What is mental health?
The purpose of this assignment is to explore mental health issues and relate mental illness to a patient in my care within my work placement. Mental health and mental illnesses are commonly perceived by many as one and the same. Within the nursing profession it is important to distinguish between the two, and identify a mental illness as early as possible; a patient in care must be diagnosed with mental health problems as early as possible in order to facilitate a constructive plan of treatment, and aid the nurture of positive mental health.
"A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease" is how WHO defines mental health; a state of well-being that is liable to be difficult to maintain throughout our lives. REFERENCE SAZ!
As mental health is a complex and wide ranging subject, the author will primarily focus on depression, specifically within the elderly. This will be supported by knowledge gained from a placement within a care home, where many elderly patients are suffering from various illnesses, including depression.
The author will also look at factors which can and may have an effect on mental health, to include:
Psychological factors
Social and environmental causes.
Physical causes.
As a student nurse, i should be able to reflect on my professional and personal experiences, so
I have chosen Gibbs G (1988) Reflective Cycle framework for reflection
and any errors that i feel need to be worked on, through an smart action plan.
See appendix 1
“Mental health is about the way human beings adjust to the world, and are effective, happy, efficient, content, and maintain an even temper, an alert intelligence, social considerate behaviour and a happy disposition”. (Whooton sheet of paper)
The definition above seems almost unobtainable when we consider the trials and tribulations of everyday ordinary life; of course what is...