Changes in mental health have been extensive over the past few centuries. Mental health difficulties are increasing and are particularly prevalent among young people; however, so are the options that could aid. As mental health issues are more frequently discussed, it is our chance to offer practical help to those who need it.
Since no two people are alike, there is no universally successful method for solving mental health problems. Every person is unique, and their brains and bodies are also unique. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive to improve our mental health; instead, we should give it all we have.
Emerging Mental Health Approaches
Due to COVID-19, the globe had to tackle mental health issues in a way it did not before, and creative minds rose to the occasion. Several promising advances in mental health treatment have been made in recent years. What new treatments and methods have changed the mental health care sector?
1. Novel Drug Therapies
Depression is a global health issue that affects people of all different ages. About one-third of people suffering from depression cannot respond using two or more antidepressants and are therefore considered treatment resistant. But, antidepressants that function differently have been discovered thanks to recent scientific advances.
Esketamine is a chemical similar to the famous anesthetic drug ketamine that has been recognized through the U.S. FDA and the European Medicines Agency for treating resistant depression. The prospect of creating new treatments based on this class of drugs is made possible by agency approvals.
You can read more about the different treatments for mental health disorders and the revolution and innovation of these types of sicknesses.
2. Psychedelics
The last several years have seen a growth in the use of psychedelic substances like psilocybin, MDMA, and MDMA. The possibility that psychedelics could be effective treatments for mental illness has been renewed by recent research. Innovative, effective, and safe treatments are needed for patients with diseases like MDD and PTSD. It could be revolutionary if psilocybin therapy were effective and safe for treating specific conditions.
3. Telepsychiatry
There is a lot of struggle for local providers of mental health services. This is a significant obstacle to treatment. Individuals who require private mental health care cannot obtain it since local therapists and psychiatrists are either not accepting new patients or have appointments all the time for weeks or even months.
Through telepsychiatry, individuals can talk to a licensed mental health specialist in their own homes without leaving their homes. Consults are made over the internet, via video chat or phone, providing more access to mental health care and decreasing the possibility that patients need to use more expensive emergency or outpatient services.
4. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
Electroconvulsive therapy (electroshock therapy) has recently been replaced with magnets used by mental health professionals to treat persistent depression.
To alter the electromagnetic environment of the brain, transcranial magnet stimulation (TMS) makes use of magnetic devices. They use a big magnet that targets the areas of the brain that impact mood and reduce symptoms of depression without using medications or other invasive therapies.
5. Digital Apps and Devices
Wearables and smartphones can produce more representative worldwide data pools. Smartphones can utilize digital diaries or other technologies to measure mental health and health care between consultations. For mental health advocates, self-reporting tools can be invaluable. It is a great tool to complement mental health treatment but not substitute for it.
Remote monitoring technology is utilized chiefly for elderly patients who want to live independently. However, it can also improve the mental health of patients. By using wearables to detect heart rate, pulse, blood pressure, and galvanic skin reaction (the skin’s resistance to electrical currents in response to stress), psychiatrists can monitor their patient’s mental health.
