Treatment and Adaptation of Patients with Schizophrenia - Essay Example

Mental health Introduction Schizophrenia is a word that comes from the Greek language and refers to the condition of having a ‘split mind’. Scientists often create an association between it and the chemical disproportions of the mind (Barnes and Kidger, 2002). Analysis of the Mental Issue Schizophrenia is a disorder that affects an individual’s views, thinking, feelings and behaviors. An individual loses the ability to socialize with other people and this condition can affect anybody. People living with a person who suffers from the disease may consider him or her to be insane. Among the problems that a victim of the disease is likely to suffer from is the inability to distinguish between real and artificial situations (Department of Health, 200). Patients suffering from the disease tend to eventually commit suicide while those who fail at least attempt to do it once or more times during their life spans. There is no available cure to the ailment at the moment though the psychological treatment that is on offer enables a person to live a more productive life. Statistics experts estimate that at least 1% of world’s population develops this condition at least once in their lifetimes. Scientists and doctors also claim that the disease affects women mildly when put in comparison to the conditions their counterparts experience (Audit Commission, 2006). Medical Theory in Mental Health Professionals in the medical field consider the disorder that affects the brain as treatable. The disease has no available cure though treatment is available through antipsychotic medications. There are various new types of medication for treating the disorder that are in their development stages by pharmaceutical companies. New forms of therapies are being put to use to facilitate the patients to enjoy better lives. The disorder costs a lot to the family of the patients (Golightley, 2008). The theory on why people get the disease suggests that it results from the disposition of genetics along with environmental disclosures. Stress that is achievable in childhood or during pregnancies also leads to the disorder. The medical field places an emphasis on the early identification of the risks as a prevention measure for people who are likely to suffer from the disease. The disease starts manifesting itself between the ages of 15-25 years (Department of Health, 2007). Previously done studies reveal that men develop the disease earlier than women though the disorder’s occurrence in women who are thirty years and above is higher. The average age that men experience the disease at is 18 years whereas their women experience it at 25 years. The early diagnosis of the disease among people likely to be suffering from it facilitates their easier treatment and recovery (Golightley, 2008). Social Theories in Mental Health The patients of the disease experience many problems when they are relating with other people. This disease is responsible for causing disabilities among the patients in the first world. There are over 250,000 cases of schizophrenia in the United Kingdom. The disease is costly to the family unit and the community at large for those receiving direct treatment (Golightley, 2008). The patients of this disorder are more likely to commit suicide than the ordinary people. The victims of the disease do not result to violence and are only put to jail for minor offenses. This offenses can range from trespassing to littering and other low profile offenses. A third of the population that is homeless in most cases suffers from the disease (Department of Health, 2002). Reports indicate that most of the patients suffering from this disorder do not receive treatment. This occurs as a result of the fear of stigmatization or having dissatisfaction with the services the authorities are offering (Golightley, 2008). Legal framework The mental health law of 1983 envelops the welcoming, care and cures that the patients suffering from mental diseases get. It also caters for the process of managing the patients property. It provides for the jailing of people suffering from the disease and forcefully treating them when they refuse to go for medication. The use and regulation of the act is done by the commission on care quality. The mental law of 2005 on the other hand provides for the creation of a higher court for persons lacking capacity. The law provides that a person is seen as having capacity till it is proven that he lacks it. It states that a person cannot treat another as incapable of making decisions unless all forms of assistance he gets become unsuccessful. Finally, the law stipulates that a person cannot receive the treatment of one who is unable to reach a decision because he makes stupid ones (Curtis, 2007). The mental act of the year 2007 comes to repeal the previous laws on the mental acts of 1983 and 2005 in the united kingdom. This act provides that mental patients suffering from this condition can forcibly obtain readmission if they do not show improvements. It also gives a wider scope of medical experts who can treat the disease without attaining the patients permission (Curtis, 2007). The act provides that a patient can elect a close relative as a public partner for representation purposes. This act also provides a new definition of disorders of the mind eliminating all past definitions that exist. In addition to these provisions it states the methods for forceful commitment for patients refusing treatment (Healy, 2002). The act also provides for a tribunal that is responsible for improving the welfare of the patients. The act states that a patient can forcefully receive therapies in electro convulsions if he is unconscious. Social Work Implication The implications of the disorder on the social and job place performances can either be positive, negative or cognitive. They are positive when a patient encounters beliefs, feelings and other behaviors that will not happen in normal situations. This can include smelling, tasting or even hearing events that other people do not. They become negative when a person suffers from a deficiency in his or her abilities to do things (Golightley, 2008). This will include issues such as the lack of energy or poor motivation when working. Lastly, they can be cognitive where a person has problems in paying attention or problem solving. Various anti discriminatory and anti oppressive policies are being put to use in controlling the acts across the country These includes incentives such as the communities that care groupings. These communities use the existing laws to guarantee the protection of the patient’s rights (Beck, 2004). They are also responsible for giving care to the sick at home and monitoring patients who do not go for treatment. Anti-Discriminatory Practice and Anti-Oppressive Practice Interventions such as the communities that care (CTC) do assist in activating the citizens of the country to come up with cruelty and hostility avoidance schemes. They assist in preventing the performance of these vices against patients of the condition. Their strategies assist the societies in collecting information that will assist them in identifying the patients who are dangerous and in turn take corrective actions (Buckley and Schulz, 2003). These corrective actions offer guidance and counseling services along with the medications to the patients who encounter discrimination and stigmatization on a regular basis. The strategies in use show positive outcomes on their tests on the patients. The adaptation of a framework against the vice by the CTC is in use. It has its basis on having knowledge about the social schemes, the various cultures and groupings of people and learning how to face challenges is being put to use (Klein and Davis, J, 2009). These measures provide the necessary confidence that the patient requires to perform his routine tasks. Regulations in the medical field that deal with this issue are under the supervision of the National Institute that caters for health and excellence in the clinical field. They are in charge of ensuring that all patients get the appropriate services from the medical institutions irrespective of their cultures and backgrounds (Davies and Lewis, 2000). They are also in charge of regulating the behaviors, standards and attitudes of the experts across the medical field. Current Debate on Schizophrenia Previous extensive researches in this field suggest that the results of the medical condition can vary. These variations occur as a result of the different medications and methods of intrusion that are in use on a patient. Patients suffering from this medical condition usually encounter relapses due to the stresses they deal with in everyday life. There is a limitation on the amount of personal experiences we get from people suffering from schizophrenia. There is however a great need to study the dealings between the disorder and the patient (Cookson and Katona, 2002). Conclusion The government should establish a resolution strategy to address the problems of patients suffering from the ailment. Treatment teams that will go visiting patients in their homes should be on the increase to aid in patients encountering frequent emergencies (Curtis, 2007). These measures should apply to the patients who are recovering and have undergone supervision as inpatients of various hospitals. References Audit Commission 2006, Making a reality of community care, HMSO, London. Barnes, T. R. E., and Kidger, T. 2002, Tardive dyskinesia and problems of assessment. In Current Themes in Psychiatry, Macmillan, London. Barnes, T. R. E., and Buckley, P., and Schulz, S.C. 2003, Treatment-resistant schizophrenia. In Schizophrenia, Blackwell Publishing, Oxford. Beck, A. T. 2004, Cognitive therapy and the emotional disorders, New York, International Universities Press. Cookson, J., and Taylor, D., and Katona, C. 2002, Use of drugs in psychiatry, Gaskell, London. Curtis, L. 2007, Unit costs of health and social care. Personal Social Services Research Unit, University of Kent, Canterbury. Davies, L., and Lewis, S. 2000, Antipsychotic medication for people with first episode schizophrenia: An exploratory economic analysis of alternative treatment algorithms, Centre for Health Economics, University of York, York. Department of Health, 2004, NSF for mental health. Modern standards and service models, Department of Health, London. Department of Health 2000, The NHS plan: a plan for investment, a plan for reform, Department of Health, London. Department of Health, 2007, Mental Health Act 2007, Department of Health, London. Malcolm, G. 2008, Social work and mental health, Learning Matters, London. Healy, D. 2002, The Creation of psychopharmacology, Harvard University Press, London. Jones, P. 2006, Drama as therapy. Theatre as living, Routledge, London. Klein, D. F., and Davis, J. M. 2009, Diagnosis and drug treatment of psychiatric disorders, Williams and Wilkins, Baltimore, MD. Read More