Mental Health Patients seeking General Care

Running head:NURSING
Mental Health Patients seeking General Care
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ABSTRACT
Mental health issues have a significant effect on the body’s physical functions and is
responsible for a number of comorbidities that include various cardiovascular, respiratory and
renal disorders. However, psychiatric patients rarely seek the help of general medicine for
these problem. This report focuses on the problems faced by mental health patients while
seeking general healthcare and possible ways to rectify it. The main issues faced by the
patients are social stigma, fear of judgement and lack of awareness among both the nurses as
well as the patients. In order to provide holistic and recovery-oriented patient care, the nurses
must be educated on the comorbidities and how to communicate with the psychiatric patients
successfully. Apart from that, the mental health nurses must also be aware of the physical
effects of the disease and the medications in order to care for the patients. This will ensure
that the patients get the best quality care for them.

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................3
Nursing in Mental Health and Alcohol/Drug Abuse..................................................................3
Physical Issues Faced by the Patients....................................................................................3
Issues faced while seeking medical care................................................................................5
Holistic and Recovery-oriented care in general nursing........................................................6
Implications of Nursing..............................................................................................................7
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................8
Reference..................................................................................................................................10

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Introduction
In today’s day and age, there has been a steady increase in stress factors and hence,
the increase in mental health issues and alcohol or substance abuse. While it seems like
common sense that these are issues limited to the Mental Health or Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Services, the immense effect of mental health issues on the body are very obvious. The
mental health issues are related to several physical ailments and in order to provide holistic
care for the patients, the nurses must work towards the betterment of both the physical as well
as mental health issues (Wynaden et al., 2016). A number of physical issues occur directly as
a result of psychological distress. Stress-related mental issues have a profound effect on the
cardiovascular health of the patients. It has been seen that diabetes and autoimmune diseases
often occur in patients of schizophrenia and depression. The medications prescribed for the
issues also have several side effects. As for alcohol abuse, mental and physical effects are
apparent. In terms of physical issues, primary health deterioration occurs due to liver diseases
leading to cirrhosis (Peters, 2018). This is one of the leading causes of morbidity among
alcoholic patients in developed countries (Tsochatzis, Bosch & Burroughs, 2014). Hence, the
physical treatment of such patients is just as important as cognitive therapy to ensure
successful rehabilitation. This report aims to shed light on the physical issues faced by mental
and alcoholic patients, and the topic of holistic care in such patients.
Nursing in Mental Health and Alcohol/Drug Abuse
Physical Issues Faced by the Patients
It has been seen that mental issues often manifest in physical symptoms. The main
culprit appears to be stress-related disorders. Stress disorders often have profound effects on
the body. It was seen that chronic stress in individuals often resulted in poorer health. Stress
also resulted in more alcohol consumption and substance abuse, which in turn aided in poorer