Social Work Practice and Mental Health: Understanding Schizophrenia

This article discusses the rising mental health problem in Australia and focuses on schizophrenia, its symptoms, diagnosis, and prevention/treatment options. It also highlights the contributory factors and the impact of regular exercise on mental health.

Social work practice and mental health.
Introduction
Mental health according to WHO is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her
own abilities and can cope with various changes of life. (lajevardi, 2011)
Mental health problems occur commonly to people and are less severe than the mental illnesses. If
mental illness is not dealt with accordingly, it can lead to illness that might affect a person as an
individual or a family at large. It is expanding in Australia and according to WHO, this mental health
problem is on the rise. (Samra, 2000)
Examples of these many mental health problems in Australia are-:
 depression
 disorder in eating
 schizophrenia
 mood disorder
 fear
 sadness
 anxiety among other many ones.
Schizophrenia
This is a mental problem that is characterised with an individual to have an abnormal social
interaction and failure to know what is present/real. It is mostly characterised by hallucinations,
interactions are reduced, false beliefs, impaired thinking, lack of emotional expressions and reduced
activities. It is a gradual disease and the individuals affected tend to stay longer before realizing they
are affected with the problem. This can even take more years to diagnose. (Campel, 2010)
Contributory factors are many but majorly affected by
 Hereditary; if most of your ancestors were schizophrenic.
 Environment; psychosis always happens mostly e.g. those bullied, separated from parents
and those abused.
 Psychological issues; situations that are not clear e.g. when under stress may affect the
neurocognitive part of the persons brain.
 Social processes e.g. unemployment, poverty and lawlessness
 Recreational drugs e.g. excessive use of alcohol, nicotine and cannabis especially early
exposure to growing brains.

Symptoms
 Thinking disorder; a person may not be able to think in a completely logic manner
 Hallucination; a person may hear, see and react to strange things that are not even available
to normal ordinary people.
 Delusions; this takes a stage where a person as false belief e.g. thinking that one is being
controlled remotely or a person possesses extra ordinary powers and are able to do
wonders.
 Social withdrawal; they don’t react to social expressions because of fear that they may be
harmed.
 Does not react to illness; these people do not take medications because they believe they
are not sick.
Diagnosis
It is done by using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorder of American Psychiatrist or
WHO International Statistical Classification of disease.
It uses the persons self-reported behaviour and experiences and his or her disorders then followed
by clinical assessment by a person specialised in mental health. Symptoms that are mostly
associated with this problem are also taken as a likely diagnosis.
Prevention/Treatment
 Avoid using recreational drugs e.g. alcohol.
 Cognitive behaviour therapy.
 Ant psychotic therapy combining with better psychological and social help.
 Severe occurrence may lead to involuntary hospitalization especially if the patient is hostile
 Regular exercise may impact the renewal of mental health hence lead to healing and
prevention of this condition. (McGrath, 2016)

Works Cited
Campel, S. L. (2010). 20 years of assesment in work. Narrative review of work, 257-267.
lajevardi, L. (2011). quality of methodological design and level research articles. ocuupation therapy,
39-41.
McGrath, J. J. (2016). schizophrenia. Newyork: department of health.
Samra, L. C. (2000). OT and work related program of people with mental illiness. symposium on
rehabilitation in mental health, 254-265.