Mental Health: Depression among Australian Farmers

Health risk increased with unemployment. There is evident that the health risk is higher in areas where unemployment is common. Stable and secure work improves to individual’s job satisfaction, well-being and health. Deteriorate illness and premature death caused by higher unemployment (Wilkinson & Marmot 2003). A number of research form many foreign countries shows individuals and their families face comparatively high risk of premature death (Wilkinson & Marmot 2003). Australia indigenous peoples accounted for 2.4% of the Australian population, the impact of factors such as unemployment, imprisonment, low-income, eligible housing, lead them to life expectancy 9-12 years less than other Australian population(Cunningham & Paradies 2013).

In the general population, 6 in 10 men and 5 in 10 women will experience a traumatic event which will lead into unstable habits, resulting in restricted physical activity. These restrictions in physical activities are linked with fear. In the recent years, researchers such as Campbell et al. (2008), Follette et al. (1996), Hoge et al. (2007) and Wagner et al. (2000) have concluded that there are physical health impacts a person can present from traumatic events (namely, combat exposure, sexual assault or natural disaster). The Australian Defence Force states that in 2010, approximately 90% of the ADF and 73% of Australian citizens have been affected by at least one traumatic event (Australian Government, unknown).Brewin, Andrews and Valentine (2000) informs that multiple traumatic events induce stronger neural signals on the brain. Campbell et al. (2008) and Hoge et al. (2007) highlight that somatic disorder is interrelated from these strong neural signals on the brain in emerging data in traumatic events and physical health.

Depression is a mental disorder in which a patient might feel intense, prolonged, negative emotions (Beyond Blue, 2014). This can have severe impact on a person's mental and physical health, thus affecting a person's quality of life. Severe cases can even lead to suicide. It is estimated that one in six Australians will experience depression in their lifetime (Beyond Blue, 2014). The burden of disease gives an indication of of the loss of health and well being of Australians due to each disease (ABS, 2010). Depression and anxiety is the leading cause of burden among females, accounting for 10% of burden while it is the third leading cause for men, accounting for 4.8% (AIHW, 2003) (This was the most recent information found).

Half of all Australians will experience a mental health problem in their lifetime, with around 20% affected every year by conditions such as depression and anxiety.

Mental illness is as ruthless as it is unforgiving. Those who are victims to it often are unnoticed and feel shamed for existing under its control. Depression is a disease which, according to the Black Dog Institute, affects one in seven Australians in their lifetime, but it is one which fails to be successfully addressed in society, plausibly due to the prevalence of stigmatisation. The stigma associated with mental illness often prevents people from seeking professional treatment and while mental health activists and professionals promote the stigma of mental illness to be one which is diminishing in society, it still remains a condition with extremely concerning repercussions.

Summarise and discuss the presentations of mental health in the two newspaper articles given in Appendix 1. (1500 words).

Numerous people suffer from mental illness’ around the world, for instance, it is estimated that 1 in 5 Canadians will experience at least one mental illness in their lives. Being one of those millions, Jenny Lawson was diagnosed with both, depression and social anxiety, at an early age of 28. after she had left her job at Human Resources for a small corporation when she was pregnant with her child. Consequently, this lead to

Mental illness has a profound impact on the Australian community, with 45% of Australians expected to experience mental illness at some point in their lives. In 1991, Australian Health Ministers commenced The Australian National Mental Health Strategy, which has since transitioned to its Fourth National Mental Health Plan Agreement. The Australian healthcare policy that has recently received attention in the Australian media is the revised National Mental Health Policy of 2008. The media article, ‘‘Futures will be lost’: Health fears as youth psychosis program dropped,’ has been analysed on its illustration of current structural reform proposed in the Mental Health sector. The role of media is critical in conveying policy to the public and

- They provide information and support to help the people in Australia have their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live. Since there are 3 million Australians are living with depression or anxiety, they want to help those people cope with their illness.

The definition of health and illness varies across societies due to their differing cultural, social and ethnic beliefs. The description associated with health and illness has been socially constructed so that the view of a medical profession is the most accurate. There is a general conception to think of health habits such as exercise and consuming a healthy diet when the terms health and illness are mentioned. However it is thought that the conditions that determine health changes are heavily based on one’s social conditions as it is seen that diseases occur in patterns. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) “health is a complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity.” Social

It is well established that Indigenous Australian’s have a lower state of health and wellbeing than non-Indigenous people (Paradies, Harries, and Anderson, 2008). Aboriginal people have a diverse culture with a rich and compelling history and the impact of colonisation, legislation and the stolen generation has created significant hardships for Indigenous Australians, putting them as the most disadvantaged group (Paradies, Harries, and Anderson, 2008). It is known that their life expectancy is seventeen years less than other Australians.

The primary message of this study is that women’s mental health improves each year, regardless of the circumstances or age or socio-economic class. More importantly, the state of a woman’s mental health has nothing to do with bearing children at a young age or later in life. These findings were obtained from a lengthy research done by the University of Queensland in tandem with Newcastle University spanning two decades. Researchers had the financial backing of the Australian Federal government through generous contributions of more than $20 million towards this effort. Professor Christina Lee is one of the core researchers among hundreds of others who conducted the survey comprising of a staggering sample size of 50,000 women.

This essay will explain how contemporary issues in mental health influence people’s social wellbeing. Mental health is a fundamental element of resilience, health assets, capabilities and positive adaption that enable individuals to cope with both adversity and to reach their full potential and humanity. The impact on inequalities of health and other outcomes are sourced from mental health. For example, chronic stress of struggling with material disadvantage is intensified to a very considerable degree by doing so in more unequal societies.

Mental health problems are considered to “interfere with how a person thinks, feels and behaves” (Australian Government Department of Health, 2007, para. 3). Considered to be more prominent, yet less severe than mental illnesses, mental health problems are experienced for

Gardening benefits people’s psychological health; it increases the overall mental health by allowing people to figure out how to deal with unfortunate