Almost 50 percent of people in the United States will experience a mental illness sometime in their lifetime according to Ronald Kessler and colleagues at the Harvard Medical School in a study published in "Archives of General Psychiatry." Half of cases begin by age 14 years, and three-fourths by age 24. The American Psychiatric Association recommends a comprehensive approach in the treatment of a mental disorder.
Misconceptions
Misconceptions about mental illness exist even though there have been treatment advances. The stigma around mental illness can bring up images of insane people in asylums. Yet today many people with a mental disorder are treated in outpatient facilities. Some people perceive patients with a mental disorder as being lazy or violent. There is also a misconception that mental illness is less legitimate than physical disease; this perception can affect how policymakers and insurance companies support treatment of a mental disorder.
Diagnosis
Many people with a mental disorder are not diagnosed. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, diagnosis of a mental disorder is made by observing signs and symptoms, identifying the course and duration of these signs and symptoms, distinguishing between abnormal and normal behavior, determining the impairment of functions and monitoring the response to treatment. Images of the brain from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positive emission tomography (PET), can map brain structure and indicate the physical components to a dysfunctional brain and associated mental disorder.
Types of Treatments
A psychiatrist is a physician that specializes in the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental disorders. Psychiatrists can assess both physical and mental disturbances associated with a mental disorder. Psychiatrists can treat a medical disorder with medication, electroconvulsive therapy and psychotherapy--such as cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy and psychodynamic therapy. When choosing a medication to prescribe, psychiatrists look to the effectiveness of reducing symptoms, improving outcomes and minimizing side effects.
Dosage
Drug dosage and delivery are important criteria in prescribing treatment. According to H. W. Frijlink in his research on the “Benefits of Different Drug Formulations in Psychopharmacology,” innovative dosage forms or delivery systems of drugs that treat a mental disorder can improve the efficacy and tolerability of medication and lead to improvements in quality of life. These innovations include directing a drug to a specific site of action, optimizing the timing of release of the drug and increasing comfort for the patient as with a dosage form that dissolves rapidly in the mouth.
Considerations
Medications do not work the same way for everyone. Psychiatrists weigh several considerations before deciding on the drug and dosage to prescribe. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, various factors can affect how medications work in different people, including results and side effects. These factors include the type of mental disorder, age, sex, body size, physical illnesses and medications prescribed for these conditions, liver and kidney function, genetics, diet and compliance to prescription. For best results patients need to follow the directions for taking their medication.
References
- "Archives of General Psychiatry"; Lifetime Prevalence Age-of-Onset Distributions; R. C. Kessler; June 2005
- American Psychiatric Association: Healthy Minds. Healthy Lives.
- National Institute of Mental Health: Mental Health: A Report by the Surgeon General
- American Psychiatric Association: Psychotherapy
- "European Neuropsychopharmacology"; Benefits of Different Drug Formulations; H. W. Frijlink; September 2003
