If you have had an opportunity to review the Diagnositic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), you will have seen, by now, that there are numerous mental disorders that span Infancy, Childhood, Adolescence and Adulthood. As such, there is no cookie cutter treatment plan to address all issues for all people. In our work as interpreters within the mental health arena, we will become familiarized with a variety of interventions that are available based on the LEP’s specific diagnosis.

With that in mind, there are two primary avenues which are broadly recognized: Psycotherapy (talk therapy) and Pharmacological Intervention (drug therapy). They are not the only paths that people may choose but, as mentioned, they are the most broadly recognized.  However broad the recognition is though, neither is stigma free. Common reactions might include: I don’t want to talk to a stranger about my problems; I’ll work it out on my own or I don’t want to get addicted to drugs. I don’t want to take anything that’s going to mess with my head.

Inherently, resistance is a natural part of the change process. It does not mean that we do not want to change or get help. It means that other feelings are at play which may influence us. Fear of exposure and vulnerability are to be expected. Who wants to talk about painful things, let alone with someone we don’t know? If we talk about it, we will feel badly and it will hurt. It seems counterintuitive to engage in a process that will make us feel worse even with the promise that we will feel better down the road. We just want to feel better now.

In a parallel fashion, apprehension about medication is prevalent. Medication gets a lot of press, much of which can tend toward the negative and be sensationalized. It is hard to watch TV and not see an ad for a psychotropic medication and the litany of its possible scary side effects. This can easily trigger the fear and angst which are already circulating just below the surface.

Ultimately, treatment is a very personal decision and one which warrants a conversation with a trusted healthcare professional.  Depending on the nature of the disorder, one or both interventions may be recommended and the healthcare provider can go over the pros and cons of each. The purpose of this post is not to advocate for any specific intervention. It IS to advocate for seeking help, though, just like we would for a medical condition. The brain is no different than the heart, the lungs, the kidneys or the liver. When something is not working right there is help.

By the time we seek help, it is likely that we have been experiencing symptoms for quite a while. A natural, albeit unrealistic, expectation would be:  How soon before we will feel better? In other words, how quickly?

Medication is designed to alter and stabilize brain chemistry but it is not a quick fix. It can take several weeks for symptom reduction to be felt, once the right medication and dosage have been identified. Likewise, psychotherapy also takes time, involving reflection on past or present stressors and creating the foundation for healthier processing of future experiences. Neither will deliver overnight relief which may be a desired but unrealistic goal. Oftentimes, we may feel worse before we feel better. Unfortunately, when a quick fix is not delivered, some clients drop out of treatment. Once again, a good healthcare professional will paint the picture for the client so there is a greater likelihood that expectations will be realistic.

In the spirit of being well-informed, I am including links to articles on these topics, including a list of commonly prescribed psychotropic medications for glossary building purposes. Interpreters can use these resources to build subject-matter expertise and develop fluency in targeted terminology.

http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/mental-health-medications/mental-health-medications.shtml

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2748674/

Click to access Commonly-Psyc-Medications.pdf

https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Treatment/Mental-Health-Medications

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