Medications and mental health

Brian Sargent, Staff Writer

Published: May 25, 2008

The burden of mental illness on health and productivity in the United States and the world is greatly underestimated.

Nearly two-thirds of people with diagnosable mental disorders don’t seek treatment, according to a report jointly conducted by the World Health Organization, World Bank and Harvard University. Twenty million Americans suffer depression and 32 million Americans will be affected by depression during their life, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Obviously, there’s an enormous need for drugs and medical treatments for different types of mental health needs.

Most people can live better lives after treatment. And psychotherapeutic medications are an increasingly important element in the successful treatment of mental illness. Medications for mental illnesses were first introduced in the early 1950s with the antipsychotic drug chlorpromazine. Other medications have followed. These medications have changed the lives of people with these disorders for the better.

Psychotherapeutic medications also may make other kinds of treatment more effective.

Someone who is too depressed to talk, for instance, may have difficulty communicating during psychotherapy or counseling, but the right medication may improve symptoms so the person can respond. For many patients, a combination of psychotherapy and medication can be an effective method of treatment.

Another benefit of these medications is an increased understanding of the causes of mental illness. Scientists have learned much more about the workings of the brain as a result of their investigations into how psychotherapeutic medications relieve the symptoms of disorders such as psychosis, depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder and panic disorder.

Exercise has long been touted as a way to maintain physical fitness and help prevent high blood pressure, diabetes and other diseases. A growing volume of research shows that exercise can also help improve symptoms of certain mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. Exercise may also help prevent a relapse after treatment for depression or anxiety.

Research suggests that it may take at least 30 minutes of exercise a day for at least three to five days a week to significantly improve depression symptoms. But smaller amounts of activity — as little as 10 to 15 minutes at a time — can improve mood in the short term.

Exercise has many psychological and emotional benefits when you have depression or anxiety, including confidence, distraction, interaction and healthy coping.

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