Common Mental Disorders - Case Study Example

1. REVIEW Overview In the sphere of diagnosis and treatment of psychological disorders there was a tendency among healthcare givers, administrators and authorities to strongly believe in the efficacy of delivery of healthcare to patients suffering from mental illnesses like schizophrenia and chronic or/and manic depression only by specialized medical personnel in psychiatry due to the fact that these mental illnesses required pharmacological intervention and residential care. However with the changing times, attitudes too have changed for better. A mental health nurse is involved in a variety of situations and above all the nurse might be faced with mentally ill patients whose access to mental healthcare programs is limited or totally denied by the circumstances. My involvement with such a group of mentally ill patients has been very interesting and I have come to realize how enriching such an experience would be for a nurse. Lack of sufficient exposure to practical training and course work in the existing psychology training programs could serve only as a typical hindrance to effective intervention methodologies by psychology practitioners (Meadows, GS, 2007). With ever rising number of mentally affected people the need for intervention by psychology practitioners has become a great imperative. While a very small community of caregivers and practitioners has been effectively involved in providing specialized services to the mentally affected, there has also been a general reluctance on the part of newcomers to the profession to take up professional specialized service provision to the needy especially because such involvement in providing specialist service by psychologists to prevent, monitor and treat mentally ill patients has received very little attention in the past. For instance Attention Deficiency Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and autism have been noticed to be on the rise among children and above all the veterans returning from war have been noticed to display symptoms of mental illness such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression. Such fast changing circumstances have well nigh forced health authorities to take cognizance of the risk factors and available resources, especially medical personnel, to cope up with the problem (Voderholzer, U 2010). Mental health recovery plan through internet and Mental Health Act of 1986 I consider mental health nursing to be one of the most complex and demanding areas of nursing. A mental health nurse may be part of a team working with people who may have been excluded from society and health system. The range of conditions that mental health nurse encounters is vast: neuroses, psychoses, psychological and personality disorders all come under the broad heading of mental health. For instance ADHD and autism have been noticed to be on the rise . The recovery plan on the above mentioned mental illnesses of ADHD and PTSD can be based on an intgrated memtal recovery plan which can address the issues of mental unhealthyness. The treatment plan is having the content of all of the following factors. The recipient’s code of diagnosis is in conformance with assessments. Goals those are quite appropriate to the diagnosis such as age, culture, strengths, abilities & preferences and needs as expressed by patient. Measurable objectives and target dates. A list of the services to be provided including treatment plan development, plan review, and assessment The amount of each service, frequency and time period of each service Permission to have the terms as needed or to state that the patient will receive services within specific time intervals. The treatment team members’ signatures. A signed statement issued by the treating practitioner that services are medically essential and are in keeping with the patient’s diagnosis and needs. Transition or/and discontinuation of services. The main components of the recovery plan have the attention on every individual by giving them training on the subject matters of enhancing their thinking and behavioural attitude.This may be the start and continue with trust and co-operation, getting power,use and develop personnal resources,begin personal evaluation,cultivate healthy thinking and realise that feelings are not facts (Fedrick, Frerichs & Clark, 2004). Goals those are quite appropriate to the diagnosis such as age, culture, strengths, abilities & preferences and needs as expressed by patient. Measurable objectives and target dates. A list of the services to be provided including treatment plan development, plan review, and assessment Goals are very important in the recovery plan phase of the whole process because they are based on the expectations of the patient. Measurable objectives and target dates also are important due to the fact that they tend to be used in the continuous assessment of the patient’s progress and recovery. Finally a list of the services is very important because in the recovery process the patient is put through a series of services. As much as the treatment plan needs to be reviewed it also requires to be assessed. After 6 weeks of continuous recovery, patients who are more likely to be schizophrenics would definitely show some signs of better health. Similarly depression patients would show some good improvement from their sullenness. Assessment The training objectives and goals were set as having the contents of to increase knowledge of what certification of a treatment plan involves, to provide consistency in the manner in which certification of treatment plans is completed, to ensure the use of evidenced-based treatment goals and interventions and to ensure that the client is involved in the development of strength-based, recovery-based treatment plans. It was during the process of assessment that the need for evaluation and treatment skills of specialists was more or less emphasized. Therefore professionals and practitioners alike have much less time to be familiar with all treatment approaches (Ellen, BB. 2010). Despite doubling efforts by authorities to achieve practice related synergies, it has not been possible to substantially review procedural aspects of each approach. Summary of the Treatment Planning Process There had been a misconception in the past among clients as to the nature of the mental disorder warranting or not warranting professional help. Where voluntary participation by clients is inhibited by de-motivation and nonchalance cajolery can only be effective if such clients are persuaded through cause-and-effect programs based on demonstrations and personal conviction. Mental health programs have been designed with a view to helping clients to achieve a degree of mental equilibrium. Minor mental disorders are more often than not ignored in mental health treatment programs that specifically tailored to meeting clinical precision and targets TIME FRAME OF INTERVENTIONS It’s essential for the average practitioner to adopt such cohesive approaches within predefined time frames such as in the case of speech therapy. Language skills need to be synchronized as in the case of speech therapy in which communication problems might hinder treatment plans. Occupational therapy is primarily intended to adjust the patient to the new environment after hospitalized treatment. All key stakeholders such as authorities, practitioners, patients, hospital authorities and the society at large have a stake in the outcomes of the treatment plan. Finally group therapy sessions are going to be more successful. 2. REFLECTIONS REFLECTION ON MENTAL ILLNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH PLACEMENTS BEFORE PLACEMENT WHAT ARE YOU THINKING ABOUT GOING ON A MENTAL HEALTH PLACEMENT? The psychiatric patients were given treatments by mostly restrained within psychological institutions which is what went before. In contrast to this system, I suggest to go for an integrated mental treatment with general health care system. Because such a restrained kind of treatment may result in the enhancement of the issue by the belief of patient that they are dangerous, unpredictable and unsafe they have to be treated in isolation. On that superstition I found my attitude, which changed totally vice versa. Deinstitutionalisation took place and resulted in the closure of most psychiatric institutions and the integration of mental health care into the general health care system. Only extremely ill patients were admitted to inpatient care. As a result, my point is not contaminated with common superstition and biases that were mostly based on biases and hearsay arguments. HAVE ANY OF YOU FAMILY/FRIENDS COMMENTED POSITIVELY OR NEGATIVELY ON YOU GOING ON A MENTAL HEALTH PLACEMENT? I have heard some nasty comments, which are ill-advised and unhelpful. Some people even asked if I could read their minds. But some of the responses were positive which encouraged me on thinking the advancement of the treatment plan. However the current review process gives me a flourish feed back on the subject matter (Bret AM and Carrie HK. 2010). WHAT PERSONAL GOALS DO YOU HAVE FOR MENTAL HEALTH PLACEMENT? (WRITE THEM INTO YOUR COMPETENCY TOOL) My goals were set in this itinerary and include improvement of taking the assessment, to serve as support in counselling, to aid evaluate, implement and plan activities for patient and his/her family, to plan, suggest and manage social environment. In addition to altering the opinion, bringing a range of strengths, skills, interests, experience and learning objectives to field placement settings is essential.  Depending on the organizations needs, I became involved in many of field placement setting based on ongoing activities.   ON CLINICAL PLACEMENT USE TIME WITH CLINICAL TEACHERS OR PRECEPTOR TO HAVE A STRUCTURED REFLECTION ON THE CLINICAL PLACEMENT. WHILE ON CLINICAL PLACEMENT WHAT IS YOUR VIEW OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING? Modern lifestyles, living beyond one’s means, peer pressure, use or rather the abuse of substances, lack of money and even work pressure have affected people so much. Loss of motivation due to age, physical debility and a host other environmental factors such as neighbours’ pressure have acted as a forceful compulsion in some instances for men to behave in the way that they behave. (Kim, TM, Stanley DR and Harriet JR. 2009). DOES THE WORK AFFECT YOU PERSONALLY? HOW ARE YOU MANAGING ANY ISSUES THAT ARISE FOR YOU? Not any, except be exhausted fear that origins from close contact with severely ill. But I have to be in consistent and aware of what I am doing and have to have good records of diagnoses, treatment, and progress in an individual basis. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHILE ON CLINICAL PLACEMENT? There should be some details given and clarified on group therapy, when is it indicated, what conditions can be treated in therapeutic groups. In addition the indication of performing occupational therapy, available forms of occupational therapy, and forms of occupation regarding daily activities. Namely, some activities are hard to be anyone’s daily activities. These should be clearly identified and isolated for possible treatment procedures. REFLECTION IN MENTAL HEALTH AFTER PLACEMENT REFLECT ON YOUR EXPERIENCES IN THE MENTAL HEALTH SETTING. WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNT? In mental health setting I got familiar with Knowing and identifying importance of prevention methods. The basics of normal mental feelings and positions were learnt. MENTAL HEALTH IN A SOCIAL/CULTURAL CONTEXT FIND A PIECE OF CURRENT COMMENTARY ON MENTAL HEALTH OR MENTAL ILLNESS. DESCRIBE YOUR PIECE. EXPLAIN WHY YOU HAVE FOUND IT INTERESTING. I was involved with patients suffering from common neurotic disorders. They can be treatable depending upon the success of the treatment. It is interesting to note that common mental disorders like neuroses, syndromes and psychotic disorders can be treated with a greater degree of success. This is what my experience with these patients of neurotic disorders like repetitive and compulsive actions taught me. It is purely curable. People with neurotic disorders on medications can lead a normal life like other people and be active and functional. Psychotherapy can be a great help for people who are suffering from neurotic disorder. Talk therapy can do a lot for this disorder psychologist can talk to the client building with trust and faith building a mutual relationship with the client. This can improve clients poor relationship with others and faith of getting out of the illness. Cognitive therapy teaches how to manage anxiety while behavior therapy teaches how to behave and think in a more effective way (The Royal College of Psychiatrists. 2001) REFERENCES 1.  Bret AM and Carrie HK. (2010). Wheels Down: Adjusting to Life after Deployment 2. Ellen, BB. (2010). How to Find Mental Health Care for Your Child. 3. Fedrick, T, Frerichs RR & Clark VA. ( 2004). Personal Health Habits and Symptoms of Depression at the Community Level,. California: University of California, 4. Kim, TM, Stanley DR and Harriet JR. (2009). Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Special Populations: A Cognitive Restructuring Program. 5.Meadows, GS et al. (2007). Mental health in Australia. Melbourne: Oxford Community Press. 6. The Royal College of Psychiatrists. (2001). Common mental disorders in Santiago, Chile, The British Journal of Psychiatry 178, 228-233. 7. Voderholzer, U et al. (2010). Physical fitness in depressive patients and impact of illness course and disability. J Affect Disord. , str. Epub ahead of print. Read More