Guide: For those Diagnosed with a Mental Illness.

No matter which environment it occurs in, within the confines of a doctors office or in an inpatient psychiatric unit/hospital, getting the diagnoses of a mental illness is jarring. There might be some denial either from lack of insight or personally held opinions. Or there could be the uh huh moment where things click. Regardless of ones reaction there are a few things that one should do to help with both understanding of their illness and help with their treatment.

1. Educate yourself. Besides treatment the most important thing one can do is educate yourself on your illness. The field of psychiatry and our knowledge of mental illness has grown in the last few decades. Yet in spite of these advancements there is still misinformation out there. Media portrayals are often more stigma based than reality based. Read everything that you can. If needed ask your doctor or therapist for recommendations on good books and resources, many are happy to point you into the right direction.

2. Actively participate in your treatment. One thing that I have noticed is that some people just go with the flow in regards to treatment. They remain silent and let their therapist do all the work. Get active. Work with your treatment team on goal setting, stress reductions, lifestyle changes etc. Ask questions if you have any. Be honest in your answers when they ask you questions. Honesty will help them get a better picture of your symptoms and how they impact your life which in turn will help them be able to better help you.

Also don't just sit there and remain silent if medication isn't working or if the treatment you are receiving isn't helping. Speak up. They are not going to angry. Treatment both in regards to therapy and medication are very individual based and what works for one person might not work another.

What I find helpful in this area is to write down my symptoms, concerns and also any side effects I am having from medication. This makes it easier to present to my treatment during an appointment.

3. Make sure your treatment team is fully informed. This includes not only your Psychiatrist/Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner but also your PCP. Make sure that every one has not only your mental illnesses recorded in your charts but also any medical conditions you may have. Also every medical person should have a current list of medication, both prescription and over the counters you take. This includes any dietary supplements such as vitamins, herbal remedies, birth control, hormones etc. It also very important that you use the same pharmacy to fill all of your medication.

I stress this because many of the medications that are used to treat mental illness can have interactions with other medications and even dietary supplements. Birth control and hormone treatments can also effect the blood levels of certain medications or the medications themselves may make birth control less effective.

4. Your treatment team will likely also make recommendations for lifestyle changes. Good sleep habits and a routine exercise program can help lower stress levels. Also some of the medications that are used can have side effects such as weight gain, metabolic changes, and effect not only blood pressure but also blood sugar levels. While increased exercise and diet changes can not stop all of this unwanted effects it is better than doing noting. So ask your doctor what types of changes you should make to diet and physical activity you should do.

Also make sure that you keep up with good dental hygiene. Many of the medications cause dry mouth. Make sure that your dentist is aware of your medications and ask him/her for advice on combating dry mouth and what type of dental routine you should follow.

5. Build a support system. This includes friends and family members that you can rely on to be there for you when you need them without judgment. It may also be helpful to have a person you trust designated as an advocate. Ask about the paperwork that will necessary to facilitate this and what limits you can place. In my case my advocate can make appointments for me in case I become unable to, have access to information regarding diagnoses, medications prescribed and can voice concerns that they may have. They are limited in scope of what is said in actual therapy sessions(that is still private). Another thing is look into getting a Psychiatric Advance Directives and Psychiatric Power of Attorney. These are good things to have should you ever become so ill as to be incapacitated. This would allow the treatment team to know your wishes and better be able to serve you during a crisis.

National Resource Center on Psychiatric Advance Directives – This site has information on both advance directives and power of attorney.

6. If it is difficult to find support from friends and family or if you feel you would benefit from greater support from those who like you suffer from mental illness then check out local support groups. Many of these groups meet regularly throughout the country. Often times Psychiatric practitioners will have a list of these.

7. Keep information handy. Keep a list of important phone numbers on your refrigerator. This list should include local crisis/suicide hotlines as well as phone numbers for treatment team and friends/family that make up your support team. I also keep a list of all current medications next to it.

8. This one may sound dumb, but get a pill sorter. This not only acts as a daily reminder to take your medication but it also helps if brain fog is an issue. A simple glance will let you know if did indeed take your medication should side effects make you forgetful. It is also helps with management should multiple medication are being used. Must simpler than a bottle sitting on the kitchen counter.

9. Keep a journal. It doesn't have to be long winded entries that detail every minute of the day. Just keep a notebook where you can jot down symptoms, side effects and any life events that may be causing stress, anxiety or a worsening of symptoms. This could valuable for treatment as it allows one to chart the course of their illness and may give clues as to what type of stressors may make it worse.

10. Get a calendar or date planner to help track of appointments. Brain fog again make it difficult to remember things I find these very handy to not only keep track of appointments buts also work schedules, important events and also bill paying(I mark when bills are due and when they are paid). I keep a calender on my refrigerator and also a date planner in my purse.

Alternatively they can also be used to chart mood, symptoms and side effects if you would rather do that instead of keeping a journal.

11. Get yourself moving/ keep occupied. This doesn't mean join every activity that you can, but make time to pursue your interests and hobbies. One thing that I have found is that my medication can have a sedating effect, and although I take it in the evening I am often drowsy throughout the day. To combat the urge to lay down and sleep the afternoon away I get moving. I exercise, take a walk, clean up around the house and generally do what I can to keep moving.

I also take time everyday to read, which is something that I enjoy and relaxes me. Yours might not be reading, but do try to engage in relaxing hobbies. This is a great way to lower stress and recharge ourselves.

I hope that this list is helpful, if you feel that I have left out something important please drop me a message.