Social Work Mental Health Dr Muhammad Ibrar History

Social Work & Mental Health Dr. Muhammad Ibrar

History In the mid-19 th century, William Sweetzer was the first to clearly define the term "mental hygiene", which can be seen as the forebear to modern approaches to work on promoting positive mental health. Isaac Ray, one of thirteen founders of the American Psychiatric Association, further defined mental hygiene as an art to preserve the mind against incidents and influences which would prevent or destroy its energy, quality or development

…Contd. An important figure to "mental hygiene", would be Dorothea Dix (1802– 1887), a school teacher, who had campaigned her whole life in order to help those suffering of a mental illness, and to bring to light the terrible conditions which they were put it in. This was known as the "Mental Hygiene Movement". Dix's efforts were so great there was a rise in the number of patients in mental health facilities, which sadly resulted in these patients receiving less attention and care, as these institutions were largely understaffed.

…Contd. At the beginning of the 20 th century, Clifford Beers founded the National Committee for Mental Hygiene and opened the first outpatient mental health clinic in the United States of America.

Introduction Evidence from the World Health Organization suggests that nearly half the world's population are affected by mental illness with an impact on their self-esteem, relationships and ability to function in everyday life. An individual's emotional health can also impact physical health and poor mental health can lead to problems such as substance abuse. Good mental health can enhance one’s life, while poor mental health can prevent someone from living a normal life.

…Contd. It was also pointed in researches that people who lack emotional expression lead to misfit behaviors. These behaviors are a direct reflection of their mental health. Selfdestructive acts may take place to suppress emotions. Some of these acts include drug and alcohol abuse, physical fights or destruction.

…Contd. According to the World Health Organization in 2004, depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States of America for individuals ages 15 to 44. Absence from work in the U. S. due to depression is estimated to be in excess of $31 billion dollars per year. Depression frequently co-occurs with a variety of medical illnesses such as heart disease, cancer, and chronic pain and is associated with poorer health status and forecast. Each year, roughly 30, 000 Americans take their lives, while hundreds of thousands make suicide attempts (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

…Contd. In 2004, suicide was the 11 th leading cause of death in the United States of America (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), third among individuals ages 15– 24. Despite the increasingly availability of effectual depression treatment, the level of unmet need for treatment remains high. Reducing depression within the U. S. population has been an essential priority of governmental organizations over the last decade. While approximately 80 percent of all people in the United States with a mental disorder eventually receive some form of treatment.

What is mental health Mental health is not just the absence of mental disorder. It is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.

…Contd. In most countries, particularly low- and middleincome countries, mental health services are severely short of resources - both human and financial. Of the health care resources available, most are currently spent on the specialized treatment and care of the people with mental illness, and to a lesser extent on an integrated mental health system. Instead of providing care in large psychiatric hospitals, countries should integrate mental health into primary health care, provide mental health care in general hospitals and develop community-based mental health services.

…Contd. Mental Health refers to a broad collection of activities directly or indirectly related to the mental well-being component included in the WHO's definition of health: "A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease". It is related to the promotion of well-being, the prevention of mental disorders, and the treatment and rehabilitation of people affected by mental disorders.

World Mental Health Day 10 October • World Mental Health Day raises public awareness about mental health issues. The day promotes open discussion of mental disorders, and investments in prevention, promotion and treatment services. The treatment gap for mental, neurological and substance use disorders is difficult especially in poor resource countries.

What does a Mental Health Social Worker do? Mental health social workers work with individuals with mental disorders to resolve associated psychosocial problems and with families in which mental health problems exist in connection with social problems, such as family distress, unemployment, disability, poverty and trauma. They work with issues such as depression, anxiety, mood and personality disorders, suicidal thoughts, relationship problems, adjustment issues, trauma and family conflicts.

Services Mental health social workers provide a range of evidence-based interventions, which focus on achieving solutions, including: • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy • Relation strategies • Skills training • Interpersonal therapy • Psycho-education • Family therapy • Narrative therapy