Symptoms and Risks Associated with Psychosis, Mania and Depression

This document discusses the typical symptoms and potential risk issues associated with psychosis, mania, and depression. It explores the principles of recovery and how they can be supported in mental health care. The document also provides insights into the treatment services and recovery process for these mental health conditions.

Symptoms and Risks
Associated with Psychosis,
Mania and Depression
1

Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Part a) Describe the typical symptoms and potential risk issues associated with psychosis,
depression and mania.............................................................................................................3
Part b) Discuss how the principles of Recovery can be supported with people accessing
mental health care from primary, secondary and tertiary mental health services..................7
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................13
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INTRODUCTION
Mental health has been defined as a state which on level of psychological wellness as well
as absence from any kind of mental illness. Mental health illness refers to various psychological
issues which have the capability to influence an individual behave, think and feel. Psychosis,
depression and mania are some mental health conditions which can affect the way peoples’ brain
processes certain type of information/stimuli and interferes with daily level of functioning
(Rabiee and et.al., 2016). In Australia, psychological conditions are constantly growing among
young to older people where they manage varying symptoms by employing different medications
and therapies. The signs and symptoms which are caused by various mental illnesses may vary
from individual to individual depending upon its severity. The changes which are induced by
these issues may be life disturbing and affects the way people function and complete their day to
day activities. In context of this report, it will focus on defining different potential risk, causes
and symptoms of mental health syndromes like mania, psychosis and depression. It will also
include treatment services by applying several recovery principles in context with specified
disorders.
MAIN BODY
Part a) Describe the typical symptoms and potential risk issues associated with psychosis,
depression and mania
Psychosis is a mental condition which extensively affects the manner in which an
individual process any sort of information in brain. Psychosis is rather a cluster of symptoms
more than a health problem. The disconnection of people from existing real world is a main
characteristic of the disease. The person due to such problem may sense, feel or hear something
which actually does not prevail in real world. Some mental illnesses for example bipolar disorder
or schizophrenia are exclusive cause of psychosis. Along with such causes the genetics of a
person also play a very significant role (Kallapiran and et.al., 2015). The people whose family
members or any close relative if had a history of psychotic diseases then it is highly observed
that the new or recent generation may have a higher probability of developing specified
syndrome. It has been evaluated that consuming too much drug or extensive substance abuse
may trigger psychosis.
Symptoms of psychosis
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The consumers who are suffering from such condition may be thought to face issues like
hallucination and delusion which are considered as typical symptoms. It is observed that due to
these symptoms, people may lose their real connection with real world and make their own world
which may be far from reality. Hallucination is defined as a distortion in individual’s perception
of real situations which are associated with sense of truth and reality to others. It has been
accompanied with sensory experience in which people sense such things which are not actually
around there/present. Delusion, also contributes to psychotic disorders results in making the
person unable to differentiate between reality and imagination. Delusional disorder comprises of
such delusion which are not completely unrealistic like to be followed by a stranger, poisoned,
conspired or taken away from, loved ones (Cheung and Yip, 2015). Delusion can be defined as
an idiosyncratic belief or impression maintained despite being contradicted by reality or rational
argument. The happening of any tragic event or loss of some closed ones may prompt psychosis
in those people who are helpless and are mostly affected from this. The consumers may often
develop suicidal thoughts where they try to harm themselves. The adolescents in Australia are at
highest risk of getting such condition because they get easily influenced by the sudden change in
surrounding. The signs and symptoms which are caused by such disease may range from one
person to another person depending upon their dealing capacity and cause. The symptoms and
early signs of psychosis are mentioned below.
The symptoms involves lack of self-care, loss of emotional expressions, hallucinations, delusion,
depression, deficiency in concentrating and thinking, stress, anxiety, depressed mood,
suspiciousness, too much sleeping and self-harm. However, hallucinations refers to a condition
when a person has a perception of having seen, heard, touched, tasted or smelled something that
was not there. Delusion can be described as an action of deluding or the sense of being deluded.
Risk issues
The risk issues which have the potential to cause psychosis are not evidently know but it
has been observed and shown by research that genetics play a very crucial role. The family
members like any sibling or parents of are suffering from such syndrome then it is highly
likeable that the other sibling or the child may have such mental health issue (Mourao and et.al.,
2016). The children who are born with mutated gene due to deletion at certain part of gene then
they have high possibility of acquiring psychosis.
Depression
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Depression comes under the umbrella of mood disorder. It can be defined as thoughts of
grief, failure or resentment that work as an obstacle in a person’s day to day activities. It is very
common mental health issue that occurs in everyone’s life at a certain point of time because
every third person is suffering from depression due to family issues, financial problems, death of
loved one etc. Different people feel depressed in various ways. It might become a hurdle in one’s
day to day work activities, which results in less productivity and mood swings. It also impacts
relationships with the loved ones and can bring some severe health problems (Pflum and et.al.,
2015). The depression has been considers as a psychological issue which disturbs the sleeping
and eating pattern of people along with low self esteem and energy.
Severe health conditions that can become harsher because of depression include cardiac
disease, diabetes, corpulence and melanoma. It’s very crucial to understand that feeling low at
different point of times is a natural phenomenon that comes with life. Sad and bad happenings
occur in everyone’s life. But, if someone is feeling low or miserable very frequent basis, that
might be a case of depression (Choudhry and et.al., 2016).
Symptoms of Depression
While depression may rise only once in individual’s life, people might face multiple
episodes. In between these episodes, symptoms happen most of the time in a day, almost every
day and it might include feelings of sorrow, despair or desolation, anger issues, petulance or
frustration, even in trivial issues and lack of attention or happiness in all the regular events, for
instance sex, pastimes or sports activities. It also consist lack of sound sleep, comprising
sleeplessness or over sleeping, fatigue and lack of strength, so even tiny errands take extra
attempts and faded appetite and mass weight loss or overeating. The several other symptoms are
also observed such as nervousness, anxiety or impatience, slow thought process, psychomotor
retardation, feelings of low self-confidence or guilt, self-blame, low decision-making abilities
and lack of presence of mind, reoccurring feelings of death, suicidal tendency, suicide attempt
and physical health problems, such as headaches.
For majority people facing depression, symptoms typically are serious enough to trigger
visible issues in various regular activities, for instance office work, college, social relationships
with others. Several people might feel wretched or sad without finding out the reason like other
may be triggered by significant life events such as divorce, or other loss.
Risk issues
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One of the possible risk issues of depression is genetics; the individual who already has a
family history of depression tends to become more depressed more easily. Any death or loss in
family or of closed ones may mentally disturb the person and it sometimes becomes so deep that
the thoughts are turned into suicide and worthlessness (Stapinski and et.al., 2015). The conflicts
and disputes which rise among family or friends have capacity to lead into depression. Due to
such situations, the people are frequently experiences depressed episodes which make them
suffer from large number of symptoms.
Mania
Mania is a phase in which an individual experience a variation in usual conduct that
severely disturbs their mental and physical functioning. The characteristics of the mania can vary
from augmented talkativeness, fast rate of speech, decline in the requirement of sleep (unlike
anxiety which contains the requirement of sleep, although contains the inability to sleep),
continuous thinking, lack of presence of mind. Mania is distinguished in comparison with
increase in energy and change in mental functioning that could result from drug use, medical
conditions. Mania is categorized as a “natural” phase which can be counted as the characteristic
of bipolar disorder. Numerous people rush to the hospital when they see extreme behavioral
changes which come under notice in a short period of time. Sick people during maniac phase
involve in target oriented work which may result in severe result, such as increase in money
spending, continuous traveling (Ismail and et.al., 2018). It is observed that these are more related
to increased risks for the person who is in closer alignment with the assessment task. Many
patients damage the property or try to harm themselves or try to harm others in verbal or physical
manner. Major characteristic of mania is psychotic features, such as misbelieves or
hallucinations.
Symptoms of Mania
In the symptoms of a mania everyone faces the change in mood and different levels of
energy, but mania is very much differing compare to normal increment and decline in energy
levels. An overly happy or escalated mood is most common symptom of the mania. Instead of
delighted mood, people facing mania are very much petulant. Patient might face continuous
thinking which is generally among the first symptoms of the mania (Veras and et.al., 2017). It
can be described as pressure thoughts and flight of ideas. Individual talks very fast and even does
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not make any sense in talking also does not allow others to speak or talk inappropriate in each
circumstances or situations that described as pressure speech.
Mania can be considered as a condition causing several symptoms such as taking the impulsive
or dangerous decisions, difficulties in sleep, pressured speech, battling thoughts, exaggerated
self-esteem, and feeling over euphoric and increase in physical or mental energy.
The presence of one or few symptoms does not mean one is suffering from mania or facing
any bipolar disorder. There can be various reasons due to which an individual is experiencing
these symptoms. Individual not essentially carry these symptoms to be detected as a patient of
mania. Instead, specialist mental health professionals would evaluate these symptoms and
analyze if it meets the conditions delineated to confirm it a case of mania.
Risk issues
The individual who have experienced any traumatic event in past have higher probability
of developing bipolar disorder. The childhood factors like physical abuse, death of loved ones,
physical abuse or neglect enhances the possibility of such disease (Duhig and et.al., 2015). Lack
of sleep and constant insomniac condition also triggers the episodes of mania. The people who
are indulged in substance abuse get emotionally and physically unstable very quickly thus
becoming highly stressed and maniac. High stressful situations like losing a job, migrating to
new place can be disturbing to large number of people which not only make their mental health
condition worse but also affect the life of family members who are associated with such
consumers.
Part b) Discuss how the principles of Recovery can be supported with people accessing mental
health care from primary, secondary and tertiary mental health services
The recovery process in mental health may not always associates with complete recovery
of the rising issues due to mental illness. Some medications are quite effective in treating such
people but the patients themselves feel no changes in their symptoms and they continue to feel
the same way. Such process may be different for various people, moreover it has been analysed
that for majority of people realisation of goals is all about recovery (Looijestijn and et.al., 2015).
Along with this element, development of skills and connections which are responsible in
supporting the life positively also included in the recovery process. The recovery model reflects
the value of generating resilience of people who are experiencing mental health issues and also
assist in supporting the individual’s self esteem and distinctiveness. The approach not only focus
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on symptoms and signs which are coming while dealing the disorder but it also lay importance to
specific cause for treating the diseases. The process aims in assisting people with problems of
mental health and allow an individual to set new goals and meaning to their life. Moral support
has been regarded as a best recovery process for those people who are indulging in such process.
They attain a new motive to live their life on their own by adopting recovery principles and make
their nature more optimistic and motivated. The communication is considered as a key feature in
maintaining the hope and alleviating their motivation level to higher extent. They find their new
purpose and aim to live life more positively so by adopting and implementing various treatment
plans for treating depression, mania and psychosis.
The human behaviour and all moods & actions that impacts on procedure for making it
more efficient are considered in order to make this approach. The strategies which are related to
self-management are based on recovery and its mental health problem which include good
relationship as well as satisfying growth. Healthy relationship and pleasant growth aids in
making the process of recovery easier and achievable. The factors which come under the
approach make the surrounding of people healthy that helps in personal growth. It will also
provide appropriate environment in dealing with the potential symptoms of specified mental
health problems (Petersen and et.al., 2015). The approach requires primary care, social
amenities, good mental health system and community services to additionally involve more
innovative and effective ways through which functioning can be improved. In many health
services and care centres the recovery method has been adopted widely for involving person
centred care and support individuals for rendering purposeful and meaningful lives to
individuals. Six principles have been suggested by many health professionals and experts for
people who are facing mental health problems like mania, depression and psychosis for
recovering them. Such six principles are discussed below.
Uniqueness of an individual – The recovery oriented practices associated with mental
health recognisees that the process of recovery is actually not concerns about the cure rather than
it is about having specific opportunities which assist them in living satisfying life and to become
valuable member of community. The services are rendered in such a way that it accepts that the
results of recovery are important and personal to every person (Zelle, Kemp and Bonnie, 2015).
It empowers individuals which help in recognising that they are getting quality care and the
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issues like delusion and stress will soon be treated by selecting best recovery process according
to their problems.
Real choices – This practice focus on supporting the consumers in such a way that they
can make their own choices about how they want to love their life and improve their health
conditions. It is also helpful to ensure that equilibrium has been established among duty of care
and empowering people to explore new opportunities in choosing best approach.
Attitude and rights – Such type of recovery principle comprises of listening, learning and
conversing with the victims and their family members with context to their mental issue. The
principles promote the consumers in safeguarding the human rights by effort of legal authorities.
Dignity and respect – The principle involves in being polite and insightful in all
communication processes for making the relationship of consumer healthy. The values and
beliefs must be respected of all patients in every situation.
Partnership and communication – It concerns that each and every person is well
acknowledged about their life and for achieving recovery partnership is a very crucial step to the
care givers for rendering quality support (Kidd, Kenny and McKinstry, 2015). Communication
must be maintained in all phases of process where relevant data and information must be shared
among each other.
Evaluating recovery – Another principle of recovery is tracking and evaluating the
process of recovery at all phase. This not only ensures the tracking progress but also helps in
improving their health and reducing the mental health problems. However, the risk of mental
health issues can be reduced by tracking pre-disease symptoms and take appropriate actions for
wellbeing of an individual.
Mental care providers
There are several principles which are followed by care practitioners in order to make
people healthy by treating their mental illnesses. It is required for every care practitioner working
for mental patients to consider these principles to improve patient experience. However, recovery
principles such as uniqueness of the individual, real choices, rights & attitudes, respect &
dignity, communication & partnership and evaluating recovery (Newman and et.al., 2015). It
consists to focus on several factors to ensure like hope, healing, empowerment and connection
that make an individual internally, well. In contrary, it is necessary for care professionals to
focus on implementation of human rights, positive culture of healing as well as recovery oriented
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facilities. In terms of mental health professionals, they are required to follow these recovery
principles while providing treatment to patient with depression mania and psychosis in order to
gain better patient experience.
Primary health care
Primary health care can be described as the essential services that are provided to patient for
better health. This refers to the first contact with patient in order to analyse the heath issue and
problem. However, the problem can be analysed effectively to evaluate need of providing
specific care services by examining symptoms. Primary health care team is basically used in
order to describe the first contact of health care provider with the person who is suffering from
any heath issue. There are wide range of services which is includes in primary health care and
these services are provided by medical professionals including psychiatrist, psychologist,
counsellor etc. Primary health care services includes different type of services which includes
good health maintenance through regular health checkups, providing right health care advices as
well as support in ongoing heath care. Primary health care services generally do not include any
emergency issue or problem but sometimes emergency conditions may occur. These health care
services are very important as it is very effective in identifying the actual need of patient as well
as the method which will be more suitable. There are different types of heath care services
provided as per the requirement of patient. Heath care services in respect to depression, mania
and psychosis are mention below.
Primary health care in depression – Primary health care service to the patient of depression is
communicating with them in order to identify the main reason. Through this care provider
will be able to identify the symptoms and issues properly It is very important to
communicate effectively so patient is able to express their feeling in better manner. Primary
care services is essential in care of depression as this will help in determining best and most
suitable method that should be use in order to provide better care services to patient. Primary
care services will lead to understanding the condition of patient.
Primary health care in mania – Primary health care in mania patient needs to be provided
comprehensive care. It is crucial to identify and analyse the symptoms in order to provide
better treatment. Primary health care that is includes in the case of patient of mania includes
providing medical care to patient as well as educating patient and family about the issues
and its cure treatment.
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Primary health care in Psychosis – Symptoms of psychosis are very difficult to identify as it is
very complex situation for health care provider. Primary care facilities that are provided to
the patient who is suffering from psychosis needs to be treated very carefully in proper
manner. It includes providing right and accurate treatment as well as care support to the
person who is suffering with this issue. Primary care services also include regular check up
of patient in order to analyse the progress in health and change medications as per specific
condition for wellness of them.
Secondary health care
This refers to the care and services that is provided by specialist or professional. It is
necessary the secondary health care provider has specific mental health knowledge and
information in order to provide proper treatment. Secondary health care services can be
described as the second tier of the system of heath. In this patient from primary health care
services are refers to the specialist person for providing secondary health care services (Ho and
et.al., 2016). In context of secondary care, the professionals involved to a specialised field in a
situation when primary care providers refer the patient to specialists. It includes the general
mental health practitioners sent specific patients with several problems like depression, psychosis
and mania then different specialist remains involved for each of particular psychological issue.
For example, counsellor has specific field that they only focus on communication and motivating
patient internally in order to render appropriate care facilities for well-being of a person.
Meanwhile, it has been analysed that secondary care services are required when medical
condition become little bit complex and primary care providers are no more capable to deal with
it then they refer an individual to specialist for getting better treatment. However, it has been
evaluated that depression, psychosis and mania are different mental health problems with their
own symptoms as well as causes. In such conditions, the specific specialists instructions are must
to deliver more effective as well as efficient treatment for their wellness. However, specialist are
requires because they focus on ether particular system of the body or specific disease for
providing medications or other services. In addition to this, specialists are required in terms of
providing secondary care to make an individual disease free. For example, psychiatrist is
specified professional to deal with mental health problems like depression by providing
counselling or medicines.
Tertiary services
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Tertiary services are involved in a situation when medical condition becomes more complex and
single specialist is not able to safely treat it. It can be consider a complicated situation when the
patient need hospitalisation as well as higher level of speciality cares within the healthcare
organisation. It includes inpatient mental health services or community mental health services
via Mental Health Triage in SA.
Meanwhile, the special team should work with proper cooperation and coordination to deal
with complicated condition of depression, psychosis and mania for wellness of an individual
(Martin, Woods and Dawkins, 2015). Basically, the requirements developed for tertiary care
facilities needs highly specialised equipment an expertise medical practitioners to deal with the
condition properly. However, it consist the use of complex treatment practices and clinical
procedures which are mostly carried out by a team of highly qualified and experienced
professionals of specific field of expertise. For example, when a patient need coronary artery
bypass surgery which is an extreme complicated condition then tertiary care is required for better
health of patient. Whereas, the use of electric shocks in mental health cases like depression to
make person stable can be consider as tertiary care.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it can be concluded that, mental health illness have ability to affect
the life of individual’s thinking and behaving capacity. Some of the symptoms of depression,
mania and psychosis are hallucinations, stress, delusion, fatigue, distraction, lack of motivation
and many more. The recovery principles which are utilised are Uniqueness of an individual, real
choices, attitude and rights, dignity and respect, partnership and communication as well as
evaluating recovery.
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REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Cheung, T. and Yip, P.S., 2015. Depression, anxiety and symptoms of stress among Hong Kong
nurses: a cross-sectional study. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public
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Choudhry, F.R. and et.al., 2016. Beliefs and perception about mental health issues: a meta-
synthesis. Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment, 12, p.2807.
Duhig, M. and et.al., 2015. The prevalence and correlates of childhood trauma in patients with
early psychosis. Australian & New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 49(7), pp.651-659.
Ho, S.M. and et.al., 2016. A Brief Strengths Scale for individuals with mental health issues.
Psychological Assessment, 28(2), p.147.
Ismail, Z. and et.al., 2018. Affective and emotional dysregulation as pre-dementia risk markers:
exploring the mild behavioral impairment symptoms of depression, anxiety, irritability, and
euphoria. International Psychogeriatrics, 30(2), pp.185-196.
Kallapiran, K and et.al., 2015. Effectiveness of mindfulness in improving mental health
symptoms of children and adolescents: a meta‐analysis. Child and Adolescent Mental Health,
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Looijestijn, J. and et.al., 2015. An integrated network model of psychotic symptoms.
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Martin, A., Woods, M. and Dawkins, S., 2015. Managing employees with mental health issues:
Identification of conceptual and procedural knowledge for development within management
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Mourao, R.J. and et.al., 2016. Depressive symptoms increase the risk of progression to dementia
in subjects with mild cognitive impairment: systematic review and meta‐analysis. International
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Veras, J.L. and et.al., 2017. Risk of suicide in Adolescents with symtoms of eating disorders and
depression. J Depress Anxiety, 6(1), p.274.
Zelle, H., Kemp, K. and Bonnie, R.J., 2015. Advance directives in mental health care: evidence,
challenges and promise. World Psychiatry, 14(3), p.278.
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