at how negative thought patterns may be affecting your mood. The therapist helps you learn how to make positive changes in your thoughts and behaviors. Interpersonal therapy focuses on how you relate to others and helps you make positive changes in your personal relationships. Both types of therapy can be effective in treating depression.
When Is Therapy Used In Conjunction With Medication
Because psychotherapy can take many weeks to months to have an effect, psychotherapy is frequently prescribed along with medication for people needing relief from severe depression, although less than a third of patients respond to the first drug theyre given. A new crop of medications for depressionall related to psychedelic drugsappears to open new neural pathways to recovery and is proving especially powerful when used in conjunction with intensive psychotherapy. One such drug, ketamine, is fast-acting and has been shown to reduce suicidal ideation administered intravenously, it is increasingly used for suicidal patients.
Also Check: Does Prozac Help With Panic Attacks
How To Get A Clinical Diagnosis
Theres no single test that can diagnose depression or anxiety. Instead, your doctor will likely conduct a physical exam and a depression or anxiety screening test. For this, theyll ask you a series of questions that help them get a better insight into what youve been experiencing.
If the results arent clear or if your doctor suspects the symptoms may be the result of another condition, they may order tests to rule out underlying issues. Blood tests can check your thyroid, vitamin, and hormone levels.
In some cases, general practitioners will refer you to a mental health expert, such as a psychiatrist or psychologist, if they dont feel equipped to properly manage your symptoms and conditions or if they suspect youre experiencing more than one condition.
Although depression and anxiety are two separate conditions, they share many of the same treatments. A combination of these may be used to treat both conditions at the same time.
Harm Reduction Activities And Intended Outcomes
Incorporating harm reduction can reduce negative effects on health and social wellbeing due to use of alcohol, other drugs, and related behaviors.
| Prevention Goals | |
|---|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Don’t Miss: Fear Of Bees And Wasps Phobia
Can Depression Cause Psychosis
By – July 4, 2022
Depression is one of the most common mental health conditions in the US, affecting roughly 21 million adults. Depression affects how someone feels, thinks, and can even impair their ability to perform daily tasks. Some people with severe depression may experience delusions and hallucinations, symptoms of psychosis. When patients with a primary diagnosis of major depressive disorder also experience psychotic symptoms, this is referred to as psychotic depression.
Who Can Diagnose Mental Illness
In order to accurately diagnose a mental illness, a professional must be able to recognize concerning symptoms in a client and then differentiate among the wide-ranging possible disorders that could cause those symptoms. A clinician must have enough training and experience to confidently make an assessment that will then lead to treatment actions. Only certain practitioners are qualified to diagnose mental illness, and fewer practitioners are qualified to prescribe the full range of appropriate treatments.
Also Check: Pristique For Depression
How Does A Doctor Make A Depression Diagnosis
We’ve gotten used to doctors using special blood tests or other complex laboratory tests to help them make a conclusive diagnosis. But most lab tests arenât very helpful when it comes to diagnosing depression. In fact, talking with the patient may be the most important diagnostic tool the doctor has. The recommendation is that doctors routinely screen everyone for depression. This screening might take place during a visit for a chronic illness, at an annual wellness visit, or during a pregnancy or postpartum visit.
To effectively diagnose and treat depression, the doctor must hear about specific symptoms of depression. They may use a series of standard questions to screen for depression. While a physical examination will reveal a patient’s overall state of health, by talking with a patient, a doctor can learn about other things that are relevant to making a depression diagnosis. A patient, for example, can report on such things as daily moods, behaviors, and lifestyle habits.
A depression diagnosis is often difficult to make because clinical depression can show up in so many different ways. For example, some clinically depressed people seem to withdraw into a state of apathy. Others may become irritable or even agitated. Eating and sleeping patterns can be exaggerated. Clinical depression may cause someone to sleep or eat to excess, or almost eliminate those activities.
The Charm Of Online Treatment
Online therapy is a means to obtain psychological healthcare without undergoing standard in person therapy. One of the most essential feature of online treatment is that it can be accessed by any individual, anytime, anywhere.
Online treatment is an excellent choice for people that stay in backwoods with minimal accessibility to psychological health services. It additionally offers an alternative for individuals who are also busy to go in other places for treatment.
You May Like: Feretrophobia Define
Can Any Type Of Therapy Help
For patients, recovery from depression requires understanding the kinds of events that precipitate a depressive response, awareness of their own psychological vulnerabilities, identifying distorted thinking patterns that lead to feelings of hopelessness, recognizing behavior patterns that exacerbate problems, developing problem-solving skills, and taking action even when they may not feel like it. An experienced therapist will gauge the best way to treat depression based on individual patient needs but incorporate all such goals into their treatment plan. However, there are several types of psychotherapy that specifically target one or more of these needs through treatment protocols that have been well-validated by extensive field-testing.
Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder is a condition that occurs in children and youth ages 6 to 18. It involves a chronic and severe irritability resulting in severe and frequent temper outbursts. The temper outbursts can be verbal or can involve behavior such as physical aggression toward people or property. These outbursts are significantly out of proportion to the situation and are not consistent with the childs developmental age. They must occur frequently and typically in response to frustration. In between the outbursts, the childs mood is persistently irritable or angry most of the day, nearly every day. This mood is noticeable by others, such as parents, teachers, and peers.
In order for a diagnosis of disruptive mood dysregulation disorder to be made, symptoms must be present for at least one year in at least two settings and the condition must begin before age 10. Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder is much more common in males than females. It may occur along with other disorders, including major depressive, attention-deficit/hyperactivity, anxiety, and conduct disorders.
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder can have a significant impact on the childs ability to function and a significant impact on the family. Chronic, severe irritability and temper outbursts can disrupt family life, make it difficult for the child/youth to make or keep friendships, and cause difficulties at school.
Treatment typically involves and/or medications.
Also Check: Phobia Def
Just How Does Online Treatment Job
It is feasible to have online treatment sessions. These sessions are performed via video clip chat, immediate messaging, or phone. Therapists are educated to collaborate with people online as well as can comprehend the persons demands as well as give assistance.
Online treatment has expanded over the last few years because it can be more convenient for many individuals that stay in remote locations where there are fewer therapists offered. This is likewise a great option for individuals that can not manage typical treatment or can not participate in normal sessions.
The Research Study On The Performance Of Online Therapy
Online treatment is a relatively brand-new development in the field of psychological health. Nevertheless, it is effective as well as secure as well as is a choice for those who can not access typical therapy.
The study on the efficiency of online treatment is still in its infancy. Nevertheless, many studies show that online treatment can be just as efficient as typical therapy when dealing with specific psychological health conditions such as depression and also anxiety. Free Online Diagnosis Of Depression
You May Like: Phases Of Schizophrenia
What Are The Benefits Of An Accurate Diagnosis
With an accurate diagnosis, recovery is possible. Even though Jared was nervous about being labeled with a specific condition, as soon as he began treatment, his life brightened in unimaginable ways. He had forgotten what it felt like to really connect with others, with his life, with his big goals. As he started to gain more clarity and confidence, he was able to take a larger role in his own treatment and recovery, working with his care providers.
Once a person receives a true diagnosis of their mental health, they are no longer so alone. They can be assured that there are others going through similar struggles, and they may even begin group treatments alongside those peers they can relate to. Once a diagnosis is identified, there are known treatment options ready to address the underlying problems and ease the uncomfortable symptoms.
A diagnosis is also like a language that various care providers can understand. So, they can collaborate to offer clients the very best combination of treatment options. And with diverse care providers on their side, an individual can have support for all areas of their life, including relationship, life skills, vocational, and self-care support. A diagnosis is a critical first step toward empowered healing.
The Benefits Of Online Treatment
Online treatment is the most recent trend in the market. It has numerous benefits for individuals that are looking for psychological health and wellness support.
Online therapy provides a lot of advantages such as:
- Online therapy is convenient and also can be done from anywhere, anytime.
- You can utilize it when you require it as well as stop when you do not need it anymore.
- Its additionally less expensive than in-person sessions and doesnt require travel time or the cost of transport.
- Its also simpler to share your ideas with somebody who will not evaluate you or react with judgmental remarks.
Read Also: Pheritriphobia
What To Expect At A Therapy Session
At your first session, be prepared to tell your therapist about your depression and what led you to seek help. It may be helpful to think about what youâd like to get out of the therapy. For example, are you looking for ways to better deal with personal relationships, or are you hoping to set goals for yourself and make changes? Itâs helpful to be as honest as you can with your therapist about your depression and your goals for therapy.
After listening to your situation, the therapist should be able to tell you what type of treatment they recommend and come up with a treatment plan for you. If the therapist thinks you might benefit from medication, they may recommend that you also meet with a psychiatrist or doctor.
Who Is Trained To Give A Good Diagnosis
To get a good diagnosis, you want to find someone that has some training in diagnosis.
Clinical psychologists. In my opinion, your best chance of getting a high-quality assessment is to seek a diagnosis from a licensed or registered clinical psychologist. This is someone with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology or counseling psychology.
I usually trust clinical psychologists the most because we are, for the most part, trained very thoroughly for diagnostic assessments it is part of a clinical psychology programs accreditation. Thats not to say there arent good psychiatrist or physician diagnosticians out there there are. Its just that their training is a bit more variable. When youre looking for a mental health diagnosis, I highly recommend finding a clinical psychologist, or someone on a team/is supervised by/consults with a clinical psychologist.
My first advice for someone looking for a mental health diagnosis is usually to check if their local university has a psychologist training clinic that can serve their needs. Many universities that have doctoral clinical psychology programs a program that trains new clinical psychologists will have one. Training clinics are great because:
If you dont live near a training clinic, you can Google clinical psychologist + < your city> + depression. You should get a list of clinics in your area that can do a diagnosis for depression.
Don’t Miss: What Does Phobia Mean
Why A Mental Health Professional Is Best
It’s very importantespecially if this is your first time seeking treatment for depressionthat you obtain a referral to a psychiatrist or other mental health professional if your general practitioner suspects depression.
Though your family doctor or general practitioner may offer to prescribe you an antidepressant, they are not always the best-qualified doctor to treat depression. They do not possess the training to offer you psychotherapy nor are they experienced in the nuances of prescribing psychotropic medications the way that a psychiatrist is.
Psychiatry is a blend of art and science. Treating depression is not quite as simple as giving someone a prescription for Zoloft or Prozac and sending them on their way. Some individuals will need several trials of different medications to find one that best relieves their symptoms with the least amount of side effects.
Some people will need more than one medication to counteract side effects or to boost positive effects. Most will likely benefit from adding psychotherapy to the mix. Discussing options with your psychiatrist will determine the best path.
Depression Discussion Guide
Besides the medication specifics, you may have a completely different mental health condition and not depression. Bipolar disorder is one such disorder that may be initially misdiagnosed as depression but requires a very different course of treatment.
What Is Dance Therapy
The American Dance Therapy Association defines dance therapy as a psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual.
Instead of talking about your feelings directly, the way you might do in a talk therapy session, a dance movement therapist will encourage you to express yourself using your body.
This could include:
If you enjoy music of any kind, dancing can be a helpful strategy to boost your mood, let out energy, feel relaxed, and reduce stress, says Lauren Helper, a licensed clinical social worker in Winchester, Virginia.
She says this dancing could look like:
- moving around your house to a song you enjoy
- taking a dance class
- going out dancing with your partner or friends
The important part of movement is that it is enjoyable, says Helper.
Dancing can have an effect on your mental health for many reasons, including:
Recommended Reading: Simple Phobia Definition
Cinde Stewart Freeman Rn Mac Ladac Ii
CHIEF CLINICAL OFFICER
Cinde Stewart Freeman is Cumberland Heightsâ Chief Clinical Officer and has been with Cumberland Heights for 30 years. During her tenure, Cinde has served in nursing, clinical management, and administrative roles.
Cinde is a bachelorâs prepared Registered Nurse and a masterâs prepared Licensed Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselor, Level II. She holds NAADACâs Master Addiction Counselor credential and is a Qualified Clinical Supervisor as well.
Cinde has a love for the places where opposites touch. This has led her to clinical explorations of somatic and spiritual healing of the things that wound us, as well as explorations of how the lived wisdom of the 12-step tradition informs and brings color to clinical education and experience. It also leads her to the beach as much as possible!
Cinde regularly trains on topics ranging from 12-step based Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Spiritual Care principles to ethical practice and clinical supervision. Her core belief is that love is more powerful than the wounds we have experienced, and, in fact, can cause us to become our strongest at those places.