1. Choose one mental health promotion topic and discuss the predisposing, enabling and reinforcing factors that influence related behaviors.
In as much as mental health is a crucial part of human health, awareness and recognition strategies of mental disorders are not often considered. Mental health disorders are illnesses that affect one’s behavior, mood and thoughts. They include schizophrenia, depression, addictive behaviors, eating and anxiety disorders, among others. Ignorance and stigma are some of the barriers to mental health among individuals. Mental health thrives on, among other factors, the psychological well-being of an individual, community understanding of mental health and management of mental health risk factors. Schizophrenia is among the most prevalent mental health disorders that are often overlooked.
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Although environmental factors such as traumatic experiences, social disadvantage, bereavement, long term illness, unemployment, among others are known to potentially result in poor mental health, research shows that some mental illnesses could be potentially inherited (Singh, 2016). Schizophrenia is a mental disorder that affects the normal function of the brain and is often caused by an injury to the brain, drug use or a certain gene that may be maternally inherited. It is, however, unclear whether this disorder is wholly inherited or develops due to a trigger in one's social environment. Victims of schizophrenia are often psychotic and maybe delusional as well as experience hallucinations. Certain factors resulting from schizophrenia are known to aggravate mental health disorders leading to further mental, behavioral and physical disabilities. Some of these factors include self-harm, social isolation, decreased enjoyment in life, and continued use of drugs that may reduce body immunity.
Early intervention strategies among vulnerable groups of individuals may promote mental health. These include social empowerment, early childhood interventions, and the implementation of mental health promotional activities in schools, among others (McGorry, 2015). The integration of mental health promotion programs in all health institutions would also go a long way in enhancing mental health in the communities.
2. Share one online resource that relates to EBPH and Mental Health Promotion and explain how they are related.
Health promotion practices have come up in relation to mental health concerns. One of these practices is the use of evidence-based public health (EBPH). This refers to the integration of scientific evidence and practice to achieve better health of the target population. Brämberg’s Disability and Rehabilitation ( Björk Brämberg, E., 2018) article focuses on raising awareness on mental disorders and their effects on an individual’s well-being leading to an overall negative economic situation nationally. In this research, Brämberg states that common mental disorders (CMD) are the most prevalent causes of sick leave among working-age individuals. As a solution to this problem, many European countries have implemented strategic plans to curb the negative impact of mental disorders on their economy. Some of these strategies include financing EBPH programs that aim to rehabilitate mental illness victims to ensure quick recovery, thus return to work immediately.
3. Share an online resource that describes the work of one community-based program that promotes mental health and talk about it.
Community-based programs exist to help mental illness victims cope and recover. These programs encompass a wide variety of care through health clinics as well as through community agencies. One of the community-based programs is peer support and self-help groups. This program is designed to bring together people with similar mental health problems and experiences in order for them to share and find solace. Pang’s 2015 article, Health outcomes, community resources for health, and support strategies 12 months after discharge in patients with severe mental illness, promotes the use of peer-support groups as one of the most effective community-based programs to help mental patients to recovery. Patients with mental illnesses are dispensed with the virtue of the high quality of life perception, thus their process of recovery is enhanced. In addition, this program assists family members of mental health victims, as a platform to share challenges as well as coping strategies. Thus enhancing the recovery process as it helps the caregivers perceive this process as less overwhelming.
References
Singh, T., Kurki, M. I., Curtis, D., Purcell, S. M., Crooks, L., McRae, J., ... & Pietiläinen, O. (2016). Rare loss-of-function variants in SETD1A are associated with schizophrenia and developmental disorders. Nature neuroscience , 19 (4), 571.
McGorry, P. D. (2015). Early intervention in psychosis: obvious, effective, overdue. The Journal of nervous and mental disease , 203 (5), 310.
Björk Brämberg, E., Jensen, I., & Kwak, L. (2018). Nationwide implementation of a national policy for evidence-based rehabilitation with focus on facilitating return to work: a survey of perceived use, facilitators, and barriers. Disability and rehabilitation , 1-9.
Pang, S. M. C., Yeung, F. K. K., Cheung, E. F. C., Mui, J., Chien, W. T., Leung, S. F., & Thompson, D. (2015). Health outcomes, community resources for health, and support strategies 12 months after discharge in patients with severe mental illness.
