Systematic Reflection on Mental Health: Self and Others

Running head: SYSTEMATIC REFLECTION
SYSTEMATIC REFLECTION
Name of the student:
Name of the University:
Author note:

1SYSTEMATIC REFLECTION
Introduction:
Previously I had some personal beliefs regarding mental health and illness. However,
after understanding the unit Mental Health: Self and Others, most of my beliefs have changed
regarding the mental illness and it has helped me to develop better understanding regarding the
matter. In this paper I will reflect on my experience regarding how the unit has helped me to
change my views and develop better understanding through 5Rs reflective framework.
5Rs Reflection Framework:
Reporting:
I believed that events of mental illness is related to the some factors such as past trauma,
sexual abuse, physical abuse, brain injury due to major accident and damage during prenatal
stage and it occurs after a certain age period (Caplan, 2013). I felt that people hesitate to visit
professionals to understand their issues and identify effective interventions to resolve them (). I
supposed to believe that stress, anxiety and depression does not considered as mental illness. For
me mental illness was limited to complex terms like dementia, schizophrenia and phobia
(American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Like most of the people I also believed that people
suffering from severe mental illness recommended psychiatrist and counseling is done only for
such severe patients. For me treatment of mental health only available in mental asylums that
includes shock, medication and support from the family and friends (Reiss, 2013). Due to this I
always preferred to involve with my family and friends, share my problems and my daily story
with them in order to enjoy their presence around me. I have heard that physical maintenance is
related to the maintenance of mental health. Thus, I used to perform physical activities to

2SYSTEMATIC REFLECTION
manage both my physical and mental well-being. I have joined yoga class to maintain my mental
well-being in an effective manner (Kemp & Quintana, 2013).
Responding:
Some socio-cultural believes has influenced my personal perceptions regarding the
mental health and illness. I have seen that people restrict themselves to avail mental health
service after the diagnosis of their illness (Caplan, 2013). This experience has induced me to
develop thinking that most of the people hesitate to visit mental health professionals in order to
identify their issues and resolve them with the help the professionals. Different studies have
indicated different perceptions of mental illness in each community. For example, in some
community it has been believed that mental health issue is the consequence of family conflicts.
In some other community mental health is related to parapsychological event or superficial
phenomenon (Reiss, 2013). Due to such influence a restrictive attitude towards the people with
mental illness has initiated within me. Neither I nor any of my family members have suffered
from mental health issue thus, my personal perceptions have risen from the cultural beliefs and
social circumstances that I have seen.
Relating:
I have related an experience regarding mental health patient with my personal
perceptions. The patient was my friend’s mother. After the death of the father of my friend, his
mother was suffering from mental trauma. She has started to ignore interaction with any one and
became stubborn. Due to such condition the other relatives of my friend have suggested that she
is suffering from parapsychological event. However, as the situation became unmanageable they
have decided to transfer her to mental asylum. The story has induced me to link my personal