When considering treatment for a mental or behavioral health condition, knowing what to look for can significantly increase the chances of finding a program that works. Unfortunately, there is a bit of confusion in the online community regarding behavioral vs. mental health treatment differences. Much of this confusion is due to differences in definitions and treatment methods, but the two aren’t as unalike as one might think. In fact, both aspects are integral to understanding therapy, its function, and its benefits. That is not to say that they aren’t essential differences, especially regarding the various therapeutic treatments available today.
Therapy is a form of behavioral and mental health treatment based on open dialogue, which sees therapists and patients come together to discuss various aspects of a person’s cognitive health. When searching for individual therapy treatment in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, consider New Horizons Recovery. Our facility is brand new and treats various behavioral and mental health conditions.
What Is Behavioral Health Treatment?
Behavior health is often used as an umbrella term, encompassing many forms of psychological treatment, including but not limited to mental health. Behavioral health draws a connection between the mind, body, and its behaviors and views these three aspects of living to be in a constant state of interaction, creating much of what one might consider their perception of reality. Whereas mental health treatment pertains to purely cognitive issues, behavioral health focuses more on behaviors, thought patterns, and lifestyle choices, in addition to considering the effect of cognitive influences. Behavioral health can include various specialists, such as counselors, therapists, psychiatrists, neurologists, and physicians. Issues commonly associated with behavioral health are:
- Anxiety
- Addiction
- Autism spectrum disorder
- Depression
- Emotional wellness
- Family issues
- Physical health issues, such as obesity or insomnia
Depending on the circumstances, these issues could also be assisted by mental health treatment. However, the abovementioned issues are more likely to include a physical or behavior-related component.
What Is Mental Health Treatment?
Mental health pertains to an individual’s emotional well-being and considers various social, psychological, and environmental influences that may contribute to a cognitive health issue. Like behavioral health, mental health concerns a person’s thought patterns and emotions while also considering the impact of a person’s history and past trauma. Mental health treatment thinks about the influence of a person’s behaviors but is designed to treat issues born from an individual’s thought patterns, mindset, and mood. In this light, mental health treatment can help all the same problems listed in the section above, given that those issues aren’t caused by physical health issues.
The Differences Between Behavioral vs. Mental Health Treatment
To recap, there are differences in behavioral vs. mental health treatment, some of which are very important. All mental health issues fall under the definition of behavioral health. The primary difference between the two is that behavioral health treatment heavily focuses on the relationship between a person’s physical health, behaviors, and thought patterns.
In contrast, mental health is focused more acutely on cognitive influences such as emotional well-being, harmful thoughts, and social satisfaction. While all mental health topics fall into the behavioral health category, behavioral health issues include the influence of physical factors separate from the mind and brain. Behavioral health also considers the perspective of a broader range of specialists to provide a better treatment plan.
Quality Behavioral and Mental Health Treatment at New Horizons Recovery
Rather than scouring the internet in search of definitions and differences between behavioral and mental health treatment, try giving us a call. We welcome any questions related to our facility and curriculum and want nothing more than to provide qualified care to patients. For more information on behavioral vs. mental health differences, schedule an appointment today, or contact our facility at 267.435.3134.