Recover from Mental Health and Behavioral Health Conditions
Mental & Behavioral Health Services in Costa Mesa
Serving the Orange County Area
Mental illnesses are conditions that affect a person’s mood and the way they think, feel, and behave. There are a wide variety of mental illnesses, but they can all have an impact on daily life and the ability to connect with others.
Behavioral Health is the connection of one’s well-being tied to their mind, body and spirit. These habits can include behaviors such as social unawareness, eating habits, exercise, heavy drinking, drug abuse, or anything else that affects your mental and physical well-being.
Behavioral and mental health conditions are more common than you might think:
- 20% of adults in the US experience a mental illness each year
- 5% of adults in the US experience a serious mental illness each year
- 17% of youth in the US, ages 6-17, experience a mental illness each year
- 50% of lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 14
- 75% of lifetime mental illnesses begin by age 24
If you or someone you love has been struggling with a mental illness, our Behavioral Health Treatment Center in Costa Mesa can help with a range of mental health services. Don’t hesitate to get help.
Mental & Behavioral Health Conditions We Treat
Depression
Depression as a disorder is much more than just feeling sad after a tough life event. Major Depressive Disorder is a mental illness that is marked by persistent feelings of emptiness and hopelessness, guilt, fatigue, cognition issues, and even thoughts of suicide.
Not every person experiences depression the same. One’s depression may come with anxious distress, manic features, melancholic features, appetite issues, psychotic features, or have a seasonal pattern.
Major Depressive Disorder can be caused by a number of different things including medication, stress, trauma, family history, genetics, or major life events. Thankfully, depression is treatable condition with a large number of various options.
Anxiety
The American Psychological Association describes anxiety as, “an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes like increased blood pressure.” A person dealing with anxiety may have intrusive worries and thoughts that may lead a person to avoid particular situations. These feelings of worry may be accompanied by dizziness, trembling, sweating, or other physical symptoms.
There are a number of different reasons a person may experience anxiety. Some causes and risk factors include medical conditions, stress, substance abuse, or even genetics. There are also various types of anxiety disorders that include generalized anxiety, social anxiety, panic disorder, separation anxiety, and phobias.
When it comes to treating anxiety, cognitive-behavioral therapy is the first treatment that should be recommended. In more severe cases, medication may be used as a temporary treatment.
Bipolar
Bipolar disorder is a mood disorder characterized by mood swings from manic episodes to depressive episodes. Manic episodes can be described as periods of unsustainable and overly heightened well-being and happiness. Depressive episodes can be described as periods of extreme sadness and hopelessness.
Someone with bipolar disorder may periodically struggle to meet work obligations or find it harder to consistently interact with the ones they love.
Types of bipolar disorder include type I, type II, cyclothymic disorder, or elsewhere unclassified. These conditions can be caused by a number of different environmental factors, genetics, and chemical imbalances in the brain.
It is not uncommon to treat bipolar disorders with various medications, such as mood stabilizers, antidepressants, antipsychotics, or benzodiazepines. Psychotherapy and other natural medicines are also commonplace in treatment.
PTSD
Trauma can follow us for extended periods of time. People with Post traumatic stress disorder hold these traumas closer and may experience a range of symptoms making it feel as if they are reliving the traumatic event or events.
PTSD is marked by intrusive memories, negative or destructive thought patterns, poor mood, hyperarousal, and avoidance. There are varying severities of PTSD, but the condition can become a problem in certain situations.
It is always a good idea to start healing traumatic mental wounds earlier than later. Psychotherapeutic treatments like EMDR and others can help a person overcome their intrusive traumatic thoughts.
Substance Use Disorders
Substance use disorders are marked by alcohol and/or drug abuse. They come in widely varying forms depending on which substance is being abused. And, they are often dual-diagnosed with co-occurring conditions — especially the above-discussed conditions.
Treating a substance use disorder early is crucial as these substances can often have destructive consequences on a person’s mental, physical, and financial well-being. And, the longer a person remains abusing substances, the more difficult it typically is to overcome their condition.
OCD
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a disorder composed of obsessive and compulsive behaviors. A person with OCD may have an obsessive thought and then act compulsively upon that thought — almost as an unbearable itch they must scratch. Though, some may experience “Pure O” and not necessarily act upon their obsessive thoughts.
OCD Subtypes include contamination and cleaning, taboo thoughts, harm and checking, or symmetry and ordering.
There is typically no “cure” for OCD, but psychotherapy such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and exposure and response prevention (ERP) have been described as effective strategies by a meta-analysis of studies.
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a life-long illness that typically expresses itself in late teen years to one’s early twenties. It is a psychotic disorder marked by psychosis, and more specifically hallucinations and delusions.
These severe symptoms can lead to disorganized and erratic behaviors, thinking, speech, and other social capabilities. This can make it difficult for someone with this condition to maintain a career, relationships, or interact appropriately with others.
Schizophrenia must be closely monitored with a proper treatment plan often including both psychotherapy and medications — such as antipsychotics, antidepressants, or mood stabilizers.
Mental & Behavioral Health Treatment Services
When dealing with a mental health condition, it’s important to have the right tools and support system to help you get through your struggles. Our mental health services provided include a comprehensive assessment, case management, medication support, peer support, and therapeutic counseling.
Psychotherapy is often the first go-to treatment. Psychotherapy is generally effective and doesn’t come with the side effects or chemical dependency that can come with medication. Psychotherapy comes in many forms and can be adapted to each individual’s condition and situation. Most forms of psychotherapy are talk therapies in which a person works with a counselor to address problematic issues in one’s life.
Medication is, in most cases, a secondary treatment following psychotherapy. And when medications are introduced, it is mostly recommended that a person continues their therapy sessions. While medications can have some side effects, there are situations in which the benefit outweighs these side effects. And, depending on the condition, medications may be used as either a long-term or short-term treatment.
