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Savannah Elliott

Mrs. DeBock

English IV Honors

24 March 2017

Essential Question: Should different mental illnesses receive different treatment to treat patients

faster and more efficiently?

Working Thesis: Different treatments should be used with patients suffering from different

mental illnesses to treat patients more efficiently and speed up recovery.

Refined Thesis: In order to assure patients suffering from different mental illnesses receive

effective treatment, different forms of treatment should be used because some treatments are

more effective for certain mental illnesses over others. Some forms of treatment do not even

remotely help specific forms of mental illnesses.

Annotated Bibliography

"Common Mental Health Medications." Teen Health Series: Mental Health Information for

Teens, Lisa Bakewell, Omnigraphics, Inc., 4th Edition, 2014. Credo Reference

This article describes how different medications are used to treat the symptoms of mental

disorders and possible side effects of the medications. Choosing the right medication, medication

dose, and treatment plan should be based on an individuals needs and medical situation. These

medications have changed the lives of people with mental illnesses for the better and without

them, people with mental illnesses might suffer serious and disabling symptoms. Medications

work differently for different people; some patients need medications for a short time, whereas

others may need to take medication for a much longer time. Specific medications used to treat

schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety disorders is discussed throughout the
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passage and side effects that can differ based on age, sex,body size, and more. This article will

help me address my position that different ways of treatment are used to treat different mental

disorders.

"Counseling And Therapy: Methods Of Treatment." Teen Health Series: Mental Health

Information for Teens, Lisa Bakewell, Omnigraphics, Inc., 4th Edition, 2014. Credo

Reference.

This article describes different forms of psychotherapy, or talk therapy, and the effects

of the treatment. Psychotherapy is a way to treat people with a mental illness by helping them

understand their illness. Strategies and tools are taught and given to patients to help deal with

stress and unhealthy thoughts and behaviors. One psychotherapy method is Cognitive Behavioral

Therapy (CBT), which is a blend of two other therapies: cognitive therapy and behavioral

therapy. CBT can be applied and adapted to treat many specific mental disorders. Other forms of

psychotherapy including: Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Family Focused

Therapy, and other types of therapy are also discussed in the article. This article helps me go into

further detail about specific forms of therapy that should be done for different patients suffering

different mental illnesses.

"Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)." Teen Health Series: Mental Health Information for Teens,

Lisa Bakewell, Omnigraphics, Inc., 4th Edition, 2014. Credo Reference.

This article describes Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT), risks of ECT, and benefits of

ECT. Electroconvulsive Therapy is one of the most studied and most effective treatments for

selected severe mental illnesses and has received much attention in the media: both negative and

positive. In some cases, ECT can be up to 90 percent effective in reducing the severity of
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symptoms. ECT is regularly performed in hospitals by a medical team including psychiatrists,

anesthesiologists, nurses, and other healthcare professionals. This therapy begins with a

medication to cause the patient to lose consciousness, so the patient does not endure pain when

receiving an electric shock to their brain. A controlled seizure occurs that only lasts for less than

one to two minutes. Treatment with ECT is highly effective and works rapidly when compared

with other psychiatric treatments for the right conditions. ECT is a much safer procedure than it

was in earlier decades and side effects go away within a short period of time. This article will

provide another example of a different form of treatment that is more effective for the severely

mentally ill.

"Finding A Therapist Who Can Help You Heal." Teen Health Series: Mental Health Information

for Teens, Lisa Bakewell, Omnigraphics, Inc., 4th Edition, 2014. Credo Reference.

This article describes the benefits of therapy and how to find the right therapist for

individual patients. Therapy can be effective treatment for mental illnesses but in order to reap its

benefits, it is important to choose the right therapist. A good therapist helps you become stronger

and more self-aware, who has the experience to help you make changes for the better in your

life. Talking about your thoughts and feelings with a therapist makes patients feel better and can

be very healing, knowing that someone else cares for you and wants to help. Finding the right

therapist is essential and therapy will not be effective if you do not have a bond with the right

person as your therapist. A therapists experience with a specific illness, a therapists treatment

orientations, a therapists license, and a patients gut feeling are all vital to determining the right

therapist for a patient. This article will help me discuss the benefits of therapy for mental

illnesses and how crucial your decision making is for choosing the right therapist.
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"Going To A Therapist: What To Expect." Teen Health Series: Mental Health Information for

Teens, Lisa Bakewell, Omnigraphics, Inc., 4th Edition, 2014. Credo Reference.

This article describes what to expect when going to therapy, what therapists do, and the

privacy of therapy. Therapy is a way for patients to discover ways to overcome difficulties,

develop inner strengths or skills, or make changes in themselves or situations. Patients also enjoy

therapy to vent to someone and to learn different techniques to help deal with their illness. Most

types of therapy include talking and listening, building trust, and receiving support and guidance.

Therapists may also recommend books for patients to read through or recommend patients to

keep a journal. While attending therapy, a therapist will talk with a patient about their feelings,

thoughts, relationships, and important values. The more a patient opens up to a therapist, the

faster a therapist can assess what is wrong with the patient. Therapists respect the privacy and

confidentiality of their patients, otherwise they will lose their job. This article will help me go

into further detail about what takes place during therapy for patients and prove how therapy is

beneficial for some mental illnesses over others.

"Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation." Teen Health Series: Mental Health Information for Teens

,Lisa Bakewell, Omnigraphics, Inc., 4th Edition, 2014. Credo Reference.

This article describes a newly founded form of treatment for mental illnesses, called

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Transcranial magnetic stimulation is an outpatient

intervention which could be an option for individuals diagnosed with major depression who have

not responded to trials of antidepressant medications. TMS is not indicated for individuals who

suffer from bipolar disorder, depression with psychosis, or patients with a high risk of suicide.

Each session of TMS lasts forty minutes conducted in an outpatient office using a specific

technology. The TMS device sends magnetic pulses to the left side of the brain which generates
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weak electrical currents. The theory of the treatment is that the resulting electrical currents

activate neurotransmitters implicated in the symptoms of depression. This article helps prove my

point that certain treatments are only beneficial for certain mental illnesses and treatment should

be chosen carefully.