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Experts discuss why talk therapy is on the rise and medication treatment is falling

American adults who receive psychotherapy went up from about 6.5% in 2018, up to 8.5% in 2021, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.
Rohane Hamilton
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American adults who receive psychotherapy went up from about 6.5% in 2018, up to 8.5% in 2021, according to a new study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

Not long ago, talk therapy was spoken about in whispers. Today, it's become a central way many Americans manage their mental health.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, we've seen not only a rise in anxiety, depression and burnout, but a shift in how people respond to those feelings.

More are choosing therapy to treat these conditions, while medication is on the decline for the first time in years, according to a recent study in the American Journal of Psychiatry.

What was once a private matter is becoming more accepted in everyday conversations in workplaces, online, and at home.

But is treatment accessible to all? According to the National Institute of Mental Health, only about half of all Americans with mental illness receive the care they need.

Thursday on the "Sound of Ideas," we'll explore why talk therapy is on the rise, and why some are choosing it over medication. And we'll discuss how the post-pandemic world continues to shape how we care for ourselves and each other.

Later in the hour, if you're driving on Cleveland's West 25th Street south of I-90, you'll be hard pressed to miss a colorful new block of buildings on the street's west side.

The space, CentroVilla25, is the result of a years-long planning and fundraising initiative helmed by the Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development, in conjunction with partners across the region.

CentroVilla25 is a marketplace, a food hall, a business incubator and for those behind the project, a new anchor for a neighborhood that has a lot of history.

The space soft opened in January and has their grand opening this weekend.

To end the hour, we'll bring you another installment of "The Menu." This week, we took a trip to Cleveland's Clark-Fulton neighborhood to see all that CentroVilla25 has to offer.

Guests:
- Johnathan Sadowsky, Ph.D., Professor, History of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University
- Luis Felipe Amunategui, Ph.D., Child-Adolescent Psychologist, University Hospitals
- Jenice Contreras, President and CEO, Northeast Ohio Hispanic Center for Economic Development
- Jenny Hamel, Host, Ideastream Public Media
- Dillon Stewart, Editor, Cleveland Magazine

Aya Cathey is the associate producer for "Sound of Ideas," Ideastream Public Media’s morning public affairs show.
Drew Maziasz is a coordinating producer for the "Sound of Ideas" and also serves as the show’s technical producer.