In today's episode of the Off the Rails Podcast, Michelle Bernabe joins me to discuss challenges of providing mental healthcare, including the need for dedicated psychiatric emergency rooms and a collaborative team of medical professionals. Michelle shares her insight on the transformation occurring in psychiatric care, moving towards rapid-acting, neurotherapeutic treatments like ketamine, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), and stellate ganglion blocks. These treatments offer quick relief for various mental health conditions, challenging traditional talk therapies and antidepressants. Our conversation delves into the economics and accessibility of these treatments, highlighting the potential to shift the paradigm in mental health care towards more effective and efficient solutions. This episode emphasizes the importance of patient education and navigating through the existing trust issues within psychiatric care, aiming to provide relief and hope for those suffering from mental illness.

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Shift in Psychiatric Care: There's a notable shift towards rapid-acting neurotherapeutic treatments such as ketamine, TMS, and stellate ganglion blocks.

• Efficacy Challenges Traditional Therapies: These new treatments challenge the efficacy of traditional talk therapies and antidepressants by offering quick relief for various mental health conditions.

• Economic and Accessibility Considerations: There's a discussion around the economics and accessibility of these treatments, highlighting potential barriers to widespread adoption.

• Paradigm Shift in Mental Health Care: The emergence of these treatments signals a potential paradigm shift in mental health care, suggesting more effective and efficient solutions compared to traditional methods.

• Importance of Patient Education: Patient education is crucial in navigating through these new treatment options, ensuring informed decision-making and managing expectations.

• Addressing Trust Issues: There's a need to address existing trust issues within psychiatric care to build confidence in these emerging treatments, offering hope and relief for individuals struggling with mental illness.

Michelle Bernabe can be contacted via email at Michelle@moral.health or on her Substack at moralhealth.com.