Understanding the Mental Health and Mental Illness

The paper brings about the discussion and analysis of the aspects of physical and mental health and the illness associated with respect to the patient ‘Georgia’ mentioned in the given case study. The case study states that Georgia a 22-year old girl, who studies in a university, is unable to cope with the normal stresses of her life. Discussing her studies, she is a third-year student studying psychology, but changed her full-time semester to part-time because of the overload, making her feel anxious, and stressed. Describing mental health and illness, in context to the patient it has been analyzed that Georgia encountered the problems, thinking, understanding, and concentrating on her studies, which defined her mental health issues. The case study has to be linked to gain an understanding of the illness, and the relationship between the physical and mental health of Georgia, which leads to developing a personal recovery plan for improving the status of her health. It will further result into an assessment of implications for the practice of health professionals in the healthcare. Thus, the readers will develop a perception towards the concept of mental health and the illness and their improvement in the long-term.

Mental health has described as the common and dynamic concept in relation to an individual’s physical, social, emotional, and psychological well-being. Mental health is considered important at every stage of life. Mental health difficulties affect an individual’s functional and working capacity in a number of ways (Thornicroft et al., 2016). Moreover, it is a known fact that the mental health problems affect the physical health of the individual leading to the increased risk of health issues and the diseases in a prolonged time-period (Clement et al., 2015). A person with a stable mental health or condition is able to think, act, and behave appropriately, and enhances the ability to achieve personal goals in their life. As in the case, the patient found difficulties in thinking and responding to the changes in her behavior, which stated about her mental health illness. This can be further described in detail with the issues of mental health found in the case of Georgia (Humphreys, McLeod & Ruseski, 2014).

The range of health illness, in relation to the mental health of the patient, Georgia in the case study, characterizes anxiety/Panic disorder. Georgia represented problems while completing her assignments, and concentrating on the studies especially, during the exams. This depicts her mental health problems, due to which she felt worried and panicky almost every time. There are some of the instances found in the case study, which highlights the patient’s anxious behavior as when she tried driving and met with an accident during her second test, which led to a stressful situation. She described the feeling of being tensed and anxious all the time, which caused her trouble sleeping at night. In addition, Georgia described the feeling that in her future years she will become stressed and anxious just like her mother. Mental health issues are common in adults, which affects their work life or studies influencing their health in the longer period. The time and methodology to cure or treat the patients with such mental health issues depend upon the nature of the problem and the impact on the individual’s health (McDougall & Vaillancourt, 2015). Similarly, the case of Georgia showcased the problems of mental health as she felt worried, panicky and stressed during her exams, found difficulties in learning and focusing on things almost every time.

The Relationship between Mental Health and Physical Health

Georgia represented the mental illness of anxiety or panic disorder, which is exemplified her over-stressing and becoming anxious and fearful about the experiences of her life, during a past that might affect her present and future. Anxiety disorders are categorized under different mental health conditions listed in the DSM-5, which included cognitive disorders, as relevant with the case of Georgia. Georgia defined about the problem of anxiety disorders, such as living away from parents, lack of concentration, impaired sleep, and feeling of doom, displayed her health condition characterizing excessive fear and anxiety, and the related behavioral disturbances (Rebar et al., 2015). The description of Georgia’s disturbed health condition is stated well according to the diagnostic features of anxiety as per the criteria of DSM5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).  The features identified with the case of Georgia, in relation to the criteria of DSM 5, included the feelings of restlessness, fatigue or tiredness, difficulty in concentrating, irritability, and the sleep disturbance. The diagnostic criteria, with respect to the condition of Georgia’s health as per DSM, mentioned that she felt chest pain or discomfort. The most noticeable factor was the excessive anxiety & worry, observed for almost 6 months, described a number of events or activities, such as poor performance in her university exams. Moreover, the significant changes in the behavior of daily routine, as Georgia started avoiding her regular morning walk leading to her poor physical health (Fisher et al., 2014).  

Discussing the above scenario, it has been analyzed that mental and physical health is fundamentally linked. Mental and physical health conditions of Georgia are linked to each other in a number of ways (Patel et al., 2016). As it was depicted through the case that Georgia, her serious anxiety disorder led to the negative impact on her physical health condition. It has been stated that her tiredness led to her negligence towards regular exercise, which disturbed her physical health, leading on to impaired mental health condition. Thus, it has been analyzed that both, the physical and mental health of Georgia are interconnected and exerts an influence over each other (Von Dawans et al., 2017).

Georgia with the mental illness or anxiety disorder faced problems of the inability to study, short of breath, heart pounding, and the feeling of doom due to the anxiety. Therefore, it can be stated that with the case of Georgia, this is the link or relationship between the mental health and the physical health condition of the patient.

The mental health illness, i.e. anxiety disorders of the patient led to the physical symptoms of sleeplessness, fatigue, and restlessness. In another way, it can also be stated that unsound physical health of Georgia also affected her ability or capability to deal with the stressful situations, and the difficulty living a normal life. It has been a known fact that if Georgia had involved herself, in regular exercise, walk, or nutritional diet, it would lessen the impact of problems on her health, thereby reducing anxiety or stress. In this way, the nexus relationship between the two terms, physical and mental health has described in context to the patient, Georgia in the case study (Australian Health policy Collaboration, 2018). 

There is an important concept of the people with the mental illness, called personal recovery. Recovery refers to gaining and retaining hope, understanding one’s own abilities, and disabilities, personal autonomy, positive attitude towards life, and achieving meaning and sense of life. A paradigm shift has identified in the healthcare settings, as they focus now, more on involving the patient in the personal recovery method of treatment (Slade et al., 2014). The process of personal recovery is unique to every individual, as it relates to the individual’s experiences and mental and physical health problems. It means that the process of personal recovery of Georgia would be different and personal as per her mental health needs and goals (Ohrnberger, Fichera & Sutton, 2017).

 Clinical recovery is the presence of fewer or no symptoms, whereas personal recovery is a broader concept. Personal recovery aims to serve the purpose of ensuring a meaningful life in the context of the mental health problems experienced by the person. Georgia’s recovery is similar to her mental health problems is a unique and deeply personal process, which will help her promote her wellbeing and health helping in attaining the goals of personal recovery (Jacob, 2015).

Georgia suffering from the problem of anxiety disorder can manage and deal with the mental illness at a personal level, by making changes in her routine, eating habits, regular exercise and so on. The strategies for personal recovery for Georgia may also include, firstly adopting a routine that will lessen those symptoms, of being excessive anxious or facing problems of concentration on the studies. She can focus on performing relaxation exercises or take herself on a holiday. More specifically, Georgia can engage herself in behavior therapy, in which she can rank her fears, or worries, from most to the least threatening. Then she can choose to work out on one to another, leading to attaining happiness or relief from the stress, leading to the success of methodology of personal recovery in mental illness (Khusid & Vythilingam, 2016).

It is essential to identify the mental health needs of the patient, Georgia to suggest an appropriate treatment for her illness. Georgia suffered from the anxiety disorder, which made her feel stressed, or anxious most of the time, and she used to decline all the invitations by her friends, which shows her inactivity being social. It becomes difficult to meet the needs of the patient timely in anxiety disorders, as the patients sometimes become reluctant or impulsive towards their caregivers while interacting with them (Raab, 2014). Georgia was found under the risk factors of over-anxiousness, and fear of inability to cope with the stress like another mother, thus the major priorities was the belongingness, with her parents and friends, which will help her, regain hope and develop a positive attitude towards the changes in her life (Brown et al., 2016). Georgia may require continuing care by people who may support her from the illness or anxiety disorder, and may help elevate the quality of her life. The needs include knowledge on self-conditioning, condition observation and the management of other related health problems (Coventry et al., 2015).

The treatment, which can be effective to the health condition of Georgia, may include a number of aspects. The common methods, which can be used for Georgia, include psychotherapy; counseling and behavioral therapy might help the situation. Providing her knowledge and teaching Georgia about the numerous benefits of stress management techniques, may be an effective strategy for treating her anxious or stressful behaviors (Hofmann & Otto, 2017). 

The techniques such as meditation, yoga, and other recreational activities are the most effective strategies that can lead to positive health outcomes for Georgia. Lifestyle and the dietary changes are the other crucial aspects of treatment for Georgia as, she could make changes in her lifestyle, and avoid caffeine, and adopt healthy eating along with exercises. Georgia’s health condition might improve better with the counseling and therapies, rather taking medications (Fisher et al., 2014).

Georgia in her present health condition (anxiety disorder), being stressed, fearful and over-anxious about the inability to cope with the different stresses of life stated about many of health needs, which were essential to be fulfilled by her parents, supporting members in her family and the health professionals.  Thus, the implications for the practice of health professionals can be studied in this regard. It is understood that anxiety disorders are associated with a high use of medical services and the increased costs. The efforts of health professionals or doctors have increased in order to improve the quality of the general practice care for anxiety disorder patients (Wood et al., 2015). The integration of the mental health care into the basic or primary health care has become an area of priority at both local and national level. This process is known as mainstreaming, which aimed towards increasing the access to quality and comprehensive health care services for especially those people who were experiencing problems in getting treatment for illness (Paul et al., 2015).

  It thus, states that with the process of mainstreaming, now nurses have to keep frequent contact with the people having a mental health problem. It means nursing practice is undergoing a rapid and drastic change. Georgia has been anxious and stressed past six months, therefore it is essential to provide her medical treatment, doctors, or nurses have a critical role in contribution towards her health improvement. Hence, the role of personal recovery and the continuing care of practice of health professionals can be of utmost important to Georgia. It may help her with her on-going and future concerns relating to her mental and related physical health issues (Coulombe et al., 2016).

Conclusion

To conclude the above discussion, it can be stated that mental and physical health are the interrelated terms, which affects an individual’s quality of life. From the study of aspects of the mental and physical health of the patient in the case study, Georgia, it has been analyzed that her mental illness was the major factor for the disturbance in her physical health. Mental health illness constitutes a number of risk factors, causing physical health problems or diseases. The essay discussed the relationship between MH and PH, their impact on Georgia’s health condition, and the effective role of self-management and personal recovery. Hence, the health professionals may incorporate some new methods of treating patients with panic or anxiety disorders through continuing care providing them relief for the longer term.

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