Abstract Mental Health

Running Head: MENTAL ILLNESS 1
Mental Health and Substance and Alcohol Abuse
Name of Student
Name of Professor
Institution Affiliation
Date

MENTAL ILLNESS 2
Abstract
Mental Health and substance and alcohol abuse has been on the rise drastically. These
two aspects have had negative impacts on the people experiencing them. They affect the quality
of their lives, result in deaths, heart disease, and respiratory complications. Due to stigma and
discrimination, financial constraints, and lack of specialty programs for people experiencing the
two conditions, it has become so difficult for them to access useful and effective healthcare. As a
result of inaccessibility to healthcare, the complications have continued to influence them
negatively. Mental health nurses and other nurses should strive to provide holistic and recovery-
oriented care for these patients. They can do so by being patient-centered and becoming
optimistic and committed to providing services. Australia has been at the forefront of providing
proper mental health. It has adopted strategies like providing a supportive environment and
striving to create awareness. Resilience is another factor that enhances recovery. Nurses should
at all times, be committed to providing resilience to the mental illness patients through helping
them develop achievable goals, providing support, and coaching them on self-care.

MENTAL ILLNESS 3
Table of Contents
Introduction....................................................................................................................................4
Common physical health associated with mental illness/substance abuse disorder................4
Challenges faced by mental health illness while accessing health care.....................................5
Inadequate mental specialty programs.........................................................................................5
Financial barriers..........................................................................................................................5
Discrimination and stigma...........................................................................................................6
Holistic and recovery-oriented care for mental illnesses...........................................................6
Australians strategies that promote good mental health...........................................................8
Strategies for promoting resilience..............................................................................................9
Conclusion....................................................................................................................................10
Implications for nursing..............................................................................................................10
References.....................................................................................................................................11

MENTAL ILLNESS 4
Introduction
Mental illness and substance and alcohol abuse is a common occurrence in Australia.
Approximately one out of five (20%) of Australians aged 16-85 years encounter a mental
pandemic in a year. The most commonly experienced mental related illnesses among this age
group are substance use disorder, anxiety, and depression. Available data indicate that half (45%)
of Australians experience a mental illness across their lifetime. These mental illnesses
negatively influence the way of life of the user, and hence effective strategies should be applied
to assist in promoting good mental health. Formulation of practical and effective strategies is
essential in achieving resilience among people encountering mental complications and substance
abuse. This essay aims at discussing physical problems associated with mental health, strategies
for addressing, and other aspects related to mental illnesses.
Common physical health associated with mental illness/substance abuse disorder
There are various ways that patients with mental illnesses/substance abuse disorders have
revealed to be detrimental to physical health. Some of the common physical complications linked
to mental health include;
 Doubling the chances of death occurring from heart disease
 Increased risk of developing heart disease
 Doubling the likelihood of death occurring as a result of respiratory disease
 Depression has been associated with a 67% increase in a person’s likelihood of dying due
to heart disease and 50% from cancer
 Reduction in life expectancies by 10 to 20 years (Houben et al., 2019, p 457-467).
These physical complications, especially high cases of deaths, arise because these patients
are less likely to get the physical healthcare they are eligible for (Buhagiar et al., 2020). They