There are so many different kinds of mental healthcare facilities it can be challenging to know where to go when you need help. On the surface, the options seem extreme – either a psychiatrist or a hospital. Either your GP or the emergency room. Either a therapist or a diary. How are those suffering from mental health issues supposed to know where to go and when? Discussing the various options available can help patients find a suitable facility and direct them to the appropriate Brentwood mental health clinic.
Doctors Office
The doctor's office is often the first stop for those seeking mental health services who don’t know where to start. Your personal or family doctor is an excellent resource for evaluating whether you need immediate intervention, medication, or a referral to outside mental health services. Visit your doctor for advice and consultation on your mental health, and take advantage of the available resources.
Urgent Care Facility
Sometimes patients are in the midst of a mental health crisis but are confident that they are not in immediate danger. Urgent care is an excellent option for patients who want help and are highly motivated. Urgent care doctors are trained to assess and refer patients who require support and can offer much of the same services that a doctor's office offers. Urgent care facilities can also provide targeted medications for patients in immediate distress.
Emergency Room
Patients experiencing a mental health crisis such as a panic attack, a dissociative episode, or suicidal or homicidal thoughts should immediately seek help in a hospital emergency room. Often, physical illness can mimic psychological conditions, so it is imperative to visit the emergency room when your symptoms are distressing. An emergency room can admit patients to the hospital's psychiatric ward, administer medication to control an anxiety episode, and offer patients follow-up information about where to seek long-term treatment for their illness.
Inpatient Mental Health Facilities
Inpatient facilities provide treatment and support for patients who need continuous care in a controlled setting. These facilities have 24-hour psychiatric and nursing support to protect and heal patients in crisis. The length of time spent in such a center can vary. Generally, admission extends until a patient is stable on medications and has a plan of care to support them outside the facility.
Community Mental Health Center
Community mental health centers offer a suite of mental health professionals and services for the short- and long-term treatment of mental illness. Such centers staff psychologists, psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, and addiction specialists who work together to support their patients. Community mental health centers often offer group therapy and other therapeutic exercises to help their clients.
Holistic Integrated Mental Health Clinics
Holistic mental health clinics like Bella Jace Center for Health offer an integrated mental health care and treatment model. Using the best practices of traditional and alternative psychiatry and general healthcare, these centers use a holistic model to treat patients living with mental illness. Expert psychiatric care and thoughtful, productive therapeutic engagement enhance a nonjudgmental, supportive environment. Through a combination of medications, non-invasive physical therapies, and various talk therapies, patients are compassionately supported to treat their mental illness and live full, contented lives.
Mental health facilities are a crucial piece of your all-around healthcare puzzle. Whether you are unusually stressed or managing a long-term mental illness, finding a mental health care facility should be a smooth process. When you are looking for a Brentwood mental health clinic, contact Bella Jace Center for Health and consult with our compassionate, dedicated professionals.