April 14, 2003
Counseling Can Help Maintain
Your Emotional Health.
Everyone faces difficult times in his or her life. Most of the time, we are able to handle our problems on our own, but sometimes, we need a little help. Given daily doses of talk about war, terror threats, economic concerns, and emerging illnesses, we are more exposed to troubles we cannot control as well as those within our personal lives we feel we should be able to handle. Unfortunately, that is not always the case, yet we often do not know when it is appropriate to seek help, nor do we know how to find that help.
The
American Psychological Association has determined that while “84% of Americans
realize that good mental health plays an important role in their overall health
and well-being,” half of all Americans “don’t know when it’s appropriate to seek
professional help.” No matter what
the source of the problem, the APA suggests that if you feel trapped and have
nowhere to run, if you can’t concentrate because you are constantly worrying, or
if your emotional state interferes with your sleep, eating habits, your job,
your relationships, or your everyday functioning, it’s probably a good idea to
find some help. More serious
problems can be avoided by early detection and treatment. Licensed, qualified mental health
professionals help individuals identify the source(s) of the problem and assist
them in learning how to address these causes to effectively deal with
them.
There are two main
approaches to counseling. Behavior
therapy focuses on changing a person’s behavior from harmful or non-helpful
patterns to more positive, adaptive behaviors. Phobias are successfully treated with
behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy
is concerned with identifying and changing maladaptive or negative thinking
patterns. This approach can be very effective in treating panic disorders. There
are several types of therapy within these two main approaches, such as
expressive therapy (using art, music, and other expressive modalities to enable
individuals to better express themselves), group therapy, marriage and family
therapy, and interpersonal therapy (focusing on interpersonal relationships,
communication skills, and self-concept.)
How
prevalent is the need for counseling?
The National Institute of Mental Health asserts that 1/3 of all adults in
the United States “experience an emotional or substance abuse problem,” and
nearly ¼ of the adult population suffers from anxiety or depression at some time
in their lives. During any given
year, the Institute estimates 17 million adult Americans suffer from depression.
Without even considering severe psychological illnesses such as schizophrenia
and bi-polar disorder, most people probably could benefit from some form of
therapy at some point. Common
problems that are treated include substance abuse, anger management, marital
difficulties, eating disorders, phobias, panic attacks, depression, and post
traumatic stress.
While certain conditions,
such as depression, can be treated and managed with drugs, recent research
indicates that even though anti-depressive medication and counseling are equally
effective in managing the condition, the effectiveness tends not to continue
once medication is stopped. These
findings suggest that the benefits of therapy continue after the initial problem
has been addressed, preventing future episodes of depression. Oftentimes, a combination of counseling
and medication is recommended.
When trying to find
qualified therapists, a number of avenues are available:
n
Call a state psychological
association that offers a referral service. In Connecticut,
n
Contact the American
Psychological Association’s Practice Directorate
at
(202)336-5800.
n
Talk with friends and
relatives to obtain recommendations and information;
this can be especially
useful if they have had a positive experience.
n
Ask you primary care doctor
for a referral
n
Talk with a trusted advisor,
such as a clergyman, for recommendations.
Once you have decided to
contact a particular therapist, ask questions before scheduling an
appointment. Information about the
type of counseling that is offered, the length of time the therapist has been
practicing, how many years of training does he or she have, what license (or
licenses) does the therapist hold, and which insurances are accepted, should be
provided readily. Other questions that are specific to you are also appropriate,
such as the gender of the therapist (often import ant in cases of sexual abuse),
does he or she have an area of specific expertise (for example, knowledge of
childhood or adolescent development), how long a wait before the first
appointment can be scheduled, are evening and weekend hours available? In addition, the American Psychological
Association has prepared a brochure entitled “Talk to Someone Who Can Help” to
assist consumers in finding help and getting answers to frequently asked
questions. The brochure is free,
and can be obtained by calling the APA at 1-800-964-2000.
Also, the Central
Connecticut Health District is sponsoring two free mental health workshops. Vicki Spiro Smith, the Public Education
Director for the Mental Health Association of Connecticut, Inc, will conduct the workshops to help
participants learn to recognize signs and symptoms of anxiety and depression,
practice anxiety reduction techniques, and obtain information about beneficial
treatments. The first workshop,
“Anxiety Disorders: Overcoming
Fear,” will be held on Monday, April 28, 2003 at 1:00 p.m. at the Pitkin
Community Center in Wethersfield.
“Beyond Sadness: Depression
Awareness,” is scheduled for Monday, May 12, 2003 at 10:00 a.m. at the
Berlin-Peck Memorial Library. For
further information, call the Health District at 721-2822.
If
you or someone you care about is having difficulty coping with life’s stresses,
find someone who can help before family life is disrupted, jobs are jeopardized,
and more serious emotional problems develop. It is important to you and your loved
ones that you maintain both your mental and your physical health.