Analysis of Mental Health Studies and Reports

The provided assignment includes a list of references to various mental health studies, reports, and policies from reputable sources such as journals, books, and government publications. The references cover topics like anxiety disorders, depression, suicidal behaviors, addiction, and more. This assignment is likely part of a psychology or public health course, requiring students to analyze and summarize the findings and implications of these research studies and policies.

Mental Health

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
1A. Investigating and identifying the case of depression and suicide in Australia................1
B. Discussing one community group at the risk of depression and one community group at the
risk of suicide in Australia......................................................................................................3
2) Critically identifying 3 factors that contribute in the development of mental health concerns
and risks..................................................................................................................................3
3) Discussing the ethical and legal consideration in health care regarding risk of harming one
self and others.........................................................................................................................4
4) Identifying high priority mental health risks and providing 2 relevant nursing help.........6
5) Identifying mental health issue or need and providing relevant interventions that will
significantly affect the well-being of client or patient............................................................7
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................10
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Mental health refers to the psychological well being of an individual. It involves
psychological, social and emotional wellbeing which affects how an individual think, feel and
act. The mental health should be taken into better thought process for better sustainability of
conditions in society. This essay will focus on different measures and operations that will help in
meeting the needs and requirements of persons with mental ailment and improve their health
condition. This essay will cover details and impact of depression and rise in suicidal tendencies
among vulnerable groups of people in Australian society. Other than this, the implications of
Mental Health Act 2014, with the identification of risk factors.
MAIN BODY
1A. Investigating and identifying the case of depression and suicide in Australia
Since last decade, the rates of suicides and cases of depression have been significantly
increased and has caused a serious condition in Australia, leading to rise in number of mental
patients and depression stricken people (Harvey and et.al., 2017). Various socio cultural factors
are playing a significant role in the occurrence of suicide cases and for which, a significant
number of people are suffering from depression. One in five Australians experience one or many
symptoms of mental illness each year. Approximately 20 per cent of population experience
mental illness each year (Clement and et.al., 2015). Various factors such as emotional
disturbance, physical or mental abuse or trauma as well as the behavioural alteration of people
have led to an increase in mental disorders in Australian society (Adams and et.al., 2016). The
consumption of alcohol and other drugs, substance abuse, age, unemployment and family
background are the major factors that can lead to a rise in suicidal tendencies and depression in
people (Gu and et.al., 2015). Since 2016, there have been 17.8 deaths of males and 5.8 deaths of
female per 10,000 has occurred due to the depression and suicide (Snowdon and et.al., 2017).
Various social groups and age groups especially teenagers are falling prey to the depression and
suicide attempts. Many cases of depression leading to suicides are been recorded in Australian
society (Ramrakha and et.al., 2016). For instance: in case of Jill, she was all alone and
emotionally traumatised due to death of her mother. Her father is not giving her proper attention
due to his work and she has also failed as an apprentice. Other than this, her failed relationship
with his boyfriend Jack broke her down from within as per the case study. Thus, all these factors
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lay a significant impact on various operations that resulted in making her take such a step of
attempting suicide as per the case study.
Since 2012, Australian continent has seen significant rise in the cases of depression
leading to suicides that has caused social disturbances (Beronio, K. and et.al., 2014). The family
disputes, work and stress due to pressure of studies and the consumption of drugs, alcohol and
other substances have caused increase in chances where people opt to commit suicide (Halter,
2017). This has also affected the well-being of people and their physical and emotional wellness
in societies of Australia. The effect of people in distress and depression has also led a significant
role in the increase of suicide rates in Australia (Melton and et.al., 2017). The individuals like
Jill, who are alone and depressed and having no social contact are more prone to fall prey to the
depression and take step of committing suicide. Nursing and health care institutions with the help
of family members and government will be working for better management of stress level and
must counsel targeted people to reduce their chances of falling in depression, turning into suicide
(Gu and et.al., 2015).
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B. Discussing one community group at the risk of depression and one community group at the
risk of suicide in Australia
From the effective analysis and research, it has been found that people of urban areas and
Torres Strait Islander of age group 35 – 64 years are most prone to risk of being in depression as
compared to people of 65 years or above (Midgley, N. and et.al., (2017)). This is due to the high
level of inequality and differences faced by them on the socio economic level. The social
differences that is been practised at the work place, markets, metros and other places, is the
major cause of depression among these peoples. They must be provided with proper medical
help and support to tackle the mental depression.
While, on the other hand, The community group consists of the native Australian people
including the Aboriginal males and females. The community group like Aboriginal people in
between ages of 14 – 35 years are most prone to the risk of suicide (Koslowski and et.al., 2016).
This will involve the factors like social differences and poor or low economic resources available
to them. Besides this, the denial of proper jobs, educational reforms and lack of proper medical
help is making the Aboriginal people to opt committing suicide. They must be provided with
proper social economic help to prevent such conditions. They must effectively seek counselling
and get screened for depression and suicidal tendencies (Olfson and et.al., 2014).
2) Critically identifying 3 factors that contribute in the development of mental health concerns
and risks
There have been various factors that have led to the significant rise in the mental health
concerns and risks. These factors lay a significant impact on the health and the mental condition
of a person (Melton and et.al., 2017). These factors are needed to be identified and sorted out as
effectively as possible. This will help in decrease in the stress level and the existence of the self-
harming mentality in the individual. The better handling of these factors and their effective
eradication will help in the rise of better operations that will lead to the significant increase in the
mental well-being of the person. Also, these factors will lead to the person’s move into distress
and can cause other severe health problems (Clement and et.al., (2015)). Thus, three factors that
put their impact on mental health concerns and risks are:
 Family break up and loss: A person is deeply attached to his family and friends. He/she
finds the moral support and effective psychological help from the family members. Thus,
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when a family member of the close one of the individual gets separated from him or her,
he/she can move into depression of stressful condition. The insecurities will in bide them
that leads to the development of the negative thought and high level of mental depression
(Koslowski and et.al., 2016). For example, Jill felt insecure lonely and helpless after the
sudden death of her mother and no proper care from her father. This led her to depression
and she developed the suicidal tendencies.
 Feeling loved: Every individual person, regardless to the race, belief and gender, is
needed to be loved and cared. The effective feeling of being loved and getting it helps the
person to calm down and get rid of the stress level and depression. Also, it provides
person with a sense of belongingness and responsibility to have positive attitude for the
sake of that person (Beronio and et.al., (2014)). The lack of love and care in a person's
life lead him or her towards depression. For instance, the loss of her mother, carelessness
from her father and break up from her boyfriend Jack were the factors that led Jill to take
such a severe step of attempting suicide.
 Self-esteem: Self-confidence and self-valuation are crucial factors that make a person to
have a happy and better life and well being in the society. Presence of self-esteem or self-
respect in an individual will help him or her to have a feeling of achievement and
effectiveness in the society (Halter,2017). The better self-confidence and self-esteem will
help in better handling of various functions and work that will give individual a sense of
achievement. On other hand, lack of self-esteem will lead individual to drive into a state
of depression. For example, Jill has failed to cope up with her apprenticeship and job and
had a feeling of being lonely and bringing her family down, leading her to take the step of
attempting suicide (Melton and et.al., 2017).
3) Discussing the ethical and legal consideration in health care regarding risk of harming one self
and others
Legal and ethical considerations are important elements that can prevent health care
professionals and patients from risk of harming one self and others. The legal and ethical
measures are vital to manage operations and effectiveness of mental health (Olson And et.al.,
2016). Government formulates health care policies and code of conducts in order to reduce the
risk of harming one self and others in a health care centre (Hunt and et.al., 2015). This will help
in the better consideration of the cases related to mental health and managing risk factors related
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to it (Gu and et.al., 2015). The ethical practices will help in the better growth and development
that lead to positive rise in wellness of an individual suffering from mental ailment or disease
and has a risk of harming one self and others. Some ethical and legal considerations that help in
the effective management of the mental patients are as follows:
 Civil rights: The universal civil rights will help in the better management of the various
operations that help in the effective handling of the various operations to manage the
mental patients and handling their needs and requirements as an individual. The civil
rights prohibit unlawful detention of a mental patient on basis of his/ her disease. Also,
will make liable for medical teams to provide better medical care in order to avoid self-
harming and attempts on others (England, N. H. S. (2016)).
 Right to treatment: It can be considered as extension of civil laws (National Mental
Health Policy 2008, 2018). This right helps mental patients to get proper medical care
and services when in need. The medical department will look after the effective handling
of the various operations that helps in the execution of different operations that help in
the improvement of their condition (Funk (2016)). According to National Suicide
Prevention Strategy (NSPS), a platform for Australia's national policy on suicide
prevention with an emphasis on promotion, prevention and early intervention (Zalsman
and et.al., 2016). This will also help to kerb the cases of suicides and attacks by the
mental patients on others. Thus, it helps in safeguarding life of individual patient as well
as others.
 Mental health Act 2014: This act helps in the effective management of the mental
patients in the society and will help in the better management of the various operations
that helps in safeguarding them effectively in the society and get proper medical help. It
is one of the governing law in Western Australia, also termed as “Mental Health Act
2014 WA”. It is acts as a key resource for mental health professionals, referrers to the
services of mental health, individuals who are experiencing any sort of mental disorder,
transport officers and non-governmental organisations along with private hostel of
psychiatrics. It is commonly being applied when an individual is being treated for mental
health by together acting as a criterion to refer to an individual by a psychiatrist
(Halter,2017). It is also applicable for an individual who is required to be treated as an
involuntary patient or a psychiatrist is required to handle any order related to inpatient
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treatment or community treatment. It is therefore on referring to the present case of Jill,
she is hereby representing an involuntary patient who has intentionally consumed
excessive over the counter pills as an attempt to suicide for being depressed from a very
long time.
 Alcohol and other drugs Act 1974- This is stated to be yet another governing act in
Western Australia that relates to the present state of Jill where she has also consumed
alcohol that exceeds the specified limit of consumption. Along with which, because of
suffering from depression, she has attempted to suicide by together consuming high dose
of medicines that in turn deteriorated her condition to a great extent.
4) Identifying high priority mental health risks and providing 2 relevant nursing help
From the case of Jill, it can be said that proper mental health and well-being are
necessary and interrelated. From the case study, it can be identified that loneliness is the major
mental health risk that is needed to be taken into consideration to gain a better idea about the
well-being of a person (England, N. H. S. 2016). The nursing staff or the care takers must look
after that the person is not lonely as it leads to the rise in the feeling of insecurity and
development of suicidal tendencies. Besides this, they must also look after the better handling of
the various operations like getting a better communication, interacting with patients and
comforting them in case of requirement (Substance, Mental and Office of the Surgeon General
2016).
Besides this, the feeling of not being loved and the presence of the suicidal tendencies,
which is needed to be maintained effectively and with the better knowledge and nursing skills, in
order to safeguard the patients and others from any sort of harm. A high priority risk of clinical
depression has been identified from the present case of Jill, in which, she has been found to
suffer from major depression with mood disorders due to conflicts in the parameters of her
behavioural mood that often goes beyond her own control. This is also high in comparison to
other people who also feels miserable at some point of their life and thus needs to be controlled.
This is due to yet another arising risk of self-directed violence where Jill has recently attempted
to suicide. The factors related to it involves anhedonia, hopelessness, loneliness, helplessness,
social isolation and serious personality disorder, etc. It is currently evident by her suicidal plans
with such intending behaviour to severely harm or kill own self.
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This together reflects a disturbed thought process of Jill that is also required to be treated
to avoid any atrocious consequences in the future. This is on relating to her severe anxiety with a
depressed mood resulting in negative thoughts. Herein, Jill is required to make use of processed
information to further make suitable decisions and exhibit a controlled thought process.
However, in order to be assured of the aforesaid facts and address the same with assistance of
some relevant nursing interventions, it is important to apply some technical tools like clinical
forms to supervise and treat the patient in an effective manner. For this purpose, a personality
inventory called DSM form along with a form called 1A as a referral for examination by
psychiatrist. Herein, the DSM form will be filled itself by the patient named Jill to further assist
the psychiatrist to assess her personality and is used as an inventory to accordingly determine
some effective measures of treatment. On whose basis, it will be easy for the psychiatrist to fill
another form called 1A which is basically used to suspect whether the patient is required to be
treated for an involuntary treatment or not.
5) Identifying mental health issue or need and providing relevant interventions that will
significantly affect the well-being of client or patient
Various issues and factors are taken into effective consideration to identify mental health
of the person leading to well-being and effectiveness of the nursing measures required to tackle
them. The two major problems and issues of mental health patients are depression and dramatic
changes in habits that lead to rise in suicidal tendencies which are as follows:
Depression: Depression is a very harmful disease for the patients that he feel lonely
sometimes and also try to apart his presence from others. People with depression find it hard to
manage their work. It is not about getting depressed on something or a thing that is bothering
momentarily (Clement and et.al., 2015). It is a medical situation that can arise due to hormonal
imbalance, certain trauma (that you might not be even aware of like childhood traumas), etc.
According to case study, girl Jill tries to attempt a self-harm activity which is all done
because of depression. As identified, she became distant from her dad after death of her mum.
She was not able to focus on her studies as she failed in one assessment and hasn't submitted two
other. It was further identified that she lost her enthusiasm in gyming and playing socer. As an
apprentice hairdresser, she took too many leaves which makes her more anxious of losing
apprenticeship. She stopped using social media and reduces her interaction with friends. It was
identified that her boyfirend Jack ended relationship which makes her more depressed and
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anxious. This situation leads to the suicide attempt. Suicide attempting caused because of mental
pressure that Jill was suffering from many mental harmful situations such as her boyfriend left
her which makes her very depressed and tensed that she tries to make a suicide attempt
effectively. (Melton and et.al., 2017).
Dramatical behaviour: The most commonly diagnosed behaviour disorder in young
people, Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that ADHD affects an
estimated 9 percent of children aged 3-22 and 2-4 percent of adults (Kiiski, and et.al., 2017).
This mental illness causes unusual and dramatic shifts in the mood, energy and ability to think
clearly. In addition to this, dramatic behaviour changes the attitude and scheduled of the person
(Beronio and et.al., 2014). This causes laziness and also brings negativity in the minds. Such
behaviours are harmful for the people sometimes that the patients should be treated wisely and
slowly.
Intervention: Depression is one disease which is so pervasive and ubiquitous that Homo
sapiens have literally evolved with its progression through the ages, say researchers in a theory
(Mennin and et.al., 2015). Contrary to what people believe, depression might not be purely a
disorder but a specific behavioural strategy that humans evolved with to serve a purpose (Adams
and et.al., 2016). In addition to this, there is a potential impact of dramatic changes on the
patients. It can be said that depression makes the individuals weak and perceptions also bring
negative thoughts in their minds. In order to treat Jill who has been suffering from psychological
and emotional disorder, mental health intervention therepay like psychotherapy can be provided
by a trained mental health professional. Psychotherapy is therapeutic treatment of mental illness
provided by mental health professional. It helps in exploring thoughts, feelings and behaviours
and also seeks to improve an individual's wellbeing. If it paired with precise medication, it can
promote recovery in most effective way (Harvey and et.al., 2017). It includes cognitive
behavioural thereapy, exposure therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, etc. Thus, it will be the
responsibility of the mental health care professionals to give precise therapy with right kind of
medication so that Jill can recover effectively and efficiently. his is mainly on the basis of above
identified risks where the 1st risk that has been prioritized to be treated is the risk for self-directed
violence and for which, below is the nursing intervention with its rationale-
Firstly, the nurse will be required to determine the levels of precautions needed to stop the
patient from attempting suicide. This is basically to know whether the patient needs to be
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hospitalised for having a high risk, as in the present case of Jill or is able to go home safely in the
supervision of some family member. This can be determined by acknowledging any previous
attempts of suicide where Jill has reported no such incidents before and have instead stated some
suicide plans to be implemented.
The rationale if this intervention is to determine the actual state of the patient where one
who is having a high risk like Jill will be need to kept in close supervision, within a safe
environment.
Another nursing intervention involves contacting family members such as in the present
case where Jill’s father is required to be aware of this situation. Also, further arrangements of
crisis counselling are needed to be done by together initiating links to self-help groups.
This will fulfil a foremost requirement of the client where such depressed patients like Jill
are often in requirement of a network of active resources for sharing their feelings as a way of
diminishing any negative personal spirits like vulnerability, worthlessness and loneliness, etc.
For addressing yet another prioritised risk of disturbed thought processes, below are the 2
nursing interventions with their rationale-
The nurse is hereby required to make use of simple yet concrete words. This will assist in
creating a slowed thinking by reducing the trouble in concentrating due to a weaken
understanding.
Another intervention is to permit the client to have abundant time to think and
frame answers. The logic behind this is to necessitate the patient to conveniently frame a
response to avoid any negative thoughts in compulsion of making quick decision.
Thus, it can be said that the mental problems can be dangerous sometimes for the normal people
living in the society. Such kind of people can harm themselves and others badly (Substance,
Mental and Office of the Surgeon General, 2016).
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded from the above report that depression and suicide attempts are normal
and significant areas of Australia. Analysis of depression level in Australia determined that there
are many people suffering from mental disease which are not good for population. In this
context, the report aid in analysing the case of Jill who has been suffering from psychological
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and emotional disorder after death of her mom. She was not able to concentrate on her studies
and wont able to interact with her father. She got depressed and consumed an overdose of over
the counter medications. The better handling of the mental health programs will help in meeting
the needs and demands of the patient and handle the operations in a better way. Also, the
precautions and better preventive measures that are been discussed will help in managing mental
patients. Appropriate intervention which can be given to Jill so that she could recover efficiently
has been discussed in the study.
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REFERENCES
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Beronio, K., Po, R., Skopec, L., & Glied, S. (2014). Affordable Care Act will expand mental
health and substance use disorder benefits and parity protections for 62 million
Americans. Mental Health, 2.
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Thornicroft, G. (2015). What is the impact of mental health-related stigma on help-
seeking? A systematic review of quantitative and qualitative studies. Psychological
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England, N. H. S. (2016). Implementing the five year forward view for mental health. London:
NHS England.
Funk, M. (2016). Global burden of mental disorders and the need for a comprehensive,
coordinated response from health and social sectors at the country level.
Gu, J., Strauss, C., Bond, R., & Cavanagh, K. (2015). How do mindfulness-based cognitive
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systematic review and meta-analysis of mediation studies. Clinical psychology review, 37,
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Mitchell, P. B. (2017). Is the prevalence of mental illness increasing in Australia?
Evidence from national health surveys and administrative data, 2001–2014. The Medical
Journal of Australia, 206(11), 490-493.
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Hunt, L., Ramjan, L., McDonald, G., Koch, J., Baird, D., & Salamonson, Y. (2015). Nursing
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Mennin, D. S., Fresco, D. M., Ritter, M., & Heimberg, R. G. (2015). An open trial of emotion
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Midgley, N. and et.al., (2017). “Did I bring it on myself?” An exploratory study of the beliefs
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Olson, K. R., Durwood, L., DeMeules, M., & McLaughlin, K. A. (2016). Mental health of
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Ramrakha, S., Fergusson, D. M., Horwood, L. J., Dalgard, F., Ambler, A., Kokaua, J., ... &
Poulton, R. (2016). Cumulative mental health consequences of acne: 23-year follow-up in
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Snowdon, J., Phillips, J., Zhong, B., Yamauchi, T., Chiu, H. F., & Conwell, Y. (2017). Changes
in age patterns of suicide in Australia, the United States, Japan and Hong Kong. Journal of
affective disorders, 211, 12-19.
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Online
National Mental Health Policy 2008, 2018 [Online]. Available
through:<http://www.health.gov.au/internet/publications/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-
pubs-n-pol08-toc~mental-pubs-n-pol08-2~mental-pubs-n-pol08-2-1>
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