Frequently Asked Questions

Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions or disorders that affect a person’s mood, thinking and behavior.

It is becoming clear through research that many of these conditions are caused by a combination of biological, psychological, and environmental factors.

Treatment options include psychotherapy, pharmacotherapy, a combination of both as well as electroconvulsive therapy. Treatments can be administered in inpatient and outpatient settings.

Though medications can often aid in the treatment of mental illness, it is unlikely that taking medication as the sole form of treatment will be effective in “getting over” or stabilizing one’s mental illness. Professionals generally recommend therapy along with medications to manage mental illness most effectively.

Substance abuse can simply be defined as a pattern of harmful use of any substance for mood-altering purposes. Medline’s medical encyclopedia defines drug abuse as “the use of illicit drugs or the abuse of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are indicated or in a manner or in quantities other than directed.”

Many clients who currently suffer from one type of addiction or another will permanently recover, either spontaneously or with the support of a service such as ours. Others will experience relapses and hurdles over months and possibly years. Many options might need to be considered from harm reduction to residential rehabilitation. This is why we consider building a strong therapeutic relationship build on mutual trust and openness a cornerstone of our treatment. Strict confidentiality is respected and sharing of information takes place in the interest of the client and with his consent.