When is Psychiatric Residential Treatment Needed?

Inpatient treatment provides the right level of care for mental illness.

How do you know when you have crossed that line into a serious mental health condition? When do you need more intensive treatment than what your local doctor can provide? Will the symptoms pass? Will they get worse? How do you know when psychiatric residential treatment facility is needed?

Each of us has gone through a rough chapter in life where we just don’t feel like ourselves at all. We may struggle with depression or anxiety for a while as we traverse through a challenging life event or a loss.

Sometimes, though, the symptoms don’t resolve. If anything, even months later you might still feel unwell.

Mental health disorders are gauged in severity by the level of impairment the symptoms cause in daily life. When even minor tasks become hard to complete, you know that you are in need of a more focused method of treatment. This is where an inpatient program comes in.

What Is Inpatient Mental Health Treatment?

There are different levels of inpatient mental health care. These include psychiatric hospitals, a mental health ward within a general hospital, and residential psychiatric treatment facility programs. Some patients will start at the higher level of care and, once stable, then transfer to an inpatient treatment program. Basic treatment elements include:

• Drugs. A broad range of meds is available to manage the symptoms of mental health disorders. The drugs are prescribed along with therapy and other treatment measures to help improve quality of life.
• Psychotherapy. There are different types of therapies for treating mental health disorders. The best fit will be used for the specific mental health challenge.

The most common are CBT, psychodynamic therapy, interpersonal therapy, DBT, and exposure therapy.

• Adjunctive therapies. Some types of therapy complement the psychotherapy and enhance treatment results. These can include EMDR or neurofeedback.
• Fitness. Exercise offers a range of healthy effects and has become part of mental health treatment programs. Swimming, team sports such as tennis or golf, gym workouts, hiking, cycling, outdoor yoga, or walking all have immense benefits.
• Holistic methods. To augment treatment effects, holistic methods such as mindfulness, yoga classes, art and music therapy, and massage are included.

Learning mays to manage stress is crucial, so techniques like deep breathing are also taught.

When Should You Consider Inpatient Treatment?

When you begin to notice a decline in mental health it is a sign that you may need more focused treatment. This can occur in spite of being under a doctor’s care for the condition. Sometimes the meds are no longer working. For others a more intensive treatment approach is needed in order to improve the mental state.

In many cases, it is a loved one—a family member, spouse, or close friend—who suggests you may need more help. It is hard to notice the changes yourself, but others who know you can bring these to your attention.

There is voluntary and involuntary psychiatric care. When someone has become a danger to themselves or others they must be admitted to treatment. It is always best if the person goes on their own free will, versus being admitted forcibly.

Sometimes, though, they are not able to discern their condition and someone may need to admit them to the treatment center. Some signs of mental illness include:

• Impaired functioning.
• Self-harm or suicide attempts.
• Severe mood swings.
• Dissociative behaviors.
• Violent outbursts or attacks.
• Mental confusion.
• Losing touch with reality.
• Symptoms of psychosis.
• Odd body positions or movements.
• Withdraws socially.
• Paranoid thoughts.
• Unable to sleep.
• Personality changes.
• Confused speech.
• Sudden poor hygiene.

If you are seeing these signs in yourself or a loved one, you need to be assessed and stabilized by a mental health expert.

What Mental Health Disorders are Treated?

An inpatient mental health treatment center will be prepared to treat a wide scope of mental health disorders. Their psychiatric team, doctors, and clinicians are trained experts in the field. Mental health disorders routinely treated in include:

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). MDD features low mood, feelings of despair, fatigue, trouble making decisions, sudden weight gain or loss, and sleep issues. Also, feelings of guilt or shame, loss of interest in the things you once enjoyed, and thoughts of suicide.
• Anxiety Disorder. Anxiety features intense worry and fear, fatigue, sweating, racing heart, trembling, and feeling restless and irritable. There are six types of anxiety, though, each with its own set of unique symptoms.
• Bipolar Disorder. This complex mental health disorder features extreme mood swings between manic moods and depressive moods. There are four different types of bipolar, each with unique features.
• PTSD. This is an unresolved trauma disorder that is related to anxiety disorder. After a traumatic event, symptoms include nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance behaviors, and being easily startled.
• Personality Disorders. These mental health disorders feature rigid and unhealthy ways of thinking, feelings, and behaving that go against the cultural norms. There are many types of personality disorders.
• Psychotic Disorders. Psychosis is a complex mental illness that features losing touch with reality. Symptoms can include seeing or hearing things that aren’t there, confused thoughts and odd speech patterns, paranoid thinking, and strange behaviors.

Never forget that your life, or your loved one’s life matters. People care about you and depend on you. If you believe you need special attention to help overcome a mental health challenge, seek it out today.

Mental Health Hope Online Mental Health Resource Guide

If you or a loved one is struggling with a worsening mental health issue, don’t delay. At Mental Health Hope our expert team can offer guidance and treatment options. Learn all about mental health retreats and other types of programs and venues. Don’t carry the burden alone. Reach out for help to day by calling our helpline (877) 967-9274.