People Never See Us Living Well: An Appraisal of the Personal Stories About Mental Illness in a Prospective Print Media Sample

2005 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 281-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Nairn ◽  
J. H. Coverdale
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mass Media ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Print Media ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Living Well ◽  
Personal Strengths

Objective: Having found no discussions of self-depictions offered by psychiatric patients in the mass media we sought such items in a prospective national sample of print media and analysed how those speakers portrayed themselves. Method: As part of a larger study of media depictions of mental illnesses in print media all items with any mental health or illness aspect that appeared in a New Zealand publication over a four-week period were collected. The resulting collection of 600 items ranged from news briefs to full-page newspaper articles. From that set we selected and analysed items in which a person identified as having been a psychiatric patient or as having a mental disorder was either quoted by the reporter who had interviewed them, or personally described their experiences. Employing both propositional analyses and discourse analysis we explored how the speakers were positioned and identified patterns or themes in their construction of living with a mental illness. Results: Only five articles (0.8%) met our criteria for a person with a mental disorder being reported directly. In those items the journalists had positioned the speakers as credible, expert sources who, in representing their lives and experiences, drew on five clusters of resources, that we titled: Ordinariness/Living Well; Vulnerability; Stigma; Crisis; and Disorder/ Treatment. Ordinariness/Living Well foregrounded the role of personal strengths in living well and in overcoming adversity, particularly that associated with being stigmatized. We identified that theme as central to the ways in which these speakers depicted themselves as recognizably human and understandable. Conclusion: The findings are preliminary but these depictions are different from those reported by most researchers. Unlike those depictions, these speakers provided accessible and recognizably human self-portrayals. That finding intensifies our concern that most researchers appear to be unaware that these consumer voices are largely absent from mass media depictions of mental illnesses.

scholarly journals Mental Illness and Amyloid: A Scoping Review of Scientific Evidence over the Last 10 Years (2011 to 2021)

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1352
Author(s):  
Gianluca Pandolfo ◽  
Fiammetta Iannuzzo ◽  
Giovanni Genovese ◽  
Antonio Bruno ◽  
Giovanni Pioggia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Cognitive Impairment ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Scientific Evidence ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Tau Proteins ◽  
Amyloid A ◽  
Amyloid Metabolism

Amyloid precursor protein and its derivates represent a central factor in the process of neurodegeneration in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Since mental illnesses share with AD cognitive impairment, amyloid indicators have been used to explore the unknown pathophysiologic mechanisms underlining psychiatric illness. This work aims to compare the role of amyloid markers, together with tau proteins, among various mental disorders evaluating the possible role of altered amyloid metabolism in the onset and in the course of psychiatric diseases, considering the relationship with cognitive impairment in dementia. This review includes articles written in English, published between 1 January 2011 and 31 January 2021, which evaluated amyloid and tau proteins in psychiatric patients. After screening, 31 studies were included in the review. Results suggest that amyloid metabolism is altered in major psychiatric disorders and that it could be a marker of cognitive impairment. Nevertheless, the role of amyloid in mental diseases seems to be related to neurodevelopmental alteration as well as neurodegeneration processes, like in AD. The role of amyloid in the pathogenesis of mental disorders is still unknown. Amyloid should not be only considered as a marker of cognitive impairment in mental illness, but also for altered neurodevelopment.

Driving, mental illness and the role of the psychiatrist

1998 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 49-51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Elwood
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Adverse Effects ◽  
Psychotropic Medication ◽  
Mentally Ill ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Fitness To Drive ◽  
Legal Implications

AbstractObjectives: Drivers with certain mental illnesses are obliged by the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to stop driving and to report their condition. This study aims to quantify the number of psychiatric patients failing to meet the DVLA standards of ‘fitness to drive’ and to record how frequently psychiatrists failed to advise patients of these standards.Method: In this prospective descriptive study, 10 psychiatrists reported by questionnaire the diagnosis and driving status of all patients encountered over a four week period. They recorded their advice given to patients failing to meet the DVLA criteria of ‘fitness to drive’ and advice given when prescribing psychotropic medication.Results: Of 297 patients, 123 (41%) were drivers. 19/123 (13%) of drivers failed to meet the DVLA standards of ‘fitness to drive’. In 9/19 of these cases the psychiatrist did not advise the patient in line with the DVLA guidelines. This was especially the case for alcohol related disorders. Of drivers 49% were prescribed psychotropic medication with potential adverse effects on driving.Conclusions: Driving amongst mentally ill patients appears commonplace. In this study, 13% of drivers were considered by the authorities to be unfit to drive. Psychiatrists frequently used their own judgement when advising patients regarding driving. This arguably contravenes doctors' responsibilities to patients and has potential legal implications for both the patient and psychiatrist.

Does section 63 of the Mental Health Act 1983 disempower patients with mental illness? Analysis of the case law

2017 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bhanuka Senasinghe
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Medical Treatment ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Case Law ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Legal Cases ◽  
Physical Conditions ◽  
Mental Health Act

In England and Wales, detained psychiatric inpatients are treated under section 63 of the Mental Health Act 1983. This paper critically analyses the relevant law and considers the arbitrary distinctions between consent for treatments for mental illnesses and physical conditions, which may disempower patients with mental illness. Section 63 states that (for detained psychiatric patients) consent for medical treatment for patients’ mental disorder is not required. The treating clinician responsible for a patient decides what this medical treatment entails. This article focuses on three main legal cases: B v Croydon Health Authority, Tameside and Glossop v CH and Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust v RC and considers whether s 63 disempowers patients with mental illnesses.

scholarly journals Assumption of drugs with self-injurer purpose: a retrospective study about 111 patients hospitalized in Policlinico of Modena

2013 ◽  
pp. 93-98
Author(s):  
Lucio Brugioni ◽  
Paola Magnani ◽  
Eleonora Berti ◽  
Cristina Gozzi ◽  
Francesca De Niederhausern ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Retrospective Study ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Suicidal Attempt ◽  
Pharmacologic Therapy ◽  
Psychiatric Ward ◽  
Family Doctors ◽  
Suicidal Attempts ◽  
History Of

AIM OF THE STUDY The aim of this work was to evaluate the epidemiology of suicidal attempts by ingestion of drugs in our area. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a retrospective study considering all patients admitted to the hospital between January 2004 and December 2006 for suicidal attempts using drugs. RESULTS A total of 111 patients were seen in our Department in the evaluated period. The large majority of patients were women (75%). Suicidal attempt was more common in individuals aged 31 to 40 years. The more common drugs used were: BDZ (28%), anti-depressive (21%), anti-psychotics (10%) and anti-epileptics (8%). A gastric washout was performed in 65.8% of all patients admitted to the hospital. The most used antidote was flumazenil. Alterations of laboratory exams were seen only in a small percentage of the cases. In the majority of cases, suicide was at the first attempt. 71% of patients were followed by psychiatrist and were taking daily psychiatric pharmacologic therapy; 5% had a history of previous admission to the hospital in a psychiatric ward; only 24% had no a history of a prior mental illness. 43% of patients were admitted to a psychiatric ward after intensive treatment in our department. Self-discharging was not usual (10%), and only few patients were restrained against their will (3%). CONCLUSIONS Our study has identified some risk factors for a suicidal attempt. Family doctors should have a stronger control of their patients with mental illness especially during the first period of treatment. In future it should be very helpful to create an informatic network connecting all departments involved in the care of these patients. Moreover, it is crucial to increase the role of family doctors in the care of psychiatric patients after their hospitalization.

scholarly journals Traditional faith healers as referral sources: A hospital-based descriptive study

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 46-50
Author(s):  
D.K. Thapa ◽  
N. Lamichhane ◽  
S. Subedi
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Psychotic Disorders ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
Descriptive Study ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
General Observation ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Faith Healer ◽  
Common Notion

Introduction: Mental illnesses are commonly linked with a higher disability and burden of disease than many physical illnesses. But despite that fact, it is a general observation that a majority of patients with mental disorder never seek professional help. To elaborate further, the widely prevalent magico-religious beliefs associated with mental illness and lower literacy, poses significant social obstacles in seeking appropriate health care for psychiatric patients. In general, mental illness is seen as related to life stresses, social or family conflicts and evil spirits and the concept of biological causes of mental illness is rare even among the educated. The idea that illness and death are due to malevolent spirits is common notion that is shared practically by all level of society from the so-called primitive to modern industrialized societies, thus indicating the strong influences of cultural background. When there is a magico- religious concepts of disease causation, there is tendency to consult indigenous healers. Therefore, the patients with mental illness often either visit or are taken to faith healers by their relatives. The objective of the study was to determine the various psychiatric cases that were referred by the traditional faith healers to the authors. Material and Method: This is a cross- sectional, hospital- based descriptive study, conducted at the Psychiatric outpatient department of Pokhara Om Hospital, Pokhara, Kaski, Nepal for the period of one year, from June 2016 to May 2017. The total of 35 cases, referred by the traditional faith healers was included in the study. Subjects of any age, any gender, any literacy level, any caste, from any locality and religious background were included in the study after their consent. Subjects who refused to consent were not included in the study. The psychiatric diagnosis was based on the complete history and examination and ICD- 10 DRC criteria. Results: Though the sample size is small, it is interesting to note that patients with various kinds of mental disorders were referred by traditional faith healers. There were patients suffering from neurotic disorders, psychotic disorders, mood disorders, seizure, substance use disorder, intellectual disability etc seeking the treatment from traditional faith healers. Among the cases referred, predominantly were female and neurotic cases. Most patients were educated. Conclusion: The study shows that patients with various mental disorders visit traditional faith healer. This area surely requires further in-depth look as traditional faith healers can be an important source of referral of psychiatric patients.

Unpacking the Meaning of Work for Individuals Living With Serious Mental Illness

2020 ◽  
pp. 089484532094125
Author(s):  
Uma Chandrika Millner ◽  
Erna Sally Rogers ◽  
Philippe Bloch ◽  
William Costa ◽  
Sharon Pritchett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Serious Mental Illness ◽  
National Sample ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Development Theory ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Meaning Of Work ◽  
Services Research

Individuals diagnosed with serious mental illnesses continue to experience work-related disparities despite the existence of evidence-based practices. Understanding the meaning of work among these individuals is key to developing interventions grounded in career development theory and practice. This qualitative inquiry adapted a consensual qualitative research approach and utilized a participatory component to conduct an in-depth exploration of the meaning of work among a national sample of young adults and older adults living with serious mental illness. The psychology of working perspective was applied to the results after analyses. Results revealed categories that clustered within four overarching domains pertaining to work as central to survival, social connectedness, self-determination, and mental health recovery as proposed by the theory. Implications for services, research, and policy are discussed.

scholarly journals Managing mentally abnormal offenders

1989 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 480-481 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jack Hajioff
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Psychiatric Patients

Psychiatric patients often break society's rules and find themselves before the courts. Sometimes an offence is the first sign of mental illness. The coincidence of mental disorder and an offence complicates both assessment and management, but particularly the latter.

On Becoming Ill: An Exploration of the Concept of “Transition” to a Mental Disorder

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (S1) ◽  
pp. S509-S510
Author(s):  
B. Moura
Keyword(s):  
Mental Illness ◽  
Clinical Practice ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Systems Approach ◽  
Mental Illnesses ◽  
Clinical Population ◽  
Longitudinal Models ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Competing Interest ◽  
Models Of Disease

IntroductionAs a general problem in nosology, the moment when one becomes ill may be hard to define. In Psychiatry, the boundaries of disease may be more difficult to establish. In the last decade, we’ve been observing a growing interest in early diagnosis in this field, and the concept of “transition” to a mental illness became an important topic of discussion with implications in clinical practice.ObjectiveTo review different author's models of evolution of symptoms and transition to mental illness and discuss their advantages and limitations in the actual context of Psychiatry research and clinical practice.AimTo increase understanding on the different paradigms of becoming ill and their relevance to present and future psychiatric practice.MethodsNon-systematic review of literature devoted to the creation of models that describe the establishment of a mental disorder.ResultsOne of the first accounts of becoming mentally ill was developed by K. Jaspers within a phenomenological life-history analysis. Nonetheless, a cross-sectional approach to diagnosis has dominated Psychiatry for most of the time. With the advent of early intervention studies, longitudinal models of disease have been emphasized. The concept of a transition to disease was then operationalized but also highly criticized. Recently, McGorry proposed a staging model for psychiatric disorders in continuum with the non-clinical population. Finally, a dynamic systems approach to diagnosis in Psychiatry will be discussed.ConclusionDriven by research in early phases of mental illnesses, current models of disease propose a longitudinal approach that emphasizes the complex and non-linear course of symptom clusters.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

scholarly journals The Role of Family and Community in The Treatment of Mental Disorder Patients

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 001-005
Author(s):  
Tutut Pujianto ◽  
Retno Ardanari Agustin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Daily Activities ◽  
Family Role ◽  
Health Treatment ◽  
The Family ◽  
The Individual

Mental health is an integral part of health, and a condition that affects the physical, mental, and  social  development  of  the  individual  optimally.  Mental  disorder  is  disturbances  in:  cognitive, volition, emotion (affective), and actions (psychomotor). Mental disorder is a collection of abnormal circumstances, whether physically related, or mentally. It is divided into two groups, namely: mental disorder  (neurosis)  and  mental  illness  (psychosis).  Mental  disorder  is  caused  by  some  of  the  above causes affected simultaneously or coincidence occurs. The purpose of this study was to increase the role of family and society in the treatment of mental disorder patients which was consequently could reduce the number of mental disorders patients This research used obsevational design with descriptive analy- sis. The subjects were family members who treat mental disorder patients as much as 16 respondents. The data collection was done in October 2012. The family role data grouped into appropriate and inappro- priate  category.  The  research  found  that  11  people  (68.75%)  in  the  category  of  inappropriate,  and appropriate by 5 people (31.25%), with average family role of 63.19%. The higher of inappropriate category was because 9 respondents (56.25%) in the age of elderly (> 50 years). This condition caused a decrease in the ability to perform daily activities, including health treatment. There were 4 patients who have been treated for 7-14 years, so the family feels accustomed to the condition of the patient. There were 8 people (50%) in productive age treated the patients, so it could not be done continuously. Based on these conditions, there should be efforts to increase knowledge and willingness of the patients and families, in caring for patients with mental disorders. The examples of such activities were to consult with the nearest health employees, and report to the health worker if there is a risky condition immedi- ately.

scholarly journals Study of the Santal-Psychiatric Patients and their Belief Towards Mental Illness

2018 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-81
Author(s):  
AA Mamun Hussain ◽  
Shahana Qais ◽  
MMR Khan
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Mental Illness ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Mental Disorder ◽  
Ethnic Minorities ◽  
Psychiatric Illness ◽  
Medical Condition ◽  
Psychiatric Patients ◽  
General Medical Condition ◽  
Major Mental Disorder

This study aims at finding the presence of psychiatric illness of the santals, an ethnic minorities of the northern part of Bangladesh and their belief towards mental illness. Among the 77 patients, 39 (50.64%) were male and 38 (49.35%) were female. The majority of the respondents were in between the age of 16-35 years. Most (80%) believed that possession by Bonga/Kali caused the illness. In the present study, 45 (59.74%) had major mental disorder, 18 (23.37%) had minor mental disorders and 13 (16.88%) had psychotic disorder due to general medical condition (viz. Epilepsy). Observations suggest that change of awareness and perception regarding mental disorder, should be a high priority, as right mental health is one of the key component of total delivery of health care.TAJ 2011; 24(2): 76-81

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document