Reflection #8 - PSYC 435 with Sandy Jung PDF

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PSYC 435 with Sandy Jung...

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Ashar Mir In the stages of treatment, though assessment, diagnosis and case formulation are all crucial, perhaps the most important to the client, as well as the clinician is the intervention stage. Similar to ordering a meal, which constitutes all the previous stages mentioned, receiving and consuming it is the intervention or treatment stage that clients look forward to. Treatment is where all the planning, consultation and consideration of the clinician culminates into effective action. After having read chapter 11 on intervention, I found the various approaches to treatment quite interesting but found a few issues that deserved greater attention. When comparing STPP, ITP, PE and CBT, each has its strengths and weaknesses, but all involve interaction with the client. Either to encourage self-administered treatments or to facilitate their active involvement in treatment, this dramatically improves the efficacy of treatments, by urging the afflicted individual to work on their improvement. Interestingly, all the treatments mentioned above involve delving into the various facets of the client’s life to attain a holistic understanding of all extenuating circumstances around the disorder. Multiple sessions with consistent follow up also strengthens the capability of these treatments in helping clients. Regardless of their various strengths, the reality of therapy and psychotherapy is not as promising as we would assume. Even though the widespread use of mental health services has increased, it appears that psychotropic medication accounts for a larger portion than psychological treatment. Prescriptions do not appear to be an issue as most clinicians use medications to control various disorders. However, this increase and reliance on medication is a double-edged sword, as it becomes akin to a shortcut. Medications tend to have more immediate effects, and clients can have great faith in their efficacy, which can act as a placebo for mental health improvement. Similar to any biochemical substance that we ingest, the body builds a tolerance, which often requires larger and more frequent dosages, which become very costly. Also, a dependence on the pharmaceutical drug can have many adverse side effects, with clients be rendered immobile and dysfunctional when deprived of their medication. A common issue found with physicians as well as psychologists is when clients begin to improve, they decrease or discontinue taking their medication. A lack of follow-through with medications is usually followed by a return of symptoms, which destroys the naïve faith the client had in their prescription. This is why psychological associations must place their resources in bolstering the efficiency, appeal and availability of psychological treatments. By functioning on carefully planned treatments and determination, clients will be able to receive treatment without wasting large amounts of money and without any negative impact on their health. Since pharmaceutical companies provide massive amounts of funding to mental health associations, this may not be feasible to implement immediately....