Mental Health

Mental health refers to the way a person feels, thinks and behaves. It affects the person’s daily life, physical health and personal and professional relationships. The occurrence of mental health problems does not depend the person’s age, sex, race and social background. These problems affect different people in different ways. Alzheimer’s, dementia, Schizophrenia, personal disorders and depression are some of the common mental health problems.
Mental health problems generate due to various complex reasons. It is more common among certain groups of people, like people from the minority groups, people with physical disabilities, people living in poor conditions, offenders and people without homes. Depression and Nervousness are more likely to happen to women. Alcohol and drug addictions and suicide cases are more likely among men.
Such problems arise due to events such as death of a close one, losing your job or moving your house, excessive consumption of alcohol or using illegal drugs. The different kinds of treatments include counselling, medication, psychotherapy, self help strategies and complementary therapies. At the time of treating the person, his/ her family and friends need to be supportive.

Mental Health Services
The impact of mental health on individuals, society and the economy as a whole is often underestimated. The ratio of normal people to people afflicted by mental problems is 6:1.
The National Health Service (NHS) has commenced a vast reorganisation of several mental health services and came up with the Mental Health National Service Framework report (NSF) in the year 1999. The effectual and proficient ways of treatment of mental health services that they follow are:
Providing care very near to home
Early involvement regarding the health problems
A home treatment which is available 24/7
Modified care
Availability of modified medicines
Making the use of corrective methods, involving health professionals, each of whom is a specialist in various features of treating mental health problems.
Making use of speech therapies, like cognitive behavioural therapy and psychotherapy.
The NHS has proved to be one of the most efficient service providers and has even been accredited by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Service Description
Mental Health care professionals: there are several specialists mentioned below;
GPs – they initially examine the mental health condition of a patient, prescribing a few medications like anti-depressants and also refer other treatments and services, for instance counselling.
Community Mental Health nurse (CMHN) – this refers to a registered nurse, who has been trained specially in the topic of mental health. Some assist GPs where as others work in psychiatric units.
Clinical psychologists – they are health specialists who focus on the examination and cure of mental health related issues.
Psychiatrics – they are medically qualified doctors who have been trained in treating mental health issues.
Counsellors – they perform talking and speech therapies for the mentally affected person, which help in his/her daily life and cure the unhealthy condition.
Some other specialists are
Psychotherapists
Occupational therapists
Social workers
Approved social workers
Some other service providers are:
Mental health care services
Mental health trusts
Crisis resolution teams
Assertive outreach teams
Early intervention in psychosis teams
Community Mental health teams