Baltimore is a great city with its fair share of issues. For all of its charm, it’s a place that can have painful effects on the well-being of its inhabitants. If you’re suffering from the stress of living in the city and find yourself feeling anxious or depressed, you have nothing to be ashamed of. Mental illness is more common than you probably know.

As science, medicine, and the study of the brain, specifically, continues to advance, so do the methods of treating mental illness. Gone are the days when lobotomies and shock therapy were mainstream treatments. Even though some medications have been proven to be effective against certain mental illnesses, alternative methods have gained popularity.

Psychotherapy is one such treatment.

Why some consider psychotherapy a better option than medicine

Over the decades, studies of the brain have proven that chemical imbalances in the brain are one cause of mental illness. Deficiencies of certain chemicals greatly affect how well the mind is able to function.

Medications have been developed to mitigate imbalances, but doctors are never really sure how a specific drug will work with a patient’s brain chemistry. Psychiatrists aren’t guessing when they prescribe medicines, but when they do prescribe medication, they’re experimenting. They may try different combinations and dosages of medicines to achieve the desired effect.

Additionally, many psych meds come with unpleasant side effects. While rare, some of them are addictive and more prone to misuse. Additionally, depending on the type, these medications can impact sexual desire and performance. Others lead to weight gain. On the other, psychotherapy aims to heal patients through non-medicinal means.

How psychotherapy works

Have you ever felt really down, and then after talking to someone about your problem, you felt much better? It turned out that all you needed was a listening ear and some kind words. Psychotherapy is like that — but much more intense.

Psychotherapy is often called talk therapy because it centers around therapists applying dialogue rather than medicine to patients. It’s all about helping patients realize what triggers their unhelpful thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Psychotherapy equips patients to better cope with and overcome what troubles their mind.

Therapy regimens may continue for several weeks, or they may go on for years. Even though therapy sessions are centered around dialogue, they adhere to a framework that drives positive results.

If you’re considering psychotherapy, then you should contact the experts at the Baltimore Therapy Group. They can identify what kind of therapy and which therapist is best for you.

What can psychotherapy be used to treat?

Psychotherapy can be used to treat just about any mental health issue that medication can. And because it doesn’t involve medicine, it can be used to treat issues that medication can’t, as well. It can even be used in conjunction with medicine.

For those who suffer from anxiety, psychotherapy can help them determine what causes them to be anxious. In turn, it can help them develop strategies to cope with anxiety-inducing situations. Psychotherapy treats depression by helping patients realize that their feelings are a result of their thoughts. Once this is accomplished, the therapist helps the patient replace the negative thoughts about themselves with more positive ones.

As previously mentioned, psychotherapy can be applied to problems that medication can’t. Not only is it good for mental illness, but talk therapy can help relationships as well. Whether it be couples or family therapy, it can help you and your loved ones learn how to communicate more effectively. It can even be useful to help people who are planning to change careers or are on the fence about doing so.