Mental health issues spiralled to significance for me when I descended into a psychotic episode. Until then I had respect and relative understanding for those with depression etc but this period of illness gave me a rude awakening to the trials and tribulations involved in mental health and what it can do to an individual, partnership and family / friends of the patient.
Stigma is still attached to mental health as my own experience has shown me. There is improvement through mental health awareness week, charities like heads together and other supporters such as Mind who do an amazing job. Mental health in my opinion is still a long way from being 'de-stigmatised'. Especially after a patient moves from a mental health ward where support is on hand 24 hours 7 days a week. Moving back into a community is tough and needs to be done solely at a patient / sufferers own pace.
A combination of medication and therapy needs to be put into place. Pressure and lack of understanding even from those who love you the most can be lacking. Assumptions that therapy cures mental health problems that easily is mis-understood and can be of real frustration to anyone with a condition such as depression, psychosis and Bi-polar.
People are unaware of the signs and have no understanding of how devastating and life destroying mental health problems can be. I had never even heard about a 'psychotic episode' or 'psychosis' but have been thrown into the realms of therapy, utilising many mediums including art therapy. An essential part of treatment that gives retreat, comfort and relaxation. Much needed for the hallucinations and delusions.
Considering the different approaches to psychology in treating these conditions I feel that psychodynamic psychology which is defined as;
‘Psychodynamic psychotherapy or psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a form of depth psychology, the primary focus of which is to reveal the unconscious content of a client's psyche in an effort to alleviate psychic tension
can give an understanding of key aspects in a persons life which can contribute to mental health issues in life. Humanistic psychology is defined as:
A movement in psychology supporting the belief that humans, as individuals, are unique beings and should be recognised and treated as such by psychologists and psychiatrists.
and not going to be helpful for many because of its complexity compared to other theories and the need for referral for treatment could be a problem and a very long road.
CBT (Cognitive Behaviour Therapy) is a powerful tool in mental health, so cognitive psychology has a big part to play in forming treatment plans and understanding a basis for support and a long term treatment plan. Although biological and evolutionary psychology may have a role to play for some, others will feel it has no relevance at all. My opinion of the human givens approach is that it is vital to recovery but should be tailor-made to each individual patient. The joining of body and mind and in depth analysis of both physical and emotional needs are essential.
Through the physical needs aspects mental health sufferers need to focus firmly and rigidly on themselves and managing the basics of wellbeing. Support for emotional needs have a clear meaning to the patient as this is crucial to progress to the next level and taking control of the current situation. Strategies such as art therapy need to come into play once a patient is ready to take on treatment and really wants to get better.
On reflection I don't agree that resources from within are there from birth when it comes to mental health recovery. These have to be learnt and in many cases re-learnt over and over dependant on mental health status and level of function both physically and emotionally. Having a meaning and purpose is an essential factor to recovery and agree that this alongside security in a safe environment, sense of competence, achievement and the ability to make choices are essential to recovery to the highest possible level that enables the patient to live as normal a life as possible. Â
When working with participants with mental health problems it is crucial to have good communication skills and talk to your participants. Have somewhere safe for them to go to and relax for a while when there is too much going on in their head and they are struggling to focus. A great way of doing this is to use cue cards. The participant can quickly and easily show you a cue card during your session to let you know how they are managing and if they aren’t what actions need to taken to ensure they are not going to avoid the session in the future because of how they feel.
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A fantastic campaign running just now is ‘Britain Get Talking’, this has been launched by ITV;-
‘Britain Get Talking is an ITV Mental Wellness campaign to help families get closer. There is clear evidence that building good relationships – with family, friends and our wider community – is positive for our wellbeing. Having strong relationships means that we can share our feelings and know we're being understood’.
You may also have seen in the news that football have tagged along here as well but time in the stands at big football games also encouraging people to talk, especially men. All transferable to other sports, activities and groups within the wider community.
Whilst this is focused on young people the tools can be used to support adults too. Why not try having a ‘Get people Talking’ session in between the exercises you are delivering or at the end of the activity to discuss the session and how they feel. This could be done through talking but also through writing, drawing, cue cards or hand signals. It’s up to you and the participants to find the right thing for them. Some trial and error and thinking outside of the box may be needed but it should be rewarding and it will have the potential to unlock opportunities for those with mental health problems who hear about your innovative way of delivery.
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