At Sierra Tucson, we understand how struggling with a mental health disorder can affect your relationships, your ability to function at work and your overall sense of well-being. Symptoms can make it hard to keep up with daily responsibilities or find interest in activities you once enjoyed, and they often get worse when treatment is not sought. But you do not need to manage these challenges on your own. The team at our residential treatment center in Tucson, Arizona, provides individualized care so that you can build the skills and gain the support you need to find lasting healing.
Learn About Mental Health Disorders
A mental health diagnosis indicates a condition that causes significant impairment in a person’s ability to cope with and regulate emotions, manage upsetting thoughts and control unhealthy behaviors. This can cause individuals problems in their work, relationships and daily living. These are medical conditions, not personal failings. A person does not simply choose these symptoms, nor can they simply choose to stop experiencing them. Treatment is necessary to learn to manage and ultimately overcome them.
Examples of the various types of mental health disorders people suffer from include the following:
- Depressive disorders, including major depressive disorder and persistent depressive disorder, cause ongoing feelings of sadness, emptiness and loss of interest that affect daily functioning.
- Anxiety disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and social anxiety disorder, involve feelings of fear and worry that are excessive and difficult to manage.
- Bipolar and related disorders, including bipolar I disorder and bipolar II disorder, involve strong shifts in mood that are severe enough to impact a person’s ability to function. Depending on the type of bipolar disorder a person is suffering from, they may experience episodes of mania, hypomania and depression.
- Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related concerns can develop after experiencing, witnessing or learning about a traumatic or stressful event.
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) causes people to experience symptoms like unwanted, repetitive thoughts and engage in compulsive behaviors.
- Personality disorders involve enduring patterns of inner experience and behavior that are inflexible, begin in adolescence or early adulthood and affect how a person relates to others and views themselves. Examples include borderline personality disorder (BPD), which involves instability in relationships, self-image and emotions, as well as other personality disorders that can lead to difficulty with trust, emotional regulation and maintaining stable relationships.
It is not uncommon for a person to experience symptoms of more than one mental health disorder at the same time or to struggle with substance use alongside mental health concerns. These co-occurring conditions can affect one another, which is why addressing all concerns together at a residential treatment center like Sierra Tucson is an important part of ensuring that you receive effective care.
Signs & Symptoms of Mental Health Disorders
The signs and symptoms of a mental health disorder will vary depending on the specific condition, how long symptoms have been present and each individual’s personal history and circumstances.
Having a few of these symptoms for a short time does not necessarily indicate that someone is suffering from a clinical mental health disorder. However, if symptoms continue or begin to interfere with daily life or a person’s ability to function appropriately, a professional evaluation can help determine if mental health treatment is needed.
Someone who is struggling with a mental health disorder and would benefit from receiving a professional evaluation may experience some of the following symptoms:
Behavioral symptoms
- Withdrawing from friends, family and social activities
- Avoiding places, people or situations that cause distress
- Falling behind on work or household responsibilities
- Using alcohol or other drugs to cope with distress
- Engaging in reckless, impulsive or risky behaviors
- Displaying outbursts of anger or irritability
Physical symptoms
- Sleeping too much or too little
- Changes in appetite or weight
- Chronic fatigue or low energy
- Feeling restless
- Headaches, stomach problems or muscle tension
- Rapid heartbeat, sweating or shortness of breath during periods of intense fear
Cognitive symptoms
- Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
- Memory problems
- Racing thoughts
- Persistent negative beliefs about oneself, other people or the world
- Unwanted, distressing memories of a past event
Psychological symptoms
- Ongoing feelings of sadness, emptiness or hopelessness
- Excessive worry or fear
- Sudden or extreme shifts in mood
- Loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyable
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Thoughts of death or suicide
Effects of Untreated Mental Health Disorders
Mental health disorders rarely improve without treatment. When symptoms go unaddressed, they can affect nearly every area of a person’s life. Examples of the possible effects of untreated mental health disorders include:
- Worsening symptoms
- Development of additional mental health concerns
- Substance abuse and addiction
- Higher risk for physical health problems such as heart disease
- Conflict with partners, family members and friends
- Job loss and chronic unemployment
- Financial difficulties
- Social isolation
- Self-harm
- Suicidal thoughts and behaviors
If you or a loved one is in immediate danger, call 911. If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
Types of Mental Health Disorder Treatment
Every resident at our mental health disorder treatment center in Tucson, Arizona, receives an individualized care plan that our team develops after a thorough assessment of their symptoms, history and treatment goals. The Sierra Tucson Model® combines evidence-based and integrative therapies to address the mind, body and spirit so that your treatment focuses on more than just symptoms.
Residential care is often the foundation of mental health treatment. Depending on your needs, your care may begin with stabilization in our inpatient unit before you transition to residential treatment. As a resident, you will take part in daily group therapy and may meet each week with your primary therapist and a specialty therapist, depending on your needs. Psychiatric providers typically meet with residents weekly, and internal medicine providers meet with residents as needed to address physical health concerns. Our nursing staff manages medications and is available 24 hours a day.
Our clinicians use a range of evidence-based therapies to treat residents. To further support your healing, you can add integrative therapies to your treatment plan.
Benefits of Getting Mental Health Disorder Treatment
Receiving professional mental health disorder treatment at our center in Tucson, Arizona, can help you understand your symptoms, learn how to manage them and begin to rebuild the areas of your life that have been affected. By receiving residential treatment, you get time away from the daily demands of work and home so that you can focus fully on your mental health.
Living on our campus also provides a consistent daily routine and round-the-clock support from our compassionate team of mental health professionals. You will share lodges and participate in group therapy sessions with peers who have an understanding of what you are going through, which can reduce feelings of isolation and give you opportunities to practice healthy communication. Between sessions, walking paths, a peaceful labyrinth and views of the Santa Catalina Mountains offer space for rest and reflection.
Getting mental health disorder treatment can also help you develop effective coping skills, strengthen your relationships and allow you to develop a plan for maintaining your well-being after you return home.
Individualized, Integrative Care in Tucson, Arizona
Since 1984, Sierra Tucson has provided compassionate care for adults who are struggling with mental health disorders, substance use disorders and co-occurring concerns. Our interdisciplinary team includes psychiatrists, internal medicine and addiction medicine physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, registered nurses, psychologists, licensed professional counselors, clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, naturopathic physicians, dietitians, equine therapists and physical therapists. Together, they work with you to create a plan of care that reflects your unique needs and helps you achieve your treatment goals.
If you or someone you love is struggling with symptoms of a mental health disorder, our admissions coordinators can answer your questions, verify your insurance benefits and guide you through each step of the admissions process. Contact us today to take the first step toward healing.
