Your treatment options for anxiety and depression

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If you or someone you know struggles with mental health, you’re not alone. According to Mental Health America, more than 60 million American adults — almost one in four — have depression, anxiety or another mental health condition. In addition, according to the Office of Population Affairs, an estimated 49.5 percent of adolescents have had a mental health disorder at some point in their lives.

Sometimes symptoms of depression and anxiety can also be the initial signs of other mental health conditions, like bipolar disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder. Chronic depression and anxiety can also lead to self-medication with alcohol or drug use.

Despite being highly treatable, the stigma and misconceptions surrounding mental health have caused more than 30 percent of Americans to worry that others will judge them for seeking mental health care, according to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing. And, untreated mental health conditions can lead to serious physical health complications, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, chronic fatigue, a weakened immune system and more.

There are several different options for mental health treatment, and finding the right fit can make all the difference. Read on to learn about the various anxiety and depression treatment options.

Mental health treatment option #1: therapy

Therapy isn’t limited to just a one-on-one discussion with a mental health provider — there are several methods that will work best for different mental health conditions:

• Cognitive-behavioral Therapy (CBT), which is the most common, helps patients identify, understand and change their thinking and behavior patterns. This type of therapy requires active involvement and participation in recovery and usually takes about 12–16 weeks to see benefits.
• Exposure Therapy is a form of CBT used to help reduce fear and anxiety responses. To help people who have obsessive-compulsive disorder or certain phobias, the therapist gradually exposes them to a feared situation or object to help them become less sensitive over time.
• Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy technique in which a therapist will use hand motions or tapping and ask patients to shift their negative thoughts to pleasant ones. This technique is intended to lessen traumatic memories or distressing emotions. It can be used to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other mental health challenges, such as anxiety and panic attacks.
• Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps patients cope with unwanted thoughts or feelings by using mindfulness and behavior change. ACT gives them the tools to accept their experiences, view them in a different light, and commit to changing their behavior.

Find an in-network mental health provider in myWellmark. Before making an appointment with a mental health provider, you'll want to ask if they accept your health insurance.

There are different types of mental health providers with various specialties you may consider as part of your treatment. Learn more about each type with this quick guide from the Mayo Clinic.

You should also log in to myWellmark to view your coverage manual and find out what types of therapy and how many appointments your benefits cover.

Mental health treatment option #2: medication

While you can use medication to manage certain symptoms of mental health conditions, it’s important to remember that medication isn’t a cure on its own. Medication is often most effective when paired with other treatment methods like therapy or support groups where you can learn the skills to help you manage your condition. And, since there are a variety of medications used to treat depression and anxiety, you may need to try several before finding the right one.

It may take some time to notice the benefits of medication paired with therapy. Medications require several weeks to begin working, but it may take even longer to experience the full beneficial effects.

How anxiety and depression medications work

Neurotransmitters are chemicals that nerve cells produce to send signals throughout your body. The two primary neurotransmitters linked to depression and anxiety are serotonin and norepinephrine. Serotonin is thought to regulate happiness, mood and anxiety, while norepinephrine controls heart rate, blood pressure and other functions.

Medications treat imbalances of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain, which are believed to cause symptoms like long-term sadness, irritability, excessive worrying and social withdrawal. There are several major drug classes that target serotonin and norepinephrine production to help treat mental health conditions:

1. Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) work by blocking the reabsorption of serotonin in the brain, increasing the levels of serotonin available to help improve mood.
2. Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs) increase the levels of both serotonin and norepinephrine to improve energy, mood and attentiveness.
3. Tricyclic Antidepressants are one of the earliest types of antidepressants, and target serotonin and norepinephrine in addition to other neurotransmitters.
4. Benzodiazepines are usually used for short-term management of anxiety or sleep problems related to your condition.
5. Mood stabilizers are medications of various types that help regulate mood swings and may help people with symptoms of depression.

Additionally, supplemental medications, such as antipsychotics, thyroid supplements, lithium and others may be added to an antidepressant, if needed, to further treat anxiety and depression symptoms.

Questions to ask your primary care provider or mental health care provider before starting your medication:

• When will the medication start working?
• What are the most common side effects?
• What are some less common but more serious side effects?
• Should I take the medication at a certain time or with food?
• Is there anything I should avoid when taking this medication?
• How long will I take this medication?
• Will I still be able to take this medication if I become pregnant or am breastfeeding?

When you're prescribed a new medication, you'll want to verify that it's covered. When you log in to myWellmark and navigate to the Pharmacy tab, you have access to a number of tools that help you navigate your prescription drug benefits. You can look up covered drugs and find out how much they'll cost, identify possible interactions between your medications and more.

Continue improving your mental health with support groups

Forming strong bonds and relationships is essential to well-being, and this is where support groups come in. Finding a group of people who are dealing with similar symptoms or situations can help support a shared goal of recovery and reduce feelings of loneliness. Anyone can lead a support group, but some groups have mental health professionals to help guide the discussion.

Support groups are open to anyone, but often focus on specific problems like marital issues, depression, grief and loss, chronic disease, and other struggles. You can find a support group that fits your needs using these resources from Mental Health America. If there are no groups in your area or you’d rather remain anonymous, you can connect with people in online support groups or discussion boards. Mental Health America also runs its own online support community to help people from around the world discuss mental health conditions.

Your mental health matters just as much as your physical health. If you or someone you know suffers from a mental health condition, it's important to find support and get the right treatment. As part of your health benefits, you can see a virtual mental health provider through Doctor On Demand^®.