Mental Disorders in Australia - Essay Example

Mental Disorders in Australia Mental Disorders in Australia A study done by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare indicates that mental disorders contribute extensively to the load of diseases in Australia. Mental disorders are represented by about twenty nine percent of the non-catastrophic disease burden, and the ill health is number three after heart dysfunctions and cancer. About 2 million adults encounter mental health dilemma every year, such as affective, anxiety, and substance and abuse use disorders. Besides, the prevalence of mental illnesses in children and young adults in Australia is approximately thirteen percent of the entire population. The disgrace, usually coupled with having mental illness is notably common in the Australian society because most people are forced to deal with anxiety and anguish by avoiding those with disorders. The intensity of stigma is often massive; hence it becomes a critical issue and part of the mental disorders. This essay discusses the changes that have occurred in service provision for, and societal attitudes towards the mentally ill in Australia have led to positive developments, and positive advances are reflected by referring to the Australia Bureau of Statistics (ABS). Interviews done at Wesley mission hospital to the mentally sick revealed that the caregivers, including the hospital staff indicated social solitude, intolerance and negative perceptions. However, a clear distinction exists between the problems experienced by the mentally ill and the benign societal perception towards mental disorders. Particularly, a survey done to the community showed professional empathy and comprehension to those living with mental disorders (Sawyer, 2009). However, most informants in this survey displayed fear of living with victims of mental disorders, especially if the disorder was schizophrenia and bipolar disorders. A large number of people in Australia have different comprehension, opinions and knowledge on specific mental disorders (Savy&Sawyer, 2009). For instance, depression is largely known and presumed, besides, societal attitude towards it is benevolent. Anxiety, on the other hand, is less popular; however, societal attitude towards both depression and anxiety is fairly mild. Many people are familiar with schizophrenia, although most of them do not understand the disorder, however, attitudes towards the disorder is negative especially in work settings and private properties. Consequently, bipolar disorders are less recognized, and the societal attitude towards people with the disorder is less conclusive as compared to those with depression and anxiety. The Australian government has allocated funds to support organizations working with the mentally ill. This is an extension programme to support individuals and families obligated to take care of mentally ill individuals. Although the project has achieved less than expected, the government still strives to maintain the (Warburton& Savy, 2012) ongoing services through commitment. Some of the positive outcomes experienced by these changes in service provision include having purposeful jobs as part of the recovery process. This motivates them to achieve self –actualization just like normal human beings. Besides, most activists have tried to eliminate stigmatization and discrimination in the workplaces for the mentally ill to fit in. In addition, dual diagnoses and complex needs of the mentally ill have been considered; this is done through an all-round support on multiple issues like homelessness, drug and alcohol abuse to assist in recovery (Foster, 2010). According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006), the impacts of poor mental health was connected with reduced life nature, lower productivity and poorer general health status. Basically, mental cases should not be perceived in segregation, but it should be viewed in terms of the well being of the individuals, including their families and society as a whole. In 1998, a research done by the ABS showed that almost eighteen percent had mental illness within one year. During that time, the National Health Survey (2005) found out that around eleven percent showed they had experienced long term mental disorder. In the same survey, almost thirteen percent of the entire adults displayed increased or very high mental distress in the previous four weeks (ABS, 2006). Hayman-White et al (2006) argue that the prevalence statistic of eighteen percent is an underestimation, because this figure tends to exclude low prevalent disorders such as schizophrenia. The ABS also discovered that mental illnesses occurred in especially higher rates among adolescents, the age of onset, and adults living in socio-economically poor regions. The Wesley Mission’s research indicated around twenty percent of diagnosed mental illnesses and thirty five percent, including diagnosed and suspected mental illnesses, which was a little higher than the ABS prevalence rates. The relatively high number in the Wesley research is critical in comprehending the aspect of lifetime prevalence of mental illnesses. On the other hand, about twenty percent of the Australians are prone to experiencing mood affective disorders in their lifetime and a further ten percent increase of anxiety disorder. A relatively smaller number of people get diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorders in their lifetime, at one percent and two percent respectively (SANE Australia, 2005a; 2005d). While analyzing these statistics from ABS, the positive advances are reflected in improved statistics for mental health in Australia. I agree with the statement; the changes that have occurred in service provision and societal attitudes towards the mentally ill, have led to positive developments, and positive advances are reflected in improved statistics for mental health in Australia, although in a slower progression. The number of people with mental illnesses has reduced because of the improved specialized health care system, in the public sector; services are integrated into hospitals and community settings. A variety of community services are offered to the mentally sick to assist in recovery, such as mobile-follow up and treatment, housing, employment, and income support networks that are funded by the Australian government and territory governments. In addition, meaningful employments built confidence boosted self-esteem, and enabled them to interact with other individuals freely. However, the statistics will decrease in cases where mentally sick people are discriminated and stigmatized. Direct contact with people with mental illness is associated with more positive beliefs and a reduction in stereotypical attitudes (Blood et al, 2002). In conclusion, most people suffering from mental illness are able to recover and attain self-fulfillment in later life, so long as they get sufficient treatments, therapies, and support. In the past year, Australia has increased investments in mental health care to reduce the level of statistics, especially the increased levels of suicides. References Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006). Mental Health in Australia: A Snapshot, 2004-05.Catalogue No.4824 00 55 001. Foster. (2010)Client’s Experiences and understanding of Mental Distress. Journal of Journey through Mental Illness. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan Sawyer, A. 2014, ‘Australia’, in A. Scull (ed.), Cultural Sociology of Mental Illness, volume-1, Sage, Thousand Oaks, CA, pp. 61-64. Savy, P., & Sawyer, A. (2009) Mental illness: Understandings, experience and service provision. Second Opinion: An Introduction to Health Sociology. Melbourne: Oxford University Press, pp. 269-287 Warburton, J. & Savy, P (2012) the aged care sector: residential and community care in Willis, E., Reynolds, L. and Keleher, H. Understanding the Australian Health Care System (2nd Ed) Elsevier Press. Read More