The struggle of mental health treatment remains to this day because many still prefer to cope by themselves, or worse, continue to be in denial for fear of societal judgment. Additionally, some prefer self-treatments, thinking they’d be well again if they read or watch about mental health-related information drives.
One of the most effective means of mental health treatment is through mental health treatment center facilities such as those found at https://jacksonhousecares.com/about-us/locations/santa-paula/. Although mental health treatment is a lifelong measure of maintaining wellness, such centers may help facilitate the wellness process. That said, a few cons may come with mental health treatment in the form of rehabilitation.
The first half of the article describes the advantages of mental health treatment and why it’s worth considering. The second part discusses the problems you may face during rehabilitation and how to handle these effectively.
Let’s begin with the advantages.
1. Talk Therapy
Anxiety, depression, and addiction are a few examples of the dynamics tied to mental struggles. In most cases, discussing these issues may be difficult for several reasons like lack of trust and exclusion after sharing your struggles. Unfortunately, there is still an element of stigma attached to mental health and the struggles you can face, leading to one suffering silently and having to put on a brave face.
However, mental health treatment in rehabilitation is a safe space where you don’t need to bottle up your thoughts, feelings, and challenges for fear of being judged. With licensed therapists, you will enjoy the sense of guided and productive discussions aiming to tackle the root causes of your mental wellness struggles. After unearthing the root causes, the goal is to help you discover tools to heal, overcome, cope, manage, and eventually thrive again in society after battling mental wellness challenges.
2. Fewer Distractions
Attending a mental health treatment center means eliminating distractions that would have otherwise affected your journey to feeling better. For example, if you’re battling reliance on alcohol yet are surrounded by bars and pubs, it may be difficult to remain on the path of sobriety. However, a mental health treatment center doesn’t have triggers within reach, so the urge to drink may slowly wean off.
Mental health treatment centers provide a positive space with activities meant to build your mental strength and skills. Arts, crafts, music, positive socializing events, walks in nature, and exercise are some of the dynamics that make the space positive compared to the distractions that may be within reach if you aren’t a part of the treatment center.
3. Relatability
Struggling with mental wellness can be a lonely journey, especially if you feel as if people don’t understand. Although people may try to encourage you because they think they can relate to your plight, the act may feel like they are struggling to support you.
Yet when you’re in a mental health treatment center, you are surrounded by peers who can relate to your journey. They will walk a similar path of mental healing as you, ensuring relatable conversation without judgment. You may even create lifelong friendships from the wellness center, which go beyond the therapy. You can share your struggles and productive days, and you may even become accountability partners. The path to mental wellness isn’t necessarily linear, and you may need accountability partners that can relate to your challenges and successes.
4. Medical Intervention
You’ll have access to medical treatment in a mental health treatment center. For instance, if your body goes into shock after a drug detox, the doctors onsite can provide medical treatment and monitoring. The process can be excruciating if left to your discretion, and you may resort to ending the pain by going back to taking prohibited drugs, for example.
Other instances where medical intervention is accessible in a mental health treatment center is when prescription drugs need to be administered for depression, anxiety, or other disorders.
5. Opportunity To Help Others
You may find that once you’ve overcome mental struggles by attending a mental health treatment center, you may be in a position to help others traveling the same path that you did. You can share the lessons, tips, skills, and wellness education you have received in the health treatment center while encouraging them to attend such sessions themselves.
Having discussed the advantages of mental health treatment centers, here are some of the disadvantages and how to handle them:
6. Finances
Not all medical insurance covers mental health treatment in the form of rehabilitation. You can check with your medical provider before you pay for the services using your finances. If your provider can’t cover the treatment, you may have to resort to your funds.
If you feel the amount required is too costly, find out whether the mental health treatment center accepts a payment plan that you can draw up with them. If you find yourself in a position where you need to come up with the required amount, it may be worth exploring other ways you can raise the sum as your mental wellness is a priority. Although you may have to cut down on some expenses and luxuries, it’s an investment worth every penny.
7. Employment Day Offs
You’ll require a few days off work if you’re employed, and getting leave approval may be complicated, especially if you don’t wish to disclose why you need the off days. Work environments differ, meaning one might not have a problem disclosing why the days off are necessary to their supervisor or management. In contrast, another would choose to provide a false reason for leave application, which can be a disadvantage.
You can plan your leave days around any projects you may be working on so that the application won’t look like short notice or an ‘inconvenience.’ You can also speak with colleagues and arrange how they can cover your mandates, if possible, so there isn’t any work left undone while you’re away.
8. Homesickness
Going to a mental health treatment center means being away from home, which may become challenging as time goes by, especially if you have a solid support system at home. The reason the external support has to be cut off for that time is to focus on the programs and systems put in place for your wellness before you return to your external support system at home.
Depending on your mental health treatment center, your family can visit on certain days and hours. You may also get calling hours when you can give your family and loved ones a phone call or video call. Thus, you can still communicate with them, albeit in a limited capacity.
The short duration you can’t access your family and friends at home will be worthwhile when you go back, having progressed mentally and emotionally. For instance, you can also use the time to make gifts for them during your arts and crafts sessions.
9. Post-Adjustment Challenges
Once you complete the required mental health treatment center sessions, you may find that adjusting back into society may be a bit difficult. Hence, you may have to change your social circle to stay on the path of recovery. For example, if your friends frequent the bar almost daily, you might not want to slip back into that habit again because it would be easy for you to regress.
Post-adjustment would also require some shift in mindset. So, if you tackle challenges in your daily life by smoking substances, you have to apply the skills learned in the treatment center and face the issue differently. You may decide to begin writing entries in a journal, talk about issues that bother you with someone you trust, or seek guidance with your loved ones, which are responses you may otherwise shrug off before attending a treatment center.
It may be difficult to adjust to the new way of living; however, this short struggle is necessary for your recovery in the long run.
10. Stigma
Unfortunately, you may face some stigma after your return to society. Some may still shy away from mental health discussions and acknowledging other concerns people face, usually due to fear of confronting their mental struggles. Mental health treatment centers, however, will equip you with the tools to cope with the stigma you may face when you return. Besides, your mental wellness must trump the whispers you hear your way.
Conclusion
The pros of a mental health treatment center include the safe space to talk about your struggles and to unearth the root causes, which isn’t always possible outside. Here, there are fewer distractions, and you can spend time with peers who relate to your journey. Medical intervention is also critical to the biological dynamics of mental health treatment.
On the other hand, you may worry about the finances you have to shoulder to attend a mental health treatment center. Asking for days off may also be challenging because work environments and structures differ. However, remember that your mental health is more important than any job.
Once in the treatment center, you may get homesick, but there are ways of keeping in touch with your loved ones. You may also struggle to adjust to society after completing your sessions initially, but with time and practice, you’ll eventually acclimate. You may also face stigma from society if they know you returned from a wellness center, but your health comes first to societal perception at the end of the day.