Hello @Wooshy
research tells us that we do better when medication is combined with psychological treatment, as opposed to either of the treatments alone. So you are correct in thinking you don't feel medication is enough.
I also hear someone that is carrying a heavy load at the moment, as a carer in one form of another. Do you get any support or respite for yourself as a carer? It is no surprise that carers often suffer their own mental health issues, as a result of the ongoing nature of the role they are in. Be happy to make some further suggests if you like?
It is also possible, and I really don't have much doubt, that their is unresolved grief for you in dealing with your brothers death in such circumstances.
Would you consider seeing a therapist? If only to address the recent anxiety attacks, and gain some strategies for reducing this? It's not essential to dig deeper, in fact, some approaches might avoid this, rather addressing the current 'dysfunction', and getting you 'functioing again'.
Sane's fact sheet reiterate my comments, and also provide a little taste of what's available down this line.
http://www.sane.org/information/factsheets-podcasts/549-psychological-treatments
- Sometimes they work best combined with other treatments
Psychological treatments are often effective on their own for people with depression and anxiety disorders. Sometimes it is also useful to combine them with other treatments such as medication. For people, with psychotic illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, for example, ongoing rehabilitation, accommodation and employment support are often needed as well as medication.
What psychological treatments are there?
There are many types of psychological treatment which are proven to be effective. These may be provided individually, as part of a group, as a couple or even as a whole family – depending on the nature of the problem. Some common psychological treatments are:
- Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT)
CBT helps people discover how their feelings, thoughts and behaviour can get stuck in unhelpful patterns. They are encouraged to try new, more positive ways of thinking and acting. Therapy usually includes tasks to try between sessions. CBT is a well-established treatment for depression and most anxiety disorders. It can also be an effective part of treatment for other conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), eating disorders, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.
- Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT)
IPT looks at the way someone has related to significant people in their life, and how this may have affected other relationships and how they feel, think and act generally. It then looks at finding more positive ways of interacting with others. IPT can been especially effective in treating depression and anxiety disorders.
- Dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT)
DBT is a form of treatment specifically for people with borderline personality disorder (BPD). DBT is based on an understanding that a key problem for people with BPD is extreme difficulty in handling emotions, and the distress associated with this. DBT helps people learn to handle their emotions better and re-learn the way they typically respond to situations and other people. DBT generally combines individual and group therapy
- Family interventions
These treatments aim to support families and other carers by fostering calm and constructive family relationships where a member of the family has a psychotic illness such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Family intervention sessions typically focus on education about mental illness, solving of problems encountered as a result of the illness, and improving communication and relationships where these are strained or stressful. Family interventions can reduce relapse rates for people with psychotic illness while also supporting everyone involved.
Psychological treatments vary in the length of time they take to work. The benefits of psychological treatments often happen at a different rate for different individuals.
Be keen to hear your thoughts/feedback
