Mental health And Illness | Assessment

Running head: MENTAL HEALTH AND ILLNESS
MENTAL HEALTH AND ILLNESS
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1MENTAL HEALTH AND ILLNESS
Introduction
As postulated by the World Health Organization, an optimum condition of mental health
is one where an individual enjoys a condition of wellbeing and the ability to manage normal life
stresses, engage in fruitful and productive work and contribute positively to the societal or
community expectations. When such a state of wellbeing and optimum societal as well as
personal functioning is lost, an individual experiences mental illness (Parliament of Australia,
2019).
While a number of mental health disorders exist, mental health conditions with violence
and aggressive behaviors are often difficult to manage and require comprehensive efforts by the
individual, his or her family as well as the concerned health professionals for ensuring
prevention of any personal or public harm. Caring for individuals with aggressive or violent
behaviors can often be sensitive and raise ethical dilemmas. It is hence, recommended that a
recovery based approach be administered where the nurse, actively involves the patient in the
care-plan decision making process where all needs are addressed in a holistic or comprehensive
manner (Katz, 2015).
Thesis Statement: The following essay will hence argue in support of the importance of
a multidisciplinary, ethical, person centered and holistic nursing care interventions for
management of mental health illness in patients, with respect to violent and aggressive
behaviors.

2MENTAL HEALTH AND ILLNESS
Discussion
Prevalence of Aggression
According to the Department of Health, the most common prevalent health illnesses
existing in Australia are disorders associate with depression and anxiety, which are prevalent
across 6 to 14% of the population, respectively. Additional mental health disorders affecting the
Australian population include post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and
bipolar disorder (Department of Health, 2019).
It must be noted that the above mental illnesses are often linked to self-harming and
suicidal behaviors across inflicted individuals, which when promptly mitigated by health
professionals, often result in violence and aggression. Additionally, certain mental health
conditions are associated with higher susceptibility of violence and aggression across
individuals. These include disorders related to alcohol consumption and illicit substance usage,
which are prevalent across approximately 16% of Australians aged 12 to 17 years and one out of
five individuals aged between 16 to 85 years as reported by the National Drug Strategy and
Household Survey 2016 (National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, 2019). An additional key
mental health disorder which is associated with high prevalence of aggression and violence are
bipolar disorders and psychotic disorders like schizophrenia which have been estimated by the
Department of Health to affect approximately 50% of the population (Department of Health,
2019).
Risk Factors for Aggression
The Department of Health and the Australian Institute of Criminology has estimated
numerous risk factors which are associated with violent and aggressive behavior across

3MENTAL HEALTH AND ILLNESS
individuals. Individuals who are male, engaging in excessive alcohol consumption or abuse are
more at risk of demonstrating aggressive and violent behaviors. Additionally, individuals who
are at higher susceptibility of demonstrating aggression and violence including those with
substance abuse of illicit drug usage disorders especially methamphetamine and cocaine
(Australian Institute of Criminology, 2019).
In criticism of the above, as researched by Levenson, Willis and Prescott (2016), alcohol
and substance abuse disorders are not always the sole contributors of violence and aggression. In
addition to the substance abuse disorders, patients with mental health illnesses such as anxiety
and anxiety associate disorders which are linked with traumatic life events or lived experiences
of child abuse or domestic violence are also at risk of demonstrating violence and aggressive
behavior. Additionally, organizational factors may also fuel violent and aggressive behaviors
across individuals. Patients under the influence of alcohol or illicit substances, when met with
restraints, especially violence at healthcare units are also prone to demonstrating violent and
aggressive behaviors (Ashton, Morris & Smith, 2018).
Further, in criticism of the above, as researched by Gerber et al., (2018), a person’s social
and cultural status may also cotrnibte to violent and aggressive behaviors. Social factors like
stigma and stereotype may also contribute to violence and aggressive behavior in individuals and
are prevalently observed in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities, which shall be
elaborated upon in the following sections.
Consumer’s Perspectives/Lived Experiences
Traditionally, as researched by Tremblay, Vitaro and Côté (2018), a medical model had
been the preferred mode of treatment with mental health disorders characterized by violence and