Mental health conditions, even when they’re temporary, can affect every area of your life. While psychotherapy is a powerful and effective tool for treating mental health, you may find that you need other kinds of treatment or support to get the best outcomes.
The American Psychological Association confirms that blending psychotherapy with medication works for many people. And you might need other kinds of help to round out your treatment — everything from body work to affordable housing.
This guide is intended to help you find the resources you need to restore your mental and physical well-being.
If you need medication
Medication can treat many mental health conditions. The National Institute of Mental Health(Trusted Source)https://www.nimh.nih.gov/…/mental-health…/index.shtml notes that well-researched and effective medications include:
antidepressants
anti-anxiety medications
stimulants
antipsychotics
mood stabilizers
These medications can treat a range of conditions. A doctor, psychiatrist, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant must prescribe them.
To locate a healthcare professional who can prescribe medications as part of your treatment plan, you can start by contacting your insurance provider, if you have one. Using a psychiatrist in your network can save you money.
If that’s not an option, you may want to search using a database operated by a reliable mental health organization, such as these:
American Psychiatric Association (APA)
APA’s Find a Psychiatrist database allows you to tailor your search to include the specific disorder you want to treat, the languages spoken by your psychiatrist, and whether the psychiatrist accepts Medicare, Medicaid, or insurance payments.
Black Mental Health Alliance
The Black Mental Health Alliance can help you locate a Black psychiatrist or psychiatric nurse.
American Society of Hispanic Psychiatry
The American Society of Hispanic Psychiatry offers a list of Hispanic providers state by state.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) has affiliate organizations in every state. Click on your state to find the organization near you and search for psychiatrists in your state.
Online mental health provider locators
FindCare can help you find a psychiatrist in your local area with the ZIP code search feature. Other services like HelpPRO can also help you find a psychiatrist in your area.
American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatrists
The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatrists can help you locate a psychiatrist to treat a young person.
If you want to find an online psychiatrist, you may find this article helpful as well.
If you need information about prescription medication
If you’ve been prescribed medication for a mental health condition and you want to learn more about side effects, drug interactions, or warnings, you can find lots of information using these resources:
U.S. National Library of Medicine
MedlinePlus. Its searchable database has up-to-date information on thousands of drugs, dietary supplements, and herbal remedies.
DailyMed. This is another helpful Library of Medicine medication information service.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS)(Trusted Source) https://www.fda.gov/…/potential-signals-serious… reports about new risks and possible safety issues with medications. It’s a good source for any newly reported information about prescription medications.
If you need inpatient treatment
Sometimes people experiencing a mental health crisis need a short stay in a hospital or residential treatment facility.
If your insurance covers mental health, check with your insurance provider to see which inpatient treatment facilities it covers, how many days are covered, and what your out-of-pocket costs may be.
If you’re not sure you need inpatient treatment, this Mental Health America fact sheet about mental health and hospitalization could help you decide.
Many treatment facilities have a specific treatment focus, such as eating disorders, complex psychiatric disorders, or substance use recovery. And some offer innovative treatment programs, such as farm-based healing, educational opportunities, and vocational training.
These resources can help identify inpatient treatment options:
Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) has compiled a list of inpatient treatment centers for anxiety disorders and depression.
American Association of Children’s Residential Centers
The Association of Children’s Residential Centers has lists of its member facilities by state.
American Residential Treatment Association
The American Residential Treatment Association has 30 member facilities you can search by state. The listings describe the special programs offered by each facility.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA has a searchable national locator to help people find inpatient mental health facilities near them.
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