Understanding Mental Health and its Relationship with Physical Health

This assignment explores the relationship between mental health and physical health, focusing on the case study of Sam who is experiencing symptoms of mental health complications. It discusses the importance of mental health interventions for promoting recovery and overall well-being.

Running head: HEALTHCARE
Healthcare
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Introduction
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is defined as a
state of well-being under which each and every individual understands personal potential and
thus coping with the daily stress while working productivity and giving meaningful
contribution to the society. Having a mental health disorder affects a person’s mental health
stability leading to poor coping skills and hamper in the physical and mental well-being. The
common mental health orders include anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia
(Parliament of Australia., 2019). The following assignment is base on the case study of Sam,
who has recently expression signs and symptoms of mental health complications. The paper
will initiate by explaining that mental health complications he is suffering from by relating
with the symptoms. This will be followed by establishment of the relationship of mental
health with physical health along with a comprehensive understanding about the level of
personal recovery. At the end, the paper will highlight the mental health needs of Sam and the
implications of the assignment in relation to the therapeutic mental health practice. The
overall assignment will help in understanding how mental and physical health and related and
the importance of the mental health interventions for promoting faster recovery and
improvement of the overall health and well-being.
Discussion
Understanding of mental and mental illness
Mental illness is epidemic in Australia like any other developed countries and has a
significant impact over the personal, social and economic status of the community dwelling
population. Nearly 45% of the Australian population suffers from mental health
complications during their life-time. Anxiety and its associated mental health complications

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like depression are the common mental health alignment affecting 14 to 16% of the adult
population per year and are regarded as high prevalence illness. The anxiety and depression
related mental health disorders include post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, obsessive
compulsive disorder and bipolar disorder. Mental illness of “low prevalence” includes
schizophrenia and other psychosis related disorder affecting 1 to 2% of the adult population
(Parliament of Australia., 2019). From the analysis of the case study, it can be stated that Sam
is suffering from schizophrenia. Schizophrenia is a brain disorder that results in psychosis. It
affects thinking of a person, sense of self and perceptions. The disorder becomes evident
during late stage of adolescence or during the early adulthood (U.S National Library of
Medicine, 2019). In case of Sam, the symptoms surfaced during 18-year during the early
adulthood. Main signs and symptoms of Schizophrenia are false perception like
hallucinations (both visual and auditory and smell) (U.S National Library of Medicine, 2019).
In case of Sam, he is experiencing visual hallucinations like according to him Australian
Secrete Intelligence Service (ASIS) is tracking his every move by installing mini videos in
the University campus. However, later his parents found that he is lately not-visiting
University and is showing bizarre behaviour. U.S National Library of Medicine (2019)
reports that people with schizophrenia expresses decreased ability to function at academic or
professional field. Sam usually loved to play sports and was actively involved at the local
club level. However at present, he prefers staying at in his own room and listening to music.
He asked he says that needs to protect his friends. Australian Government Department of
Health (2018) stated that having a first degree of relative with schizophrenia increases the
vulnerability of the developing disorder. The case study revealed that Sam has a family
history of psychiatric disorder. His paternal uncle was diagnosed with shizo-affective
disorder. In shizo-affective disorder, individuals’ exhibit strong features of both
schizophrenia and mood disorders (U.S National Library of Medicine, 2019). Australian

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Government Department of Health (2018) however, stated that though schizophrenia can run
in families, only one precent of family member develops schizophrenia.
Relationship between mental and physical health
A distinct distribution is often made between mind and body. However, while
considering mental and physical health, the two aspects of health must never be separated.
Poor physical health-related consequences like prolong illness from chronic disease leads to
the development of complex mental health disease. The poor mental health condition leads to
the development of several physical co-morbidities. There are several ways through which
mental health leads to detrimental physical health outcome. For example, individuals having
highest level of self-rated distress are vulnerable towards developing cancer. People suffering
from depression are vulnerable towards developing coronary heart disease (Ohrnberger,
Fichera & Sutton, 2017). Kritharides, Chow and Lambert (2017) are of the opinion that
schizophrenia doubles the risk of developing cardiac complications and triples the risk of
developing respiratory distress in-comparison to the individuals who do not have any serious
mental health complications. The reason behind this is, people with complex mental health
disease like schizophrenia are less likely to receive physical healthcare as the initial signs and
symptoms of physical health co-morbidities remain undiagnosed leading to increased severity
of the disease. The study conducted by Correll et al. (2015) stated that people with complex
mental health disease have shorter lifespan in comparison to the general population. This high
level of mortality mainly arises due to increased level of occurrence of the physical health
disparity. The use of the antipsychotic medications like anti-depressants and mood stabilizers
used for the treatment of schizophrenia and shizo-affective disorders increase the risk of
several physical diseases like obesity, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, hyponatremia, thyroid
disorder, cardiovascular disease, renal disease, respiratory disease, gastro-intestinal
complication, hematological disease and musculo-skeletal disease and other movement

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disorders. However, at what extent the patient-specific risk factors and medication-specific
risk factors interact or how the negative outcomes are minimized requires further clinical
attention and research (Correll et al., 2015). However, the analysis of the case study revealed
that there are no significant physical health complications associated with Sam as he is
physically fit and no known medical complications. He was also a sport sports addict and is
actively involved in the club level. He also has no prescribed medication and no known
psychiatric history. He has also achieved the required developmental milestone. He also has
no reported cases of alcohol or drug abuse. However, Physical Activity Vital sign (PAVS)
must be included in the routine assessment of the schizophrenia, but initial stage of
schizophrenia as not reported cases of significant physical health anomalies (Tényi et al.,
2015). Vancampfort et al. (2018) reported that minor physical anomalies are common among
the schizophrenic or depressive patients who are prone to homicidal tendencies.
Personal Recovery
Traditionally, clinicians and the healthcare users use the term “recovery” in order to
explain a return to a pre-morbid state. This form of clinical recovery has particular and clear
objective and has measureable health-outcome. Past decade saw the advent of the personal
recovery that is regarded as an alternative to the clinical recovery. Personal recovery has
gained traction in the mental health and has a significant impact on numerous mental health
complications. Personal health was originally conceptualised as an individually unique yet
ongoing process for the individuals who have serious mental health complications. It
emphasizes over the growth and has significant potential for recovery. Personal health is also
proposed to be a clinical outcome for the mental health professionals (Psych, Remington &
Lee, 2017). The personal recovery model for the mental illness is defined under the acronym
of "CHIME”, connectedness, hope, identity, meaning and purpose, and empowerment
(Maybery et al., 2015). The connectedness deals with increase in the family-level

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interventions. Caqueo-Urízar et al. (2015) stated that family level interventions for
schizophrenia help to promote the sense of connectedness among the patient suffering from
schizophrenia and thereby helping to improve the overall mental health outcome. The
evidence-based family therapies include: psycho education, emotional processing, reduction
in stress, cognitive reappraisal and structured problem solving. Psycho-education helps to
promote mental awareness among the family and thus increasing the level of support that the
patient is receiving from his family. The case study states that Sam has good relationship with
his parents. But lately he becomes agitated while being enquired for his unnatural behavior or
appears frightened and also prefers to stay in his room. Psycho-education of the family helps
to increase the level of family support and thus Sam will receive more support from his
parents, reducing his sense of fear and hallucination related anxiety. Structured problem
solving increased the simplicity of the problem solving and is implemented as an educational
method. Structured problem solving skills will help Sam to understand that ASIS is not
conducting surveillance against him. The understanding that CCTV cameras in the university
are installed for security purpose of the students solely and ASIS has no direct contact with it
will help to improve his personal recovery approach of structure problem solving skills
(Harvey, 2018).
Mental Health Needs
Resuming his sport-based activities with his friends
The case study highlights that Sam used to love playing sports with his friends and
mainly keep himself locked in his room, listening to music. When enquired he said that he is
trying to protect his friends and shows signs of agitation upon questioned more. Thus the
main mental health need of Sam is resuming his sport participation with his friends group.
The systematic review conducted by Soundy et al. (2015) highlighted that sport participation
results in decrease in the BMI and other psychiatric symptoms of patients suffering from

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schizophrenia. Taking part in sport has potential to improve the quality of life of the via
providing a meaningful yet normalized activity that leads to subsequent achievement in life
along with success and other satisfaction. However Sam is scared playing with his friends
outdoors in that case, proper mental health counseling will be helpful to recover his
misconception arising out of hallucinations.
Mental counseling for overcoming hallucinations
Fighting against hallucination is another mental health need for Sam because increase
in the rate of hallucinations might decrease his health and well-being further. du Sert et al.
(2018) are of the opinion that auditory verbal hallucinations are highly disabling and this
unmet clinical need demands immediate attention. Virtual reality therapy (VRT) helps to
reduce verbal and auditory hallucinations while reducing the depressive symptoms and
improving the quality of life of the people suffering from schizophrenia. VRT must be
delivered under the presence of trained psychiatric nurse. Apart from VRT, music therapy
can also be used to reduce hallucination in Sam and it must prove to be effective as at present
he is mostly listening to music. Tseng et al. (2016) stated that regardless of the duration and
frequency of the music therapy, it is effective in reducing depression among patients
suffering from auditory and verbal hallucination.
Implications for therapeutic practice
Schizophrenia is a debilitating neurodevelopment disorder that strikes a significant period of
an individuals’ life during the young adult stage. Early identification of the symptoms of
schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorders in its prodromal stage helps in implementation of
early intervention and perhaps preventing its devastating effects. Understanding of the current
mental health needs will help in improving the clinical symptoms, social and cognitive
functioning by application of person-centered interventions. Treatment algorithm must be

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tailored to presenting symptoms, the associated risk factors and evidence of progression in
order to assure positive progression towards disease treatment (Durand et al., 2015)
Conclusion
Thus from the above discussion it can be state that Sam might be suffering from
Schizophrenia as he is exacerbating visual hallucinations and also has genetic pre-disposition.
It seems that Sam is in his initial stage of disease development and has no significant physical
health co-morbidities. The main personal recovery-based models that will be suitable for Sam
include the increase in the level of family support (connectedness) along training in the level
of structure problem solving skills. The main mental health needs for Sam are overcoming
visual/auditory hallucinations and resuming his sport participation with his friends. Earning
Sam’s consent to once again take part in sports with his friends can be done under active
supervision of mental health professionals and VRT and music therapy are regarded as two
most effective therapies for improving verbal/visual hallucination in case of Sam. Thus
implications of practice include generation of person-centred care plan for schizophrenia.

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References
Australian Government Department of Health. (2018). What is Schizophrenia (National
Mental Health strategy). Access date: 29th August 2019. Retrieved from:
https://www1.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-pubs-w-
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Caqueo-Urízar, A., Rus-Calafell, M., Urzúa, A., Escudero, J., & Gutiérrez-Maldonado, J.
(2015). The role of family therapy in the management of schizophrenia: challenges
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