The quicksand dragged you down and you landed on rock bottom. You don’t want to stay here, but you don’t know how to get out. What do you do?
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Healing from a breakdown, or hitting rock bottom, works best if you try a whole person approach. Many things went into creating the problem, so many things need to work together to get you out of the problem. One part of your body cannot be isolated from any of the others. They affect and interact at all times. Don’t think you can do one thing only to regain your mental health. You need to change and adjust many things in your life – from your physical health or your mental health to your lifestyle. This feels overwhelming when you lay on the bottom, so start with one small step and go from there.
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Step I – Primary Care
A good place to start is with your primary care provider (PCPs). This medical specialty is always the first person you should go to for any new physical or mental health concerns.
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A PCP has been trained to take your whole being into consideration when they treat you. Their job is to help you stay healthy and, when not healthy, to work with you to get you back to the best health you can be in.
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During your visit, your PCP will not only discuss with you your current mental health condition, but also you physical condition. As a nurse, I knew that chronic illness cause mental distress. What I did not know is that any change in your physical body affects your mental health. Exercise often improves your mental health, while any illness or injury can hurt your mental health.
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It wasn’t until I worked in a primary care office that I learned that acute illnesses – flu, covid, appendicitis, etc – can cause mental health struggles just like chronic conditions can. Thankfully, these mental illnesses often get better once you physically get better.
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So, how does your primary care provider blend physical healthcare with mental healthcare? They’ll not only discuss treatment for your mental health – medication and therapy, but they’ll see if you happen to have any physical cause for your mental illness. They may order blood test, imaging, physical therapy, or to see a specialists, among other things based on what they find when they check you out.
Just like you physical health affects your mental health, your mental health can affect your physical health.
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Determining what is going on and what steps you need to take next can take more than one visit. Often your treatment plan will need to be adjusted as you start to make progress in healing. Make sure you follow your providers instructions, not only in the medications you should take, but in the changes you need to make in your lifestyle and seeing a therapist if they advise one.
Step Two
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Just like you see a Cardiologist for heart problems, you can see a specialist for your mental health. These practitioners are known as psychiatrist, psychologist, therapist, social worker, etc. Depending on what kind of mental healthcare you need will determine the type of specialist you will see. Sometimes, you need more than one type of provider, if you need special medication ordered or if you need an intense, in person treatment phase.
While most primary care providers do not refer to mental health specialists, they can help advise you on where to look. Often the first place to look is with your insurance company. They will have a list of therapists in the area that they will cover, or how much they will help you pay for therapy. Some times your work’s employee assistance program (EAP) offers a list of therapist or will help cover the cost for a few visits. Speak with your HR representative to see what is available.
Where I live, we struggle to keep good therapist. It can be hard to find someone you like and who does the type of therapy you need. Thankfully, you can also find therapist on line. I believe in person is the best way to see your therapist, but I understand that is not always possible.
No matter how you see your therapist, it is important to be honest with them. Lying or saving face does not affect them, but it will affect you. Without honesty, your care will not met your needs and you will not get better.
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