Summary:
Treatment of mental illness can liberate patients from years of suffering or condemn them to years of wasted pain and fruitless efforts. Mental health consumers can break free from the vicious cycle of ineffective treatment by reclaiming control of their recovery and demanding the quality of care they are entitled to. This article offers three basic tools of empowerment no client should be without.

Details or Sample:
Undergoing treatment for mental illness is often a confusing and disappointing experience. Many patients find themselves seeking care in their darkest hours. Overwhelmed by the severity of their symptoms, too many people put their lives and their illness in the hands of professionals and are bewildered when their conditions do not improve.

Dissatisfaction with mental health treatment is not exclusive to first-time clients. In fact, many patients undergo years of treatment with little measurable improvement. Disappointing results are often attributed to the chronic nature of most mental illnesses. However, failure to recognize and resolve barriers to recovery that exist within the therapeutic environment can sabotage the recovery process.

The greatest obstacle to effective treatment of mental illness can be the passivity with which many patients are encouraged to approach the recovery process. Overburdened with the demands of daily living and the struggles of managing their own symptoms, it is easy to understand the willing surrender of power to psychiatric professionals. However, regardless of the cause, failure to direct your own care can result in wasted years of unnecessary suffering.

Assertive involvement in one’s own treatment is essential to the recovery process. Due to the intangible nature of psychiatric medicine, professionals rely heavily on deductive reasoning and ‘trial and error’. With little input from the client, a mental health professional is likely to encounter unnecessary errors and effort redundant or futile trials. Being an informed and vocal participant in the therapeutic process can save time and produce more satisfying results for those seeking or receiving mental health treatment.

Know Your Diagnosis

Diagnosis is the cornerstone of every recovery plan. A diagnosis gives name to the suspected cause of your symptoms and will be referred to for every decision regarding your treatment indefinitely. It summarizes the information provided by you or about you and reports the professional opinion of your provider. However, how do you know the diagnosis is right?

Every mental health client has the right to receive a written copy of their diagnosis. If one has not been provided, you should not be afraid to request one. Even the most experienced professional can misinterpret facts and draw false conclusions. Misdiagnosis is not uncommon, particularly in the speculative world of mental illness. A flawed assessment will be reflected in the treatment plan your provider creates.

If you are receiving care from multiple professionals or if you change care providers, your diagnosis will likely be shared. The information contained in the report will influence your care universally. Failure to observe and resolve confusion or suspected flaws in your diagnosis can undermine every aspect of your mental health treatment now and in the future. No matter how long you have been in treatment for mental illness, you should receive a copy of every new assessment from every new provider.

Review your diagnosis thoroughly. If you are confused by the terminology it contains, ask your provider for clarification. You should respectfully communicate with your provider if you disagree with any of the information their assessment contains. If you have an extensive history of treatment and you find your new diagnosis refers to a condition no other professional has suggested, discuss this with your provider. For example, if you are seeking treatment for a documented history of major mental illness and you discover references to a personality disorder in your assessment, you should discuss this new diagnosis with your provider.

Communicating concerns about your diagnosis may not lead to a reversal of a professional opinion. If your provider is unwilling to change your diagnosis, you should request that your objections be noted within the document. You should also inform other professionals with access to the assessment that you disagree with the findings. If you remain dissatisfied with your diagnosis, it may be time to access another provider.

Do Your Homework

Being an informed client begins with knowing your diagnosis. However, this is only the first step in truly understanding your condition. In order to make the most of your treatment, you must familiarize yourself with the symptoms, causes and treatments available to you. You should also understand the role of each mental health provider.

When you walk into your psychiatrist’s office, the clock is already ticking. There is a limited amount of time to assess your current condition and make treatment decisions. Unable to differentiate between bio-chemical and situational distress, many mental health patients slight themselves by wasting significant portions of their professional’s time.
While you should inform your provider of situations that may contribute to your condition, you should also know what falls within the expertise of your psychiatrist and what can be resolved best through counseling.

It is helpful to create a list of symptoms you are currently experiencing prior to meeting with a professional. If there are environmental factors that contribute heavily to your mood, it is important to share them with your provider. You should express your symptoms and experiences with clarity. If you have questions for your provider, you should write them down in advance. It is easy to become distracted or forgetful in a clinical environment. This preparation will help you make the most of your treatment sessions.

Patients receiving medication should take the additional step of understanding the medicines available to them. A basic understanding of the families of psychiatric pharmaceuticals commonly used to treat their condition will help clients to refuse or consent to proposed medicinal treatments. You will find most information is available online at no expense. Also, your provider may have documentation to offer you.

Patients should never consent to a treatment they do not fully understand. Your mental health care provider may recommend a course of treatment you are not familiar with. In this case, your provider should be able to explain the goal of the treatment, the likelihood of success, the possible complications and their own professional experiences with the treatment. If you are unable to understand or make a decision based on the information they have offered, you should postpone consenting until you have had the opportunity to research it independently.

The Customer is Always Right

Claiming ownership of mental health treatment is an intimidating concept for many patients. Understandably, when clients enter the clinical setting a general feeling of disempowerment can set in. As evidence of their superior knowledge and training, professionals display numerous degrees, licenses and awards. A client’s personal information is held within a database, often exclusively displayed to those with clear sight of the computer screen. Additionally, it is the professional who will make the ultimate decision as to which treatment options are presented. However, it is the client who makes the final treatment decisions.

Mental health consumers should recognize that control of their treatment is in their own hands. As voluntary clients they possess the power to terminate their consent to treatment with or without reason at any time. It is never in the customer’s interest to accept treatment conditions they are uncomfortable or dissatisfied with.

Considering the professionals involved and the options and opinions they provide you. Are you pleased with the treatment you are receiving? If not, what is the barrier to your satisfaction as a customer? Do you feel engaged in the decision making process? Would you feel comfortable discussing any concerns with your providers? Do you like and respect the professionals you are working with? If you cannot answer yes to all of these questions, it may be time to shop around...

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