Behavioral Health Services: Where Should I Go for Help?
Posted May 15, 2023 by John Kasper, M.D.
You’ve probably heard the term “behavioral health,” but what exactly does it mean? Behavioral Health refers to the emotions and behaviors that affect your overall well-being, and encompasses mental health and substance use disorders, along with their stress-related physical symptoms. Behavioral health conditions can include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, anger management, drinking or drug abuse, traumatic stress and much more.
Because many people who suffer from mental health disorders also have a substance use disorder, the medical community frequently uses the term behavioral health care to diagnose, treat and even prevent these conditions.
It’s estimated 1 in 5 adults in this country have a clinically significant mental health or substance use disorder, according to the American Medical Association. What’s more, the prevalence and severity of mental health conditions among teens and young adults has increased sharply in recent years.
Just like you would seek treatment for problems with your physical health, getting treatment for behavioral health issues is just as important.
Summa Health sheds light on behavioral health, signs and symptoms, what services are offered and where to go for help to get you on the road to recovery. While behavioral health conditions generally have long recovery times and can be complicated to treat, successful treatments exist for most conditions.
Behavioral health symptoms that signal it’s time to get help
Mental health and substance use disorders are real, common and treatable. If you or a loved one is experiencing the following signs and symptoms, it may be time to reach out to a medical professional for help.
- Prolonged depression
- Feelings of extreme highs and lows
- Excessive fears, worries and anxieties
- Social withdrawal
- Losing interest in hobbies
- Dramatic changes in sleeping and eating habits
- Inability to cope with daily problems and activities
- Suicidal thoughts or behaviors
- Substance abuse
Behavioral health services
Behavioral health services include a variety of specialists that can help you better understand and cope with your thoughts, feelings and behaviors to achieve your recovery goals. These professionals work in inpatient facilities, such as hospitals and residential settings, and outpatient facilities, including community mental health clinics and private practices.
- Psychiatrists are medical doctors with special training in diagnosing and treating behavioral health disorders. They are trained to assess both mental and physical aspects of psychological problems. They can prescribe medication and may incorporate a variety of treatments, including individual or group talk therapy, and psychosocial interventions.
- Psychologists are professionals with a doctoral degree in psychology and are trained to diagnose mental health disorders, and provide individual and group psychotherapy and other types of therapies. Some may have training in specific forms of therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy and other therapy interventions. They do not prescribe medication.
- Professional counselors have a master’s degree in psychology or counseling and are trained to evaluate a person’s mental health and provide individual and group therapy for treatment. They usually focus on a specific behavioral health area, such as substance abuse or marital problems. While they typically do not provide a formal diagnosis, they can help with improving life skills and relationships, while reducing symptoms.
- Clinical social workers are counselors with a master’s degree in social work, and are trained to evaluate a person’s mental health and provide individual and group therapy for treatment, based on their specific training program. They also are trained in case management and advocacy services.
- Substance use disorder clinicians have specific clinical training in alcohol and drug abuse, and are trained to evaluate a patient with substance use disorder and provide individual and group therapy. They help with treatment and provide support during a patient’s recovery.
Which behavioral health specialist is right for you?
If you think you may be suffering from a behavioral health condition, it’s important to seek treatment, just like you would if you had a physical illness. Ignoring behavioral health issues can lead to severe challenges.
A common place to start is by talking with your primary care provider (PCP). A PCP can help assess your symptoms, provide screening and begin treating you for behavioral health conditions. In addition, they can refer you to a behavioral health specialist that’s right for you.
Local mental health organizations, such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness Summit County, also can help connect you with medical services. In addition, your insurance company can provide a list of specialists in your area.
You may want to consider getting a few names and facilities to find a good fit for you. Once you connect with a behavioral health specialist, ask them about their approach to working with patients, their philosophy and if they have training in a specific area. Finding the right fit and a doctor or counselor you feel comfortable talking to is an important part of the recovery process.
Learn more about Summa Health’s Behavioral Health Institute and call 330.379.8190 to schedule an appointment for a broad range of behavioral health conditions.
About the Author
Vitality eNews Sign Up
Receive the Summa Health eNewsletter for the latest health tips, advice and updates.
Related Blogs
According to the most recent COVID-19 Practitioner Survey conducted by the American Psychological Association, more psychologists reported an increased demand for mental health services in 2021 compared to 2020, with the most significant treatment increases occurring for those suffering from anxiety, depression and trauma-related disorders.
As your community healthcare partner, Summa Health is deeply committed to offering the highest quality behavioral health services to you…
In recent months, international conflicts, COVID, and violence have impacted our lives. These disturbing events can have profound effects not only on the families and communities where they occur but also on parents and children many miles from the scene.
Tragedies like these often shake our sense of trust and security. They feel personal because these are everyday people doing everyday things. Our kids go to school, we shop at grocery stores, attend concerts and movies, and…
As humans, we strive to achieve a sense of belonging, acceptance and connection with others. These innate needs and desires are often originated from family. Through these interactions, we gain a sense of self-worth, security and community. Families, regardless of blood relation or choice, are bound together by shared meaning and values. These beliefs and perspectives shape the realities that form these connections, but what happens to a family when trauma alters and divides…
The stress of the COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on everyone, but especially on those who have battled the virus and now have lingering symptoms.
Known as “long COVID-19” or “post-COVID syndrome,” some patients are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms for weeks or even months after recovering from the acute phase of infection — even when the virus is no longer detected in their bodies. Even patients who had mild cases and weren’t hospitalized…
Just as our bodies require care and exercise over the course of our life, so do our brains — especially as we age. Lifting weights strengthens our muscles, while strengthening our mental “muscles” improves our memory, attention, brain speed, people skills, intelligence and navigation.
The key is variety. Similarly when we exercise our body, if doing something becomes too easy, it’s time to make a change to build brainpower. The more something is second…
Stress is inevitable and a natural part of our modern lives. Bills come every month, kids’ activities are year-round and work never seems to slow down.
Suffice it to say, stress is something all of us struggle with at times. However, it’s one that all of us cope with differently — some in healthy ways and others in unhealthy ways. Some people may turn to meditation or a friend to release stressful energy, while others may turn to more harmful activities or…
Dr. Adam Ripley discusses trauma exposure and options for treatment, not limited to combat trauma.
Listen to this episode of the Healthy Vitals Podcast featuring Megan Dean, Laughter Leader.
Stress is a natural part of our modern lives. Bills come every month, kids’ activities are year-round and work never seems to slow down. A little bit of stress is inevitable, but oftentimes that’s a good thing.
Stress helps you meet your daily challenges and motivates you to reach your goals, ultimately making you a smarter, happier and healthier person. That’s right. Good stress is vital for a healthy life.
Good vs. Bad Stress
You may think any type of stress is bad, but that…
Beautiful colors, cooler temperatures and the anticipation of the upcoming festive holidays make fall a season favorite for many.
But for those suffering from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), the shorter days with intermittent sunshine can make for a long and dreary fall and winter season — both physically and mentally.
SAD is a reoccurring type of depression that tends to have a seasonal pattern. For most, symptoms begin in late fall and can linger around until late…
Emily Hionides-Horner discusses 7 ways to overcome mental health stigma.
Dr. Leslie Zaynor discusses tips for managing anxiety.
Unfortunately, this is the case for many who suffer from a mental illness,…
In today’s world, we often forget to do the little things that can often make a big difference in our health and happiness. Typically, it is the simplest things that can do the most to help us feel our best every day and all year long. Here are a few tips to keep in mind for a healthier, happier day:
Make plans to do something you love. Research shows that having something to look forward to makes you happier. So, on a rough day, try to make a plan to do something…
1. Have an attitude of gratitude.
Making an effort to remember all of the things you’re grateful for is very important. Research has shown that taking time to express gratitude or even acknowledge thankfulness in our own thoughts increases well-being and creates positive feelings. Gratefulness can be the antidote to increased stressors in challenging times.
2. Spend money wisely.
Overspending, panic spending, and comfort spending can add to your stress by creating…
Laughter is what the doctor ordered when it comes to stress relief. Science shows laughter may very well be the best medicine when it comes to relieving stress — and that’s no joke. Whether you’re howling at a TV sitcom or giggling at your friend’s joke, the positive effects from laughter on body function — from increased circulation to muscle relaxation — confirm that real, sincere, happy laughter is good for you!
With April being…
Americans are often overstressed and overworked, and it’s no wonder – not all Americans have the luxury of paid time off, and even those who do generally don’t take all of it. According to research, more than one in 10 Americans say they plan to take a quarter or less of their vacation days in 2019.
There are many studies that suggest taking time off is beneficial to your mental, physical and overall health and that people who take vacations have lower stress…
While the exact cause of depression isn’t known, it is thought to be caused by an imbalance of the brain’s neurotransmitters – the chemical messengers that send signals between brain cells. While there are many effective treatments for depression, the typical approaches like therapy and antidepressants don’t necessarily work for everyone.
For decades, shock therapy, or ECT, has been used to treat major depression that was not treatable with medication and therapy. While there…
Addiction recovery is a deeply personal journey, and different strategies work for different people. The two most common, and very different, recovery philosophies are abstinence and harm reduction. The following is a brief description of each of these approaches.
Abstinence
Abstinence-based recovery dates back centuries, long before addiction was determined to be a medical disease. This recovery philosophy expects an individual to completely stop the use of alcohol and other…
Have you ever wondered about the impact of social media on mental health? Social media has drastically changed the ways we communicate and socialize with others. In many ways, social media has had a positive impact; but the experiences can also be extremely negative, cyberbullying for example. Concerns regarding the impact of social media have resulted in a number of studies that look at the connection between social media and depression or anxiety. Not surprisingly, the…
September is designated as Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, in conjunction with Worldwide Suicide Prevention Day held on September 10. Events held on this day focus on raising awareness that suicide IS preventable, providing education and information about suicide, and decreasing the stigma associated with suicide.
Despite these (and other) efforts, suicide statistics tell a grim story. Just to cite a few examples, suicide rates have been on the rise since 1999.…
June 27th is PTSD Awareness Day (and all of June is PTSD Awareness Month). PTSD, or Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, is a condition that can develop following highly stressful life experiences. Some examples of these traumatic events are military combat, sexual assault, transportation accidents, and natural disasters. Such trauma exposure is quite common. Most people will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime.
Mental health is as complex as physical health. It can fluctuate up or down, it can be affected by genetics and physical trauma and is something that may require treatment by a medical professional.
In the US, one in five individuals is affected by a mental health condition. To address the stigma associated with mental health, discover seven myths, debunked here.
This time of year, it feels like our world is gray and gloomy, bright sunshine will never reappear and the cold winds dampen our spirits at every turn. It’s easy to experience the winter blues.
But, for some people winter is quite literally depressing. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that comes and goes with the seasons, typically starting in the late fall and early winter and going away during the spring and summer.
As the days become short and…