Depression and anxiety cause a lot of complications for patients. They feel out of control, and worry if they will be getting better any time soon. The mind interferes with the body. If the patient feels that he is not improving, then there is the spiritual loss of hope, and depression and anxiety start to set in.
Doctors are rethinking their treatment methods. Normally, when a patient comes in to the hospital, they treat the symptoms of the problem in the body. This approach concentrates on the body above all else. Recently, they have started to incorporate healing of the mind and spirit.
By doing this, they are getting better results, and shorter hospital stays. The patients are happier, and more resilient. Everybody wins.
There are many ways to treat the mind and spirit. Most incorporate a religious or spiritual aspect. It depends on what the patient is comfortable with.
For instance, meditation and yoga bring calm to an uncomfortable situation. They allow the patient to relax, forget about their hospital room, and what is happening to them. It also asks them to slow down and get in contact with their emotions. When the emotions are worked through, this will cause the spirit to start to heal.
The mind needs to feel productive. Having access to books and computers can relieve the monotony found in the hospital stay. Any activity to stimulate the brain will allow the body to continue to heal in the background. The thoughts and fears are forgotten for a while.
When family members come to visit, it adds stability for the patient. They bring comfort and security. Offering encouragement and knowledge, family becomes vital support for the doctors, nurses and patients.
Why am I writing about this? I spent two months in a hospital and rehab center where a few of these features were grudgingly provided. It often felt like I was being warehoused instead of treated. I needed help, and they could not figure out how to cure my problems.
The doctors focused on treating my symptoms. They kept putting me through regiments that should have worked. However, they would not stop long enough to consult with my parents or me. I could write volumes about my experiences, but that is for another time. When all the standard treatments did not work, they stopped trying. It was a very miserable time for me.
If I had had a better rapport with the doctors and access to other treatments, I feel that my body would have healed quicker, and my stay would have been much shorter.
Dawn's Awakening 