Humanistic Approach To Health And Social Care

When a person with mental illness feels stigmatized among the community they seek health care professionals who can help them feel better. Consumers expect to have understanding and respect in the health sector. Unfortunately, some consumers experience the opposite way and they also felt the stigma with health care providers (SANE Australia 2013).

The labelling theory in relation to health and social care is very significant. Labels are used consistently within health and social care settings, whether this is through diagnosis, or a service user/providers background. If a service user was diagnosed with a mental health condition like schizophrenia, then this will provide them with a ‘label’. In some cases, labels can be an advantage as it helps aid recovery and treatment, even though it is stigmatising. Labels help service providers provide appropriate care. This can be a result of their own understanding of treatment or recovery paths that link in with this given ‘label’.

Self-pity and pessimistic attitudes remain a topic of discussion with a mentally ill patient, however the more valuable picture revolves around the stigma that the public holds towards those with a mental illness. Unrun Ozer, member of International Committee of National Journal Editors, acknowledges that, “Stigmatization is described as attributing someone in a way that would decrease the person’s reputation because the individual strays away from the general norms of the society” ( 225). Ozer clarifies that a stigma is an unfavorable viewpoint that society has on someone that is perceived as different. Those with a mental illness are susceptible to vulnerability because they are at a small disadvantage than the normal person. Negative connotations, such as adverse viewpoints and perplexing labels, affect the care and treatment process of those suffering because their compliance to treatment decreases. Society is too quick to judge and be ignorant if someone isn’t in perfect form, and Ozer reports, “ It has been reported that individuals with mental illnesses are seen by the society as dangerous, frightening, unstable, irresponsible, unpredictable, and having communication problems” (Ozer 225). Ozer declares that these labels are degrading to an individual with a mental illness, and cause feelings of introversion, decreased self-confidence, worthlessness, shame and despair. If we want happiness to be achievable for all, then criticizing individuals is a step in the wrong

One of the biggest contributors for poor healthcare is the stigma against mental health. This stigma allows healthcare providers to view those with a mental illness as having low relevance, thus creating disinclination towards providing adequate resources and/or care. This negative stance, based on misinformation and prejudice creates those that have a mental illness to lose their self confidence. Because of this loss, people with mental illness decide not to contribute to their health or livelihood. In the past fifty years, many advances have been made in mental healthcare. However, with the attached stigma, many people choose to not seek out treatment.

This piece of legislation applies to Winterbourne house as it outlines the importance of maintaining the rights of those suffering from a mental health disorder. Those suffering from a mental health disorder may suffer from low self esteem due to the fact that mental health disorders are still surrounded with a stigma. Those working closely with these individuals must ensure that they do not feel they are being discriminated against and must maintain their self confidence, self esteem and self respect.

While stigma may not necessarily be a cause of a person’s mental disorder, it can certainly contribute to the complication and perpetuation of their illness. The effect of stigma goes well beyond just the patient and provides a commentary on society’s overall level of intolerance of those who are considered different from the majority. By recognizing the level of stigma that exists, perhaps we can alter that behavior and gravitate towards a more productive attitude towards mental illness.

Mental Health Act 1983 and 2007, for somebody to be treated as mental illness or mental disorder the Mental Health Act must also be involved. The Mental Health Act was started in the 1983 and was then amended in the 2007. The Mental Health Act 2007 was also amended the Mental Capacity Act 2005. The Mental Health Act 1983 was covering the following mental health disorder such as mental illness, mental impairment, severe mental impairment and psychopathic disorder. Then it was later amended in Mental Health Act 2007 which has provided a definition of a ‘mental disorder’ has does two things by improving the understanding of who can be treated under the Health Act and has increased the number of illness and disorders that can lead to the detention

Within the past two decades there’s been a revival in efforts to reduce stigmatization attached to mental illnesses. It was concluded that if mental illnesses were perceived better as ‘real’ diseases by the public that stigma would go down greatly. Reports proposed the idea that better scientific understanding of mental illnesses by the general public could greatly reduce stigma. Stigma is intensely rooted in social and cultural norms it’s patterns devalue and dehumanize groups of individuals within society (in this case mentally ill people). Stigma constructs barriers for individuals, barriers that limit a person’s abilities to have equal opportunities for employment, safe housing, health care and social relationships.Efforts to reduce stigma in recent years have

Calder argues ‘…the importance of providing such services for a family who may conceal or minimise their difficulties’ (2008) implies that an holistic way of working with families who are experiencing significant and complex difficulties is the most effective approach for social workers. This holistic approach would consist of assessing and addressing the needs of the children and adults in the family, ensuring that support provided is coordinated, dependable and focused on building a professional relationship that is educative and one that provides timely practical help. Child Protection interacts frequently across child-focused services such as child and adolescent mental health services and education (REF). However, relationships and discussion

Service users and mental health professionals often have very different perspectives. Lindow (1999), for example, highlights the way in which users and service providers may have very different priorities, with users more concerned about poverty and housing than local commissioning arrangements. Involving users can provide insights that prompt practitioners to re-evaluate their work, challenge traditional assumptions and highlight key priorities that users would like to see addressed

In all its work, the Commission is guided by the lived experience of people with mental illness and their families and carers. The Commission promotes policies and practices that recognise the autonomy of people who experience mental illness and support their recovery, emphasising their personal and social needs and preferences as well as broader health

Bias against individuals with a mental illness label can be traced back to early childhood, therefore, many parents hesitate to seek out help for their children just for them to have a characterization of not being well mentally. Others tend to focus on the challenging behaviors instead of the positive characteristics of someone receiving a diagnosis of a learning, behavioral, or emotional disorder. Many continue to suffer in silence, because they do not want to be see noted for their mental illness diagnosis, but for who they are and what they can accomplish. For examples, when an adult or child has been categorized as having a learning, behavior, or emotional problems (Austism, ADHD, manic-depressive) a label can be detrimental, because there are many degrees of disability and ability that gets lost with a generic label that affects educational and social possibilities. Professionals have to be careful over labels given out, because a mere diagnosis is complex, and can have many ramifications on the patient receiving it. In the article, “Mental Illness is Too Broadly Defined,” University Provost Steven E Hyman’s (Professor of Neurobiology and former Director of the National Institute of Mental Health) statement about how psychiatry defines and measures mental illness is, “We have no equivalent of a blood-pressure cuff or blood test or brain scan that is diagnostic (Mental Health, 2007).” Hyman’s statement is just

There were also 4.1 million people who had experienced a lifetime mental disorder but did not have symptoms in the 12 months prior to the survey interview” ( ABS , 2008 ). Similarly, The Mindframe National Media initiative reported that in each year, approximately one in every five Australians will experience a mental illness and mental illnesses are the third leading cause of disability burden in Australia, accounting for an estimated 27 percent of the total years lost due to disability. Those information lead to quality of life in Australia. However, the Australian government is not complacent about the problem and has also developed Mental Health Plan until The Fourth National Mental Health Plan. This essay supports the position that national mental health service provision and societal attitude towards people suffering mental illness is

However, some people do not have to mental health capacity to make an informed decision meaning the individual can be sectioned and treated under the Mental Health Act 2007 to safeguard themselves and others. The Mental Health Act is a piece of legislation that helps individuals with mental health condition which

Stigma has been said to be “a feeling of being negatively differentiated owing to a particular condition, group membership or state in life”(Arboleda-Florez & Stuart, 2012, p. 458). There are typically two types of mental illness stigma that are discussed. Public stigma, also known as societal stigma, is the stigma associated with the prejudicial attitudes the public holds towards those people who suffer from mental illness (Arboleda-Florez & Stuart, 2012; Corrigan, Markowitz, Watson, Rowan & Kubiak, 2003). Self-stigma, also known as internalized stigma, is the loss of self-esteem, withdrawal, and personal shame that some with mental illness will experience. Self-stigma is usually developed when those who suffer from mental illness associate the negative stereotypes the public holds with themselves (Chronister, Chou, & Lieo, 2013; Corrigan et al., 2003).