Psychiatry at Saint Mary's
An effective program of psychiatric care is essential to
a well-rounded neuroscience center. For example, patients
with chronic neurological disorders may also be diagnosed
with depression. The effects of depression need to be treated
as part of the patient’s overall care. In other cases,
some patients diagnosed with psychiatric disorders have underlying
neurological conditions, such as brain tumors. Effective care
must address the entire spectrum of a patient’s needs
– providing help for a person’s physical ailments
along with his or her emotional and mental challenges.
Saint Mary’s commitment to the medical treatment of
people with psychiatric disorders began in 1993 as a joint
venture with Pine Rest Christian Hospital. This psychiatric
medical unit (PMU) is still going strong, and is the only
such unit in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.
Who we serve
Our 20-bed unit serves patients who have psychiatric conditions,
and who have been determined to be in need of medical attention.
In addition, the unit serves patients with other medical (non-psychiatric)
conditions who require psychiatric treatment.
For example, a person with chronic schizophrenia may be
admitted to the PMU for treatment of renal disease, while
a person with renal disease may be admitted to the unit for
treatment of resolving delirium.
Treatment options
In the past two decades, the medical community has made significant
progress in the treatment of psychiatric illness. As with
most chronic conditions, ongoing treatment is required. One
or more of the following therapies are used:
- Medication
- Pyschotherapy
- Group therapy
- Other therapies such as behavior modification
- Electroconvulsive therapy
Some anti-seizure medications are showing promise for selected
patients. These medications not only reduce some types of
nerve pain, but they can also be effective mood stabilizers.
Some anti-depressants also function well as pain relievers.
In addition to medication and traditional psychiatric treatment,
electroconvulsive therapy is also performed, generally for
patients with severe depression. Under anesthesia, patients
receive short electrical charges that precipitate the release
of chemicals in the brain. These chemicals improve the mood
and the delivery of messages between the brain cells.
Integrating complementary therapies
In conjunction with The Wege Institute at Saint Mary’s,
we integrate complementary therapies into patients’
overall treatment program. These therapies offer healing benefits
for mind, spirit and body.
Among the complementary therapies that have been found to
benefit psychiatric patients are acupuncture, art therapy,
manual therapy, massage therapy, music therapy, neurofeedback,
and neuropsychological testing.
You can learn more about how complementary therapies facilitate
healing and provide profound benefits to patients with neurological
disorders at http://www.smmmc.org/clinicalservices/neuroscience/treatments/complementary.shtml.
Saint Mary’s expertise in psychiatry and our partnership
with esteemed local institutions uniquely positions us to
provide health care that’s more for this community.
Learn more about psychiatric
conditions
For more information, or to schedule a consultation, please
call us at 616-752-5137, or toll-free at 877-752-5137.
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