Individual Funding for People With Mental Health Issues

This chapter outlines the key features of individual funding programs and examines their suitability for people with mental illness. This is a contested area with some writers concerned that mental illness is different from other types of disability and unsuitable for individual funding. The recovery model and the episodic nature of mental illness are seen as conflicting with individual funding eligibility criteria for consistent and permanent disability. The counter view is that flexible individual funding is ideally suited to meeting the fluctuating needs of people with mental illness: its key principles of empowerment and self-direction being consistent with the recovery paradigm. Evidence from Australian and international studies is reviewed, suggesting that successful outcomes can be achieved if the necessary supports and resources are available to meet people's needs.

Media, Social Media, and the Securitization of Mental Health Problems in Nepal

This chapter attempts to unfold the trend and nature of mainstream and social media coverage on mental health issues in Nepal through suicide case of Yama Buddha, a popular musician. Using the securitization theory and concepts of threat construction and threat neutralization, major findings through content analysis and key informant interviews reveal reputed mainstream media following cautious route towards threat neutralization and therefore, maintaining a level of journalistic professionalism. However, especially in the other online media, blogs, and other social media, there were sensationalist words and tone used to attract the audience, triggering various sorts of emotional responses, thereby fulfilling the act of securitization. Major recommendations from this chapter include more awareness and understanding about the nature and type of mental health problems; capacity building of journalists and media professionals to better understand and report on mental health problems; development and proper implementation of media guidelines on reporting mental health issues.

The History of Unreason

This chapter reflects on the importance of the historical narrative of mental illness, arguing that Western countries have sought new ways to confine the mentally ill in the post-asylum era, namely through the effects of stigma and medicalization. The walls are invisible, when once they were physical. The chapter outlines how health and illness can be understood as socially constructed illustrating how mental health has been constructed uniquely across cultures and over time. To understand this process more fully, it is necessary to consider the history of madness, a story of numerous social flashpoints. The trajectories of two primary mental health narratives are charted in this chapter. The authors argue that these narratives have played, and continue to play, an important role in the social construction of mental illness. These narratives are “confinement” and “individual responsibility.” Drawing on the work of Michel Foucault and Roy Porter, the authors describe how Western culture has come to consider the mentally ill as a distinct, abnormal other.

Mental Health and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

This chapter reveals the important perspectives on mental health, mental illness, and technology utilization; mental health education and mental health nursing; the overview of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); CBT, depression, anxiety, and insomnia; CBT and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD); and CBT and heart failure. Mental health strengthens the individuals' ability to have healthy relationships; make good life choices; maintain physical health and well-being; handle the natural ups and downs of life; and grow toward individuals' potential. Mental health is associated with higher productivity, better performance, more consistent work attendance, and fewer workplace accidents. CBT is a goal-oriented psychotherapy treatment that takes a practical approach to problem-solving skills. CBT involves recognizing the unhelpful or destructive patterns of thinking and reacting, thus modifying or replacing these patterns with more realistic or helpful ones.

Romantic Relationships, Online Dating, and Mental Health Issues

This chapter attempts to present the overview of mental health issues associated with online dating and online romantic relationships with relevant research background. It briefly cautions about the possible risks involved in the world of online dating platforms and later delves into mental health concerns that can emerge out of experiences while selecting a potential partner online, developing a romantic relationship, and being involved in a romantic relationship online. It also discusses safety measures that need to be taken before and while being active on such online dating sites. The chapter draws attention to the specific role of mental health professionals that is needed while dealing with victims of online scams and abuse.

Virtual Communities, Machine Learning and IoT

Mental health challenges such as stress, anxiety and depression are on the rise worldwide. Health virtual communities (VCs) is a rising paradigm that has proven to be efficient and effective in delivering mental health interventions that address self-management, diagnosis and treatment targeting people facing mental health challenges. However, current Health VCs have limited application; they lack the ability to provide access to coordinated services and to continuously collect and integrate data originating from different devices in a streamlined manner. The Internet of Things (IoT) and machine learning represent a unique opportunity to expand the Health Virtual Community applications in the mental health domain; however, they represent a unique situation where challenges arise. This article will discuss the opportunities and challenges that virtual communities, machine learning and IoT represent for mental health research.

Mental Health Access Issues by People of Refugee Backgrounds in Australia

This chapter presents a critical discussion on the understanding and access of mental health services by people from diverse refugee backgrounds delivered in a Western cultural setting. Mental health services are heavily influenced by a biomedical approach, but there is a growing understanding of the importance of culture and biopsychosocial approaches. This chapter highlights some of the institutional and cultural issues that need to be addressed for the services to be effective. Practical approaches that have worked in different places are explored and critically discussed. A recovery-oriented model that recognizes that the individual is part of the community and the importance of spirituality are canvassed.

Health and Mental Health

As healthcare organizations use approaches such as structural empowerment theory and nurse residency programs to engage new graduate nurses in becoming productive members of the organizational culture, bullying and incivility experienced by these nurses can undermine organizations' efforts. Chapter 3 introduces the Reporting of Uncivil Conduct Chain of Command to provide support and direction to nurses that are experiencing bullying by perpetrators in the workplace. Unresolved and persistent uncivil conduct can result in health and mental health problems for affected nurses. Hence, in order to protect nurses' overall health and safety, it is necessary for organizations to adopt zero tolerance for bullying and incivility. Additionally, nurses may benefit from screening programs that can identify risks for self-harm secondary to stress and depression that could be caused by incivility in the workplace.

Activism and College Student Mental Health

Activism on college campuses in the United States is a long-standing phenomenon rooted in the counterculture movements of the 1960s. Today, local, regional, and national issues and sociopolitical influences remain closely aligned with activism in higher education, with contemporary issues shaping student activism efforts on campus. College student activism ranges from organized marches and protests to more widespread social media campaigns, targeting issues ranging from inclusion and diversity to sexual assault and intimate partner violence. Involvement in activism can influence the mental health and overall wellness of college students who engage in these activities. This chapter focuses on contemporary activism in higher education, specifically as related to the potential impact of activism on the mental health and wellness of college student activists. Also discussed are implications for student affairs professionals, university-based mental health professionals, and higher education administrators.

Mental Health

Global health issues are a global burden and are relatively common in industrialized societies. The World Health Organization and researchers have developed and rebuilt tools to report the burden of disease affecting mortality and health of the people. Apart from America and Europe, which are at an average of global burden for mental health disease, in some regions it is a major priority to be addressed globally. In South East Asia, one of the affected regions is Kashmir, Northern Indian. Disasters have manifested in various forms encompassing the natural calamities of earthquake, flood, landslides and manmade calamities of violence. Trauma due to manmade calamities has taken over as a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among the most productive working age group of 12-35 years. The chapter aims to understand the patterns of resilience in people surviving war and conflict in Kashmir over last 60 years. The focus is on the young population of society. Generations in Kashmir have faced the psychosocial impact of ongoing political conflict since the 1980's.