Mental Health Services

The Three Seas Psychology Group’s mental health services are effective and focus on providing real help to people experiencing mental disorders.

Maintaining your mental health is just as important as your physical health. Most of us will experience mental illness as some point – the earlier this is recognised and treated, the better!

No one’s immune to mental health difficulties, and our psychologists welcome clients of all backgrounds, genders, cultures, races, identities, ages and stages of life. While there are many risk factors – from genetics, to family history, and trauma, it’s important to remember that you are a human being, doing your best. We take a holistic view of mental health and assess a number of areas of your life in order to provide you with the best support.

Who Gets Mentally Ill? Understanding Risk Factors for Mental Illness

At Three Seas, we partner with people from all walks of life. One of the questions our clients often ask is why some people struggle with mental health, while others seem perfectly fine—even in the face of challenging life circumstances. The truth is that mental illness is not entirely understood, and research into its causes is still in its infancy. Nevertheless, we do know that some factors increase a person’s chances of developing a mental illness. Understanding these risk factors may help you feel less alone if you struggle with the mental disorder.

Genetics

No single gene can cause unhealthy mentality, and even people with a long genetic legacy of mental illness can overcome that legacy with proper treatment. But there is substantial evidence that certain mental illnesses are highly genetic—particularly schizophrenia and depression. If some people in your family have experienced mental disorders, you’re probably vulnerable, too.

Family History

The fact that mental problem runs in your family doesn’t always mean the illness is genetic. A family history of mental health issues can make you vulnerable even if the mental illness is not carried on a gene. People who grow up in families where mental illness was the norm learn a host of unhealthy coping skills. They may also be exposed to trauma that makes it more difficult for them to master basic developmental tasks, increasing their later odds of developing a mental illness.

Previous Trauma

A history of trauma, including abuse, exposure to neglect, and sexual assault, can fundamentally alter the way your brain manages stress. The result can be symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. Because trauma can interfere with mastering social skills and basic developmental tasks, trauma during childhood is particularly likely to lead to unhealthy mental in adolescence and adulthood.

Health Issues

Your mind and body are not separate entities. What happens in your body fundamentally affects your brain. Not only can health problems change brain function; they can also cause stress that leads to issues such as depression and anxiety. Chronic illnesses, terminal illnesses, and diseases that result in persistent pain are particularly likely to trigger mental health problems. Interestingly, some mental issues may also manifest as physical health concerns. For instance, many people with depression experience unexplained headaches or chronic muscle tension.

An Unhealthy Lifestyle

You can’t expect to isolate yourself, think negative thoughts, pick fights with loved ones, and remain emotionally healthy. A healthy lifestyle matters for your overall psychological health. Some factors that can improve mental health include:

Getting enough sleep each night.
Maintaining close friendships and family relationships.
Finding healthy ways to manage stress, such as meditation.
Staying physically active by getting some exercise every day.
Eating a healthy, balanced diet.
Cultivating positive thoughts and avoiding ruminating on negative experiences.
Taking a proactive stance toward your health.

Having some risk factors for mental illness can be scary, but mental health concerns are not your fault. At Three Seas, we can help you overcome mental illness no matter how long you’ve struggled or how many risk factors you have. Let us help you chart a path to a happier, more fulfilling existence.

Three Seas Mental Disorders Treatment Services

There’s no single treatment methodology that works for everyone, which is why it’s so important to work with a treatment provider whom you trust. At Three Seas, we work with you to customise a treatment plan that works with your needs, values, and lifestyles. The right treatment for you depends on what mental illness you have, how aggressively you want to treat it, and whether there are any treatments you prefer to avoid. You can expect a combination of the following:

Medication designed to ensure your brain operates at peak performance and to correct any brain chemistry imbalances.
Therapy to help you master new coping skills, develop healthier ways of thinking, and gain insight into why you struggle with it.
Lifestyle changes to maximise your chances of a prolonged and successful recovery. We may recommend exercise, nutritional changes, or even developing a new hobby.

We know that life with it can feel daunting, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Let the health professionals at The Three Seas Counselling Centre show you that you really can live well.

Warning Signs of Mental Disorder

Psychological issues are complex and can affect every facet of a person’s life –relationships, work-life and physical health. Sometimes psychological problems are unavoidable. Some evidence points it causes due to genetics, but there are common triggers: relationships; the stress of home or work; family separation; major events like the loss of a loved one; and drugs and alcohol abuse. You may be experiencing mental disorders if you are struggling with any of the following issues:

Anxiety
Sadness or depression
Distress
Excessive drinking
Compulsive behaviour or thoughts
Extreme eating or exercise habits
Uncontrollable anger

If you can identify with any of the above, or any other negative emotions, there is no need to struggle alone. Speaking to a trained psychologist like Clinton Batty can help you to understand what you are feeling and help you on the road to recovery.

How Mental Affect Your Physical Health

If you’re trapped in a cycle of depression, anxiety, or unhealthy relationships, it’s easy to sweep your emotions under the rug. Indeed, this tendency to ignore your feelings is what lands many people in psychological trouble in the first place! If you think your psychological needs don’t matter, think again. Here are some of the surprising ways your mental can affect your physical well-being.

Insomnia

Stress, depression, relationship woes and chronic anxiety can all interfere with your ability to get some quality shut eye. Insomnia isn’t just an inconvenience, though, and research consistently demonstrates that it’s not possible to “make up for” lost sleep. Once the sleep is gone, it’s gone, and it can affect you for days, possibly even weeks. Inadequate sleep interferes with your body’s ability to fight off infections, can lead to chronic muscle tension, and may even make you slower or less attentive.

Memory and Learning

Depression isn’t just the product of changes in brain chemistry; it also changes your brain chemistry on its own. Chronic depression, as well as other issues such as anxiety and stress, can alter your brain chemistry so that mundane everyday tasks become highly challenging. People under stress struggle to learn and remember basic facts, and there’s even some evidence that chronic mental illness can cause permanent brain damage.

Cardiovascular Disease

Think exercise, a healthy diet, and a bit of genetic luck are all you need for a healthy heart, low blood pressure, and good circulation? Think again. Your heart health is directly tied to your mental health. Chronic stress releases a chemical called cortisol that can harm body tissue including your heart. Worse still, it elevates your blood pressure and circulation, stressing your cardiac muscles. While an occasional uptick in heart rate is harmless, the heart damage of chronic stress can contribute to blood clots, strokes, circulatory problems, heart attacks, and a host of other problems, even if you otherwise have no risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Chronic Inflammation

When your mind is stressed, your body reacts the only way it knows how by preparing your body to fight, flee, or freeze. Of course, the stress of a looming deadline is entirely different from the fear of a saber-toothed tiger that our ancestors faced. It means that our bodies are simply ill-equipped to handle contemporary stresses, especially those that last for a long time or that don’t involve imminent risks to our life and health. The result? Your body may respond by developing inflamed tissues. Inflammation has been linked to diseases as varied as cancer, depression, and heart disease. Chronic inflammation resulting from stress may also lead to chronic pain.

Gastrointestinal Distress

We’ve all felt the sensation of butterflies in the stomach, or perhaps even a quick pang before a big presentation or other scary life events. But for people who struggle with mental health concerns, gastrointestinal problems are often a constant companion. From nausea and bloating to chronic diarrhoea and vomiting, gastrointestinal problems can leave you always worried about your health, and potentially even spur a fear of leaving your house. Many people find that, with the right mental health care, their gastrointestinal problems finally disappear.

Chronic Pain

When you struggle with your emotional health, you may find yourself constantly tensing your muscles, perhaps even without meaning to do so. It can lead to chronic pain conditions such as frequent headaches or low back pain. And once you’re trapped in a cycle of chronic pain, it can be tough to break this cycle. Pain can make exercise challenging, and lack of exercise contributes to pain. You might slouch, continue tensing your muscles, or adopt other strategies to cope with the pain, all of which make your pain worse. And when you’re in pain, it’s tough to maintain sound mental health, further eroding your overall quality of life.

How Mental Health Difficulties Affect Children?

Mental health in children is inextricably linked to their physical health and their happiness. Maintaining good mentality in children and adolescents can be difficult, they need love and attention to build a strong foundation on which to base their lives. Mentally healthy children and teens will be more resistant to stress and develop positive coping skills for dealing with life’s ups and downs. No child is going to have a life without stresses and strains, but it is how well equipped your child is to deal with these events that will make the difference between a happy, well-rounded person or someone who has mental difficulties. Such difﬁculties can be loosely classified into two categories:

Internalised Behaviours

These are inhibited and over-controlled behaviours. These are mostly displayed as a nervous or anxious temperament. Children internalising are often worried, fearful and/or withdrawn. They may excessively worry and be pessimistic about their situation or future, and their peer relationship may prove difficult and isolate them further.

Externalised Behaviours

These are under controlled behaviours. These children have a more challenging temperament, often being impulsive or reactive, leading to difﬁculties with attention, aggression or confrontational behaviour. Externalising behaviours in children can cause difﬁculties for friends, family and teachers. These children often suffer from reduced problem-solving skills, attention difﬁculties and sometimes hyperactivity.

There are many differences between the treatment in children and adolescents versus that of adults, and a psychologist must be specifically trained to understand and work with this group. When suffering from depression children and adolescents might not understand what they’re feeling nor be able to articulate those feelings.

What Causes Mental Illness?

Unfortunately, we live in a society that still holds stigma against mental illness. However, we want to challenge this at The Three Seas. It is by no will of your own if you experience issues with your mental health, and you aren’t alone. Various factors can contribute – biological factors, like genes; environmental factors, like early learning; and lifestyle factors, like social isolation. As a result, our psychologists will assess your situation from a biopsychosocial approach – in order to understand potential origins of your mental health.

If you’re facing psychological issues, you’re certainly not alone, although it can be a profoundly isolating experience. Three Seas Counselling can help get you back on track, give you the tools and skills you need to combat your illness and offer you hope for a happy, normal life.

Call today to make an appointment with A Three Seas psychologist to discuss our available mental health services and treatment options.