Care for your mental health

FAQ

1. How do you define mental health? What can I actually talk about with One Medical?

   Mental health encompasses your psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Taking care of your mental wellness may mean things like trying to drink or smoke less (or quitting altogether), creating strategies to reduce your stress level, improving your sleep, eating better, connecting to other people, or being more active. Being mentally well also means treating depression, anxiety, and other issues that might be interfering with the quality of your life.

   Think of a One Medical primary care provider (PCP) as the quarterback of your mental healthcare in addition to your physical healthcare. Our PCPs can help with most common mental health concerns, like stress management, anxiety, sleep issues, and depression, as well as diagnose and help with issues like panic attacks. They can assess your mental health and work with you on a plan to feel better. This may include lifestyle recommendations, medication, or referrals to an appropriate specialist, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist, who may already be a One Medical provider, if necessary.

2. How do I know when I should seek help for my mental health?

   If you feel your quality of life isn’t where you’d like it to be on a regular basis, then it may be time to talk with someone. Perhaps you’ve been feeling down and unable to sleep, or tightly wound to the point where you can’t focus at work without feeling panicky or on edge. It’s normal to go through ups and downs in life, but if you feel like you’re in a long spell of not feeling like yourself, let us know. You don’t have to wait until things are terrible to come in — we also want to work on preventing things from getting worse.

3. Don't I have to go to a psychiatrist or therapist for mental health?

   In many cases, you don’t. We’re confident our primary care providers can handle most things that come in the door. Starting with us can not only save you time and money, but it can also help you get the care you need quicker because specialists often have long waits to get an appointment. And we make it easy to get mental health help before an issue gets serious, when you may not need or want to commit to therapy. If you need or want more specialized care, we have a curated referral network of therapists and psychiatrists who we know and trust that we can send you to or whom may already be a One Medical provider.

4. Why would I see a primary care provider for mental health?

   Primary care providers are trained to see the big picture. They can identify when your mental health is affecting your physical health and vice versa. For example, things like low libido, digestive problems, and headaches can be made worse by mental health conditions like depression or anxiety. One Medical’s team of providers are specially trained to deliver excellent, comprehensive care for a range of mental health conditions.

5. Do you prescribe medications for mental health issues?

   Yes, all of our primary care providers are qualified to prescribe medication when appropriate and manage dosing as needed. However, we view each patient as an individual, and we don’t believe in applying a one-size-fits-all treatment to every person. In some cases, medication may be an important part of a patient’s care, while in other cases, alternative treatments may be more beneficial. For some people, a combination of medication and other treatments like cognitive behavioral therapy, nutrition counseling, sleep hygiene or mindfulness coaching, can be most effective. We’ll work with you to create a custom treatment plan that you feel comfortable with.