Expressive Therapies in Mental Health

Many people who are diagnosed with mental issues show an extreme liking for or talent in the creative arts. It only makes sense that some of the alternative treatments incorporate this natural tendency. Below I cover three such alternative treatments. Often each is combined with more traditional methods, but not always.

Art Therapy: Drawing, painting, and sculpting help many people to reconcile inner conflicts, release deeply repressed emotions, and foster self-awareness, as well as personal growth. Some mental health providers use art therapy as both a diagnostic tool and as a way to help treat disorders such as depression, abuse-related trauma, and schizophrenia. You may be able to find a therapist in your area who has received special training and certification in art therapy.

Dance/Movement Therapy: Some people find that their spirits soar when they let their feet fly. Others-particularly those who prefer more structure or who feel they have "two left feet"-gain the same sense of release and inner peace from the Eastern martial arts, such as Aikido and Tai Chi. Those who are recovering from physical, sexual, or emotional abuse may find these techniques especially helpful for gaining a sense of ease with their own bodies. The underlying premise to dance/movement therapy is that it can help a person integrate the emotional, physical, and cognitive facets of "self."

Music/Sound Therapy: It is no coincidence that many people turn on soothing music to relax or snazzy tunes to help feel upbeat. Research suggests that music stimulates the body's natural "feel good" chemicals (opiates and endorphins). This stimulation results in improved blood flow, blood pressure, pulse rate, breathing, and posture changes. Music or sound therapy has been used to treat disorders such as stress, grief, depression, schizophrenia, and autism in children, and to diagnose mental health needs.

Do I Need Mental Health Help?

With extreme emotional issues, we often have no problem deciding whether we need to see a counselor or not; however, with a slight discomfort, a few bad days, we can't always make that decision. Ask yourself the following questions and truthfully answer yes or no.

*Do you get honest satisfaction from simple pleasures?

*Do you have respect for yourself?

*Can you laugh at your own errors?

*Do you feel capable of dealing with situations as they come your way?

* Can you accept displays of your own emotions - fear, anger, jealousy, guilt, worry?

* Do you have personal relationships that are satisfying and lasting?

* Do you trust others and assume that others will trust you?

* Do you respect people who differ from you?

* Do you refuse to be pushed around and refuse satisfaction from it?

* Can you feel you are a part of a group?

* Are you able to love somebody?

* Do you accept as much responsibility as comes your way?

* Do you make your own decisions?

* Do you deal with your problems as they arise?

* Do you shape your environment whenever possible and adjust to it whenever necessary?

Count up the number of no answers. If you don't have any, you are exceptional. A couple of no answers is normal and is absolutely nothing to be concerned about. If, however, you answered no to more than five questions, there is a good chance you could benefit from some type of counseling to help get you back on track.

The fact you are able to take this test is a good indicator that, with the proper counseling, you will be fine. Just don't let it go until more answers turn to no. You deserve enjoying the best mental health possible. Don't neglect it.

Taking Control of Mental Illness

We are told that mental illnesses occur because of our genes, our upbringing, our personality, our temperament, our lifestyle and we can do nothing about them. Stress or no stress, we are told, if we have all these factors loaded in our personal history, we are prone to have a mental illness. Some psychiatrists adhere to this belief strongly. This belief is then put across as the "gospel truth" of science. Naturally, this brings up a sense of low self-esteem and helplessness in the person who is suffering with the illness. We are then made to believe that medications are man-made answers to mental illness, which is a curse of nature.

The whole area of mental illness is about losing a sense of freedom. When we find ourselves bound to emotional issues of our life, that we cannot rid ourselves of, we lose our freedom of thinking. This creates stress in our mind and our body bears the brunt of it. This loss of freedom brings up a sense of fear or a sense of helplessness. Both such feelings bring up a sense of insecurity. People lose confidence in their own worth. Self-esteem becomes low. With lack of confidence and low self-esteem, comes poor decision-making. A person suffers with all these conditions when suffering with a mental illness. When a mentally ill person goes to seek help - confidence, self-esteem and sense of freedom are already lost. Instead of helping the person become independent, there is a tendency to make the person dependent on medication.

Medication plays its role in controlling the condition or state of illness. It does nothing to improve the quality of life permanently. To improve their quality of life, the person needs to take responsibility for their own well being. We live in a free society. The freedom to suffer is also one kind of freedom. We also have the freedom to look for answers to minimize our suffering

Alternative methods in mental health

What are alternative approaches to mental health? An alternative approach to mental health care is one that focuses on the relationship between the body and the spirit. Although some alternative approaches have a long history, many remain controversial. National center of complementary and alternative medicine at the National Institutes of Health was created in 1992 to help evaluate alternative methods of treatment and to integrate those who are effective in the practice of public health. However, it is essential to consult your healthcare provider regarding the procedures used to achieve mental wellness.

Diet and nutrition food setting and nutrition can help some people with mental disorders to manage their symptoms and promote recovery. For example, suggests research to eliminate milk and wheat can reduce the severity of symptoms for some people with schizophrenia and some children with autism. In the same way use some treatments herbal natural and holistic medicine, vitamin B, riboflavin, magnesium and thiamine to treat anxiety, autism, depression, psychosis induced by the medication and hyperactivity.

Pastoral Counseling-some prefer to seek help for psychological problems of their pastor, Rabbi or priest, no event handlers that are not associated with a religious community. Counselors working within traditional religious communities increasingly recognize the need to incorporate psychotherapy and/or medication, prayer and spirituality to effectively help some people with mental disorders.

Animal assisted therapy - work with an animal (or animals) under the supervision of a professional of health may benefit some people with mental illness by facilitating positive changes such as empathy increase socialization skills. Animals can be used as part of group communication therapy programs and increase the ability to focus. The development of self-esteem and reduce loneliness and anxiety are just some potential benefits of individual pet therapy (Delta Society, 2002).