Are You Putting the Horse Before the Cart in Mental Health?

Since 1589 people have been cautioned not to put the cart before the horse. John Heywood first wrote the phrase, and it was later popularized by Shakespeare. It means to make sure that you do things in the proper order. Yet, every day many people fail to follow the sound advice found in this idiom. While the saying can apply to many areas of your life, especially when seeking mental health care.

See Your Primary Care Provider

The first step in treating your mental health condition is seeing your primary care provider. About 20% of all visits to general practitioners involve a mental health screening of some type, so it is a great place to start. Be sure to discuss your concerns with this professional.

Seek Referrals

Your general practitioner may refer you to a specific mental health professional, but the ultimate choice is yours. Talking to your friends about who they are using is often a great idea. If you have specific religious beliefs, your group’s leader may also have suggestions about who to see.

Decide on Treatment Format

Some people are comfortable and have the time to go to the mental health worker’s office. Others find it easier to use telehealth. If this is your choice, you should still use providers that are geographically close to you so that you can see the worker in person if necessary.

Work with an Expert to Create a Plan

There are many different types of mental health treatment plans. Therefore, you should work with the professional to create an individualized plan that will work best for you. Some people respond positively to medications while cognitive behavioral therapy works great for others. Often, it requires more than one technique to get the best results.

Follow the Plan

Once you and the worker create the plan, you must follow it. Some plans include taking medications at specific times daily while others involve reading papers or keeping a journal to identify your triggers.

Unfortunately, many people try to put the horse before the cart by trying to treat their mental health conditions. This is ineffective, so see your general practitioner and a mental health worker first. Then, work with them to create a treatment plan that works for you and follow it.