After being evaluated, you and your mental health professional will determine the best course of treatment. This may include psychotherapy, talk therapy, medication, or changing some of your circumstances. You have the right to give the doctor your input, and you also have the right to ask questions. You may be referred to multiple mental health professionals for treatment. If you need psychotherapy or talk therapy, you may go to a therapist, psychologist, or licensed social worker. If you need medication, it will be prescribed through a psychiatrist. Not all mental health professionals and treatment centers are the same. You need to be able to trust the people who are treating you. If you’re not comfortable with the professional or the assessment, it’s perfectly okay to find another one. This is important treatment, and you need to feel comfortable. If you have just been diagnosed with a mental illness and are beginning your treatment, you should find people in your life to provide support. This can be a scary and confusing time in your life, and you shouldn't do it alone. Choose people you can trust or count on to help you.  Consider asking a trusted family member, friend, colleague, or neighbor. If you don't feel comfortable talking to anyone in your real life yet, find a therapist you can talk to. You can also find support groups in your area through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) or at local treatment facilities. Treating mental illness can be a long and difficult journey. Recovery and progress take time. Sometimes you will feel worse before you feel better. This is due to the difficult process of psychotherapy and also the trial-and-error nature of psychopharmacology. Do your best to be patient, trust your treatment providers, commit to their treatment recommendations for an extended period of time, and let the process work.
Decide on a treatment plan. Get a second opinion if you are not satisfied. Find a support system. Accept that there isn’t an instant cure.