Mental Health Assignment (Solution)
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Added on 2020-04-15
Mental Health Assignment (Solution)
Added on 2020-04-15
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1Running head: MENTAL HEALTHMental Health Name of student:Name of university:Author note:
2MENTAL HEALTH Part A1.Schizophrenia is a severe and chronic mental disorder in which the patients exhibitabnormal social behaviour with an inability to differentiate between real and unreal. Thethought process and feelings of the individual are modified to the extent that the patient is leftdisabled. Common symptoms of the disease include unclear and confused thinking, falsebeliefs, hallucinations, movement disorders, reduced social engagement and inability toexpress emotions. Individuals with schizophrenia might be suffering from additional healthand mental well-being complications such as substance-use disorders, anxiety and depression.Further, a patient with schizophrenia has a poor executive functioning and challenges inpaying attention (Bentall, 2013). As opined by Frith (2014) a combination of environment and genetic factors areresponsible for the development of schizophrenia. Individuals who have a family history ofthe disease have 80% more chances of developing the disease. The greatest risk factor fordeveloping schizophrenia is having a first-degree relative with the disease. The keyenvironmental factors that are related to the development of schizophrenia are drug use,prenatal stressors and the living environment. The environmental factors mainly are exposureto the virus, psychosocial factors and malnutrition before birth. Research indicates in certainsections of the population, development of the disease is related to intestinal tractdysfunction. Late adolescence and early adulthood are the time frames when the onset ofschizophrenia is more likely. Thus, the critical years of an individual’s vocational and socialdevelopment are the time of onset of the disease. In 23% of women and 40% of mendiagnosed with the disease, the condition manifests before the age of 19. However, for men,the onset is earlier than women (Sekar et al., 2016).
3MENTAL HEALTH 2.An individual suffering from schizophrenia might be requiring lifelong treatment evenafter the major symptoms subside. Management and treatment of schizophrenia aremultidimensional and include medication management, psychological treatment, physicaltherapy and education. The first line of medication used for the disease is antipsychotic drugs.Such form of medication is useful for reducing the positive symptoms of psychosis in aroundtwo weeks. Some of the commonly used medications include chlorpromazine, haloperidol,perphenazine and fluphenazine. These are first-generation antipsychotic drugs that mighthave potential side effects involving neurologic system. Second-generation medications arepreferred as they pose a lower risk of serious side effects, and such medications includeAripiprazole, Brexpiprazole, Lurasidone, and Cariprazine (Stuart, 2014).Psychological interventions have also been prominent in managing schizophrenia.After psychosis records, social and psychological interventions are necessary. These includeindividual therapy, family therapy, social skills training and vocational rehabilitation. Theseinterventions act to normalise the well being and quality of life of the individuals and focuseson improvement of social communication. For patients not responding to drug therapy,electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may be considered. Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is aprocess in which low doses of electric currents are passed through the brain of the patient thatbrings in bouts of brief seizure. Changes are brought in the brain chemistry so that thesymptoms of the disease can be reversed. Research has pointed out that exercise therapy forschizophrenia holds much potential to improve quality of life of a patient. Physical activityand exercise are done on a regular basis improve mental health as well as physical health(Fortinash & Worret, 2014).
4MENTAL HEALTH Townsend and Morgan (2017) highlighted that patient education plays an imperativerole in managing the disease. Coping is challenging and thus support, and education drivesbetter ability to deal with the condition. Education is effective in motivating the individual toadhere to the treatment plan. Further, the family members can better understand the diseaseand be more caring and compassionate towards the patient. Since management ofschizophrenia is an ongoing process, support and proper education enable a person to bemore conscientious of his responsibilities. 3.The role of the nurse in managing and caring for a patient suffering fromschizophrenia is of importance since a nurse spends the maximum time with the patientamong the different care professional. The care delivered by a nurse focuses on sixfundamental aspects; reduction of psychotic symptoms, prevention fo recurrence of acuteepisodes, meeting psychosocial and physical needs, helping the patient fain optimalfunctioning and increasing compliance to a treatment plan (Varcarolis, 2016). A nurse isrequired to build a trusted relationship wth the patient through effective communication.Appropriate verbal and non-verbal cues are to be used to make the patient feel respected andvalued. A sense of hope for potential improvement is to be instilled that acts as themotivational factor (Videbeck, 2013). A nurse is to ensure that a safe environment is createdfor optimal treatment. Further, a nurse must encourage the involvement of patient’s familymembers in the treatment process. 4.Symptoms of schizophrenia have a drastic negative impact on the lives of individualsliving with it, and the life-altering affects are prominent for social life as well as professionallife. Behaviours of the disease severely affect social, and home life since individuals are
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