BLOOMFIELD, Iowa — New medications and treatments are expanding options for mental health providers, but a local expert says they are not a cure-all for ongoing mental health challenges.
“The other medication which is newer a lot of exciting research about it is ketamine infusions,” said Jessica Brassfield a Bloomfield based psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. “And that can be for people with major depressive disorders or just as suicidality presenting to the E.R. …. They did notice a rapid reduction in suicidal ideation in 4 to 24 hours.”
However, Brassfield notes that researchers are still studying the treatment and that more evidence is needed to better understand its long-term effectiveness.
She says that while treatments continue to evolve, most mental health care still depends on treating the whole person rather than relying on medication alone.
Brassfield says many patients continue to struggle because medications cannot fully address social and environmental factors that impact mental health.
“It’s because we can’t rely on the medicine to do the work completely for us,” said Brassfield. “These medicines are powerful tools, but just like any other tool, you have to know how to use it.”
She points to basic lifestyle factors such as sleep, nutrition, exercise, and a sense of purpose as important parts of maintaining mental health.
Brassfield also highlights research suggesting loneliness can have health effects comparable to smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day, and encourages people to stay connected through friends, family, support groups, and community activities.
She says the bottom line is that emotional suffering is treatable, help is available, and that communities heal through connection, not silence.