LETTERS: MENTAL ILLNESSES CAN BE TREATED

To the editor:

New medications hold great promise for the successful treatment of mental illnesses, especially schizophrenia. However, when people don't take their medications, the results can be tragic. The fatal shootings of two police officers July 17 at the U.S. Capitol have focused the national spotlight on that very issue.

Advancement in medicine has opened many doors and improved the treatment of mental illnesses. New generations of medications available today are more effective than those used in the past. These medications are not only safer, they have fewer side effects so that patients are more likely to continue taking them.

We also know that it is critical to diagnose people who need help as early as possible. Then if we can engage people in understanding their illnesses and keep them engaged in their treatment programs, we can improve their quality of life by reducing the likelihood of relapse and the long-term effects of their illnesses.

Ensuring that people with mental illness take their medications is an important component of treatment. The Department of Mental Health has programs that include follow-up of people after they leave inpatient treatment to monitor their use of prescribed medications and to help them access appropriate community services. Under these programs, people are assigned case managers who follow their progress.

In addition, legislation enacted in Missouri in recent years has provisions that allow for commitment of people with mental illness to outpatient programs after they leave inpatient treatment. Under this legislation, courts can require individuals to comply with conditions of their treatment, including taking their medications.

Incidents like the tragedy at our nation's Capitol only underscore the continued need for programs that emphasize ongoing, long-term treatment for these potentially lifelong illnesses.

The newer, more effective medications and the follow-up programs are some tools for successfully treating people with schizophrenia and other serious brain disorders. However, additional patients could benefit from these follow-up programs if more funding were available. Likewise, additional funds are required to make the newer, more effective medications available to more people.

We must also have a strong educational component with these treatment programs. This includes education of both the patient and the family about all the aspects of the illness and the impact it has on them. This increases the likelihood that patients will adhere to their treatment programs, including medication compliance. It also strengthens the support network needed by any patient with a serious illness.

In addition, the community and our entire society need to be better educated about mental illnesses and the treatment that is available. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the success rate for treating schizophrenia is 60 percent. That rate jumps to 80 percent for treating depression. These success rates are as high or higher than rates for other illnesses such as heart disease or diabetes.

The need for effective, accessible treatment for all who need it will not go away once the Capitol shooting tragedy has faded from the spotlight. This is a real need that deserves and demands our attention and support.

ROY C. WILSON, M.D., Director

Missouri Department of Mental Health

Jefferson City