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Recognizing Mental Illness Awareness Week: What People with Mental Illness Want You to Know
Dr. Geoffrey Grammer , Chief Medical Officer for Greenbrook TMS
Mental Illness Awareness Week, coinciding with World Mental Health Day 2020, is a time to highlight mental health conditions, and, for us at Greenbrook TMS, a time to advocate for our patients.
This year,
Mental Illness Awareness Week begins on October 4 and culminates with World Mental Health Day on October 10. Since the theme this year is "What People with Mental Illness Want You to Know," I want to take this opportunity to address a few misconceptions about mental illness and mental health care. If you are a concerned friend or family member of someone experiencing depression or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), debunking some of these misconceptions may help you better support them.
Mental Illness Is Real Illness
The more we learn about mental illness, the more we understand it is associated with biologically-based changes in brain function. If you develop moderate to severe depression, your brain isn't working correctly and you need medical help—not just a shift in attitude.
You wouldn't sit around with a broken leg and say, "You know what would make this better? Watching a funny movie." Yet, somehow, people tend to think those with mental illness, especially depression, will feel better if they would just pray, eat well, exercise, and do fun things. I think some people are afraid to acknowledge that the way we think and feel is controlled in part by an organ, the brain, because we want to have more control over how we think and act than we actually do. Regardless, if you know someone who is suffering then helping them to access medical care is the appropriate approach.
It's Okay to Help
If you feel someone you care about is experiencing depression, anger, or fear; is acting in a way that is no longer productive; or is acting differently from their typical behavior, it's okay to reach out. Rather than avoid the subject, you can let them know that you've noticed changes and that you care.
Also let them know that help is available. A person with mental illness needs to see a professional who can make an accurate diagnosis and start them on a formal treatment plan. An easy place to start is their primary care physician, who can refer them to a behavioral health specialist if necessary.
If you're worried someone is unsafe, you can ask them if they're thinking about hurting themselves or if they're suicidal. Studies show, asking questions about suicide does not encourage people to attempt suicide, so you don't have to worry about that.
However, being suicidal is not a requirement for accessing mental health care. We should not forget the medical consequences that depression can cause, even if your loved one isn't suicidal. Untreated depression can
decrease your life expectancy up to a decade due to its many physical consequences. If I said you have a health condition that can cut ten years off your life, how seriously would you take it? That level of seriousness shouldn't change just because we're talking about mental illness instead of, say, diabetes.
Treatment Options for Depression
Like other bodily injuries and illnesses, modern medicine has afforded treatment options for people with depression. Antidepressant medication can be effective for about
two-thirds of people . The types of medications prescribed for depression don't control the way you think or make you someone you're not, and you will not get addicted to these medications.
Therapy can be effective, but it has to be the right kind of therapy, not just a friendly, compassionate person talking with you about events from your week. Specific schools of therapy are like physical therapy for the brain, where your mind is reconditioned to think more accurately about the environment around you.
For many people with treatment-resistant depression, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)
succeeds where medication has failed . Among patients with Major Depressive Disorder who have received TMS,
two out of three have reported a reduction in depression symptoms after completing the acute phase of treatment.
Mental Illness Is More than Depression
There are many conditions that fall under the mental illness category. While depression is more commonly discussed, it can be particularly challenging when someone has another condition that is less common and less well understood by others, like
OCD . OCD can lead to inexplicable behaviors and consuming thoughts that don't necessarily make sense. You can't rationalize someone out of those thoughts and behaviors because the networks in the brain that allow them to switch from one set of thinking to another are impaired. A friend with OCD may shower thirty times a day, and telling them they're clean, they're wasting water, and their skin is going to get raw will not help them stop.
Like with depression,
medication and therapy can be helpful.
TMS is another option for treating OCD.
Getting Help
If you know someone who is experiencing symptoms of a possible mental illness, encourage them to seek medical care. Their symptoms sometimes can be more apparent to you than them and prompting them to seek care may be the push they need to get help.
Accessing help isn't as difficult as it used to be, but be careful with seeking all your information from the internet, which can descend into pseudoscience pretty quickly. Do listen to someone trained and licensed to provide care.
We at Greenbrook TMS want you to know that you are not alone. We provide
free consultations for TMS therapy , and if you know someone who needs immediate help, please refer to
our list of emergency resources . Visit the
National Alliance on Mental Illness to learn more about Mental Illness Awareness Week and World Mental Health Day 2020.
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A recent study compared the effects of TMS therapy and Antidepressants. TMS therapy provided more relief from patients depressive symptoms compared to Antidepressants.
You may feel isolated and alone when you have clinical depression, and depression also affects your relationships with family and friends. While the primary focus of your treatment is to improve your mental health, it’s also essential to understand your loved ones may experience their own issues as they try to support you. An understanding of how depression affects relationships can help everyone maintain healthy connections and navigate problems. Here are some of the ways depression may affect the people in your support network.
We’ve all heard the common health-related misconceptions or myths-- chocolate causes acne, carrots will improve your night vision, and cracking your knuckles gives you arthritis. Subscribing to these particular myths is relatively harmless, but other health-related misconceptions can have far more serious consequences. This is the case for depression—the myths surrounding it can prevent people from getting the help they need. This is the case for depression—the myths surrounding it can prevent people from getting the help they need. Because untreated depression can have a serious physical and psychological impact, it’s imperative to have the right information in order to make the best decisions for yourself and for your health. Here are 5 common misconceptions about depression, and the facts behind them:
Starting any medical treatment for the first time can leave you with questions, especially if you’re looking forward to the benefits it may bring. It’s no different when you’re preparing for your nasal esketamine treatment. Your previous mental health treatments may have consisted solely of taking antidepressants at home or visiting a therapist’s office for cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), so nasal esketamine is probably a new treatment experience for you. If you're wondering what it's like to start nasal esketamine and get ready for your first session, keep reading. Getting Started with the Nasal Esketamine Treatment As with any new treatment, you’ll first talk to your primary care provider or psychiatrist about whether nasal esketamine is a good fit for you. Alternatively, you can schedule your esketamine nasal spray consultation with a treatment center (such as Greenbrook) that has certification by the FDA’s Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS). At Greenbrook's REMS-certified nasal esketamine treatment centers, our Greenbrook-affiliated psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners will review your medical history and also conduct our own assessment to help determine whether nasal esketamine treatment is right for you. Certain conditions, including blood vessel disease and a history of psychosis, may make treatment a risk for you. Make sure you discuss all previous and present conditions with your doctor or nasal esketamine provider before beginning treatment. If the medication is deemed a good fit, you’ll receive your prescription from the Greenbrook-affiliated provider. Your Greenbrook Care Team will put together a personalized care plan for the weeks and months to follow. Keep in mind that you will need to take a standard (oral) antidepressant along with your nasal esketamine treatment. There are two important regulations to note when it comes to preparing for treatment: Each treatment is followed by a mandatory two-hour observation period. This means you will need to plan to stay at the center for at least two hours following your self-administration of the esketamine nasal spray. You cannot drive during the rest of the day after treatment and must arrange for transportation. These regulations are mandatory. It may be helpful to sit down and plan out several weeks’ worth of transportation once you know your treatment schedule. In addition, if you’re wondering what to bring for the treatment, we recommend entertainment such as an audiobook or playlist of favorite songs and a pair of headphones. You may want them during the two-hour observation period. What to Expect During Nasal Esketamine Treatment On the day of treatment, you’ll need to stop eating any food two hours before your appointment and stop drinking all fluids 30 minutes before you come in. Your Greenbrook Care Team will confirm that you are prepared for the two-hour observation period and that you have a ride home. You’ll get the opportunity to practice using a “trainer sprayer” that mimics the real nasal esketamine sprayer but does not release any medication. The Care Team will encourage you to use the restroom and set up your preferred environment in your private treatment bay or room. Some patients like reduced lighting, for example, while others don’t request light adjustments. You’ll complete a depression scale before each treatment session. Your Greenbrook provider will confirm that the dose kit is yours, show you how to administer it, and then hand it to you. Each sprayer contained 28mg of Spravato esketamine nasal spray. Patients usually start with two sprayers (56mg) and soon increase to 84mg (three sprayers) per treatment. But, your dosage maybe vary. Should you be left with a metallic taste by the spray, the Care Team will offer suckers to help make the flavor dissipate. After your dose, you’ll be encouraged to lie back in your comfortable recliner. While most patients enjoy a quiet setting, Greenbrook is prepared to accommodate patients with a more animated reaction to the medication. You may feel sleepy, dizzy, mildly dissociated, and/or nauseated during treatment. Greenbrook's Care Team is readily available if you need assistance. How to Prepare for after your Nasal Esketamine Treatment Most side effects begin to wane in the second hour of observation, but if you’re wondering, “Is it safe to drive immediately after nasal esketamine treatment?” the answer is a resounding no. In addition to the mandatory ride home, you will need to block off time to rest and let side effects fully dissipate. This extended rest period is especially important in the first weeks of treatment when you’ll have treatment twice a week. Do not drive or operate machinery of any kind until the day after treatment. Just take it easy, relax, and take care of yourself. If you’re unsure what activities you can do or should avoid during this time, talk to your Care Team for more information. While side effects tend to dissipate completely after a good night’s sleep, many nasal esketamine patients begin feeling relief from depression symptoms within hours of their treatment. Other Tips in Preparing for Your Nasal Esketamine Treatment At Greenbrook, we make every effort to schedule your treatment in the afternoons or whenever it is most convenient for you. We encourage you to see each treatment session as an opportunity to relax and take care of your mental health. If you have any questions or concerns, talk to your doctor or the Greenbrook Care Team. At Greenbrook, we’ll help you feel at ease when preparing for each treatment session. Schedule A Free Consultation To get started with nasal esketamine, schedule your free consultation today.
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