What does mental health treatment look like? The most common treatment options are medication and therapy of some sort. Sounds simple right? The reality of treating a mental health issue is much more colourful.

My own treatment journey has certainly been colourful, and in every chapter I have learned things which serve to help me along the way.

Here are some of the treatment options I have used during the last 5 years:

Medication- Medication is a staple of my treatment today. I have been on a mostly stable group of medications for the past 3 years. My history with medication has not always been so smooth.

Trial and error was the theme of my first 2 years on meds. It seemed that a new medication was being introduced every time I visited my psychiatrist. Some meds were ineffective while others had severe side effects. In the worst cases the meds had a very negative effect on my moods, making the situation worse instead of better.

The path has not been pretty, but I believe that my medications are now the anchor of my treatment plan.

Therapy- I have participated in many different types of therapy. All of them I have found helpful in some way.

Traditional one to one talk therapy is a common part of mental health treatment plans. I am not currently seeing a talk therapist, but I have seen a few in the past. Some people find talking to a therapist incredibly helpful. Personally, I do not think it has greatly benefited me. I find the conversations that I have with my psychiatrists to be more beneficial for me. I had many great conversations with one psychiatrist in particular. I will always remember his practicality and wisdom. Sadly, he is now in retirement fighting a brain disease.

I owe a lot of my current coping skills to the time that I spent seeing an occupational therapist. I learned the importance of grounding techniques and I was able to gradually add more tools to help me deal with the stressors in my life. As I learned new techniques, I grew more confident in my ability to get through difficult moments.

After one of my stays in the psych hospital I was able to spend time in a group therapy program with others who had also recently been discharged from the same hospital. I was able to gather a lot from those group sessions.

ECT – I had ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) treatments in the winter of 2016. This involved electrically induced seizures in my brain. This may sound slightly sketchy, but the procedure is very safe and for me personally, stress free. I was given a muscle relaxant and then put out with anesthesia for the duration of the seizures. I did not see positive changes after my ECT treatments. However, it remains one of the more fascinating things that I have experienced in life.

There are many avenues to explore when it comes to mental health treatments. I recommend keeping an open mind, as you never know what might end up working well for you.

Having an effective approach to self care has become a huge part of my wellbeing. Simple things like eating, sleeping and exercising are very important. Communication and having creative outlets are also key cogs of my self care plan.

Find coping skills that work for you. Remember to do the things that you enjoy.

Oh.. and smile. Just do it.