Mental Health

Good mental health is just as vital to your well-being as good physical health, so it’s essential to get the right help if you develop a mental health problem. At Open Door Medical Clinic in Great Falls, Montana, Melonie Parmley, DO, Ardine Balili, PAC, and the team provide expert mental health support and treatments for a range of disorders, including depression, anxiety, and insomnia. Call the office to schedule a consultation or request one online today.

What is mental health?

Mental health is an umbrella term that includes all the conditions that affect your emotional well-being and ability to cope with daily life.

Mental health disorders are a common problem that results in significant suffering and anguish. In addition to the intense negative emotions, mental health problems can cause a range of disabling physical symptoms, including:

• Poor quality sleep
• Insomnia
• Weight gain or loss
• Headaches
• Digestive upsets
• Skin problems
• Trembling

People of all ages and backgrounds can develop mental health conditions. These can be severely disabling as well as distressing. Some conditions can progress to a point where they become potentially life-threatening, but with expert treatment from the team at Open Door Medical Clinic, you or your child can recover and lead a full, rewarding life.

What mental health problems might affect me?

There are numerous types of mental health problems, ranging from substance abuse disorders and eating disorders to bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

The two conditions that affect more people than any other are depression and anxiety.

Depression

Depression (major depressive disorder) is a mental health problem that affects your emotions long-term, making you feel low, sad, worthless, guilty, hopeless, and despairing most of the time for weeks and months.

Depression can last for years and often gets worse without expert treatment, leading, in some cases, to self-harm and suicide.

Anxiety

Anxiety takes several forms. Generalized anxiety disorder develops when you feel fearful, worried, and stressed most of the time. Feeling such constant, extreme anxiety can be severely debilitating and lead to panic attacks. These, in turn, can cause you to develop problems like agoraphobia, so you find it hard to leave the safety of your home.

Anxiety and depression are both natural emotions when felt now and then in response to an appropriate stimulus. However, when they become clinical disorders, they can overwhelm your existence and make each day an almost impossible struggle.

How are mental health problems treated?

Treating mental health problems requires expert skills and experience, as there’s no simple cure. Unlike a bacterial infection that can be destroyed by the right antibiotic, mental health problems are complex and usually require a combination of medications and talking therapies.

It can take time to find the right types and optimal balance of therapy and medication to be most effective. The Open Door Medical Clinic team has considerable skills in diagnosing and treating a range of common mental health disorders, including depression and anxiety, and associated problems like insomnia.

They can offer telemedicine services as well as in-person consultations. If you need more specialized psychiatric treatment, they can refer you to an appropriate provider.

Call Open Door Medical Clinic to find out more or request an appointment online today.