Write your search in the input below and press enter.
Esc to close.

The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich

Peak Performance:
Not Just for Sports, for Life

  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
    • Recent
    • Athletes
    • Coaching
    • Sports Parenting
    • Sports Administrators
    • Life
    • Administrators
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Hello. Sign In

My Account
  • Login
  • Register
0
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk
Subscribe
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich
  • Recent
  • Athletes
  • Coaching
  • Sports Parenting
  • Life
  • Administrators
Home / Blog / Quick Fixes Aren’t the Answer When it Comes to Improving Mental Health

Quick Fixes Aren’t the Answer When it Comes to Improving Mental Health

By: Dr. Chris Stankovich | @DrStankovich | Apr 16, 2019

No Comments

Looking for a quick fix in life isn’t a bad thing, but it’s important to balance the aspirations to potentially save time and money against potential risks.  Whether it’s a fad diet, get-rich-quick idea, or a mail-in college degree, it’s important to take the time to evaluate not just the validity of the product, but also the potential dangers.  When it comes to mental health, for example, there seem to be “magic bullets” in the form of drugs, but do these drugs work?  And are there potential risks?

There’s no ‘quick fix’ when it comes to mental health

Dating back hundreds, if not thousands of years, we can see a wide variety of techniques that have been used to help those suffering from mental illness.  History provides us evidence of mysticism, witchcraft, blood letting, and many other approaches that are widely dismissed today.  In more recent history we have witnessed the following three modalities commonly used in place of individual psychotherapy:

  • Lobotomies. At one time it was accepted that severing the prefrontal part of the brain would lead to a reduction of unwanted mental distress.  Many lobotomy patients were left catatonic and with dramatically changed personalities (and not for the better), and some even died.  In retrospect, we now realize that there was tremendous risk with lobotomies, with very little upside, and the procedure has been stopped as a result.
  • Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).  A second equally controversial approach to addressing mental illness is electroconvulsive therapy, or “shock treatments.”  This procedure, made famous in the movie One Flew Over the Cukoo’s Nest, is designed to provide relief to patients by delivering an electrical current through the brain.  While there’s still very little evidence this procedure is effective in minimizing mental illness, there are dangers to having ECT, including cognitive impairment, amnesia, and heart attacks.
  • Drug therapy.  If you’re suffering from depression, anxiety, inattentiveness, or just about any other mental health issue, there’s most certainly a drug for you today.  Psychotropic medications are the #1 way people in America deal with mental health issues today, even though the efficacy and dangers of these medications are still in question.  The allure of quickly popping a pill to make life stressors magically go away is very powerful, even when reality tells you that no pill has ever fixed a problem.

What REALLY works

If you’re interested in a risk-free approach to improving mental health and turned off by lobotomies, shock treatments, and drugs, there are other mental health options to consider.  Counseling can be really helpful, and while it’s not a “quick fix,” it’s also risk-free when it comes to dangerous side effects.  The reality is that the problems we experience in life often evolve over time, and the best way to improve upon a condition is to learn new life strategies and means for coping.  The important point is to refrain from thinking that one appointment with a counselor will fix everything, as it usually takes a little time to sort through and figure out the things bogging you down in life.

Other safe and helpful ways to break out of a life slump include committing to an exercise routine, eating a healthy diet, getting enough rest, and joining new groups.  By taking control of your life you will not only experience a decrease in stress, but might also learn new knowledge and answers to your problems.

Final thoughts

While it can be incredibly tempting to take perceived “short cuts” in life, you may not want to employ this thinking when it comes to your mental health.  The truth is that the overwhelming majority of life issues and problems can be resolved without controversial surgeries and/or risky pharmaceutical drugs, and positive results can be achieved by increased exercise, better diet and rest, and possibly working 1-1 with a mental health professional.

drstankovich.com

 

counseling, depression, health, mental, psychology, therapy, wellness

  • Author
  • Comments
  • Details
Get to Know the Author

Dr. Chris Stankovich

Dr. Stankovich has written/co-written five books, including Positive Transitions for Student Athletes, The ParentsPlaybook, Mind of Steel.

Latest Blog Posts

  • March 22, 2023 Nature or Nurture? Exploring the Psychology of Sport Success
  • March 20, 2023 Morning Sports Practice Before School is Becoming the Norm, but is this Healthy for Kids?
  • March 14, 2023 Understanding Intelligence: Putting Knowledge into ACTION!
  • March 13, 2023 3 Important Tips for Today’s Multi-Sport, Youth Sport Athlete
  • February 26, 2023 The Most Important Sports “Ability” Might Surprise You

PREVIOUS POST

The Top 5 Improvements Needed in Youth Sports

NEXT POST

Examining Sportsmanship: Helping Kids Respect Opponents, Officials, and the Game

Category

Confidence , Continuing Education , Emotional Intelligence , Focus , Habit Change , health psychology , Life , Mental Disorders , mental illness , Mental Toughness , Performance Enhancement , Uncategorized

Tags

counseling, depression, health, mental, psychology, therapy, wellness

  • Recent Posts
  • Most Read
  • Nature or Nurture? Exploring the Psychology of Sport Success
  • Morning Sports Practice Before School is Becoming the Norm, but is this Healthy for Kids?
  • Understanding Intelligence: Putting Knowledge into ACTION!
  • 3 Important Tips for Today's Multi-Sport, Youth Sport Athlete
  • The Most Important Sports "Ability" Might Surprise You
  • The Psychology Behind Breaking Bad Habits
  • What has Happened to Free Play and Recreational Sports for Kids?
  • The Importance of Efficiency Applied to Success & Productivity
  • The Most Important Sports "Ability" Might Surprise You
  • Accident Prone & Forgetful? Poor Stress Coping May be the Reason
  • The Sports Doc on TV

    Catch Dr. Stankovich’s tv, radio, and print interviews and columns here!

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Watch Videos
  • Sport Performance Assessment

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Quickly and accurately test your level of mental toughness in just a few minutes using the Sport Performance Assessment.

    (SPA), an easy-to-use sport psychology system specially designed to help you REACH YOUR FULL ATHLETIC POTENTIAL.

    learn more
  • SportsSuccess360

    Life strategies for performance and character development for coaches, parents, and student athletes competing in youth and interscholastic sports.

    Life Strategies learn more
  • Contact Dr. Stankovich

    1395 Grandview Avenue Suite 6, Columbus OH 43212

    (614) 561-4482
    Media & General Inquiries
    information@drstankovich.com
    Sales & Product Support
    sales@drstankovich.com
  • About Dr. Stankovich

    • Media
    • Blog
    • Testimonials
  • Products

    • Toolkits
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Audio
    • iPhone Apps
  • Services

    • Athlete Performance Training
    • Parent Community Forum
    • Coach Education & Development
    • Athletic Crisis Response and Intervention
    • Drug & Alcohol Assessment
    • Life Success Programs
    • Counseling & Consulting Services
  • Blog
  • YouTube
  • twitter
  • facebook

All rights reserved © 2023 Advanced Human Performance Systems™

↓ ↓