Evelyn Ofosu Kwarteng: Mental Health Somatic and Integrative Therapies

This assignment, completed by a nursing student, addresses two chapters on mental health therapies. Chapter 18 focuses on somatic therapies, including electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), phototherapy, and non-pharmacological interventions like transcranial magnetic stimulation and deep brain stimulation. The student discusses the indications, side effects, and nursing roles associated with these treatments. Chapter 17 explores integrative therapies, specifically complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The student examines personal beliefs about CAM, compares complementary and alternative treatments, and provides examples of CAM therapies. The assignment also includes a presentation on CAM treatments for anxiety disorders, including hypnotherapy, highlighting its application and potential benefits.

Running head: MENTAL HEALTH 1
Mental Health
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

MENTAL HEALTH 2
Title: Chapter 18 – Somatic Therapies
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been found to be an effective treatment for mental health
disorders.
What is the indication for ECT?
This is a medical treatment which is most often used in patients who has severe major
depression which has not adhered to other treatments. As an illustration, it entails a brief
electrical stimulation of the brain when the patient is under anesthesia.
How has your perception of ECT changed after learning more about the procedure?
According to my opinion, I can no support ECT considering the fact that extensive
research has confirmed it to be most effective to relief major depression. Moreover, it is also
effectively treated severe mental illness and for those who require rapid treatment response.
Describe the potential side effects of ECT and the nurse’s role in caring for a client
receiving ECT.
The potential side-effects that one is likely to encounter after using ECT is memory
loss. In that case, in most people memory loss implies both losing personal memories
experiencing difficulty to remember new information.
Some of the nurse's roles for the patient receiving ECT are to note the occurrence of
GTCS which is the indicator of the efficacy of ECT. Secondly, to provide electrodes dipped
in saline which should be a good conductor of electricity. Lastly to provide oxygen so as to
avoid complications.

MENTAL HEALTH 3
2. Jackson has been diagnosed with seasonal affective disorder after suffering from depression
over the fall and winter months for the past 3 years.
List the information that you would provide Jackson about phototherapy.
I would tell Jackson that phototherapy is the treatment that reduces high bilirubin levels
which causes jaundice in the newborn. I would also tell him that its side effects include skin
irritation, unstable temperatures, and dehydration because of jaundice.
3. A client wishes to know more about no pharmacological somatic therapies.
Compare and contract transcranial magnetic stimulation, deep brain stimulation, vagus
nerve stimulation, and psychosurgery.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
This type usually involves usage of magnetic fields to stimulate the nerve cells, unlike
the DBS and vagus nerve stimulation which uses the electrodes and devices respectively. A
magnetic coil is placed against the scalp near the forehead
Deep brain stimulation
The DBS usually requires brain surgery. Unlike the vagus nerve stimulation which
the device is implanted under the skin, in this one the electrodes are placed in the area of the
brain which is related to the disorder.
Vagus nerve stimulation
The vagus nerve simulation usually works through a device which is put under the
skin which sends the electrical pulses via the left vagus nerve. However, it has favorable
effects on mood. On the other hand, it affects the areas of the brain with the implanted device
in the areas of mood regulation.

MENTAL HEALTH 4
Psychosurgery
This technique involves placing of tiny lesions in particular areas of the brain and
which doesn’t have any effect on the intellectual functioning. Unlike the other methods, it is
usually considered when all means are ineffective.
4. Your nursing instructor has been teaching on somatic therapies in the mental health class
today. Your client has an order for a somatic therapy the following day, so you go in to provide
client education.
What are somatic therapies?
The somatic therapy is the form of body-centered therapy which looks at connections
of mind and body and hence uses both the psychotherapy together with physical therapies for
holistic healing. This usually facilitates the resolution of trauma along with PTSD responses.
It’s, therefore, a way of affecting emotional changes in treating PTSD together with other
mental health issues.
Discuss the different types included in this classification.
The first type of somatic therapy is Pharmacotherapy which is the use of drugs to
treat psychopathology. In that case, drugs might relieve anxiety attacks or other discomforts.
The second type is the brain simulation which usually achieves its effects by altering the
electrical activity of the brain. The third type is the psychosurgery which is the destruction of
groups of nerve cells or the nerve fibers within the brain through surgical techniques to
relieve severe psychiatric symptoms. In other words, it’s any surgical alteration of the brain
which intends to treat a psychological disorder.
Which somatic therapy do you believe is most effective and why?

MENTAL HEALTH 5
According to my opinion, pharmacotherapy is more effective the other types of
somatic therapies. The reason being is because the stimulant medication has an extensive
database supporting their safety. Their absorption rapid with the clinical effects being noticed
in less than half an hour as compared to the other type.
Title: Chapter 17 – Integrative Therapies
One of your family members is diagnosed with a medical condition and chooses to use both
traditional Western treatments and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies.
a. What are your personal feelings and beliefs about CAM approaches to healing?
Have you ever sought treatment with an alternative approach? If so, what were the results?
How has this affected your role as a nurse?
Personally, I prefer CAM approaches to healing. The reason being is because I desire to
be healed naturally by the use of strong allopathic medicines. Yes, I have ever sort treatment
with an alternative approach after realizing it was cheaper than the other types. The results were
recommendable though it took sometimes to be noted I can admit it worked well. It didn’t affect
any of my role as a nurse.
b. How do you feel about the client who rejects traditional medicine and seeks
alternative measures for a health problem?
Every individual has a different stand as far as treatment is concerned. However, any
individual who rejects traditional medicine to seek alternative measures of health so some extent
might be right depending with his/her stand.

MENTAL HEALTH 6
While caring for a client with depression, he tells you that when his sister was suffering from the
same condition, she used herbs and acupuncture. He tells you that he would like to know more
about CAM therapies.
What is the difference between complementary and alternative treatments?
The complementary treatment is usually used along with the standard medical treatments
but they are always not considered standard. Examples of complementary treatments include
herbal medicine, acupuncture, visualization, and aromatherapy. On the other hand, Alternative
treatments are usually used rather than the standard medical treatments such as using the special
diet instead of the prescribed drugs to treat cancer. Alternatives treatment comprises of Gerson
therapy and shark cartilage.
Identify and describe one type of CAM therapy for each category of the National Center
for Complementary and Alternative Medicine classifications.
One type of Complementary classifications is Acupuncture which involves the use of tiny
needles along with pressure so as to stimulate the points of the body. This usually releases
chemicals like beta-endorphin together with serotin to relieve pain the brain. On the other hand,
the example of Alternative medicine classification is Garson therapy which is a natural treatment
that activates the body’s extraordinary ability to heal itself via an organic, plant-based diet along
with raw juices.
During your psychiatric–mental health rotation at a hospital, you are asked to give the other
nurses a presentation about CAM treatments for psychiatric conditions.
Choose one of the following conditions: anxiety disorders, mood disorders, addictive
disorders, or cognitive disorders. Identify and explain at least one CAM treatment that can
be used for your chosen condition. Also list any potential side effects, if any.

MENTAL HEALTH 7
My choice is an anxiety disorder. The CAM treatment that can be used here is
Hypnotherapy. There are no side effects of this kind of treatment.