As centers have closed in communities around the country, it is difficult for some to find transportation to facilities on the other end of their city or county. And long waits to get into a clinic causes some to forget about appointments or have enough time to convince themselves that they can handle their problem on their own. The U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Mental Health recognized that mental health is plagued by disparities in availability and access more than any other field of medicine. Although the disparities are often seen in the terms of race, age, and gender, more recently, it has been concluded that these disparities are also driven by social, environmental, and economic factors. Urban environments contribute to poor mental …show more content…
The two most common forms are antidepressants and mood stabilizers. Antidepressants stimulate the chemicals such as serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine, that affect emotions. Too little of the naturally produced serotonin will usually cause someone to become depressed. Lithium, a mood stabilizer, treats the mood swings that are associated with bipolar disorder. Antipsychotics reduce the chances of delusions and hallucinations, also referred to as psychosis. Like antidepressants, they target dopamine receptors in an attempt to suppress the symptoms of schizophrenia. This drug works great when taken properly; however, they come with side effects, such a tardive dyskinesia, which is a condition that causes random uncontrollable muscle jerks and weight gain. Patients that don’t have close supervision with their meds will often times discontinue their use, thinking that those symptoms are an allergic reaction(NAMI 1). Some patients will resort to alcohol and drugs to give them the calming effect the meds tend to give them. It is imperative that psychiatric medications are taken consistently as prescribed to maintain a constant state of emotional well-being without high and lows. The most common reasons for noncompliance is: undesirable side effects; lack of insurance; lack of money; and cognitive confusion to remember to take the