Choose Your Mental Health Treatment Plan Wisely

So many people say, "OMG, I just got diagnosed with ___(ADHD, AUTISM, GENERAL ANXIETY DISORDER, FUNCTIONAL DEPRESSION, ETC)___ at 40 years old. I feel so seen now."

What comes next?

Some people feel excited about a mental health diagnosis. They may feel relieved to give it a name. While others feel heavier to receive a new diagnosis.

Which one are you or how would you feel?

Before you say, "OK, now I know I have _______, because my doctor said so." Do some research for the best treatment plan for yourself.

You are the expert for yourself. You are your health advocate. Do not blindly trust a treatment plan that aligns with a diagnosis.

Why?

1. You may look up one day and realize the mental health medicine that you started taking (because it was the treatment plan for the diagnosis) helped for a little while, but then it didn't...or you just kept taking it because you felt you had to, but never had any true results.

2. Some people get better with mental health medicine, and some people get worse (with certain diagnoses).

3. You are an individual. There is no one size fits all treatment plan for a diagnosis. However, there are protocols for diagnoses that oddly often look like one size fits all. The recommendations could fit you, or they may not.

4. There are many options to incorporate in a mental health treatment plan, which may include medication management, but it may not.

5. Depending on the type of Provider that you go to, you may get different recommendations for your treatment plan. Psychiatrist, Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, Psychologist, Licensed Professional Counselor, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, etc.

One professional may say, "You have anxiety. I recommend ______ medication."

The other may say, "You have anxiety. I recommend talk therapy once a week."

Another may say, "You have anxiety. I recommend psychotherapy at least every 2 weeks and also look into Reiki sessions with a trained Reiki practitioner."

Another may say, "You have anxiety. I recommend _____medication, therapy weekly, and consider EMDR and services like Reiki."

I've seen it all. Same patient. Same diagnosis. Very different plans.