Today there is an increasing “seek help” culture in the area of mental health with Beyond Blue, Sane and RUOK all urging people to seek help. However, the all important question that must follow is ‘what type of help should we seek?’
A sensible and therapeutic response may involve talking therapies, i.e. counselling and if necessary, the prescribing of psychiatric drugs which can be used as an interim measure in response to a crisis.
Red Flag Canberra recommends that the use of psychiatric drugs should be carefully considered once the consumer and or family have been educated in respect to the direct, adverse effects of these drugs.
Psychiatric drugs have tended to be the primary ‘treatment’ employed by mental health
practitioners. There are serious effects borne of long term polypharmacy, which is the prescribing of more than one psychiatric drug at a time. There should be careful scrutiny of the mix of drugs that a consumer is prescribed and consideration of reduction or withdrawal where appropriate.
In 2017 the National Mental Health Consumer and Carer Forum (NMHCCF) released a Critical Literature Review of the Direct, Adverse Effects of Neuroleptics together with a booklet ‘What you may not know about antipsychotics’ for consumers and families.
The Review provides information about psychiatric drugs (antipsychotics), the evidence base underpinning their use, the risks they carry and alternative responses to psychosis in order to promote informed decision making.
Red Flag Canberra considers that a more considered and holistic response to mental distress should be adopted rather than the wholesale prescribing of psychiatric drugs. The role of talking therapies can be very important. Other treatments such as ‘social prescribing’, together with peer worker engagement, could also benefit the consumer. ‘Social prescribing’ involves engaging in a range of social activities, for example: life coaching class, exercise, cooking classes, community activities and weight management.
In summary, as a society, there is no doubt we would benefit from looking outside the sole use of any one treatment response to mental distress. The key clearly lies in educating ourselves around our options to ensure the most effective and importantly, the safest avenue to restore our mental
health.