Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is another name for what is commonly known as talk therapy. There are many different types of psychotherapy, each with a different purpose and a different problem that it's treating. Some of the most common ones are:

• Individual therapy, where the patient has one-on-one sessions with a therpist
• Family therapy, where a therapist works with two or more family members to solve problems within said family
• Group therapy, in which a group of patients with similar issues have sessions with a therapist
• And cognitive behavioral therapy, where the patient uses different techniques to re-train their brain, especially used for those with negative or intrusive thoughts

Other types of psychotherapy include dialectic behavioral, interpersonal, eyemovement desensitization, and reprocessing therapies. Psychotherapy is used for nearly all types of mental illnesses, including depression and anxiety. Getting into therapy can be a bit of a hassle—you can read more about that on the Difficulty in Getting Help page—so ask your primary care doctor about if you're interested.

Medications

Prescription drugs are also very common treatments for mental illnesses. Like with psychotherapy, there are many different types that have many different functions for the large amount of people using them. Some of the most commonly prescribed medications are antidepressants, anti-anxiety, mood stabilizers, and antipsychotics. Each one of these medications has a very different function, and can sometimes help treat multiple types of illness. However, there are some risks to medications; patients can sometimes become addicted to them, and sometimes they can actually cause symptoms to worsen, so patients should be careful with them, especially when they just start taking them. Oftentimes, it can take a long period of time to get the right prescription and dosage for someone. If you're interested in finding the medication that works for you, talk to your primary care provider, or book an appointment with a psychiatrist. (And don't worry if it takes a while to get a psych appointment—they can be incredibly difficult to get.)

Hospitalization, Inpatient, and Outpatient Programs

Hospitilization, inpatient care, and outpatient care are all different programs, but they're all fairly similar.

• Hospitilization tends to be forced upon the patient in some way, usually if they are found to be a danger to themselves or others. Patients stay overnight in wards with other patients, and hospital staff keeps close monitors on them at all times. They are often restricted in activites, or other simple things that they could usually participate in in their regular lives.
• Inpatient care is somewhat similar to hospitilization, where the patient stays at the ward overnight for extended periods of time. They spend most of the days doing different types of group therapy throughout the days.
• Outpatient care is similar to inpatient care, but patients do not stay overnight in wards. They spend their days similarly to how those in inpatient care do, but they go home everday, similar to how a child goes to school, or adults go to work.

Dual Diagnosis

Dual diagnosis is for those who have substance abuse issues that are related to their mental health problems. This type of treatment attempts to combat both the addiction and the illness simultaneously. Dual diagnosis treatments oftentimes take place in rehabilitation centers, or other places that help treat drug addiction.