Case Study: Analyzing Mental Health Support Through Community Work

This case study examines the scenario of Michael, a 45-year-old individual grappling with long-term depression and anxiety, and identifies appropriate welfare systems and support mechanisms within the community. It highlights the Australian public company 'Beyond Blue Limited' as a suitable resource, focusing on its role in reducing the prevalence and impact of mental disorders. The study emphasizes the importance of psychological treatments like Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) to address Michael's anxiety, panic attacks, and feelings of failure, alongside medical treatments and lifestyle adjustments. The evaluation of services emphasizes understanding and validating the patient's issues with evidence, recommending Behavior therapy to manage panic disorders and medication for long-term recovery. The analysis suggests that with the identified treatments and support, Michael can improve his self-esteem and overall outlook on life. Desklib provides access to similar case studies and solved assignments for students.

Running head: WORKING WITH COMMUNITY
WORKING WITH COMMUNITY
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

Table of Contents
Introduction:....................................................................................................................................3
The welfare system relevant to the case study.................................................................................3
Resources and support for the specific for Michael........................................................................4
Evaluation of the service suitable for the scenario..........................................................................5
Conclusion:......................................................................................................................................6
References:......................................................................................................................................7

Case study 5
Introduction:
Learning to work with community members and assisting them with the appropriate
approach refers to working with communities (Hepworth et al., 2016). Working with community
involes socializing with unknown individuals and groups who are faced with certain challenges
and help them overcoming or getting rid of ityhe challenges. The report is based on the case
study of Michael who is 45 years old faced with few obstacles. The report aims to identify the
welfare system that would be most suitable in overcoming his problems along with resources and
support specifically for him. The report also evaluates the services he would be provided.
The welfare system relevant to the case study
Mental health services in Australia display an overview of the national response of the
health and welfare service system to the mental health care that is needed in Australia. Michael is
45, his depression and anxiety have not emerged in recent years, but for a long tenure initiated in
his childhood. He has been a constant sufferer of depression and anxiety. It has even cost him his
job. The mental illness suffered by him has been for a long time hence the process of recovering
would be the same. There are several issues causing anxiety and depression to Michael and can
be cured with the help of mental health services available in Australia. According to the case
study, the major problem of Michael is his mental health, therefore, the welfare system that
would be able to assist Michael is the Australian public company, ‘Beyond Blue limited’. The
members of the beyondblue are the Commonwealth of Australia and Australian’s state and
territory. The constitution of Beyond Blue Limited founds beyond blues to reduce prevalence
and impact of anxiety, depression and other mental disorders. The company provides services to

the people struggling with mental health. The system aims to achieve a mentally healthy
environment. The ethical concern here is confidentiality of Michael’s personal details, his
consents regarding any medication and maintenance of legislative laws (Beyondblue, 2018).
Resources and support for the specific for Michael
There is a range of different treatment options that can help Michael. With a variety of
health professional and different types of services available Michael will get the help he needs
with anxiety and depression. To recover and stay well he can do various things offered by this
particular welfare system. Commonly depression and anxiety do not go away on their own, and
if it is left untreated or ignores, it can go on for a very long duration which is found in the case
study of Michael.
Method of treatment differs from people to people depending on specific
problems(McGorry, Bates & Birchwood, 2013). The key issues that are faced by Michael are
depression, anxiety, panic attack and the feeling of failure. Considering all the key issues,
Michael has been suffering from anxiety from childhood, which often gives him a panic attack.
Due to anxiety and panic attacks, he is afraid of moving out of comfort zone which leads to
unachieved goals, further leading to depression and experiencing a feeling of failure.
Considering the issues, it is essential to the cause for his anxiety which can be identified
through psychological treatments. The psychological therapies for Michael will include cognitive
behaviour therapy (CBT). CBT is a treatment that helps to recognize the way one thinks and act
impacts the way it makes one feel in a certain way (Zipfel et al., 2014). CBT is of the best
treatment for depression for it helps in identifying the thought and behaviour that are the causes
of depression. It also works in changing the pattern of thinking and behaviour. It makes the

patient aware of their thoughts and forces them to think rationally regarding the difficulties and
shift thoughts from negative to rational or more practical. Behaviour therapy would be helpful
for Michael as it encourages activities that are pleasant, satisfying and rewarding. These
activities are needed since Michael’s feeling of failure is associated with low self-esteem.
Michael should also consider medical treatments for depression that is provided by beyondblue
(Beyondblue, 2018). Apart from psychological treatment and medical treatment few necessary
treatments are highly advisable for Michael. The other sources of treatments are a healthy
lifestyle, learning about own conditions, joining support groups or online forums, relaxation
training and lastly family and friends.
Evaluation of the service suitable for the scenario
The services that has been identified above as the most suitable therapies are
recommended considering the patient’s overview. According to Hedman et al. (2014), it is
essential to understand the issues that the patient says and validate it with evidence. Michael has
been since depression and anxiety faced by Michael is since a long time is extremely important
to understand the reasons. Depression and anxiety can occur from various factors or even a
combination of factors. The family history of mental health problems, stressful life events,
physical health problems and substance use are the reasons. CBI will help to identify Michael’s
causes of depression and anxiety. According to Dalle Grave et al. (2013), Behaviour therapy is
the treatment of neurotic symptoms through various processes. This is needed for Michael to find
out the panic attacks which is called panic disorder. These are intense, overwhelming and
uncontrollable feeling, therefore, it has the potential of causing accidents which can be helped by
the behaviour therapy. According to Horne (2013), when the problems are present for a long
time, it takes a long time to recover, and therefore medication treatment will be necessary along

with other sources which are minor yet play a vital role in recovering from the mental health
illness.
Conclusion:
Considering the case of Michael, he is a mental health patient who has suffered since
childhood and having the impacts in his present time. He is faced with various feeling and has
developed a negative outlook toward life which he can face with the help of above mentioned
services provided by beyondblue. By analysis, his case and the treatment identified it is
anticipated that he would be able to help himself. He has very low self-esteem which is expected
to recover when he goes through the treatments along with physical activities.

References:
Beyondblue, (2018), Treatments for depression,Retrived from:
https://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/depression/treatments-for-depression
Dalle Grave, R., Calugi, S., Doll, H. A., & Fairburn, C. G. (2013). Enhanced cognitive behaviour
therapy for adolescents with anorexia nervosa: an alternative to family
therapy?.Behaviour research and therapy, 51(1), R9-R12.
Hedman, E., Ljótsson, B., Kaldo, V., Hesser, H., El Alaoui, S., Kraepelien, M., ...&Lindefors, N.
(2014). Effectiveness of Internet-based cognitive behaviour therapy for depression in
routine psychiatric care. Journal of affective disorders, 155, 49-58.
Hepworth, D. H., Rooney, R. H., Rooney, G. D., & Strom-Gottfried, K. (2016). Empowerment
series: Direct social work practice: Theory and skills. Nelson Education.
Horne, R. (2013). Representations of medication and treatment: advances in theory and
measurement. In Perceptions of Health &Illnes (pp. 169-202). Psychology Press.
McGorry, P., Bates, T., & Birchwood, M. (2013). Designing youth mental health services for the
21st century: examples from Australia, Ireland and the UK. The British Journal of
Psychiatry, 202(s54), s30-s35.
Zipfel, S., Wild, B., Groß, G., Friederich, H. C., Teufel, M., Schellberg, D., ...&Burgmer, M.
(2014). Focal psychodynamic therapy, cognitive behaviour therapy, and optimised
treatment as usual in outpatients with anorexia nervosa (ANTOP study): randomised
controlled trial. The Lancet, 383(9912), 127-137.