Role Of Mental Health In Australia

It is important that the strategy has to draw on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives, understanding what they need and provide the most effective way to reduce the mental illness and suicide prevention (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare 2009). According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfares, “Closing the gap” is a continuing national program which to help closing the gap of mental health of ATSI people. In the area of improving the mental health of Indigenous people, one strategy under the program is the National Action Plan on Mental Health 2006-2011. This plan elaborates that health practitioners who working in Indigenous community are being trained to identify and address mental illness, as well as other associated issues among indigenous people and make referrals for their treatment. In addition, the national plan also highlights that develop the capacity of health practitioner, local community and community organisation, provide better professional support and resources to enable Indigenous people to improve their mental health and develop cultural awareness and suicide prevention training for local health practitioner in mainstream

“Everyone has an important role to play in achieving healthcare rights and contributing to safe, high quality care. Genuine partnerships between those families and carers of people receiving care and those providing it lead to the best possible outcomes.” (Western NSW Local Health District 2012).

The lack of treatment for mental illnesses — due partly from the stigma with which it is associated with — comes with a number of public issues: economically,

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.

The National charity ‘Mind’ aims to help people experiencing mental health issues to take control of their condition. In providing more information and training, it should help promote more positive public views

Under the Mental Health Act 2014, mental illness is defined as a medical condition whereby thought, perception, mood or memories are considered to be disturbed (Vic, p. 15). But at what point does this Act deem it acceptable to override a person who is experiencing mental illness right to choice around their treatment or freedom? Likewise is the process of a compulsory treatment order or admission as an involuntary patient conducive towards an individual’s wellbeing and recovery from mental illness? This short essay aims to explore these questions through analysing the discourses of care, control and protection. The interventions imposed on the individual of forced medication, restraint and seclusion will be considered within a non-indigenous family context in contemporary Australian mores and norms surrounding cultural perceptions of mental illness and mental health displayed in policy and legislation.

Stigma is a destructive shadow which follows mental health, inevitably impacting on the process of recovery. In Australia, statistics show that one in five individuals experience mental illness, of those 74% (SANE Australia,2013) reported being affected by stigma. With such statistics, it is crucial to understand the recovery process in mental health and the extent to which stigma influences on this process.

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.

The social construction of mental illness limit an individual’s life opportunities as they are labelled “psychotic stalkers, comic figures, neurotics who do everything to excess, or sometimes as sympathetic characters” (DeVoe 2003-2004, p. 926) rarely are they viewed as competent members of society as illustrated by Howard Geld experience, “many years ago, I was diagnosed manic depressive psychotic and ever since then I have tried to live up to it.” (Howard Geld cited in DeVoe 2003-2004, p. 925). However events such as NSW Mental Health Month (October) which emphasises the promotion of social and emotional wellbeing by encouraging people to maximise their health and increase their mental health literacy provides a great opportunity for reducing the fear associated with this group by raising awareness of mental illness which over time serves also to eliminate the stigma associated with

A strong case can be made for investing in mental health, whether to enhance individual and world wellbeing, improve life span, or even to enable people living with mental illnesses to have a better quality of life. Mental health problems account for a quarter of all ill health yet they receive less than 6% of all health research funding, people with these health conditions usually experience poor access to help services and lower quality care than those with physical health problems. Addressing mental and physical health needs together would be more cost effective for the NHS and would benefit the increasing numbers of people dealing with untreated mental illness.

The 2007 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing Results revealed that at some stage in their lives, up to 45% of Australians will experience a mental illness, with 20% of the Australians surveyed in the 16-85 age group having experienced a mental illness within the 12 months preceding the survey

Mental health is defined as an individual’s optimal care in managing the stress of everyday life, through their own unique approach and can efficiently and successfully make vital contribution within the community they live in (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC, 2013). Since a break in a person’s optimal mental state affects not only the individual but society, it is important to understand what it means to have a break in one’s state of mental health and the different categories that is associated with mental illness. Focus will also be paid to why there is a need for the reformation of the mental health act in Canada; the social determinants that is associated with mental health and their contribution to society’s health’s. Finally, focus also need to be placed on how mental health is being promoted to society the stigma generally associated with it.

The Australian Government created an innovating National Youth Mental Health Foundation is known as, Headspace. Headspace provides early support, care and services for a range of mental health challenges young people commonly face. Headspace aim to target any problems young people may face in order to adverse effects. They provide services that span over physical health, drug and alcohol support and vocational counsel. They aim to empower young people to seek assistance, support, advice or simply someone to talk about mental health issues. Anyone who walks into a headspace centre should feel treated with respect and compassion, within a confidential and safe environment.

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

The history of the Australian mental health system dates back as far as the early settlers, with asylums and institutions being commonplace (Willis, E, Reynolds, L, Keleher, H 2013). By the 1950s deinstitutionalization was becoming a common occurrence, which led directly to the more recent community-based services being developed. Mental healthcare began shifting from custodial care in institutions to supporting patients returning to the community (Willis, E, Reynolds, L, Keleher, H 2013). Although, the Australian government has strived to create a comprehensive mental health service there are still many concerns. There is also a long history in regards to Australian rural and remote health, although, the magnitude of issues occurring in this sector took some years to surface. History shows us that significant concerns first started to emerge during the 1970s. The issues were confronting and required the Australian government to urgently address the myriad of health issues occurring in regional areas. Two of the main concerns transpiring in this area were relating to indigenous health and misuse of drugs and alcohol. As a result, countless rural health initiatives and projects were funded in order to address rural issues. Unfortunately, the health and wellbeing in these communities still remains significantly poorer then their city counterparts (Willis, E, Reynolds, L, Keleher, H 2013).