- August 5, 2022
- By Content Writer at The Center for Developmental Psychiatry
5 Tips for Seeking Developmental Psychiatry Treatment
Each year, millions of Americans are affected by mental illness. In fact, as many as 1 in 5 adults and 1 in 6 children report symptoms!
Are you or someone you love among them?
If so, you already know about the ripple effect of physical, social, and financial impacts that come along with mental and emotional health issues.
Fortunately, there is hope on the horizon. Developmental psychiatry combines psychotherapy and medication to help patients of all ages, taking an integrated approach to treat the whole person for long-lasting and transformative change.
That said, not all doctors offer the same quality of care. And, treatments will vary among mental health service providers.
Read on for 5 essential tips to help you find the right fit. Then you’ll be ready to start on the path toward emotional well-being, health, and happiness!
1. Choose a Philosophy That Fits You
As you start searching for a mental health care professional, you’ll find a wide variety of approaches and philosophies. And, as you can probably guess already, not all of them will suit your family or your personal needs.
For example, many sychiatrists don’t practice psychotherapy. Instead, they write prescriptions for powerful mood altering medication, without a deep understanding of the whole person that they are treating. This leads to a disjointed experience for patients, treating only a small portion of the symptoms and struggles that they’re experiencing.
If possible, you’ll want to work with a doctor who doesn’t rely on medication alone. And, you’ll want to ensure that they use thorough evaluations of both the patient and family to determine what medicines, if any, are needed.
This approach doesn’t just focus on visible symptoms and conditions like depression and anxiety. It tackles underlying issues that come up in each person’s childhood development, including personal growth, personality, self-esteem, and a style of relating to others.
Finding a philosophy that is effective for you and your family is especially critical if the primary patient is living with a complex condition like autism spectrum disorder that could require lifelong care.
2. Opt For Integrated Care
Developmental psychiatry disorders require treatment on multiple levels. This might include psychotherapy, parent guidance, medication management, and more.
The right provider will take an integrated approach, bringing all the elements of care together with comprehensive services to address each patient’s whole health. Collaboration between psychiatrists, psychotherapists, schools, and other medical professionals can help ensure that no need goes unaddressed.
This also keeps the lines of communication open, allowing a patient’s entire team to collaborate on their care. It also safeguards vulnerable patients, preventing the all too common scenario of kids slipping through the cracks of the medical system or being accidentally overprescribed powerful drugs.
Finding a developmental psychiatry practice that offers integrated care is especially important for people living with bipolar disorder and other behavioral disorders that require medication.
3. Find a Responsive Psychiatrist
Few things are more frustrating than working with a medical team that won’t respond to your calls and emails. And, you shouldn’t settle for unresponsive mental health care.
Psychiatric issues can shake a family to its core, and it’s absolutely essential that you can reach your doctor when you need to, especially if one of your children is the primary patient. You deserve a high level of support in addition to excellent clinical care, without long wait times to hear back from your doctor.
Insist on a psychiatrist who can return your messages within 1 business day. And, if possible, work with a team who offers a secure texting or email platform that allows for faster response times.
Having multiple avenues for communication available also makes it easy to get in touch while you’re busy working, managing family life, or even traveling. It also ensures that you’ll feel supported at all times, no matter what mental health challenges come your way.
4. Keep an Open and Transparent Dialogue
It’s surprisingly common for mental health service providers to keep their patients out of the loop when it comes to their own care. This can negatively impact those living with psychiatry disorders in a number of ways, leaving them feeling helpless and unsupported.
Strive to find a doctor who maintains an open and transparent dialogue about the treatments they offer. This should include honest conversations and patiently answering as many questions as you might have about their recommendations.
Never accept prescription medication without an explanation and in-depth understanding of its potential benefits and risks. You should also be aware of the expected timeline for treatment and predicted path toward graduating from whatever care is being offered.
Otherwise, you run the risk of entering an endless cycle of prescribed medication without an and in sight. This can be especially harmful to children and teens who are still growing and developing.
5. Make Sure They Treat Your Specific Disorder
Before selecting a doctor, it’s essential to find out if they provide mental health services to treat what’s really wrong with the patient in question.
Be sure to get a detailed explanation of the services they offer and learn about which specific conditions they specialize in. You’ll also want to research whether they work with children and teens, and if they can help with initial evaluations and diagnosis.
If you’re seeking care for your child, you’ll want to work with a team that offers one-on-one sessions with them, followed by private feedback for parents. This can help you understand what’s going on with your little one’s mental health, and reach a conclusive diagnosis faster.
Establishing a cohesive narrative when it comes to a patient’s health is also essential for selecting the medications and psychotherapists that best suit them. Additionally, it can help your mental health team hone in on the issues impacting your entire family, and ensure that each member gets the help that they need.
Getting Started With Developmental Psychiatry
With this blog post as your guide, you’re ready to take action. And, there’s no time to waste!
The sooner you get started with developmental psychiatry, the sooner you or your loved one will be on the road to recovery, moving toward happiness and improved mental health.
Contact the Center For Developmental Psychology or call +1 201-304-7552 today. We offer integrated treatments that combine psychotherapy, hands-on guidance, and medication management.
Even when we are not providing the therapy ourselves, we collaborate care with psychotherapists and schools. In a mental health system that is fragmented, we do our best to integrate care.