Health Improvement for Consumers Diagnosed with Mental Illness - Personal Statement Example

Health Improvement for Consumers Diagnosed with mental illness Introduction Mental illness can be defined as any disorder that affects an individual’s thinking and behavior. Mental illness can be of different types, for instance, schizophrenia, depression and some addictive behaviors (Halter & Varcarolis, 2014). However, not all mental problems qualify to be classified as mental illness since some are temporal and never last for long. In essence, people experience mental health problems from time to time and are mostly fuelled by work pressures, relations with peers and other factors. Mental illness can make an individual’s life miserable and distort the peaceful relations with other people (Houser& Oman, 2011). People with mental illnesses generally receive poor treatment from the members of the community and are not readily accepted. Basically, consumers diagnosed with any form of mental illness suffer poorer physical health than the common population. In this regard, parents, guardians, relatives, the government and nongovernmental organizations should take part in helping people with mental illness improve their physical wellbeing. How the community views consumers with mental illness Research has shown that, most medical practitioners have a negative attitude towards people diagnosed with mental illness. In essence, people with mental illnesses are seen as lesser humans who do not deserve equal health services as those who are mentally fit. Some health professionals argue that people with mental illnesses are stubborn and difficult to handle. In most heath service institution, the available infrastructure is not convenient for people with mental illness. In addition, medical attendants are not adequately equipped with the skills to handle customers with mental illness. Bauer (2011) points out that the government and other non-government organizations have established some intervention measure to ensure that mentally ill patients are handled with eminent care. Intervention mechanisms to mental illness `The government has established numerous training institutions and equipped them with adequate facilities to ensure that there is sufficient human resource in the mental health sector. In addition, the government has developed the school curriculum to include lessons about mental health in order to prepare students to recognize and appreciate consumers with mental illness once they are out of school. The government has also established rehabilitation centers for accommodating patients with severe mental illnesses to ensure that they are adequately taken care of. Most people with mental illness are not aware of their problem. Therefore, educations (together with counseling) play an essential role in helping such people recognizes their problem and respond positively to the treatment administered. There are different government agencies conducting sensitization campaigns across the country to ensure ethical standards are met when handling mental illness cases. Several legislations have been enacted by the parliament to curb discrimination of consumers diagnosed with mental illnesses. For instance, enactment of the human rights act and the bill of rights act outlawed discrimination of the disabled groups of people, including consumers with any form of mental illness. Implementation of such acts has greatly helped in enforcing equality rules and curbing discrimination along disability lines. In addition, the government has established institutions such as the Health and Disability commission where people with mental illness can report any case of discrimination in accessing general health services. Establishment of such institutions has empowered the government in the provision of quality services to vulnerable groups of people who have been neglected for many years. Essentially, the government has reinforced formation of regional centers managed by specialists in mental health to bring services closer to the society. Community nongovernmental organizations have also played a significant role in mitigating and controlling adverse outcomes of mental illness. The organizations aid in organizing sporting activities to ensure that people with mental illness are always active and are not involved in illicit and harmful activities. Basically, the best way to control people’s behavior is by keeping them active throughout so that they do not get time for engaging in absurd activities. Several researches carried out by mental health professionals have shown that, mental illness is made worse by leaving the victim idle. Idleness result to a lot of evils and therefore people with mental health should be freed from it and ensure that they engage in constructive activities that are of benefit to their physical health. Norman & Ryrie (2009) argue that sports such as athletics and ball game are very helpful for people with low and moderate mental illness since such sports excite their minds and make them focus on games thereby reducing stigma. The public health institutions have emphasized on professional exchange programs with other countries to enhance quality service delivery to patients with mental illness. The government works closely with public health institutions to ensure that the exchange programs are with the provisions of law. Sharing of experts between health institutions aids in developing skills and provide avenues for health professionals to have a wide range of exposure. Medical professionals and other stakeholders in the healthy sector have developed strategic approaches to ensure a proper diet for people with mental illness. According to Tulchinsky & Varavikova (2009), Imbalanced diet is among the major factors contributing to the worsening of physical health of persons suffering from mental illnesses. Health organizations and human rights activists have conducted comprehensive campaign through public gatherings and the media to teach the public on the importance of balanced diet. Research has shown that, people who usually take a balanced diet in all meals are resistance to various diseases and their response to medication is very positive. Therefore, it is advisable for people living with mentally ill persons to ensure that they provide them with the recommended diet for a positive response to medication. Conclusion Consumers with any form of mental illness are prone to poorer physical health than the general population. The cases of discrimination for people suffering from mental illness have been evident in many healthcare institutions. Government agencies and community members should pull together their available resources to assist people with mental illness. In the recent past, the government and several charitable organizations have intervened in the fight against discrimination for people living with mental illness. Several legislations have been enacted to guard against discrimination of mentally ill persons. In essence, everyone should take part in ensuring that people living with mental illness are well taken care of and that they are not prejudiced access to health care services. References: Bauer, J. W. (2011). Rural families and work: Context and problems. New York, N.Y: Springer. Halter, M. J., & Varcarolis, E. M. (2014). Varcarolis foundations of psychiatric mental health nursing: A clinical approach. St. Louis, Mo: Elsevier. Houser, J., & Oman, K. S. (2011). Evidence-based practice: An implementation guide for healthcare organizations. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning. Norman, I. J., & Ryrie, I. (2009). The art and science of mental health nursing: A textbook of principles and practice. Maidenhead, Berkshire, England: McGraw Hiil, Open University Press. Tulchinsky, T. H., & Varavikova, E. (2009). The new public health. Amsterdam: Elsevier / Academic Press. Read More