A new national survey found many people with depression or anxiety feel their mental health treatment is not designed with them in mind and instead feels like a one-size-fits-all approach.

Crystal Nelson, a board-certified psychiatrist in Newnan, said perception is understandable but treatment does not have to work that way, especially with options such as pharmacogenetic testing.

“It's a simple cheek swab test that any clinician can order on their patient," Nelson explained. "It will give them some information back telling them how the patient's genes could impact the outcomes to the medication.”

Nelson pointed out genetic testing can help narrow down a list of potentially 60 medication options to as few as three, depending on a person’s results.

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The survey found 65% of patients lacked confidence in their medication but nearly three-quarters said personalization would help. In Georgia, 1.8 million adults struggle with a mental health condition, a 31% increase since 2023, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness-Georgia.

Nelson noted one patient had been hospitalized and had tried multiple medications without success.

“She was on medications that were not working, and when we did the GeneSight test, it suggested some medications that I would've never gone to,” Nelson recounted. “I put the lady on this medication, and she went into remission on a very low dose. I was able to take her from two medications down to one.”

Nelson has been using pharmacogenetic testing for about 11 years. Critics said the evidence is still evolving but a 2025 study found testing improved symptom-free remission by 41%. Nelson believes it is the best tool available and encourages patients who feel stuck to speak up and ask their provider about testing.