Republic of South Sudan

Upper Nile University

Juba /Malakal Main Campus

Faculty of Public Health

Department of Health Education & Promotion

Course: Mental/Social Health

By: Amanya Jacob Kasio Iboyi, MPH-SMU, PhD

Cand.

Public Health Specialist, Health Consultant,

Research Fellow, & Lecturer, UNU-Juba
E-mail: amanyajazy@yahoo.com Tel:+211919194286 office
Hours strictly

4th Year Public Health Short Lecture’s Note 2024

2nd Semester Course 2023/2024

 UNU 4th YEAR PUBLIC HEALH, MENTAL HEALTH COURSE 2024

UPPER NILE UNIVERSITY

MENTAL/SOCIAL HEALTH

Course Lecturers Notes

Contributors:

1. Amanya Jacob Kasio Iboyi, MPH-SMU, PhD Cand.

2. Moses Milia Peter, MPH, PhD Ongoing/Cand,

3. Associate Prof. John Ayul UNU

UPPER NILE UNIVERSITY, SOUTH SUDAN

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UNU 4TH YEAR MENTAL HEALTH COURSE 2024 / MENTAL & SOCIAL HEALTH

List of Acronyms

WHO World Health Organization

ADHD/ADD Adult Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

DSM Diagnostic and Statistical Manual

ECT Electroconvulsive
therapy
SMI severe mental illness

SAQs Self-Assessment
Questions

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Table of Contents
List of Acronyms--------------------------------------------------------------------------------2
INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................................... 3

COURSE AIM ........................................................................................................................................... 4

COURSE OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................................... 4

WORKING THROUGH THE COURSE......................................................................................................... 4

Unit 1 Concept of Mental Health ................................................................................... 5

UNIT 2 CONCEPT OF MENTAL ILLNESS................................................................ 8
UNIT 3. MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOLOGY ILLNESS THEORY........... 14
UNIT 4 . MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS .................................................... 16
UNIT 5 DESCRIPTION OF COMMON MENTAL ILLNESSES.............................. 18
UNIT 1 25
. THE CONCEPT OF STIGMA IN MENTAL ILLNESS .......................................... 25
UNIT 2 TYPES OF STIGMA ...................................................................................... 27
UNIT 3 THEORIES TO REDUCE THE STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS ............ 29
UNIT 4 THE LAW AND MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA .................................. 31
UNIT 5 TERMS OF STIGMA IN MENTAL ILLNESS ............................................. 33
MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING AND SCREENING..................................... 36
UNIT 2. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF MENTAL HEALTHCARE .............. 41
UNIT 4 MENTAL HEALTH LAW AND PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY ................... 42

INTRODUCTION

Mental & Social Health is a two (2) credit unit course available to all students offering Bachelor of
Science (BSc.) in Health Education. Mental health refers to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-
being. It is all about how people think, feel, and behave. People sometimes use the term “mental health”
to mean the absence of a mental disorder. Mental health can affect daily living, relationships, and
physical health. However, looking after mental health can preserve a person’s ability to enjoy life.
Doing this involves reaching a balance between life activities, responsibilities, and efforts to achieve
psychological resilience.

The course is broken into three modules and 9 study units. It introduces the students to the meaning and
definition Mental and Social Health. It is also to educate the students on the concept of mental health
and mental health condition and risk factors for mental health condition. The course exposes the
students to the knowledge of stigma of mental illness, mental health assessment and mental health
promotion and mental health condition prevention.
At the end of this course, it is expected that students should be able to understand, explain and be
adequately equipped on issues concerning mental and social health.
The course guide, therefore, tells you briefly what the course: HED 317 is all about, the types of course
materials to be used, what you are expected to know in each unit, and how to work through the course
material. It suggests the general guidelines and also emphasizes the need for self-assessment and tutor-
marked assignments (TMAs). There are also tutorial classes that are linked to this course and students
are advised to attend.

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COURSE AIM
The aim of this course is to provide you with an understanding of basics of Community Organisation
for Health Programme. It aims at helping you to become more equipped on your own Community and
Community
Organisation strategies.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Each unit has specific objectives to guide you into the purpose of the study. You should read the
objectives before you begin the study and ask yourself whether the objectives have been met after you
are through with such unit.
However, below are the overall objectives of this course. On successful completion of this course, you
should be able to:
• Describe the concept of mental health
• Describe the role played by each category of health professionals.
• Outline the common mental health conditions
• Explain the features common mental health conditions
• Staten disease burden the common mental conditions
• The stigma and stigmatization in mental illness
• Discuss the historical perspectives of stigma in mental illness
• Describe various stigma terms used in mental health condition
• State the consequences of stigma in life situations
• To discuss the components of mental health screening and assessment
• Explain Behavioral Health Assessment
• Discuss the concept of mental health promotion and mental health condition prevention
WORKING THROUGH THE COURSE
To satisfactorily complete this course, you are expected to read the study units, read recommended
textbooks and other materials provided by the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN). Most of
the units contain exercise tagged ―Tutor-Marked Assignment‖. At a point in the course, you are
required to submit these assignments for assessment prior to the real examination. Stated below are the
components of the course and what you are expected to do.

ASSESSMENT

There are two aspects of the assessment of the course. Firstly, the lecturers marked assessment and
secondly, there will be a written examination (final). In dealing with the assignments, you are expected
to apply information, knowledge and strategies gathered during the course. The lecturer’s assignments
are expected to be submitted online or physically to the faculty of Public Health in accordance with the
directives of the university.

LECTURERS ASSIGNMENT

Each unit has assignment questions at the end of the units.

Upon completion of this course, you will be equipped with required knowledge of meeting the needs of
your mental and social health. You will be able to answer these questions
• Describe the concept of mental health
• Describe the role played by each category of health professionals.
• Outline the common mental health conditions
• Explain the features common mental health conditions

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• State disease burden the common mental conditions

• The stigma and stigmatization in mental illness
• Discuss the historical perspectives of stigma in mental illness
• Describe various stigma terms used in mental health condition
• State the consequences of stigma in life situations
• To discuss the components of mental health screening and assessment
• Explain Behavioral Health Assessment
• Discuss the concept of mental health promotion and mental health condition prevention

MODULE 1
Unit 1 Concept of Mental Health
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Mental health refers to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional health. It is about how people think, feel
and behave. People sometimes use the term "mental health" to refer to the absence of mental disorders.
Mental health affects daily life, interpersonal relationships and physical health. However, taking good
care of mental health can maintain a person's ability to enjoy life. Doing so involves striking a balance
between life activities, responsibilities, and efforts to achieve psychological resilience. Conditions such
as stress, depression, and anxiety can affect mental health and disrupt a person's daily life. Although the
term mental health is commonly used, many conditions that doctors consider mental disorders have
physical roots. In this module, we explain what people with mental health and mental illness mean. We
also describe the most common types of mental disorders, including their early symptoms and how to
treat them.
2.0. OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to
• Describe the concept of mental health
• Discuss the characteristics of people with mental health
• Pose the challenges of mental health
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
3.1 What is mental health?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health disorders are one of the leading
causes of disability in the United States. "Mental health is a state of happiness. In this state, people are
aware of their capabilities, can cope with the normal pressures of life, can work efficiently, and can
contribute to their own communities." The WHO emphasized that mental health “is not just the absence
of mental disorders or disabilities.” During the peak period of mental health, it is not only necessary to
avoid active conditions, but also to take care of ongoing health and well-being. They also emphasized
that Protecting and restoring mental health is essential for individuals and for different communities
and societies around the world.
In the United States, the National League for Mental Illness estimates that nearly one in five adults’
experiences mental health problems each year. In 2017, there were an estimated 11.2 million adults in
the United States, representing about 4.5% of adults. They have serious psychological conditions.
According to national statistics, the balanced development of personal personality and emotional
attitudes allows you to get along with your peers. The ability of individuals to establish harmonious
relationships with others and participate or constructively promote / change their social and physical
environment. Mental illness a mental or behavioral manifestation of impaired brain function,
characterized by inaccurate perception of reality, disordered thinking, social dysfunction, and inability
to cope. Severe emotional thought or behavior disorder in a mental emergency that requires immediate
attention. Institute of Mental
3.2 Characteristics of people with mental health
Mental health does not only refer to emotional health, but also to the way people think and behave.
Many different factors have been found to affect mental health.
1. A mentally healthy person has the ability to make adjustments.

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2. A mentally healthy person has a sense of personal worth and feels that he is valuable and important.
3. People who are mentally healthy mainly rely on their own efforts to solve problems and make their own
decisions.
4. Have a sense of personal security, feel safe in a group, and understand the problems and motives of
others.
5. A mentally healthy person has a sense of responsibility
6. Can give and receive love.
7. Live in the real world instead of a fantasy world.
8. Demonstrate emotional maturity in their behavior and develop the ability to tolerate frustration and
disappointment in daily activities.
9. People who are mentally healthy have multiple interests and usually lead a balanced life of work, rest,
and entertainment.
A healthy person is not only physically healthy, but also mentally healthy. Modern concepts of health
go beyond the normal functions of the body. It includes a healthy and efficient mind and controllable
emotions. "Health is the state of health, solidity or integrity of the body, mind or soul." This means that
the body and mind work efficiently and harmoniously.
The human being is an integral mechanism, a body-mind unit, whose behavior is determined by physical
and mental factors. This is a normal state of happiness, in the words of Johns and Webster, "a positive
but relative quality of life."
This is a characteristic of ordinary people, they face the needs of life according to their abilities and
limitations. The term "relative" refers to the constant changes in the degree of mental health that a
person enjoys at a time. It is not just the absence of mental illness that constitutes mental health; on the
other hand, it is the positive quality of an individual’s daily life. This quality of life is reflected in a
person's behavior, and his body and mind work together in the same direction.

Your thoughts, feelings, and actions work harmoniously toward a common goal: the ability to balance
feelings, desires, ambitions, and ideals in daily life. It means the ability to face and accept the reality of
life. Other definitions of mental health refer to skills such as making decisions based on the ability to
obtain satisfaction and assuming responsibility; achieving success and happiness in completing daily
tasks of living effectively with others and exhibiting socially considerate behavior. Mental health or
well-adjusted individuals possess or develop in daily life.

These characteristics can be used as the criteria for optimal mental health:

1. Have their own philosophy of life: Mental healthy people formulate their own values in consideration
of social needs. He carefully evaluates his behaviour and accepts his mistakes with an open mind:
2. Exercises his wise judgment well as he knows strength and limitations well, he chooses those social
and individual tasks which are neither too difficult nor too easy. Thus he easily achieves his goal.
3. Emotionally mature: He is emotionally mature and stable and expresses his emotion, nationally and
exercises proper control over them.
5. A balanced self-regarding sentiment: Have a proper sense of personal respect. He believes that he is an
important member of the social group and can contribute to their progress and happiness.
6. Social adaptability: We are all social people. This reality of social life refers to social giving and taking.
A mentally healthy person knows social life and the art of social giving and taking.
7. Realistic approach: Your approach to various problems in life is realistic. They will not be intimidated
by imaginary fears or traps that may arise.
8. Intellectual health: Your intelligence is fully developed. These enable you to think independently and
make the right decision at the right time.

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9. Emotional maturity: Fear, anger, love, vulnerability and other emotions. They usually appear in our
social lives. Such people have mature emotional demeanour. He can control them and express them
according to accepted social norms.
10. The courage to face failure: Life is a seesaw game. If we aim for success, sometimes we will also
encounter failure. A person with perfect psychological balance has enough courage and endurance to
face failures in life.
11. Punctuality: Mental healthy people have good social and healthy habits. He never forgets his promises
and fulfils his duties regularly and on time.
12. National attitude towards sex: Has a natural and normal attitude towards sex, without sexual
abnormalities.
13. Self-judgment: Self-judgment is one of the important characteristics of these people. He used it to
solve his problems. You do not trust the judgment of others.

14. Diverse interests: they attract all kinds of interests. These bring you diversity and happiness in life. He
performed his daily duties with grace and balance. He likes work, rest and entertainment.

3.3 Challenges to Mental Health

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) notes that each year an estimated one in five American
adults’ experiences mental health problems. There are many risk factors that increase the likelihood of
a person suffering from poor mental health.

Mental health risks may include:

• Discrimination
• Trauma
• Family history of mental illness
• Low income
• Medical illness
• Unable to access medical services
• Low self-esteem
• Poor social skills
• Social skills inequality
• Substance use
Some factors that help prevent poor mental health include supportive social relationships, strong coping
skills, opportunities to participate in the community, and physical and mental safety.

3.4 Maintaining Mental Health

Some ways the US Department of Health and Human Services recommends that you promote and
maintain mental health include:
• Regular physical exercise
• Get enough sleep
• Help others
• Learn new stress skills
• Stay in touch with others
• Try to stay positive about life
If you are having difficulties, it is also important to be able to ask for help. If you need help improving
your mental health or solving a mental problem, consult your doctor or mental health professional.

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SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
i. Describe a mentally healthy person
ii. Determine the challenges of mental health
4.0 . CONCLUSION
The meaning and origin of mental health is very important to understand its place in education and life.
Mental health refers to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional health. It is about how people think, feel
and behave. This unit explain the definitions of mental health the attributes of people with mental health,
how to maintain mental health and the challenges of mental health
5.0. SUMMARY
In this unit, students will study mental health as a concept of cognitive, behavioral, and emotional health.
It is about how people think, feel and behave. This unit looks at the attributes of people with mental
health, how to maintain mental health and the challenges of mental health
6.0. LECTURERS-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
1. Describe a mentally healthy person
2. Determine the challenges of mental health
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
https://www.psychologydiscussion.net/healthpsychology/characteristics of a mentally healthy
person/2072
UNIT 2 CONCEPT OF MENTAL ILLNESS
1.0 INTRODUCTION
This unit analyzes the definition of mental health and mental health conditions based on the previous
unit. Students will learn about the factors of mental illness. There is no single known pathogen for
mental illness.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
• Identify mental illness as one of the most important public health problems.
• Lists common mental illnesses.
• Determine the cause of common mental illness.
• Identify the clinical features of common mental illnesses.
• Describe the role of each type of health professional.
• can start basic management and classification correctly
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
Mental illness, also known as mental health disorder, which refers to a wide range of mental health
conditions: disorders that affect your mood, thinking, and behavior. Examples of mental illnesses
include depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, eating disorders, and addictive behaviors.
Many people have mental health problems from time to time. However, when persistent signs and
symptoms cause frequent stress and affect your ability to work, mental health problems can become
mental illnesses.
Mental illness can make you miserable and may cause problems in your daily life, such as school, work,
or relationships. In most cases, a combination of medication and psychotherapy (psychotherapy) can be
used to control symptoms.
3.1 What is a mental illness?
Mental health is a disorder that reflects problems of mental function in a person's thinking, feeling, or
behavior (or a combination of these). They can cause pain or disability in social, work or family
activities. Just as the term "physical illness" is used to describe a number of physical health problems,
the term "mental illness" covers various mental health conditions.
3.2 Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of mental illness can be stress
• Difficulties in understanding situations and people

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• Alcohol or drug problems

• Major changes in eating habits
• Changes in libido
• Excessive anger, hostility, or violence
• Suicidal thoughts
• Sometimes symptoms of mental health disorders manifest as physical problems, for example Stomach
pain, back pain, headache, or other unexplained pain.
3.3 Factors of mental illness
• There is no single known cause of mental illness. Mental illness is caused by one or more of the
following
• Genetic factors, such as chromosomal abnormalities, can cause mental illness. Children with parents
suffering from mental illness are more likely to suffer from mental illness than children with healthy
parents.
• Organic factors such as cerebrovascular diseases, nervous system diseases, endocrine diseases, epilepsy
and other chronic diseases are related to mental diseases.
• Social and environmental crises, such as poverty, stress, emotional stress, professional and economic
difficulties, unhappy marriages, family breakdown, abuse and neglect, population movements,
depression, earthquakes, floods and epidemics and other environmental factors caused changes in life
It is related to mental illness. In addition to the social and psychological factors that can lead to abnormal
human behavior, environmental factors also include toxic substances, such as carbon disulfide and
carbon monoxide, mercury, manganese, tin, lead compounds, etc.
• Psychological factors such as abuse and other psychological trauma in early childhood play an
important role in the development of mental illness in adulthood.
• Behavioral factors such as addiction to drugs, alcohol, and substances like Katta are related to mental
illness.
• Other factors associated with mental illness include nutritional deficiencies, infections and injuries
during delivery before and after delivery, traffic, occupational and other accidents, and radiation
accidents. The nervous system is most sensitive to radiation during the neurodevelopmental period.
Misunderstandings about mental illness
• Mental illness is generally believed to be caused by a variety of genetic and environmental factors:
• Genetic characteristics. Mental illness is more common in people whose blood relatives also have
mental illness. Certain genes can increase your risk of mental illness, and your living conditions can
trigger it.
• Environmental exposure before birth. Exposure to environmental stressors, inflammation, toxins,
alcohol, or drugs in the womb can sometimes be related to mental illness.
• Chemistry of the brain. Neurotransmitters are natural brain chemicals that can transmit signals to the
brain and other parts of the body. When the neural network involving these chemicals is damaged, the
function of nerve receptors and the nervous system changes, which can lead to depression and other
mood disorders.
• Complications
• Mental illness is the leading cause of disability. Untreated mental illness can cause serious emotional,
behavioral, and physical health problems. Complications sometimes associated with mental illness
include:
• Unhappiness and decreased enjoyment of life
• Family conflict
• Difficulties in relationships
• Social isolation
• Problems with tobacco, alcohol and other drugs
• Missing work or school, or other related problems Work or school
• Legal and financial matters
• Poverty and homelessness
• Self-harm and harm to others, including suicide or homicide

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• Weakened immune system, so your body cannot fight off

infections
• Heart disease and other diseases
3.4 Prevention
• Describes three levels of prevention: primary, secondary and tertiary prevention.
• Primary Prevention: This is the preventable cause of prevention or control: understanding of the cause
of mental illness is limited.
However, there are certain known risk factors associated with mental illness. Therefore, the prevention
of mental illnesses implies the control of these risk factors, among them:
1. Prevention and control of environmental hazards and other pathogenic factors, such as:
• Prevention of poisonings and poisonings by drugs, lead and arsenic
• Prevention of nutritional deficiencies such as: iodine, vitamin B deficiency. Brain injury For example:
trauma caused by traffic accidents.
• Infection control in young children and newborns. For example: Meningitis
• Laws and social application against drug abuse
• Control of environmental contamination: For example: Mercury contamination
2. Prevent / control risk factors related to pregnancy, such as:
• Rh
• Infection and incompatibility
• Counseling on known genetic risk factors.
• Early referral of mothers with abnormal deliveries
3. Human development has a certain relationship with mental illness Prenatal, the first 5 years of life,
school age and adolescence are the most important periods of development. Therefore, we must work
harder to establish a harmonious family relationship to prevent children from developing mental illness
in the future.
4. Health education
• Environmental risks
• Prenatal care
• Misunderstandings of patients with mental illness.
5. Support people with the greatest pressure, such as future parents, floating population, youth and people
in disaster areas to improve interpersonal relationships.
2. Secondary prevention:
• It is the early diagnosis and treatment of patients with mental illness
• Early referral of patients with mental illness to health institutions for diagnosis and treatment, thus
avoiding the progression of the disease or shortening its duration.
3. Tertiary prevention:
• aims to reduce chronic disability due to mental illness by:
• Provide social support
• Create sheltered workshops and supervised residential care outside health institutions.
• Get regular medical care. Don't neglect to check or skip a visit to your primary care provider, especially
if you are not feeling well. You may have a new health problem that needs to be treated, or you may
experience side effects from medications.
• Get help when you need it. If you wait until your symptoms worsen, your mental health condition may
be more difficult to treat. Long-term maintenance treatment can also help prevent symptoms from
recurring.
• Take a good hold
• Psychological evaluation. A doctor or mental health professional will talk with you about your
symptoms, thoughts, feelings, and behavior patterns. You may be asked to complete a questionnaire to
help answer these questions.
• Determine what mental illness you have

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• Sometimes it is difficult to know what mental illness may cause your symptoms. But spending time and
effort to get an accurate diagnosis will help determine the appropriate treatment. The more information
you have, the more willing you are to work with your mental health professional to understand what
your symptoms might represent.
• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM5) published by the American
Psychiatric
Association details the defining symptoms of each mental illness. This manual is used by mental health
professionals to diagnose mental illness and is used by insurance companies to reimburse the costs of
treatment.
3.6 Types of mental illness
• The main types of mental illness are:
• Neurodevelopmental disorders. This course covers a wide range of problems, usually beginning in
infancy or childhood, usually before the child enters primary school. Examples include autism spectrum
disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and learning disabilities.
• The spectrum of schizophrenia and other mental illnesses. Mental disorders cause disconnection
from reality, such as delusions, hallucinations, confusion in thinking and speech. The most obvious
example is schizophrenia, although other types of illness may sometimes be related to detachment from
reality.
• Bipolar disorder and related disorders. These illnesses include alternating bouts of mania
(hyperactivity, energy, and excitement) and depression.
• Depression. These include obstacles that affect your emotional feelings, such as the degree of sadness
and happiness, which can undermine your ability to function. Examples include major depression and
premenstrual dysphoria.
• Anxiety disorders. Anxiety is an emotion characterized by anticipation of future danger or misfortune
and excessive worry. It can include behaviors designed to avoid situations that cause anxiety. This
category includes generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder and phobias.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder and related disorders. These barriers include worry or obsessions
and repetitive thoughts and behaviors. Examples include obsessive-compulsive disorder, hoarding
disorder, and trichotillomania (trichotillomania).
• Stress-related traumas and disorders. These are adjustment disorders, in which a person has
difficulty coping during or after a stressful life event. Examples include post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) and acute stress disorder.
• Separation barriers. These are diseases where your self-awareness is impaired, such as dissociative
identity disorder and dissociative amnesia.
• Physical symptoms and related diseases. People suffering from one of these diseases may experience
physical symptoms, leading to severe emotional distress and functional problems. There may or may
not be other diagnosed medical conditions related to these symptoms, but the response to these
symptoms is abnormal. Disorders include physical symptom disorders, illness anxiety disorders and
man-made disorders.
• Eating disorder. These disorders include diet-related disorders that affect nutrition and health, such as
anorexia nervosa and binge eating disorder.
• Remove obstacles. These diseases are related to the accidental or deliberate improper discharge of urine
or feces. Bed-wetting (enuresis) is one example.
• Sleep-wake disorder. These are sleep disorders that are serious enough to require clinical attention,
such as insomnia, sleep apnea, and restless legs syndrome.
• Sexual dysfunction. These include sexual response disorders such as premature ejaculation and female
orgasm disorders.
• Gender dysphoria. This refers to the pain that accompanies a person's desire to be of another gender.
• Destructivity, impulse control and conduct disorder. These disorders include emotional and behavioral
self-control problems, such as theft or intermittent explosive disorder.
• Addictive and Substance-Related Disorders. These include problems related to the excessive use of
alcohol, caffeine, tobacco, and drugs. This category also includes gambling disorders.

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• Neurocognitive impairment. Neurocognitive impairment can affect your thinking and reasoning
skills. These acquired cognitive (rather than developmental) problems include delirium and
neurocognitive disorders caused by conditions or diseases such as traumatic brain injury or Alzheimer's
disease.
• Personality disorder. Personality disorder involves a long-term emotional instability and unhealthy
behavior patterns that can cause problems in your life and relationships. Examples include borderline,
antisocial, and narcissistic personality disorders.
• Disorders of libido. These barriers include sexual interests that cause personal suffering or harm or
cause potential or actual harm to others. Some examples are sexual abuse disorder, voyeurism disorder
and pedophilia disorder.
• Other mental disorders. This category includes mental disorders due to other medical conditions or
failing to meet all the criteria for any of the above disorders.
3.7 Treatment
• Your treatment depends on the type and severity of your mental illness and the method that is best for
you. In many cases, combination therapy is best.
• If you have a mild mental illness and your symptoms are well controlled, your primary care provider's
treatment may be sufficient. However, the team approach is usually applied to ensure that all your
mental, medical, and social needs are met. This is especially important for serious mental illnesses such
as schizophrenia.
Treatment team. Your treatment team may include you: Primary care or family doctor, Practicing
nurse, Physician assistant, Psychiatrist, a doctor who diagnoses and treats mental illness,
Psychotherapist, such as a psychologist or licensed consultant, Pharmacist , Social worker and Family
member
3.8. Medication
• Although psychotropic drugs cannot cure mental illness, they can usually improve symptoms
significantly. Psychiatric drugs can also help other treatments (such as psychotherapy) to be more
effective. The best medicine for you depends on your specific situation and how your body responds to
the medicine.
• Some of the most commonly used psychiatric prescription drug categories include:
• Antidepressants. Antidepressants are used to treat depression. Rapid anxiolytics help short-term relief,
but can also cause dependency, so ideally, they should be used short-term.
• Mood stabilizing drugs. Mood stabilizers are most often used to treat bipolar disorder in which mania
and depression occur alternately. Sometimes mood stabilizers are used in conjunction with
antidepressants to treat depression.
• Antipsychotic drugs. Antipsychotic drugs are often used to treat mental disorders, such as
schizophrenia. Antipsychotic drugs can also be used to treat bipolar disorder or together with
antidepressants to treat depression.
3.9 Psychotherapy
• Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, involves talking to a mental health professional about your
condition and related problems. During psychotherapy, you will learn about your condition and your
emotions, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. With the insights and knowledge, you gain, you can learn
coping and stress management skills.
• There are many types of psychotherapy, and each has its own way of improving mental health.
Psychotherapy can usually be completed successfully in a few months, but in some cases, longterm
treatment may be required. It can be done alone, in a group or with family members.
• When choosing a therapist, you should feel comfortable and believe that he or she has the ability to
listen and listen to what you have to say. Also, it is important that your therapist understand the journey
of life that helps shape who you are and how you live in the world.
• Brain Stimulation Therapy
• Brain Stimulation Therapy is sometimes used to treat depression and other mental illnesses. They are
usually used in situations where medication and psychotherapy are ineffective. They include

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electroconvulsive therapy, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation, deep brain stimulation, and
vagus nerve stimulation.
• Make sure you understand all the risks and benefits of any recommended treatment.
• Hospitals and inpatient treatment plans
• Sometimes mental illness becomes so severe that it requires treatment in a mental hospital. This is
usually recommended when you are unable to take care of yourself properly or are in direct danger of
harming yourself or others.
• Options include 24-hour hospitalization, day or partial hospitalization, or hospitalization, providing
temporary supportive housing. Another option may be intensive outpatient treatment.
• Substance Abuse Treatment
• The problem of drug abuse usually occurs at the same time as mental illness. It often interferes with
treatment and worsens mental illness. If you cannot stop taking drugs or alcohol on your own, you need
treatment. Discuss treatment options with your doctor.
• Participate in your own care
• By working together, you and your primary care provider or mental health professional can decide
which treatment may be best based on your symptoms and severity, personal preferences, medication
side effects, and other factors. In some cases, the mental illness can be so severe that the doctor or loved
one may
need to direct your care until you are restored to a level sufficient to participate in decision-making.
• Lifestyle and home remedies
• In most cases, if you try to treat yourself without professional care, your mental illness will not get
better. But you can do something for yourself based on your treatment plan:
• Stick to your treatment plan. Do not skip the course of treatment. Even if you feel better, don't skip the
medication. If it is stopped, symptoms may return. If you stop taking the medicine too suddenly, you
may experience withdrawal symptoms. If you have troublesome drug side effects or other treatment
problems, please consult your doctor before making changes.
• Avoid alcohol and drugs. Using alcohol or recreational drugs can make it difficult to treat mental illness.
If you are already addicted, quitting smoking can be a real challenge. If you are unable to quit smoking
on your own, please see a doctor or find a support group to help you.
• Stay active. Exercise can help you manage symptoms of depression, stress, and anxiety. Physical
activity can also offset the effects of some psychotropic drugs that may cause weight gain. Consider
walking, swimming, gardening, or any form of physical activity you like. Even light physical activity
can make a difference.
• Make healthy choices. Maintaining a regular schedule, which includes adequate sleep, a healthy diet,
and regular physical activity, is very important to your mental health.
• Don't make big decisions when symptoms are severe. When you are deep in the symptoms of mental
illness, avoid making decisions because you may not be able to think clearly.
• Determine the priority. You can reduce the impact of mental illness by managing time and energy.
Reduce obligations and set reasonable goals when necessary. When symptoms get worse, allow yourself
to do less. You may find it helpful to list your daily tasks or use a planner to organize your time and
stay organized.
• Learn to adopt a positive attitude. Focusing on the positive things in life can improve your life and
even improve your health. Try to accept the changes when they occur and look at the problem in
perspective. Stress management techniques, including relaxation methods, can be helpful.
3.10 Coping with and supporting
• Coping with mental illness is challenging. Talk to your doctor or therapist about how to improve your
coping skills and consider the following tips:
• Know your mental illness. Your doctor or therapist can provide information or recommend courses,
books or websites. Also include your family; this can help people who care about you understand what
you are going through and how they can help you.

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• Join a support group. Connecting with other people facing similar challenges can help you deal with it.
Many communities and online have mental illness support groups. A good starting point is the National
Mental Illness League.
• Keep in touch with friends and family. Try to participate in social activities and meet with family or
friends regularly. Ask for help when you need it and be honest with your loved ones this is also a healthy
way to explore and express pain, anger, fear, and other emotions.
1. It is generally considered that patients in psychiatric hospitals spend their time doing useless things and
exhibiting strange behaviors.
2. People with mental illness are suspected and considered dangerous.
3. Mental illness is shameful.
4. Mental illness is caused by evil spirits (black magic).
5. Mental illness is incurable and contagious.
6. A mental hospital is a place where only people with dangerous mental illnesses are treated. 7. Marriage
can cure mental illness.
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISES
i. Identify the factors that contribute to mental health ii. Describe strategies for coping with mental
problems
4.0 CONCLUSION
Many people have mental health problems from time to time. However, when persistent signs and
symptoms cause frequent stress and affect your ability to work, mental health problems can become
mental illnesses. Mental illness can make you miserable and cause problems in your daily life, such as
school, work, or relationships. In most cases, the symptoms can be controlled by a combination of
medication and psychotherapy (psychotherapy).
5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit, students will understand the meaning of mental health, factors of mental illness,
misunderstandings of mental illness, coping with and support for mental illness
6.0 LECTURERS-ASSIGNMENT
1 Describe a mentally healthy person
2 Determine the challenges of mental health
7.0 REFERENCE/FURTHER READING
https://www.psychologydiscussion.net/healthpsychology/characteristics of a mentally healthy
person/2072
UNIT 3. MENTAL HEALTH AND PSYCHOLOGY ILLNESS THEORY
1.0 INTRODUCTION
In order to understand mental health and mental illness in the context of Western science and
philosophy, we need to determine which theories have been used to help understand mental health
problems and explore how different methods of understanding mental health affect treatment. Options.
We must also consider how different perspectives on mental health affect our interaction and response
to mental health.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
• different theories about mental health and mental illness
• Describe the contributions of theorists to mental health and mental illness
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
3.1 Historical background
Theories: We will consider all Factors that have historical, cultural and religious influence. Socrates
(469399 BC) and Aristotle (384322 BC) were the first "thinkers" who wrote articles on the brain and
tried to understand the influence of the brain on the "mind" and behavior of people. Aristotle believed
that the heart, not the brain, is important for intelligence. Aristotle wrote the first known text in the
history of psychology, called Para Psyche, "About the mind", based on the works of the first
philosophers and their research on the mind, reasoning and thinking. In this historical book, he
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explained that the first principle of the investigation of reasoning will determine the direction of the
history of psychology; many of his suggestions continue to influence modern psychologists. As written
by many early Greek studies, it is considered the basis of modern mental health thought, however, other
ancient civilizations also articulated their thoughts in different ways.
China
Hsün Tzu (ca. 312-230 BC) was a Chinese Confucian philosopher who lived in the Warring States
Period and was likened to Aristotle as a naturalist who emphasized natural laws and order. The Chinese
describe yin and yang (links to external websites) as opposing and complementary forces. Yang is
related to strength, toughness, warmth, dryness and masculinity. Yin is associated with weakness,
softness, coldness, moisture, and femininity. The balance of yin and yang is essential for physical and
mental health. In this way, the Chinese have opened the door to physiological psychology, since they
believe that mental processes are central and related to the body.
Egypt
Egyptian psychology is deeply intertwined with Egyptian polytheistic religion and the emphasis on
immortality and life after death. Although the Egyptians seem to be the first to describe the brain, most
of the time they regard the heart as the seat of spiritual life.
Other Eastern Philosophies
Indian thinkers, as reflected in the Vedas and Upanishads (links to external websites), have studied
knowledge and desire, in addition to many other topics. Hebrew philosophy (links to external websites)
and psychology must be understood in terms of radical monotheism: "Human beings have two aspects,
one is biological, selfish and the other is capable of enhancing the spiritual aspect of community service.
The Hebrews They have a mature view of mental disorders, which are attributed to the wrath of God or
human disobedience. According to the teachings of Zarathustra and the Holy Book of Avista, Persia is
the birthplace of Zoroastrianism (links to external websites). Zoroastrianism is the first monotheistic
religion in history, until the Muslims conquered Persia. Man is a testing ground for good and evil, and
physical and mental disorders are considered the work of the devil; demonological diagnosis and
treatment are common.
Understanding the main theories of mental health and mental illness: There are many main or
important theories related to understanding mental health:
• Development/Analysis Theory: "Development theory provides a framework for thinking about mental
health. Human growth, development and learning If you have ever wondered what motivates human
thinking and behavior, understanding these theories can provide useful information about individuals
and society.” (Cherry, 2014) Theorists: Freud, Jung, Eric Sen, Kohlberg.
• Behavior theory: "Behavioral psychology, also known as behaviorism, is a learning theory based on
the idea that all behaviors are acquired through conditioned reflex. The famous psychologist John B.
According to Watson and B.F. Skinner, behavioral theory dominated psychology in the first half of the
20th century. Today, behavioral technology is still widely used in therapeutic settings to help clients
learn new skills and behaviors. "(Cherry, 2014) Theorists: Watson, Skinner, Pavlov
• Cognitive theory:" Cognitive psychology is the branch of psychology that studies mental processes
including people’s thoughts. "Social psychology focuses on a wide range of social issues, including
group behavior, social cognition, leadership, nonverbal behavior, conformity, aggression, and
prejudice. It is important to note that social psychology not only deals with social impact. Social
recognition Knowing social interaction is also crucial to understanding social behavior.”
• (Cherry, 2014) Theorists: Bandura, Lewin, Fesinger
There are many resources on the Internet to explore these theories.
One of the best Starting points is http://www.simplypsychology.org/ (links to external sites) before we
continue to discuss modern views, we want you to make sure you have a good understanding of these
"grand theories."
Modern views
• Does the "big theory" discussed above conform to modern thinking? Can theories from a hundred years
ago really tell us what mental health or illness is? The next two videos in the TED series provide
completely different perspectives.

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• The first lecture is from Johnathan Haidt (Social Psychologist), 2008, "The Moral Roots of Liberals and
Conservatives":
• https://learn.canvas.net/courses/510/pages/ the major theories of mental health and mental illness Self
advanced.
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
i. Identify the main theories for understanding mental health and mental illness
ii. Discuss the contribution of Socrates and Aristotle to the understanding of mental health and mental
illness
4.0 CONCLUSION
To understand mental health and mental illness in context of Western Science and Philosophy Mental
Illness. In this unit, we identify which theories have been used to help understand mental health
problems. It also explores how different methods of understanding mental health affect treatment
options.
5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit, students will learn about the contributions of different philosophers and scientists to the
understanding of mental health and mental health. It also looks at how these theories affect treatment.
6.0 LECTURERS-MARKED ASSIGNMENT
1 Describe a mentally healthy person
2 Determine the challenges of mental health
7.0 REFERENCES /FURTHER READING
https://www.psychologydiscussion.net/healthpsychology/characteristics of a mentally healthy
person/2072

UNIT 4 . MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS

1.0 INTRODUCTION
It can be difficult to get help with mental, emotional, spiritual or relationship problems. Finding the
right mental health professional can help you manage any problems in your life.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to
• Identify different mental health professionals
• Explain the role of all mental health professionals
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
3.1 Psychologist
The first psychologist of the image in the one that many people think was a person lying on a leather
sofa and telling the doctor how he felt. Sometimes this happens, but psychologists do more than ask
you how you feel. Psychologists specialize in the science of behavior, emotions, and thinking. They
work in private offices, hospitals or schools. Psychologists use counseling to treat all kinds of problems,
from interpersonal problems to mental illness. Psychologists usually have a doctorate degree, such as a
doctorate degree. In most states, psychologists cannot prescribe drugs.
Psychiatrists
Psychiatrists diagnose, treat and help prevent mental, emotional and behavioral disorders. They use
psychiatric drugs, physical exams, and laboratory tests. A psychiatrist is a doctor with a doctor of
medicine (MD) degree or a doctor of osteopathy (DO) degree. General practitioners can also prescribe
medications to help solve mental and emotional problems. But many people prefer to see a psychiatrist
to treat complex diseases. The expertise of a psychiatrist may include:
• Children and Adolescents
• Forensic Psychiatry
• Learning Disabilities
• Psychoanalyst
Psychoanalysts follow Sigmund Freud’s theory and practice to help someone explore their Repressed
or unconscious impulses, anxiety, and internal conflicts are accomplished through the following
techniques:
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• Free association
• Dream interpretation
• Resistance and empathy analysis
• Psychoanalysis has its critics. But many people find that it can help them explore deep psychological
and emotional barriers that may produce bad behavior patterns without them realizing it.
• Be careful when choosing a psychoanalyst. Titles and certificates are not protected by federal or state
laws, which means that anyone can call themselves a psychoanalyst and promote their services.
Psychiatric Nurses
• Psychiatric nurses are registered nurses who specialize in mental health. They are known for their
therapeutic relationships with people seeking help.
• Psychiatric nurses conduct psychotherapy and administer psychiatric drugs. They often face challenging
behaviors related to mental health conditions. They performed the operation under the supervision of a
doctor.
Psychotherapist
• "Psychotherapist" is the general term for many different types of mental health professionals. This can
include psychologists and therapists. All these professionals provide psychotherapy. Psychotherapy is
a kind of "talk therapy." Its goal is to improve your mental health and general well-being.
• There are many different schools of psychotherapy. They can involve therapeutic dialogue, group
therapy, expressive therapy, etc. The most popular type is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). You
can use CBT to learn how to change bad behaviours, thought patterns, or emotions.
Mental Health counsellor
• "Mental Health counsellor" is a broad term used to describe the person who provides counselling. Your
title may also include terms such as "licensed" or "professional". It is important to ask about the
counselor’s education, experience, and type of service involved, because the term is vague. Counsellors
may focus on the following areas:
• Work Stress
• Addiction
• Marriage
• Family
• General Stress
Family and Marriage Counsellor
• Family and Marriage counsellor specializes in common problems that may arise in families and married
couples, including: Differences in arguments. The duration of treatment is usually very short. Meetings
usually focus on specific issues and resolve them quickly.
• This therapy can also be used according to individual circumstances. If a person’s problem affects
someone close to them, group meetings can sometimes be used. You may see this in counseling about
diseases such as eating disorders or addictions.
Addiction counsellor
• Addiction Counselor treats addicts. Although this usually involves substance use or gambling issues, it
may also include lesser. They focus primarily on crisis of faith, marriage and family counseling, and
emotional and psychological problems. All of this is done in a spiritual environment.
• These counselors are usually local church leaders. They may have received extensive religious and
mental health training. They often hold meetings individually or in groups. You can also have
conversations in pairs or in a home environment.
Art Therapist
• Art therapists deal with very specific types of treatments. This approach involves using creativity in the
form of painting, sculpture, and writing to explore and help treat depression, medical illness, past
traumatic events, and addictions.
• People who believe in this therapy think it can help you express potential thoughts and feelings that
traditional talk therapy cannot reveal.

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Social Workers
• Social workers are committed to helping people solve problems in their lives. These issues may include
personal issues and disability. Social workers can be public officials or work in other fields, including
hospitals, universities, and appropriately licensed therapists.
• They can also solve social problems, such as material use, housing, and unemployment. Social workers
are often involved in family disputes involving domestic violence or child abuse.
There are many subtypes of social work. These may include:
• Children, families and schools
• Medical and public health
• Mental health and substance use
• Need training
• The training of mental health professionals depends on their specific field and the state of exercise.
Psychologists usually need a doctorate, while psychiatrists need a medical degree.
Almost all states require all types of counselors to have a specially trained university degree.
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
i. Describe in each category the role of health professionals. ii. Determine the training needs of all
mental health professionals
4.0 CONCLUSION
In this unit, the focus is mainly on people who work in mental health and mental health conditions. This
unit explains the responsibilities of all mental health professionals and their training needs
5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit, students will learn about professionals and their role in mental health. Describes the training
needs of all mental health professionals.
6.0 MARKED ASSIGNMENT
1 Describe a mentally healthy person
2 Determine the challenges of mental health
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
https://www.healthline.com/health/mentalhealthprofessionalstypes#traiing
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseasesconditions/mentalillness/diagnosistr eatment/drc20374974

UNIT 5 DESCRIPTION OF COMMON MENTAL ILLNESSES

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Mental disorders are diseases that affect cognitive, emotional, and behavioral control, and seriously
affect children's learning ability and adults' ability to play a role in family, work, and society as a whole.
Mental disorders often start early in life and are usually chronic and recurrent. They are common in all
countries where their prevalence is checked. Due to the combination of high prevalence, early onset,
persistence, and exacerbation, mental disorders contribute significantly to the total burden of disease.
Although most of the burden caused by mental disorders is related to disability, premature death,
especially premature death caused by suicide, is not insignificant.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
• Summarize common mental health conditions
• Explain the characteristics of common mental health conditions
• State the burden of disease of common mental conditions
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
Mental illness is still an important obstacle to seeking mental health in the world Help, diagnosis and
treatment everywhere. Compared with other diseases, the stigma of mental illness leads to differences
in access to care, research, and violations of the human rights of patients with these diseases. This
chapter focuses on the four avoidable and attributable burdens of global mental illness: schizophrenia
and related non-affective psychosis, bipolar disorder (manic depression), major depression, and panic

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disorder. The selection of these diseases depends not only on their contribution to the burden of disease,
but also on the availability of costbenefit analysis data.
3.1 Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a chronic disease with splendid psychotic symptoms such as hallucinations and
delusions. Hallucinations are sensory perceptions that occur in the absence of adequate stimulation.
Hallucinations can occur in any form of feeling, but the most common in schizophrenia are auditory
hallucinations, for example, hearing sounds or noises. Delusions are fixed false beliefs that cannot be
explained by the individual's culture, and the patient persists despite all reasonable evidence to the
contrary. Patients also show negative symptoms: defects in normal abilities, such as obvious social
deficits, poor thinking and language, slow emotional reactions, and lack of motivation. In addition,
patients often present with cognitive symptoms, such as confusion or illogical thinking, and an inability
to remember objective information to make decisions or plan actions.
3.1.1 Clinical history and course:
Schizophrenia defined in the current diagnostic manual is almost certainly heterogeneous, but does not
yet include all non-affective psychoses (NAP). In addition to schizophrenia, NAPs also include
schizophrenia like disorders, which are characterized by insufficient duration of schizophrenia-like
symptoms and do not meet the criteria for schizophrenia. Since they cannot be easily separated in a
community epidemiological survey, schizophrenia is considered in conjunction with other NAPs.
However, due to the available data, the cost-benefit analysis reported below is limited to schizophrenia.
Despite the possible heterogeneity of etiology, schizophrenia exhibits a consistent pattern of symptoms
in the countries and cultures studied (Jablensky et al. 1992).
Morbidity studies have shown that the onset of schizophrenia and other NAPs generally occurs in mid
or late puberty in men and from late puberty to early adulthood in women, although later onset is
observed. Cases of onset in children are very rare, but particularly serious (Nicolson and Rapoport
1999). Schizophrenia is usually first diagnosed as an acute onset of striking psychotic symptoms.
Usually there are prodromal symptoms before the first episode of psychosis, such as social withdrawal,
irritability or irritability, increased academic or work difficulties, and

After the onset of psychosis, complete remission may occur after the first and occasionally other early
onsets, but over time, residual symptoms and disability usually persist between relapses (Robinson et
al. 1999). Maintenance treatment with antipsychotic drugs significantly prolongs the interval between
relapses, usually at a lower dose than that required to treat acute attacks. In the early stages of the
disease, cognitive and occupational functions tend to decline, and then stabilize at a level that is usually
much lower than one's expectations. However, for reasons that are not yet clear, residual damage has
significant cross-cultural differences. In epidemiological investigations, schizophrenia has been found
to be highly comorbid, usually accompanied by anxiety, mood disorders, and substance use disorders
(Kendler et al., 1996).

3.1.2 Epidemiology and burden

A large number of APN incidence studies have been conducted in clinical samples. In a review of these
studies, Jablensky (2000) found that the incidence of schizophrenia is estimated to be in the range of
0.002% to 0.011% per year, while the overall incidence of NAP is estimated to be 0.016% to 0.042%
per year. . These annual estimates can be multiplied by the number of birth cohorts at risk to arrive at
an estimate of the lifetime risk in any cohort. Conservatively assuming that the main age risk range is
between 15 and 55 years, the researchers estimate that the lifetime risk of schizophrenia is between
0.08% and 0.44%, while the NAP is between 0.64% and 1.68%. Lifetime prevalence estimates from
the NAP community epidemiological survey are highly consistent with estimates from clinical studies,
ranging from 0.3% to 1.6% (for example, see Hwu, Yeh, and Cheng 1989; Kendler et al. 1996). .
Although schizophrenia is a relatively rare disease, the overall estimate of the burden of the disease is
high: about 2,000 DALYs are lost per million inhabitants because this disease is associated with early
onset, long duration, and severe disability.

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3.1.3 Intervention measures

There is a large amount of evidence showing the efficacy of various treatments for schizophrenia and
NAP and the effectiveness of various medical care models provided for patients with these diseases.
This evidence mainly comes from industrialized countries. Efficacy data conclusively show that
antipsychotic drugs can reduce the severity of attacks, accelerate the resolution of irritation symptoms,
and shorten hospital stays. Maintenance treatment with antipsychotic drugs will extend the interval
between relapses (Joy, Adams, and Lawrie 2001). Second-generation antipsychotic drugs (also called
atypical) are replacing old antipsychotic drugs throughout the industrialized world. In some clinical
trials, second-generation drugs have shown little advantage in efficacy compared to first-generation
drugs, but their widespread adoption is due to significantly improved intolerance. Compared to first
generation drugs, they have relatively fewer side effects, improving quality of life and adherence to
treatment. However, second-generation drugs are not without side effects. For example, some are linked
to substantial weight gain and an increased risk of diabetes.
One drug, clozapine, is more effective than other antipsychotic drugs, but due to the 1% risk of
agranulocytosis, its use requires weekly blood counts and is cumbersome and expensive. Psychosocial
interventions also play an important role in the management of schizophrenia (Bustillo et al. 2001).

Cognitive behavioral methods for managing specific symptoms and improving adherence to
medication, group therapy, and family intervention have been shown to be effective in improving
clinical outcomes. In health systems in industrialized countries, community-based mental health care
delivery models with trusted case management and outreach programs have proven to be effective
methods of managing schizophrenia in the community, for example, by reducing the need for
hospitalization. However, due to differences in the characteristics of health systems, it is difficult to
estimate the applicability of these models to developing countries, as discussed below. The long-term
remission rate of schizophrenia in developing countries appears to be significantly higher than that
reported in industrialized countries (Harrison et al. 2001), which may be due to factors such as strong
family social support.

3.2 Mood disorders

The main characteristics of mood disorders are general abnormalities in a person's main emotional state,
such as depression, euphoria, or irritability. In mood disorders, these core mood symptoms are
accompanied by physical abnormalities, such as changes in sleep, appetite, and energy patterns, as well
as changes in cognition and behavior. In developing countries, concurrent physical symptoms are also
frequently reported and may be the main symptoms.
A generally accepted sub-category of mood disorders distinguishes unipolar depressive disorder from
bipolar disorder (defined as the onset of mania). This distinction is based on symptoms, course of
disease, household transmission patterns, and response to treatment. Bipolar disorder is characterized
by manic and depressive episodes, followed by a period of relatively healthy mood (emotional
pleasure), usually. At the same time, a mixed state of manic and depressive symptoms. The typical
characteristics of mania are euphoria or irritability, a significant increase in energy, and a decrease in
sleep requirements. People with mania usually exhibit invasive, impulsive, and unrestrained behaviors.
They may be overly involved in goal-oriented behavior characterized by poor judgment; for example,
a person can spend all the funds they have the right to use, and Self-esteem is often exaggerated, often
reaching the level of deception. Talking is usually very fast and difficult to interrupt. People with mania
can also have cognitive symptoms; patients cannot stick to one topic and can quickly jump between
ideas, making their thoughts difficult to understand.
During a manic episode, psychotic symptoms are common. Depressive episodes in patients with bipolar
disorder are symptomatically indistinguishable from those in patients with unipolar depression. Unlike
anxiety and unipolar mood disorders, which are more common in women, bipolar disorder has the same
sex ratio in lifetime prevalence, even though bipolar women have a higher proportion of depression
episodes than men.

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3.2.1 Medical history and course

Retrospective reports from community epidemiological surveys consistently show that the age of onset
of bipolar disorder is earlier (teens to twenties). Although there are still controversies, there is increasing
awareness of childhood illnesses. Late onset is rare. Most people with bipolar disorder have recurrent
illnesses, including mania and depression. The classic description of bipolar disorder suggests a return
to initial function between episodes, but many patients have residual symptoms that can cause
significant harm (Angst and Sellaro 2000). These states of mania, depression, and mild (or no)
symptoms are used in the following intervention analysis. The speed of the cycle between mania and
depression varies from person to person. A common disease pattern is that the initial interval between
episodes is relatively long, perhaps a year, and then becomes more frequent with age. A small number
of patients with four or more cycles per year, known as rapid cyclers, tend to be more likely to become
disabled and respond worse to existing treatments.
Once the cycle is established, most acute attacks start without an identifiable cause; the most
documented exception is that manic episodes can be triggered by lack of sleep, which makes regular
daily sleep schedules and avoiding shift work important for management (Frank, Swartz and Kupfer
2000). In epidemiological investigations, it has been found that bipolar disorder coexists highly with
other mental disorders, especially anxiety and substance use disorders (10 Have et al. 2002). The degree
of comorbidity is much higher than unipolar depression or anxiety. Some people with typical symptoms
of bipolar disorder also have chronic psychotic symptoms superimposed on their mood syndrome.
These people are said to suffer from schizoaffective disorder. Their prognosis is often not as good as
that of bipolar patients, although they are worse than those with schizophrenia. Schizoaffective disorder
can also be diagnosed when chronic psychotic symptoms overlap with unipolar depression. Individuals
with this combination of symptoms have similar outcomes to schizophrenia patients (Tsuang and
Coryell 1993).

3.2.2 Epidemiology and burden

Many community psychiatric epidemiological surveys report estimates of the prevalence of bipolar
disorder throughout life and at 12 months. Lifetime prevalence estimates are in the range of 0.1% to
2.0% (Vega et al. 1998; Vicente et al. 2002), and the weighted average of the survey is 0.7%. The
incidence estimates in the last year have a similar wide range (0.1% to 1.3%) (Vega et al. 1998), with a
weighted average of 0.5%. It is important to note that there is good evidence that bipolar disorder has a
wide range of subthresholds, including those that are often severely affected, even if they do not meet
the full DSM or ICD criteria for the disease (Perugi and Akiskal 2002). This range can include up to
5% of the general population. The relationship between the short-term prevalence and the lifetime
prevalence of bipolar disorder in the community survey is quite high (0.71), indicating that bipolar
disorder is persistent. Epidemiological data indicate that bipolar disorder is associated with severe
damage to social production and roles (Das Gupta and Guest 2002). Epidemiological evidence suggests
that patient’s initially seeking professional treatment have been procrastinating (Olfson et al. 1998),
especially in early-onset cases and in severe under-treatment of current cases. Each of these
characteristics (chronic and recurrent disease course; severely impaired function; moderate treatment
rate) helps to estimate the total burden of disease close to schizophrenia (1,200 to 1,800 DALYs lost
per 1 million population, representing more 5% of the burden of neuropsychiatric diseases

3.2.3 Intervention
The analysis of the main treatments for bipolar disorder is based on the three health states that
characterize the disorder mania, depression and emotional pleasure. There is strong evidence from
controlled trials that antipsychotic drugs and some benzodiazepines can reduce mania symptoms
relatively quickly. Mood stabilizing drugs are slower, but can reduce the severity and duration of acute
manic episodes. Maintenance therapy with two mood stabilizing drugs, lithium and valproic acid
(administered as sodium valproate), has been shown to have significant (though partial) effects in
reducing the rate of recurrence of mania and the Depression. The disadvantage of lithium is that the

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toxicity level is not much higher than the therapeutic level; therefore, it is necessary to monitor the
serum level. For the cost-benefit analysis, lithium and valproic acid were considered, and their empirical
data support their efficacy in the treatment and prevention of manic and depressive episodes. As there
is evidence that psychosocial methods can improve drug adherence (Huxley, Parikh and Baldessarini
2000), adjunctive strategies have also been evaluated. The main effect of treatment is the change in the
level of disability in the population related to bipolar disorder (the weighted average of the time spent
in mania, depression, or normal mood). The acute treatment effect, calculated as the product of the
initial response and the reduced duration of the attack, and the preventive treatment effect are all
attributed to lithium and valproic acid, resulting in an estimated improvement of about 50%. The
untreated comprehensive disability weight is 0.445 (Chisholm et al. forthcoming). This estimate is then
adjusted based on the expected non-compliance in the actual clinical environment, and lithium is
slightly lower than valproic acid (Bowden et al. 2000).
3.3.1 Major depression
The central symptom of major depression is a change in mood; sadness is more typical, but anger,
irritability, and loss of interest in normal activities may be dominant. Affected people are usually unable
to experience pleasure (heditation) and may feel hopeless. In many countries in developing countries,
patients do not complain of such emotional symptoms, but complain of physical symptoms, such as
fatigue or various pains. Typical physical symptoms that occur in all cultures include sleep disorders
(the most common is insomnia waking up in the morning, but occasionally excessive sleepiness);
changes in appetite (usually loss of appetite and weight loss, but occasional overeating); and reduction
energy of. Behaviorally, some people with depression show slow movement (psychomotor retardation),
while others may become agitated. Cognitive symptoms may include worthless and guilty thoughts,
suicidal thoughts, inattention, slow thinking, and poor memory. In a few cases, symptoms of psychosis
may occur.

3.2.2 Medical history and course

Major depression is a paroxysmal disease that usually starts early in life (the average age of onset in
community epidemiological surveys is in the 20s), although it may be observed throughout life New
episode. Although not all early childhood signs of adult depression appear in the form of obvious
depression, there is an increasing awareness of the beginning of childhood. Most people with
depression will relapse (Mueller et al. 1999), and patients with early-onset illness are at increased risk
of relapse. Many people cannot fully recover from their acute episodes and suffer from mild chronic
depression with acute exacerbations (Judd et al. 1998). The current term for mild chronic depression
lasting more than two years is dysthymia. Although, by definition, the symptoms of mild depression
are not as severe as episodes of major depression, chronicity ultimately makes this milder illness
highly disabling in many cases (Judd, Schettler, & Akiskal, 2002). Epidemiological research has
always found that depression and other mental disorders largely coexist. About half of people with a
history of depression also have lifelong anxiety. Comorbidities of depression and anxiety are usually
related to generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder (Kessler et al. 1996).

3.2.3 Epidemiology and burden

The prevalence of non-bipolar depression has been estimated in several large-scale community
epidemiological surveys. In these surveys, the lifetime prevalence of major depression or dysthymia
was estimated to be 4.2% to 17.0% (Andrade et al. 2003; Bijl et al. 1998), with a weighted average of
12.1%. Prevalence estimates from 6 to 12 months are equally broad (1.9% to 10.9%) (Andrade et al.
2003; Robins and Regier 1991), with a weighted average of 5.8%. These large differences in
prevalence may represent the inherent difficulties of self-reporting conditions, which are always
stigmatized in different cultures. The estimated prevalence is always the highest in North America and
the lowest in Asia (prevalence estimates for major depression are usually much higher than for
dysthymia).

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 UNU 4th YEAR PUBLIC HEALH, MENTAL HEALTH COURSE 2024

3.2.4 Intervention
The efficacy of several types of antidepressants and two psychosocial therapies on depression has been
confirmed (Paykel and Priest 1992). Older tricyclic antidepressants (TCA) and newer drugs, including
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI), have similar effects.
Newer drugs have milder side effects and are therefore more likely to be tolerated at therapeutic doses
(Pereira and Patel 1999). Due to the high cost, SSRI has not been widely used in developing countries,
although this situation may change with the expiration of patent protection (Patel 1996). Among the
proven effective psychosocial treatments, the most widely accepted method is cognitive behavioral
methods. The use of psychosocial and drug therapy alone or in combination can accelerate the recovery
from an acute attack. Maintenance medication therapy can reduce the risk of recurrence (Geddes et al.
2003). Some evidence suggests that a course of psychotherapy can also delay relapse.

3.3 Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are a group of diseases characterized by the inability to regulate fear or worry.
Although anxiety itself may be a feature of the clinical manifestations of most patients, physical
symptoms such as chest pain, palpitations, dyspnea, and headaches are also common, and these
symptoms may be more common in countries in developing. There are many different types of anxiety
disorders, some of them are briefly described below.
The main feature of panic disorder is an unexpected panic attack, which is a discontinuous period of
intense fear accompanied by physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, sweating,
or dizziness. This person may be very afraid of losing control or dying. Panic disorder is diagnosed
when panic attacks repeat and cause anxiety about the anticipation of additional attacks. People with
panic disorder may gradually limit their lives to avoid situations where a panic attack occurs or
situations that may be difficult to escape when a panic attack occurs.
They usually avoid crowds, travel, bridges and elevators, and eventually some people may stop leaving
the house altogether. The widespread fear avoidance is described as agoraphobia. Generalized anxiety
disorder is characterized by chronic excessive and unrealistic worry. These symptoms are accompanied
by specific anxiety-related symptoms, such as arousal of the sympathetic nervous system,
hypervigilance, and exercise stress. Post-traumatic stress disorder occurs after severe trauma.
It is characterized by emotional numbness, interrupted by an invasive review of traumatic events,
usually triggered by environmental cues that serve as reminders of the trauma; restless sleep; and
excessive excitement, such as exaggerated startle reactions. Social anxiety disorder (social phobia) is
characterized by a constant fear of social situations or performance situations, exposing a person to
possible scrutiny by others. The affected person is very afraid of acting in a humiliating way.
It is difficult to distinguish social anxiety disorder from extreme normal temperaments (such as
shyness). However, social anxiety disorder can cause serious disability. Simple phobias are extreme
fears in the presence of unobtrusive cues or stimuli, such as the fear of heights. The core features of
obsessive-compulsive disorder are obsessive-compulsive disorder (intrusive and unwanted thoughts)
and obsessive-compulsive disorder (displaying highly ritualized behaviors aimed at neutralizing the
negative thoughts and emotions caused by obsessive-compulsive disorder). A symptom pattern may be
repeated hand washing outside the point of skin damage to eliminate the fear of contamination.

3.3.1. Medical history and course of illness

The age of onset, course of illness, and symptom triggers of anxiety disorders are different. One of these
disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, depends on the cause of one or more strong negative life
events. Although anxiety disorders were analyzed as a group, panic disorder was chosen for the purpose
of cost-benefit analysis because of the available data. According to community epidemiological
surveys, estimates of the prevalence of anxiety disorders vary greatly, ranging from a low of 2.2%
(Andrade et al. 2003) to a high of 28.5% (Kessler et al. 1994). The weighted average of the survey is
15.6%.
Estimates of the prevalence of anxiety disorders in the past 6 to 12 months are equally broad (1.2% to
19.3%) (Andrade et al. 2003; Kessler et al. 1994), with a weighted average of 9.4%. Although the

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 UNU 4TH YEAR MENTAL HEALTH COURSE 2024 / MENTAL & SOCIAL HEALTH

overall prevalence varies widely, several clear patterns of relative prevalence can be observed in all
surveys. Specific phobias are usually the most common lifelong anxiety disorder, and social phobias
are usually the second most common lifelong anxiety disorder. Panic disorder and obsessive compulsive
disorder are usually the least common. These surveys also provide evidence of the persistence of anxiety
disorders, which are indirectly defined as the relationship between the 6 or 12-month prevalence and
lifetime prevalence. For general anxiety disorders, this proportion averages about 60%, indicating a
high rate of lifetime persistence. Social phobia has the highest persistence and agoraphobia has the least
persistence.
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
i. Describe common mental health conditions
ii. Briefly describe the characteristics of common mental health conditions
iii. State the disease burden of common mental conditions
4.0 CONCLUSION
Mental disorders are diseases that affect cognitive, emotional, and behavioral control, and seriously
interfere both the learning ability of children and the ability of adults to play a role in the family, work
and society as a whole. In this unit, the discussion focuses on the history, causes, epidemiology, and
intervention strategies of some common mental health conditions. This unit also discusses the burden
of schizophrenia, anxiety, mood disorders, and depression
5.0. SUMMARY
In this unit, students learn the history, causes, epidemiology, and intervention strategies of some
common mental health problems. The unit also teaches the burden of schizophrenia, anxiety, mood
disorders and depression
6.0 MARKED ASSIGNMENT
1. Describe a mentally healthy person
2. Determine the challenges of mental health

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING

2001 World Health Organization estimates of the global burden of disease recalculated by the World Bank
region (http://www.fic .nih.gov/dcpp/gbd.html).
https://www.dcp3.org/sites/default/files/dcp2/DCP31.pdf

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 HED 311 MODULE 2

MODULE 2
UNIT 1. THE CONCEPT OF STIGMA IN MENTAL ILLNESS

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Mental illness related stigma may be as old as human civilization itself. However, as stigma affects the
care of people with mental illness and their human rights, it has recently become increasingly important.
Stigma is generally believed to be the key to seeking care for people with mental illness, but it is often
one of the hidden obstacles. In the most famous work on the concept of stigma, Goffman referred to it
as an "altered identity" (Goffman, 1986). This identity can be private, involving internalized feelings
about oneself, or it can be public, involving negative views or behaviors of others. Avoiding negatively
labeling yourself or hiding your problems from others is believed to lead to avoidance of treatment,
increase abstinence from treatment, and reduce adherence to treatment (see Corrigan, 2004 review).

2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
• Stigma and stigma in mental illness
• Discuss the historical perspective of stigma in mental illness
3.0 MAIN CONTENT

Construct: stereotype, prejudice and discrimination (Corrigan, 2004). Stereotypes are a set of beliefs
about the members of a certain group, which generally represent the common beliefs of society about
the group. Stereotypes are generally not controlled by the individual; a person may inadvertently apply
negative stereotypes, even if they express a relatively positive and unbiased feeling about a group
(Devine and 3 Sharp, 2009).

Stereotypes can include, for example, beliefs that people with mental illness are violent and dangerous,
and beliefs related to the causes of mental health problems (Corrigan et al., 2002). For example,
stereotypes may include beliefs that mental illness is caused by a person's actions or inactions or due to
defects in moral character (Pescosolido et al., 2010). Another stereotype often seen as part of the stigma
of mental illness is the belief that people cannot recover from mental disorders. Prejudice is a negative
attitude towards individuals or groups (eg, "I don't like / don't want to contact people with mental health
problems") (Allport, 1979).

Prejudice can be expressed as the degree of disposition (for example, disposition to be friends, jobs and
neighbors) that a person expresses in different interpersonal interactions with people with mental
illnesses (Pescosolido et al., 2010). Discrimination is the behavioral aspect of stigma and is believed to
be caused by prejudice or stereotypes. It includes the aforementioned social exclusion and negative
social interactions, as well as laws, policies and practices that unfairly treat people with mental illness
(for example, restricting their right to hold public office or vote or restrict their parental rights
(Hemmens et al. al., 2002). Year))).

Stigmatization of mental illness can also reduce the well-being of people with mental illness. The
internalization of negative opinions is related to low self-esteem, self-blame, and negative emotional
states (Link et al., 1987). The pressure to hide one's mental illness can also hurt those who choose to do
so. Goffman discussed the phenomenon of "handover" in which individuals with characteristics of
social stigmatization try to hide it from others (Goffman, 1986). In Goffman's view, the psychological
cost of living a life of concealment is considerable. There is no direct evidence in this regard, especially
among people with mental health problems, but this effect is consistent with some theories from social
psychology on the impact of concealment on stress (Pachankis, 2007; Smart and Wegner, 1999, 2000).

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 HED 311 MENTAL & SOCIAL HEALTH

Mental illness stigma: a demographic profile Mental illness stigma is common in the United States. The
1996 and 2006 General Social Surveys (GSS) were surveys of a representative group of adults in the
United States, which included questions about public knowledge and responses to mental illness. In
2006, nearly one-third of U.S. adults supported schizophrenia and depression as a result of "grumpy",
although a larger group (mostly) attributed both schizophrenia and depression to neurobiology reason.
From 1996 to 2006, the percentage of respondents supporting each neurobiological attribution of
schizophrenia and depression increased significantly, while the personality attribution remained stable
(Pescosolido et al., 2010). This shows that the two investigating agencies have a better understanding
of the causes of mental illness, but the blame persists. Guilt can cause or become a symptom of the
stigma of mental illness.

Most of those interviewed in 2006 stated that they were unwilling to work closely or socialize with
people with schizophrenia, and were unwilling to allow such people to marry their families. Acceptance
of people with depression is much better, but about one in two adults reject the idea of a family or work
marriage to people with depression. Most people are willing to be friends with anyone in any situation.
Comparing the results from 1996 and 2006, only one area for improvement was found: Respondents in
2006 were more willing to be neighbors with people with mental illness. These beliefs have important
implications for the social integration of people with mental health problems.

SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISES
i. Determine people's opinions about the stigmatization of mental
illness
ii. Factors that lead to stigma

4.0 CONCLUSION
A stereotype is a set of beliefs about the members of a certain group, which generally represents
common beliefs of the company over the group. Stereotypes are generally not controlled by the
individual; a person may inadvertently apply negative stereotypes, even if they express a relatively
positive and unbiased feeling about a certain group. This unit reports the results of scientific research
to explain the basis of stigma and stigma in mental health.

5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit, students learn about people's opinions about mental health. Explain many people's
perceptions of mental health stigma through scientific research.
6.0 MARKED ASSIGNMENT
1. Describe a mentally healthy person
2. Determine the challenges of mental health
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
https://www.psychologydiscussion.net/healthpsychology/characteristics of a mentally healthy
person/2072

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 HED 311 MODULE 2

UNIT 2 TYPES OF STIGMA

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Social stigma is extreme opposition to individuals based on social characteristics that are believed to
distinguish individuals from other members of society. Social stigma runs so deep that positive social
feedback about the ways in which the same person complies with other social norms overwhelms.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
• Identify forms of stigma
• Briefly describe the different types of stigma
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
Stigma plays an important role in sociological theory. One of the founders of the social sciences, Émile
Durkheim, began studying the social signs of deviance in the late 19th century. The American
sociologist Erving Goffman (Erving Goffman) is responsible for bringing stigmatized terms and
theories into the main field of social theory. In his works, Goffman uses stigma as a basic tenet of social
theory, including his interpretation of "stigma" as a means of undermining identity. In this way, he
mentioned that stigmatized nature "undermines" the individual's ability to recognize social norms in
other aspects of the self. Goffman identified three main types of stigma:
(1) Stigma related to mental illness;
(2) Stigma related to physical deformation; and
(3) Stigma related to a specific race, ethnicity, and religion. Although Goffman is responsible for the
fundamental text of stigma theory, stigma remains a popular topic in contemporary sociological
research. In Conceptualizing Stigma (2001), sociologists Jo Phelan and Bruce Link explained stigma as
a fusion of four different factors:

(1) The differentiation and labeling of various classes of society

(2) Will be different Socio-demographic labels associate individuals with prejudice against these factors;
(3) The development of co-use ethics; and
(4) Disadvantaged people who are marked and placed in the category of "them".
In the final analysis, stigma is related to social control. Inferring from this, stigma must be a social
phenomenon. Without society, there can be no stigma. To have a stigma, a person must have a
stigmatized person and a stigmatized person. Therefore, this is a dynamic social relationship. Since
stigma originates in social relationships, this theory emphasizes not the existence of abnormal
characteristics, but the perception and marking of certain characteristics by the second party. For
example, stigma theorists are rarely concerned with whether Emily has a psychiatric diagnosis, but
rather with how Sally views Emily's psychiatric diagnosis and then treats Emily in a different way.
Stigma depends on another person's perception and understanding of the characteristics of stigma. Since
stigma must be a social relationship, it must be full of power relationships. Stigma is committed to
controlling abnormal members of the population and encouraging conformity.
Harmful effects of stigmatization. Some of the effects of stigma include:
• Feelings of shame, despair, and isolation
• Reluctance to seek help or treatment
• Lack of understanding from family, friends, or others
• Reduced employment opportunities or Social interaction
• Bullying, physical violence or harassment
• Doubt: Believe that you will never be able to overcome the disease or achieve the life you want.
Dealing with stigma
Here are some ways to deal with stigma:
• Get the mental health treatment you need. Try not to let the fear of being labeled a mental illness stop
you from seeking help.

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 HED 311 MENTAL & SOCIAL HEALTH

• Don't believe it. Sometimes if you hear or experience something frequently, you will start to believe in
yourself. Try not to let the ignorance of others affect your perception of yourself. Mental illness is not
a sign of weakness and you can rarely solve it yourself. Discussing your mental health problems with a
healthcare professional will help you on the road to recovery or management.
• Don't hide. Many people with mental illness want to isolate themselves from the world. Reach out to
someone you trust - family, friends, coach, or religious leader - which means you can get the support
you need.
• Connect with others. Joining a mental health support group, either online or in person, can help you
deal with feelings of isolation and make you realize that your feelings and experiences are not alone.
• You are not your disease. Don't use illness to define yourself the way other people do. Instead of saying
"I have schizophrenia", it is better to say "I have schizophrenia". Language has power.
• This is not personal. Remember, other people's judgments often come from a lack of understanding, not
for any other reason. These judgments were made before they met you, so don't think their opinions
have anything to do with you personally.
Discrimination against you: Australia at the international level, the United Nations General
Assembly has formulated the principles of "protecting patients with mental illness and improving
mental health care." The World Health Organization also has information on mental health and human
rights.
Challenging the stigma associated with mental illness
Everyone can play a role in creating a mentally healthy community, a community that tolerates, rejects
discrimination and supports recovery. Ways to help include:
• Learn the facts about mental illness and share them with family, friends, colleagues, and classmates
• Meet people with personal experiences of mental illness so you can learn to treat them in the way they
prefer more than their sick ones.
• When you meet someone with a mental illness, don't judge, mark, or discriminate. Treat everyone with
respect and dignity.
• Avoid using language that puts disease first and people second. Say "a person with bipolar disorder"
instead of "that person is a person with bipolar disorder".
• When you hear people around you making stereotyped or inaccurate comments about mental illness,
please say something.
• Share your own mental illness experience (if you have ever experienced it). This will help dispel the
myth and encourage others to do the same. Mental illness is not shameful and must be hidden.
Mental Health: Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Illness, Mayo Clinic Sane Australia; Reducing
Stigma
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISES
i. Brief analysis of the types of mental health stigma
ii. Determining the harmful effects of stigma
4.0 CONCLUSION
Stigma commits to controlling anomalous members of the population and promoting compliance. This
unit explains the types of stigma, the harmful effects of stigma, and the defiant stigma associated with
mental illness
5.0 SUMMARY
In summary, this unit has taught you about the types of stigma, the harmful effects of stigma, and related
challenges. Stigma People with
Mental Illness
6.0. MARKED ASSIGNMENT
1. Describe a mentally healthy person
2. Determine the challenges of mental health

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 HED 311 MODULE 2

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING

https://www.psychologydiscussion.net/healthpsychology/characteristics of a mentally healthy
person/2072

UNIT 3 THEORIES TO REDUCE THE STIGMA OF MENTAL ILLNESS

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Stigma refers to someone who is due to a particular characteristic or attribute (for example, skin color,
cultural background, disability or illness). When someone treats you negatively because of your mental
illness, this is discrimination. Stigma arises when a person defines someone by their disease rather than
by them as an individual. For example, they can be labeled as "mentally ill" instead of being a mentally
ill person. For people with mental health problems, the social stigma and discrimination they experience
can make their problems worse and make recovery more difficult. It may cause the person to avoid
getting the help they need for fear of being stigmatized.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
• Discuss theories to reduce the stigma of mental illness
• State the plan to reduce the stigma of mental illness
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
Some theorists believe that it produces changes in ingrained attitudes and attitude behaviors need to
produce mutually reinforcing changes on multiple levels, usually using a multi-component approach
(Hornik, 2002). Stigma can exist at the institutional, social and personal level and describe these levels
as mutual influence. Successful interventions take advantage of these interdependencies. It is believed
that the reduction in smoking in the United States may be based on this process. Effective media
campaigns, such as the Truth About Smoking campaign, reduce the smoking rate by a small amount
(12%) each year. At the same time, these movements changed social norms and stopped accepting
smoking. This rule change encouraged policy changes that made smoking less convenient (for example,
smoke-free buildings) and strengthened antismoking rules. In turn, personal smoking rates have further
declined (Hornik, 2002). This pattern of change shows that with the integration of social norms,
personal behaviors and beliefs, and institutional policies and practices, support for accepting people
with mental health problems and the degree of intervention, the stigma of mental illness may be reduced.
Several specific theoretical models of mental illness stigma describe the components that should be part
of this type of intervention. Contact, education, and protest are the core elements of influential stigma
reduction theory (Corrigan and Penn, 1999).
3.1 Projects to reduce the stigma of mental illnesses
Parallel to these theories, although they are not always based on them, a large number of plans and
initiatives try to reduce the stigma of mental illnesses. They can be roughly divided into two categories:
training interventions involving face-to-face communication between educators / speakers and small
and medium-sized groups, and broad and multifaceted media campaigns and interventions. Some
initiatives include these two components.

Training interventions
Training interventions generally involve educational content, providing information on the causes of
mental illness, mental health treatment and the experiences of patients with mental health problems to
eliminate stereotypes and prejudices and promote attitudes positive towards mentally ill patients.
Disease (Corrigan and Penn, 1999). Some training interventions include only educational strategies,
while other training interventions combine educational strategies with 10 contact strategies. There are
a variety of training interventions for different audiences, including students, healthcare professionals,
and the general public. Strategic training for “key power groups” such as employers, landlords, criminal
justice, healthcare providers, policy makers, and the media is considered a potentially effective way to
reduce stigma (Corrigan, 2004, 2011). Quite a few of these programs have been evaluated. For detailed
information on the evaluation of a selected set of key examples, please refer to the appendix.

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 HED 311 MENTAL & SOCIAL HEALTH

Educational strategies
Training interventions based on educational principles can be relatively low-cost SDR methods that can
be widely disseminated (Lincoln et al., 2008; Mino et al., 2001; Schmetzer, Lafuze, and Jack, 2008).
The shortterm effects of educational interventions on mental illness attitudes have received some
empirical support (Corrigan and Penn, 1999; Penn et al., 1994, 1999); there is relatively little evidence
on the effects of long-term outcomes or behavior changes (Corrigan & Gelb, 2006). Interestingly, the
definition of the etiology of mental illness as an educational method that mainly has a biological or
genetic component (Brown and Bradley, 2002; Mann and Himelein, 2008) has been shown to counteract
certain forms of stigma (for example, Compensation for blame), while strengthening other aspects (for
example, the belief that mental illness is incurable) (Corrigan & Shapiro, 2010). In addition, the
improvement of mental health literacy is related to more negative attitudes, such as the desire to
maintain social distancing from people with mental illness (Angermeyer, Holzinger, and Matschinger,
2009; Schomerus et al., 2012).
Contact Strategies
There is evidence that encouraging interaction with people with mental illness may have a greater
impact on attitude changes than education or protest strategies (Corrigan et al., 2001). In addition,
interpersonal communication strategies are related to the results of behavioral changes and long-term
attitude changes (Corrigan et al., 2003a, 2003b). Therefore, in the review of SDR interventions for the
young population (Yamaguchi, Mino, and Uddin, 2011), direct contact with people with mental illness
appears to be a key component of reducing stigma, while education is a single and video-based contact
strategy Its role is still questionable. A recent meta-analysis reported consistent findings, which found
that direct contact strategies were more effective than video-based contacts (Corrigan et al., 2012). In
addition, compared with education strategies, contact strategies are more effective for adults, but the
opposite is true for young people.
Extensive and multifaceted media campaigns and interventions
Extensive media campaigns usually convey educational messages, just like the messages contained in
SDR training. It usually provides information about the causes, symptoms, prevalence, and treatability
of mental illness. Sometimes this information is sent by a mental health professional, usually a celebrity.
Usually, when the person in the media promotion is someone who has experienced mental health
problems, it can also be said that contact is involved.
According to the conceptual model, large-scale initiatives usually include a multi-faceted special
drawing rights strategy that combines media information with community and organization
mobilization activities. These large-scale initiatives focus very broadly on the stigma of mental illness,
or mostly schizophrenia or depression.
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISES
State and briefly explain the mental illness stigma reduction programs
4.0. CONCLUSION
Theorists argue that producing shifts in deeply ingrained attitudes and behaviors requires producing
mutually reinforcing changes at multiple levels, typically with a multicomponent approach (Hornik,
2002). Stigma can exist at the level of the institution, society, and individuals and depicts these levels
as influencing one another. This unit discusses the perceptions of the theorists of stigma reduction. It
also identify and explains stigma reduction programs.
5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit students will learn the perceptions of the theorists of stigma reduction. It also identify and
explains stigma reduction programs.
6.0 ASSIGNMENT
1. Describe a mentally healthy person
2. Determine the challenges of mental health
7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING
https://www.psychologydiscussion.net/healthpsychology/characteristics of a mentally healthy
person/2072

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 HED 311 MODULE 2

UNIT 4 THE LAW AND MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA

1.0 INTRODUCTION
The law does not help to reduce stigma, and it can even be argued that it is exacerbated by the failure
to recognize stigma and its adverse effects on mental health and the rights of people with mental
illness. In fact, the mention of mental health in our legislation generally does not provide human
rights protection, and is generally excluded on the grounds of
"mental disorder."

2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to explain
• The role of the law in reducing stigma in mental health
• Identify reform proposals to reduce stigma in mental health laws
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
Some human rights violations have been victimized. The deepest is the right to equal rights and non-
discrimination. Currently, the law does not specifically address the issue of discrimination because there
is currently no legislation on mental health. However, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria prohibits discrimination.
1. However, it did not clearly indicate that health status is one of the reasons for prohibiting discrimination.
Perhaps recognizing this, the law specifically addresses the issue of discrimination against people living
with HIV/AIDS and persons with disabilities. Therefore, the 2014 HIV/AIDS Anti-Discrimination Law
and various anti-discrimination laws of Enugu, Ekiti and other states, as well as the 2011 Lagos State
Special People's Law and other legislation. However, there are no laws specifically addressing
discrimination based on mental health status.
In addition, mental illness is not well recognized in law as a disability problem. In addition, legislation
across the country has not effectively addressed disability issues; Lagos State remains a notable
exception. For example, the Lagos State Special People's Law of 2011 addresses many aspects of
disability, and has established a special agency to manage disability-related issues and provide a voice
for all types of disabled people. However, it does not mention mental health or provide any intervention
in this regard. In my opinion, most of the problem of abuse of power to imprison a person involuntarily
in a facility also comes from stigma, which is a form of dehumanization and heterosexuality, allowing
people who do not necessarily conform to this idea to make promise the "normal “Under what
circumstances can a mentally ill person be fixed or legally detained in Nigeria? Who makes this call
when? Previous research in this field has shown that involuntary detention or detention in Nigeria has
a long history, first of all by the British colonial ruler before Nigeria's independence.
2. Of course, under certain circumstances, people with mental illness may be detained involuntarily
against their will: when people pose a danger to themselves or others. However, human rights principles
require certain steps to be taken to ensure any unintentional restrictions on mental health within certain
prescribed parameters.
In 1991, the UN Principles for the Protection of Patients with Mental Illness and the Improvement of
Mental Health Care and the guidelines formulated below provide clear guidance on mental health, as
do some documents of the World Health Organization. The Nigerian Constitution also provides for
certain rights that apply to mental patients and other citizens of the country.
Generally speaking, involuntary detention should only occur when the person may harm himself or
others. It is not clear whether many psychiatrists and other medical professionals in Nigeria really
understand or apply it appropriately. The result is a careful realization that psychiatrists and other
medical staff make certain judgments about the treatment of patients with mental illnesses that are
ethical and in the best interests of patients and society. Therefore, stigma is a key challenge that must
be addressed from multiple perspectives. More and more awareness is increasing, especially in social
media circles such as Facebook and Twitter, but also in the field of online health.

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 HED 311 MENTAL & SOCIAL HEALTH

3. People are sharing personal experiences of mental illness, humanizing them and potentially changing existing
narratives. These types of stigma reduction methods are worth studying. However, in this article, I
defend the legal perspective: a method of legal reform. `

Proposals for Reform of Law No.

The following are some reform proposals to address the challenge of stigmatization from the legal
perspective analyzed in this document. The key to the proposal is to enact a law to replace the "Insanity
Act." They are certainly not exhaustive, as they are mainly based on the perspective of legislative
reforms.
Mental health legislation Nigeria’s current mental health legislation is the Mental Illness Act of 1958,
which dates back to the 20th century. Starting from the title now regarded as derogatory, it belongs to
the law of another era, when there was less understanding of mental illness and the human rights of
people with mental illness were not taken seriously. There are currently no clear regulations on mental
health care, no direct legal protections, no financial or wellness regulations for people with mental
illness. In 2003, the National Assembly introduced new legislation on mental health. More than a decade
later, the bill has not passed. The enactment of a well-thought-out law to address key issues relating to
the rights of the mentally ill and safeguards from involuntary commitments has been a vital and long-
standing need. Current mental health policy notes the importance of legal reform and its impact on the
rise of humanity, stating that "the protection of human rights is also addressed in separate legislation
submitted to the federal government."
WHO has identified certain steps that need to be taken
1) Identify the main mental disorders and obstacles in the implementation of policies and plans in the
relevant countries;
(2) Identify (or map) existing mental health laws or general laws to solve mental health problems, and look
for missing legal aspects
(3) Investigate international conventions and standards related to human rights and mental health, and
determine the internationally recognized obligations and standards under the international human rights
instruments that the country has ratified;
(4) Research in other countries, especially those with similar societies and cultures Background part of
national mental health legislation;
(5) Consultation and negotiation of changes.
To address the key challenge of stigma that often leads to involuntary commitments, the mental health
bill must include certain key provisions, including provisions on rights and capabilities / capabilities.
As mentioned above, Nigerians with mental illness often face degradation and stigma. People with
mental illness can be incarcerated in institutions against their will and deprived of their freedom, dignity
and basic human rights. Sick people generally face discrimination in society, especially when it comes
to finding housing or employment.
SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
i. Explain the role of laws in reducing mental health stigma ii. Discuss proposals for reform of mental
health laws to reduce stigma
iii. Determine the need to take action on mental health legislation.
4.0 CONCLUSION
The most serious violation of the rights suffered by the mentally ill is the right to equality and non-
discrimination. Since there is currently no mental health legislation, the law does not specifically
address discrimination. However, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria prohibits
discrimination. This module explains the role of the law in reducing the stigma of mental health,
recommends reforms to reduce the stigma of mental health laws, and identifies the steps that need to be
taken to develop good mental health legislation.
5.0 SUMMARY
This module will understand the role of the law in reducing mental health stigma, recommend reforms
to reduce mental health laws, and steps to take to develop good mental health legislation.

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6.0. ASSIGNMENT
1. Describe a mentally healthy person
2. Determine the challenges of mental health
7.0 REFERENCES / FURTHER READING
https://www.psychologydiscussion.net/healthpsychology/characteristics of a mentally healthy
person/2072

UNIT 5 TERMS OF STIGMA IN MENTAL ILLNESS

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Stigma continues to be the most fundamental, cultural and moral barrier to alleviating mental health
problems. As a result, human rights violations deeply rooted in the stigma associated with mental illness
continue to run rampant uncontrollably to a large extent, and have a negative impact on the dignity of
people with mental disabilities as human beings. In this unit, students will learn various terms used in
mental health
2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to
• Describe various stigma terms used in mental health
• State stigma in life Consequences
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
"Citizen" means tattoo or marking in Greek. This is a typical physical sign of ancient Greece, burned or
cut into the flesh of slaves or criminals so that others can see them as less respected members of society.
Through Latin, the word has evolved into a modern language as a shame.
Research on stigma has made significant progress in the past three to four years, and social
psychologists have tried to define it in various ways. Owen Goffman is one of the most outstanding
social scientists and anthropologists of the 20th century. He eloquently described the stigma in his paper,
which is a classic today. According to Goffman, stigma is "a very credible attribute that reduces the
wearer to a person who is contaminated and discarded" (Goffman, 1963). The dishonest people can be
divided into three different groups: people with physical defects, people belonging to a certain race,
ethnicity or religious group, and finally those with defects recognized and documented, such as mental
illness, drug addiction, and many more. Alcoholism or extreme political behavior, etc. Therefore,
persons with disabilities, blind persons, persons with a history of mental illness, or members of ethnic
minorities or religious groups are considered social "deviants" and risk being excluded or considered
inferior to others.
3.2.1 Commonly used terms in the field of stigma and discrimination in patients with mental
illness
Stereotypes:
They are the beliefs or socially accepted concepts of a group of people that are mutually agreed upon
(e.g. "Most people with mental illness are violent").
Prejudice
People who agree with stereotypes and react to them with strong emotions show prejudice (for example,
"Yes, all mental patients are violent, and I am afraid of them"). Bias tends to generalize to all members
of the group.
Discrimination:
People whose behaviors and actions are based on prejudice show discrimination. This may be due to
the conventional practice of institutions and structural mechanisms that discriminate against patients.
For example, the poor quality of mental health services is the main form of structural discrimination
perceived by patients with schizophrenia (Schulze and Angermeyer, 2003), or involuntary
discrimination by hospital staff when providing routine clinical care (Lee et al., 2006).
Perceived stigma:
Most people with mental illness live in a society that degrades and stigmatizes them, and they obviously
feel low self-esteem, self-efficacy and confidence. If these people have internal cultural stereotypes
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before illness, they tend to apply these stereotypes to themselves after illness begins, resulting in low
self-esteem (Watson & River, 2005).
Self-stigma:
The patient first accepts the stereotype. (For example, "I have a mental illness, I think I should not be
able to do the job"). This can lead to strong emotional reactions and a decrease in self-esteem and self-
efficacy. It continues to be self-discriminatory without applying for a successful job (Watson & River,
2005). The public's response to patients with mental illness is a public shame.

Label:
Identifies a person based on outstanding characteristics and puts a label on them. For example,
"amputee" or "drunkard". Link and Ferran (2001). Active stigma, an interesting concept about how
stigmatized individuals overcome the difficulties of being stigmatized, researched by Margaret Shih
(2004). Shih said that people who are stigmatized use various measures or strategies. For example,
individuals who are stigmatized may work harder and insist on (compensation), or they may compare
themselves with members of their own group rather than their favorites (strategic interpretation of the
social environment), or use their own race, Gender, religion, occupation, etc. to protect your mental
health (multiple identities).
3.3 Consequences of stigma
Stigma affects all aspects of personal life. In our review, we will consider the consequences related to
key groups or individuals that may affect the lives of people with mental illness.

Family members
Stigma affects not only people with mental illness, but also people who have close relationships with
family, friends and relatives. Goffman (1963) called it "Courtesy Stigma". Family members and direct
caregivers experience shame, shame, uncertainty about the disease, stigma, (Brady and McCain, 2004)
psychological distress, poor quality of life and difficulties in life (Kadri et al., 2004) strong
personalization and stigma public (Muhlbauer, 2002), “what to do in times of crisis” lacks clarity
(Lukens, 2002), and when the emotions expressed are also high (Phillips et al., 2002), people experience
higher levels of stigma. Research in India reported similar experiences of stigma and discrimination in
the families of patients with schizophrenia (Thara et al., 2003a, 2003b; Srinivasa Murthy, 2005).

Services and service providers

In a recent editorial, Thornicroft (2008a) noted that 70% of people worldwide with some type of mental
disorder are not receiving treatment. If low- and middle-income countries (LAMIC) are considered, this
number is much higher (Wang et al., 2007). For example, in a survey in Nigeria, only 1.6% of
respondents actually received mental health care. Lack of awareness, ignorance of where to seek
treatment, prejudice against people with mental illness, and anticipation of discrimination are the main
reasons for terrible statistics.
The law and the justice system
The most common stereotype associated with people with mental illnesses, especially schizophrenia, is
that they are violent (Arboleda Florez, 1998). This has to do with how the criminal justice system, the
media and the public view them. The police are often the first point of contact for people with serious
mental illness. Subsequently, officials decide whether the person receives appropriate psychiatric
treatment or continues to fight under the control of the criminal justice system. Criminalization of
mental illness will lead to an increase in the proportion of mentally ill patients in prisons. A person with
a mental illness may be a victim of a crime or a witness to the crime. It has been found that police
officers do not take the initiative to help crime victims and, as crime witnesses, are often

Landlords and Employers

Housing options for mentally ill patients have always been a problem. In the United States, there are
often reports of inability to obtain a good standard of living, living in an unsanitary environment, or
being homeless (Wills et al., 1998). In India, the homelessness of patients with chronic mental illness

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has also been a problem, and there has recently been controversy about people’s efforts to solve their
problems in a similar way to the results achieved in the past with leprosy (Deccan Herald, 2009).
Compared with people without mental illness, the unemployment rate of people with mental illness is
higher. Marwaha and Johnson (2004) concluded that the employment rate of patients with schizophrenia
in European countries is 10% to 20% of the general population. Barriers to finding a job include stigma,
discrimination, fear of losing benefits, and lack of adequate professional help. Difficulties in finding
jobs, job-related discrimination among people with schizophrenia, and negative effects on their self-
esteem have also been reported in the Indian population, further perpetuating the stigma (Shankar et al.,
1995; Loganathan and Srinivasa Murthy, 2008, 2010

SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
i. Identify various terms used in mental health stigma ii. Discuss the impact of stigma on mental health
4.0 CONCLUSION
Mental illness-related stigma is deeply rooted in human rights violations His behavior continues to be
largely unconstrained and has a negative impact on the dignity of people with mental disabilities as
human beings. In this unit, students will learn various terms used in mental health conditions and the
consequences of stigmatization in mental health conditions
5.0 SUMMARY
In this unit, students will learn about various terms used in mental health conditions and the
consequences of stigma. The impact of naming on mental health.
6.0. ASSIGNMENT
1. Describe a mentally healthy person
2. Determine the challenges of mental health

7.0 REFERENCES/FURTHER READING

https://www.psychologydiscussion.net/healthpsychology/characteristics of a mentally healthy
person/2072

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 HED 311 MODULE 3

MODULE 3

UNIT 1 MENTAL HEALTH SCREENING AND SCREENING

1.0 INTRODUCTION
Mental and Behavioral Health Screening Includes a combination of tests, exams, and assessments,
which provide information about how to provide information a patient is operating. These assessments
help identify mental health issues, distinguish between mental and physical health issues, and provide
information about patients who are referred for work, school, or family issues.
Understanding the methods and practices related to mental health assessment can help you adopt
practical diagnosis and treatment methods for each client.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
• Discuss the components of mental health assessments and exams
• Explain behavioral health assessments

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

Mental health assessments and assessments exams are usually grouped together but they are
independent processes. Screening is a formal interview and/or testing process used to identify areas in
the client’s life that may require further examination. It assesses possible problems, but does not
diagnose or determine the severity of the disease. For example, assessing a person’s drug abuse may
involve asking him some interview questions about drug use and related issues, and using a brief drug
abuse and/or drug dependence screening scale.
When a positive indicator is found, arrange for someone to conduct an assessment. The assessment is a
more in-depth assessment used to confirm the existence of a problem, determine its severity, and specify
a solution to the problem. He also investigates the client's strengths and resources for solving life
problems. The evaluation usually checks not only the possible diagnosis, but also the history of the
disease. For example, drug abuse assessment assesses the severity and nature of drug use disorders and
may also explore the possibility of disorders occurring simultaneously; the client's family, marriage,
interpersonal relationship, physical and spiritual life; financial and legal conditions; and any other
possible impact on treatment and rehabilitation issues. Evaluation usually involves in-depth interviews
and the use of various evaluation tools, such as psychological tests.
Each mental health assessment you perform will be different based on your patient and their symptoms.

A typical mental health assessment may include the following elements.

• Interview: A general interview allows you to observe the patient's mood and performance. Asking
questions about the patient’s symptoms and worries, as well as their living conditions and thinking
patterns, can help reveal areas that need attention in the first place.
• Physical exam: To help distinguish between symptoms caused by mental disorders and symptoms
related to a physical illness, you may need to complete a physical exam. Ask about the patient's personal
and family medical history and the medications they are taking.
• Laboratory test: Certain symptoms may indicate the need for a laboratory test or examination. When
evaluating patients, blood or urine samples and MRIs, EEGs, or CT scans can be helpful.
• Written or Oral Test: You may want to take a test to help identify specific problems, test certain
functions, or further evaluate the patient's health psychological and behavioral assessment tools can
help and guide your assessment by identifying symptoms and providing valuable data.

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3.1 Psychological and Behavioral Assessment Tools

Assessment tools are specific methods for collecting information to help understand patients, their
symptoms, their living conditions, etc. These tools can be Assessing the overall mental health of each
patient is the key to providing effective and high-quality treatment.

How to assess mental health status?

Determining how you assess the patient's mental health will depend on the type of screening and
assessment tools you use. Consider the following factors when choosing a tool:
• Reliability: Does the test have the reliability to produce consistent results?
• Effectiveness: Does the test have the effectiveness of distinguishing problematic patients from
non-problem patients?
• Sensitivity: Does the test have the sensitivity to accurately identify problems?
• Specificity: Does the test have the specificity to identify people without problems?
Choosing a test that meets the above factors will help make your results as accurate and useful as
possible. When working with patients, disease specific assessment is a valuable tool, but how do you
know which areas to test? Detection tools can be used as a starting point to clarify these risk areas.
3.2 The difference between screening tools and assessment tools
The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM5) contains nearly
1,000 pages and contains hundreds of potential diseases, which you can view at your center. A detailed
assessment of all potential problems is illogical and time-consuming, which is why clinicians use
screening tools.

The following are some important differences between the screening and assessment tools.
• Screening tools identify specific problems that may exist: usually in the form of checklists or
questionnaires, the scope of the screening test can be broader than the scope of the assessment. Doctors
often use screening tools as early as possible when working with patients to help focus on underlying
conditions.
• Assessment tools provide the complete picture: Assessment tools often focus on determining the
existence, nature, and severity of specific diseases. Clinicians often use screening tools to drill down
into screening test results. The assessment tool can be used on a variety of topics and has multiple
formats.
Mental health screening and screening tools are beneficial because they can help clinicians quickly and
accurately diagnose and treat patients. Understanding the different types of screening and evaluation
tools available allows you to make an informed decision for each patient.

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3.3 Types of behavioral health screening tools

Appropriate screening tools depend on the patient's level of self-awareness and obvious symptoms. If
your patient's family history has mental illnesses, you may also want to be screened for these illnesses.
Here are seven common types of screening tools to consider.
1. General
In some cases, your patients may not be able to recognize the symptoms and disorders they are
experiencing. General mental health screenings, such as the Kessler Mental Distress Scale, Patient
Stress Questionnaire, or my Emotional Monitoring Checklist, can detect early signs of mental health
symptoms. Primary care physicians can also use these exams during regular check-ups to refer at-risk
patients to behavioral and mental health professionals.
2. Depression
If your patient shows signs of depression or has a family history of depression, screening tests such as
the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) can help provide a clearer answer.
3. Drug and alcohol abuse
Drug and alcohol screening tests can help identify patients' disruptive habits or addictive behaviors. For
example, the World Health Organization's Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test verifies the use of
dangerous or harmful alcohol. Other common drug and alcohol screening tests include drug abuse
screening and testing for the use of tobacco, alcohol, prescription drugs, and other substances.
4. Bipolar Disorder
To help identify the symptoms of bipolar disorder, clinicians can use the mood disorder questionnaire.
Since bipolar disorder exists in a range, it is also helpful to use the biphasic spectrum diagnostic scale
to determine where or whether your patient is registered.
5. Suicide Risk
You can use the Five-Step Assessment and Suicide Assessment Rating, the Columbia Suicide Severity
Rating Scale, or ask suicide screening questions to help determine if your patient is at risk for suicide.
To improve patient safety and reduce risk, suicide risk detection is an essential preventive measure.
6. Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety Disorder Screening can help you determine if your patient shows symptoms of generalized
anxiety disorder, obsessivecompulsive disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
or social phobia. Some related anxiety assessments include the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale
Seven (GAD7), the DSM5 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, and the Hamilton Anxiety Scale.
7. Trauma
To detect possible traumatic events in a patient's life, you can use the DSM5 life event list. This tool
can search for common sources of PTSD or extreme distress.
Talk to your patient to determine what tests may be needed. After highlighting the areas of interest, you
can use the assessment tools to understand the depth and scope of individual problems.
3.3 Mental Health Assessments for Behavioral Health Professionals
Mental and Behavioral Health Assessments have multiple uses when working with patients.
Assessments can help you complete the diagnostic and treatment planning process, provide information
for your decision making, and allow you to track patient progress. Unlike screening tests, there are
many forms of free mental health screening tools. Regardless of which method you choose, behavioral
assessment can help you understand, diagnose, and treat your patients.

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Common behavior assessment methods

1. Observation
Observation can help you find clues about the patient's condition. Consider your patient’s attitudes,
expressions, words, and behaviors in various environments to understand situations other than those
expressed by her. To use this tool well, please pay close attention to your patient and observe him in a
professional and neutral manner.
2. Interviews
Psychiatric interviews can help you build relationships with patients and gather information about their
symptoms and experiences. Let your patients speak freely and use open-ended questions to guide their
answers. When asking questions, remember to diagnose the reasoning. If you want to build trust with
patients, make sure they feel recognized and understood. Allowing your patients to express their
feelings and experiences can reveal the factors causing their symptoms.
3. Family interviews
In some cases, especially when working with young children, you can choose to interview family
members of the patient. Family interviews can provide more information about the patient’s condition
and help family members better understand what the patient is going through. Before involving family
members, you may need to review the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.
4. Checklist
Like many screening tools, the assessment tools also have checklists for obtaining information about
the patient's mental health. Targeted lists can be a quick and effective way to supplement knowledge.
DSM5 contains lists to identify and categorize the patient's symptoms, but you should use these lists
with caution. The checklist does not consider all the biological, psychological, sociological and cultural
variables that may exist in the life of the patient. However, when combined with other assessment
methods, the checklist can be a suitable tool.
5. Rating Scale The
Rating Scale provides numerical data and helps patients classify confusing feelings and emotions into
simple responses. They can be valuable when working with patients who have difficulty communicating
their illness or as a general assessment tool to determine the severity of symptoms at any given time.
6. Questionnaires The functions of the Screening questionnaires are similar to the screening
questionnaires, but generally describe specific diseases and their severity in more detail. If the results
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of the screening test show the likelihood of a specific disease, evaluating the specific disease can help
you collect more data. A typical standardized assessment includes the Comprehensive Mental Health
Assessment Tool, which can detect and assess various mental health problems.

SELF-ASSESSMENT EXERCISE
i. Describe the factors that assess mental health status ii. Briefly explain the difference between mental
health assessment tools and screening tools
4.0 CONCLUSION
Understand methods and practices related to mental health assessment
Mental Health can help you perform a practical diagnosis and treatment method for each client. In this
unit, students will learn about mental health screenings and assessments, psychological and behavioral
assessment tools, types of behavioral health screening tools, the difference between test tools and
assessment tools, and common health assessment methods.
Discussion of this unit Mental health screening and assessment, psychological and behavioral
assessment tools, types of behavioral health screening tools, differences between screening tools and
assessment tools, and common methods Behavioral Assessment
6.0 MARKED ASSIGNMENT
1. Describe a mentally healthy person
2. Determine the challenges of mental health

7.0 REFERENCES / FURTHER READING

https://www.psychologydiscussion.net/healthpsychology/characteristics of a mentally healthy
person/2072

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 HED 311 MENTAL & SOCIAL HEALTH

UNIT 2. FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF MENTAL HEALTHCARE

1.0 INTRODUCTION
The principles of mental health guide the provision of mental health services. Mental health service
providers must consider mental health principles when providing mental health services. A person must
consider these principles when performing any duty or function or exercising any power under the
Mental Health Act of 2014.
2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of the unit, you will be able to:
• Fundamental Principles of Mental Health Care
• Describe the components of the Fundamental Principles of Mental Health Care
• Explain the implementation process of the Fundamental Principles of Mental Health Care

3.0 MAIN CONTENT

3.1 Exercising the Basic Principles of Mental Health Care
Rights may be restricted only by law and necessary to protect the health or safety of persons or others,
or otherwise protect public safety, order, health or morals or the basic rights and freedoms of others.
Principle 1 Fundamental freedoms and rights
1. Everyone has the right to the best mental health care, which will become part of the health and social
health care system.
2. All people suffering from mental illness, or who are being treated as such, must be treated humanely
and respect the inherent dignity of human beings.
3. All persons suffering from a mental illness, or those treated as such, have the right to be protected
against economic, sexual and other exploitation, physical or other abuse and degrading treatment.
4. There will be no discrimination for mental illness.
"Discrimination" refers to any distinction, exclusion or preference that has the effect of canceling or
damaging equal enjoyment of rights. Special measures designed to protect the rights of people with
mental illness or to ensure their progress are not considered discrimination. Discrimination does not
include any distinction, exclusion, or preference based on the provisions of these principles, and is
necessary to protect the human rights of the mentally ill or other people.
5. Every person with mental illness has the right to exercise all civil, political, economic, social and
cultural rights recognized by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International
Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the International Covenant. Civil and political
rights, as well as other related instruments, such as the Declaration on the Rights of Persons with
Disabilities and a Set of Principles for the Protection of All Persons Subject to Any Form of Detention
or Imprisonment.
6. Any decision that someone lacks due to mental illness
People with capacity have the right to appoint lawyers to represent them. If the person with capacity
does not obtain it on his own or does not obtain the agency, he may provide it free of charge if he does
not have sufficient ability to pay. Unless the court is satisfied that there is no conflict of interest, the
committee will not represent the mental health facility or its staff in the same litigation, nor will it
represent the family members of people with abilities. Decisions on the capabilities and needs of
individual representatives will be reviewed at reasonable intervals as prescribed by national laws.
Persons with capacity problems, their personal representatives (if any) and any other interested parties
have the right to appeal the above decision to a higher court.

7. When the court or other competent court determines that a mentally ill person cannot manage his own
affairs, it will take necessary measures appropriate to the person's situation to ensure protection. Your
interest.

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Principle 2 Protection of minors

Within the purpose of these principles and in the context of national legislation related to the protection
of minors, special attention should be paid to protecting the rights of minors, including the appointment
of an individual if necessary Representatives except for family members.
Principle 3 Community Life
Every person with a mental illness should have the right to live and work in the community to the extent
possible.
Principle 4 Determination of mental illness
1. Whether a person suffers from a mental illness will be determined according to internationally
recognized medical standards.
2. Mental illness will never be determined based on political, economic or social status, or membership in
cultural, ethnic or religious groups, or any other reason not directly related to mental health...
3. Family or professional conflicts, or disagreements on the prevailing moral, social, cultural or political
values or religious beliefs in a person’s community will never be a decisive factor in the diagnosis of
mental illness.
4. The patient's past treatment or hospitalization history alone does not guarantee the determination of
mental illness now or in the future.
5. No person or authority may classify a person as suffering from or otherwise indicate that a person has
a mental illness, except for purposes directly related to mental illness or the consequences of mental
illness.
Principle 5 Medical Examination
No one is obliged to undergo a medical examination to determine whether he has a mental illness, except
in accordance with procedures authorized by national legislation.
Principles 6 Confidentiality
The right to confidentiality of information related to all persons to whom these principles apply must
be respected.
UNIT 4 MENTAL HEALTH LAW AND PUBLIC HEALTH POLICY
1.0 INTRODUCTION
There are many factors that affect mental health. Including illness, disability, and suicide are ultimately
the result of a combination of the acquisition and use of biological, environmental, and mental health
treatments. Public health policies can affect access and use, which in turn can improve mental health
and help improve the negative consequences of depression and related disabilities.

2.0 OBJECTIVES
By the end of this unit, you will be able to:
• Define mental health law
• Define public health policy
3.0 MAIN CONTENT
Emotional mental illness should receive special attention in the United States, because among 14
developing and developed countries, the United States has the highest annual prevalence of mental
illness (26%). In the United States, about 80% of people with mental disorders will eventually receive
some form of treatment, but on average, people cannot get care until nearly ten years after the disease
has progressed, and less than onethird of those who seek help Receive the minimum appropriate care.
The government provides programs and services to everyone, but veterans get the most help and must
meet certain eligibility criteria.
Policy
The mental health policy of the United States has undergone four major reforms: the American asylum
movement led by Dorothea Dix in 1843; the "mental health" movement inspired by Clifford Beers in
1908; and 1961 the deinstitutionalization of the mental health initiative and the community support
movement called for by the 1975 amendment to the CMCH Act.

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In 1843, Dorothea Dix filed a complaint with the Massachusetts legislature describing the abuses and
dire conditions suffered by mentally ill patients in prisons, cages, and shelters. She was in her Eulogy
revealed: "Gentlemen, I continue to draw your attention briefly to the current situation of the mentally
ill confined in this federation. They are locked up in cages, closets, cellars, stalls and fences! Nudity,
beatings and whipping with sticks, many shelters were built during that period, patients were separated
from other member communities by fences or high walls, and there were strict regulations on entrances
and exits A disease, but a restoration The method of human homeostasis, as well as other elements
basics like healthy eating, fresh air, middle-class culture, and visits from neighboring residents.
[Citation needed] In 1866, a proposal came to the New York State Legislature to establish a system for
people with chronic mental illness. Some hospitals place chronically ill patients in different wings or
wards, or in different buildings.
In A Mind That Found Self (1908), Clifford Whittingham Beers (Clifford Whittingham Beers)
described the insulting treatment and sad conditions he received in a psychiatric hospital. A year later,
the National Council on Mental Health (NCMH) was established by a small group of intellectual reform
academics and scientists, including Bills himself, and this ushered in the "mental health" movement.
The campaign emphasized the importance of child prevention. World War I promoted this idea and
further emphasized the effects of maladaptation, leading hygienists to believe that prevention is the only
practical way to treat mental health problems. However, prevention has not been successful, especially
for chronic diseases; condensable conditions are more common in hospitals, especially under pressure
from increasing numbers of chronically ill patients and the influence of depression.
In 1961, the Joint Mental Health Committee issued a report called "Mental Health Action", with the
aim of allowing community clinics to bear the burden of mental illness prevention and early
intervention, thus providing severe and chronic patients in hospitals. The court began issuing a ruling
in favor of the patient's wishes on whether the patient should be compelled to receive treatment. By
1977, 650 community mental health centers had been built, covering 43% of the population, serving
1.9 million people each year, and treatment time had been reduced from 6 months to just 23 days.
However, the problem persists. Due to inflation, especially in the 1970s, community nursing homes
received less funding to support care and treatment. Less than half of the planned centers were built,
and the new method did not completely replace the old method to achieve its full energy processing
capacity. In addition, a community support system has not been fully established to support patients’
housing, career opportunities, income support, and other benefits. Many patients return to social care
and criminal justice institutions, and many more are homeless. The deinstitutionalization movement
faces huge challenges.
3.1 Nigeria's Mental Health Act, the "Mental Illness Act"
The current Nigerian mental health legislation is the same as that which entered into force before the
independence of the United Kingdom in 1960. The Mental Health Atlas of the World Health
Organization it was originally called the "Mental Illness Act". A good place to start a review of mental
health legislation is to define the conditions that the law seeks to address. Under the Lunatic Act,
lunatics include idiots and anyone else with sick minds. Crazy Act (1958). In addition to using terms
that are not currently standard terms, the definition also has the potential for wide and fluent
interpretation. This discretionary interpretation gives physicians and magistrate’s great powers to decide
which citizens are protected by the Mental Illness Act (1958). In relation to involuntary detention, the
flexibility of the definition can lead to excessive application of the law, leading to the wrongful
imprisonment of mentally healthy people.
4.0 CONCLUSION
Public health policies can affect access and use and can subsequently improve mental health and help
ameliorate the negative consequences of depression and related disabilities. In this unit, students learn
about mental health policy, Nigerian mental health policy, and lunatic law.
Nigeria Mental Health Law
5.0 SUMMARY
This unit expresses the Mental Health Policy, the Mental Health Policy of Nigeria and the Lunatic Law.

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 HED 311 MODULE 3

6.0 ASSIGNMENT
1. Describe a mentally healthy person
2. Determine the challenges of mental health
7.0 REFERENCES / FURTHER READING
Is available today, April 6, 2001, at
http://www.thisdayonline.com/archive/2001/04/06/index.html.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_globalstudies/vol10/iss2/7/
Compare S.B. page 183 3 (Nigeria 2008), and the Crazy Act (1958) Ch.
(112), §§ 11-13 (Nigeria). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mental_health#Mental_health_laws_and_p
ublic_health_policies

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