Social and Mental Health of Indigenous Australians

Running Head: SOCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH
SOCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
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SOCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
INTRODUCTION
The definition of mental health has several meanings and different studies and researches
concerning mental health problems have given several definitions. There are many different
myths concerning mental health and well-being and to some extent, all those myths give
different approach to the causes of mental health (Commonwealth Department of Health &
Aged Care, 2000). Individuals with mental health problems have struggled a great deal with
stigma and isolation from society.
In Australia, psychological problems are extremely high among the Aboriginal individuals
and the Torres Strait inhabitants than non-indigenous Australians (Australian Bureau of
Statistics, 2001). These vulnerable people may also have their rights violated. This essay
discusses what mental health and well-being is all about, social policies and their impacts on
the psychological state care in Australia and the gaps that exist. Moreover, the changes that
have taken place within the mental health and well-being sector in Australia are also
integrated.
HEALTH AND MENTAL HEALTH
Mental health is emotional and social well- being of a person and it is a vital part of health. In
line with the World Health Organization (WHO), health is the whole state of mental and
social well-being and not just the absence of sickness or bad condition (Australian
Association of Social Workers, 2002). Australia is providing several psychological state
services like public and personal medical specialty hospitals, totally different wards for
psychopathology in public acute hospitals, community mental care services. Australia spends
a lot of money within the psychological state sector to ensure the well-being of people is
attained.

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SOCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
In Australia, the policy response to mental health and well- being has two totally different
approaches which include the medical and psychological model. The medical model defines
health as a state that is free from sickness whereas social science model is the overall fortune
of a person, for example, emotional, behavioural and social comfort (Delaney, Raphael, &
Wooding, 1998).
The medical model is used by the doctors, psychiatrists, psychologists and characterised by a
proper mental health system. In the social science model, psychological state means that an
individual is free from a mental disorder. However, there is another model that is most well-
liked by psychological state services, the bio-psycho-social model. Bio-psycho-social model
is that which deals with the cohesion of the medical model and social science model of
health. This model deals with norms and values in social wellbeing (Coppock & Hopton,
2000). This specific model is providing case management approach to medication, social
supports, message, and general support.
In line with the report, the rate of psychological disorder is high every year in Australia, for
instance, one in each 5 Australians can experience a psychological state and it is projected
that forty-five percent of Australians could suffer from psychological mental illness at some
point in their lives.
Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait inhabitants experience mental disorders more than non-
indigenous Australians. According to World Health Organization, between thirty-five and
fifty-four percent suffer from mental illness because of certain contributing factors (Hunter,
2004). It is believed that it is because of colonization and suffering that contributed to their
depression and poor health. Mental health promotion is an action that should ensure that the
health and well-being of a person are improved. This promotion can be done in three ways,
for example, prevention, treatment, and care.

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SOCIAL AND MENTAL HEALTH OF INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS
Prevention involves stopping the mental disorder from taking place while treatment is
concerned primarily with people who are already having mental disorders. Care is an aid to
forestall the ill health and to be absolutely recovered from ill health. The explanation for
mental health does not only depend on biological disorders, however, it also can arise from
social beliefs and expectations that are not met or realized by individuals. Culture beliefs play
an important role as a contributing factor to mental disorders. As a result, individuals develop
mental illness and mental disorders (Whiteford & Buckingham, 2005). This is referred to as
social construction madness.
The law has been passed that a double medical certificate is needed before imprisonment
because there have been a violation of human rights and lack of care among the asylums. The
incarcerated individuals subjected to a scientific experiment in some asylums and the officers
of asylum did not have medical information. Some changes occurred in Australia's mental
health treatment practices later in the twentieth century. Primary Australia's voluntary clinic
started in 1908 and in 1922 the topic psychopathology was established at Sydney University
(Doessel, Scheurer, Chant, & Whiteford, 2005). Techniques of group counseling were
introduced because to remedy trauma people could be suffering from during World War II. In
1992 the Australian health ministers developed a mental health policy with an aim to scale
back the speed of human rights abuses, to start out the care in the community from the
hospitals and to deliver the standard mental health services. Additionally, Australia had
enforced a national mental arrangement plan between 1992 and 2008 to initiate a strong
community- based mental health care, population primary- based sickness hindrance
approach and to form simple real participation between the shoppers as well as the carers
(Robinson, 2003). The aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait inhabitants had their own ways
and curers to confirm their eudemonia and mental health issues.