The increase of people suffering from mental health issues such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression is a public health concern that requires more awareness in the public to reduce the levels of stigmatization. Despite decades of medical research on mental illnesses, American people still hold negative perceptions on people living with mental illnesses (Mechanic, 2007). Advocacy is at the core of the nursing profession, enabling nurses to provide a supporting voice to their patients, communities and their own professions (Angermeyer, Matschinger, & Schomerus, 2013). Complex mental issues and a fragmented health system have made it more difficult for patients to acquire the essential information they need to make choices on their health.
Becoming a social agent in the community involves changing the general perceptions held against people with mental health issues. As a nurse, one can join community awareness groups such as Mental Health America, that are directly involved with educating people on the importance of mental health and seeking psychiatric help. Angermeyer et al. (2016), points out that the probability of people seeking mental healthcare has increased considerably, leading to more individuals acquiring special care for mental health disorders. Nurses must embrace three strategies to build their advocacy capacity including developing advocacy expertise, engaging in advocacy community groups and facilitating advocacy partnerships (Angermeyer et al., 2013). Communities play a major role in creating conducive environments in which individuals feel safe about sharing their mental health experinces (Dingfelder, 2009). By doing so, nurses act as agents of social change by engaging in broader platforms for mental health awareness.
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Mental health requires an entirely different approach from physical health. People often fail to understand the disparity between mental and physical health leading to negative perceptions and discrimination in mental health insurance (Bennett, 2015). Nurses are expected to advocate for a more humanistic approach in mental health perspectives. Advocacy would begin with the initiating and supporting actions that meet the health needs of people living with disorders such as schizophrenia and depression (Bennett, 2015). Initial advocacy roles do not have to be major projects. Nurses can begin at the micro level, which involves patient care. As a nurse practitioner, I would ensure that patient safety, by carefully going through their medical history and identifying issues such as allergic reaction to certain medications (Mechanic, 2007). Communication is essential in improving medical literacy for a patient, meaning that nurses should help the patient and their family in understanding their condition and the available treatment options.
Lack of society acceptance of mental health is a result of inadequate mental health awareness. Silence in the psychiatric metal health department leads issues pertaining mental health patients from receiving the attention they deserve (Dingfelder, 2009). They can ensure that patients are connected with the necessary resources the patient needs (Bennett, 2015). Nurses can have a greater influence by learning from and working with patient organizations such as the National Alliance on Mental Illness (Bennett, 2015). Despite major progress in mental health rehabilitative care, a substantial part of the population living with mental illnesses still lacks direct access to psychiatrists (Mechanic, 2007). Theo Bennet, speaking at the 2015 NAMI National Convention, spoke about how his experience with his father’s mental state helped him in changing his and others perceptions on mental health (Bennett, 2015). Nurses can bridge such gaps by using their connections in NIMA to reach out to members of their community living secretly with underlying mental disorders due to fears of stigmatization.
Health care professionals working in mental health departments are obligated to alleviate the suffering and stigmatization that mental health patients face in their daily interactions with the community (Angermeyer et al., 2013). Nurses in psychiatric departments are supposed to be change agents in creating awareness through involvement with mental health groups such as NIMA, teaching members of their community about complexities surrounding mental disorders and ensuring enrolled patients in psychiatric institutions receive proper mental healthcare. Challenges that may be encountered include criminalization of people with mental illnesses (Dingfelder, 2009). Advocacy for nursing practice stretches beyond the care provided in hospital settings. Nurses should help people leaving mental health institutions in transitioning to community life, easily accessing medical services and obtaining supported employment.
Lastly, advocacy forms an integral part of the mental healthcare profession. People living with mental conditions tend to analyze societal perceptions about their conditions more. Eventually, it leads to the belief that they are incompetent, irrational, and detrimental to progress within the society, leading to further complications in their mental conditions. Patients who hold such beliefs isolate themselves from social support. Nurses in collaboration with organizations such as NIMA play a crucial role by diverting community perceptions towards realizing the competence of people with mental disorders. Ultimately, the general population gains a better sense of how to help people around the community with acquiring psychiatric help.
References
Angermeyer, M., Matschinger, H., & Schomerus, G. (2013). Attitudes towards psychiatric treatment Attitudes towards psychiatric treatment Attitudes towards psychiatric treatment. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 146-151. https://doi.org/10.1192/bjp.bp.112.122978
Bennett, T. (2015, April 16). Changing The Way Society Understands Mental Health. National Alliance on Mental Illness , https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/April-2015/Changing-The-Way-Society-Understands-Mental-Health
Dingfelder, S. (2009, June). Stigma: Alive and well. American Psychological Association , https://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/06/stigma
Mechanic, D. (2007). Mental Health Services Then and Now. Health Affairs , 26(6), 1548-1550. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.26.6.1548
