Improving Mental Health Hospitals
Understanding Mental Health Hospitals in New Jersey: What's right, what's wrong, and proposed solutions.
What we're doing right:
988 in the case of emergencies.
Support groups.
Intensive Outpatient: CBT and DBT in group therapy.
Support groups.
Intensive Outpatient: CBT and DBT in group therapy.
What we're doing wrong: Areas of improvement:
No neurological evaluations: (separating neurology/neuroscience research from psychiatry).
Assessed with little to no personal history and limited lab work.
Diagnosed by outward observations and self-reports (when patients are sick!).
Very short psychiatrist visits (~10 minutes per day).
Assessed with little to no personal history and limited lab work.
Diagnosed by outward observations and self-reports (when patients are sick!).
Very short psychiatrist visits (~10 minutes per day).
Currently, patient testimonies are taken at face value, and close loved ones are typically not contacted unless a patient requests and signs for it. The problem is that many sick patients are afraid or unwilling to ask for help or welcome their supports into the process in fear of being controlled or misunderstood. There are ways to approach this problem, which I will discuss in the next section.
Heavy in sugar and processed foods, which can exacerbate psychosis, increase blood sugar, and lead to weight gain.
Disrupted sleep due to patient rounds every 15 minutes during sleeping hours - worsened by loud staff and bright lights.
Insurance companies will only cover up to a few weeks in most psychiatric facilities.
Suicidal patients are released too early to get symptom relief.
Medications do not have enough time to take full effect, especially mood stabilizers and antidepressants.
Suicidal patients are released too early to get symptom relief.
Medications do not have enough time to take full effect, especially mood stabilizers and antidepressants.
No flossing of teeth permitted (gum inflammation leads to brain inflammation, which worsens mental health symptoms).
Minimal exercise.
Exercise is absolutely necessary for improving, not only physical health, but mental health as well.
Exercise is absolutely necessary for improving, not only physical health, but mental health as well.
No therapy: short, daily one-on-one therapy sessions can be extremely helpful.
While group therapies can promote socialization and wellness in some ways, many people do not feel safe disclosing personal information to strangers in a hospital. Hiring individualized therapists can truly benefit the patients at mental health facilities.
While group therapies can promote socialization and wellness in some ways, many people do not feel safe disclosing personal information to strangers in a hospital. Hiring individualized therapists can truly benefit the patients at mental health facilities.
Hiring unqualified or cold professionals:
When people come to you for help, you should approach them with compassion and respect, not degradation and cruelty.
When people come to you for help, you should approach them with compassion and respect, not degradation and cruelty.
In spite of the negative individuals I interacted with, I did meet some wonderful, moving nurses, techs, and doctors who changed my life with their kindness. They were few and far between, but they truly made a difference. If emotional intelligence becomes a strict requirement for hire, vulnerable people seeking help returning to themselves would have hope and inspiration to keep moving. Thank you to those who never lose sight of their hearts and purpose.
Brainstorming solutions: Small to large(r) changes that can help!
Utilizing MRI, fMRI, PET, CT, and other brain scans to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions.
Additionally, treatment teams can conduct cognitive assessments to see where patients lie on activities of daily living and prescribe medication/accommodations to address these issues.
Additionally, treatment teams can conduct cognitive assessments to see where patients lie on activities of daily living and prescribe medication/accommodations to address these issues.
Mental health treatment teams can encourage the individual's support network, family or otherwise, to be a part of and share their insights on what their loved one is experiencing now and inform the professions of how this person is when healthy. Reminding patients that their input will help them be less alone and better protected may go a long way. Involving family, friends, and other supports into the treatment process can offer valuable perspectives and will likely serve as an important mediator for the individual's voice to heard, especially when they are not in the right mental state to articulate what they need for themselves.
Regular exercise outside to release pent up energy and for healthy sunlight and vitamin D; yoga groups or movement therapy can also be included.
Offer more meal plans with fruits, vegetables, protein, and healthy fats.
Cut down snacks.
Provide vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options.
Encourage flossing after daily meals with with the supervision of staff.
Encourage sleep by dimming lights and lowering voices, and installing glass windows to avoid opening and closing doors.
Hire mental health counselors and/or clinical psychologists/clinical social workers for one-on-one therapy.
Have therapists take part in the discharge process by recommending outside providers and therapists and offering suggestions on cognitive behavioral, dialectical behavioral, or other therapy-based strategies before leaving the hospital.
Mandatory empathy-building courses and rigorous testing before hiring inpatient staff members.
We should be able to trust that our caretakers have our best interest at heart and will support, listen, and promote what we need to get better.
We should be able to trust that our caretakers have our best interest at heart and will support, listen, and promote what we need to get better.