Self Help and coaching:
There
are many options in treating mental health disorders. In Great Britain, Health magazine reported that doctors are known to
prescribe self-help books to patients as a first line defense strategy. Medication is given secondary consideration.
There
are many therapies that persons can participate in, and some of them are listed below. However, use of psychiatric
medications for both adults and children has increased between four and five times in the past decade, some say it has increased
seven-fold This is proving to be true even for children as young as four years old.
There are a number of books that provide useful guidelines along these lines, written by physicians
and by psychiatrists. Natural Prozac, by Joel Robertson, Prozac Backlash, Dr. Joseph Glenmullen, Rethinking ADHD,
by Ruth Neven from Australia, The ADD Handbook by Dr. Susan Ashley, are all helpful references for both depression
and ADHD.
Lifestyle changes can help a person to regain and maintain mental balance without having
to resort to medications. It takes courage to face one's problems and make changes in one's life and to swim
against the current, There is personal responsibility in our decisions and our decisions cannot be relegated to another person,
not even to a doctor, family member or other professional.
Coaching
for those with ADHD or depression is also available. There are organizations that can give you a list of coaches
in your area. Many coaches work through the phone. They are there to support you or your child, to give practical suggestions
and encouragement and to give reminders to whoever might be having problems so as to help keep them on track and on the plan.
Coaching is less costly than a therapist, and is often used in addition to the role of a therapist but at times has been used
instead of a therapist. The suggestion has been made by one mental health organization, that some who may not want to go on
medicine or see a psychologist, might try coaching as a first line of defense. This has been helpful for some persons
suffering with mental health disorders.
There have been some very nice success stories as a
result of coaching alone. Of course, it depends on the quality of the one who is doing the coaching, as well as the willingness
of the client to change.
