P4. Explain the Impact of Mental ill Health on a Selected Individual
Jane was diagnosed with schizophrenia and was forced to drop out of university since her disease interfered with her
academics and restricted her capacity to study. Jane was taken to a psychiatric institution after being declared a
threat to herself and informed that if she did not go informally, she would be sectioned under the Mental Health Act
and forced into hospital. Professionals must monitor individuals with mental illness to ensure that they are able to
remain stable despite their condition and are not significantly negatively impacted in any part of their lives.
Jane's perspective of reality will be distorted due to her condition. This may impair her ability to perform daily
activities properly. Jane's schizophrenia led her to have hallucinations of individuals who were not there, which meant
that if she went out in public she could feel unsafe owing to her hallucinations. Jane was formerly in her first year of
Medicine at uni before having to leave owing to her illness interfering with her study, indicating that she is
intellectually capable because she was able to go into the degree before falling ill. However, because Jane's
schizophrenia led her to suffer in university, she was unable to continue with her studies, which may have resulted in
her continuing to struggle with academics when she was discharged from hospital. As Jane was in hospital she was
not working and will not have any money to assist her to pay her costs. Jane may have struggled with her expenses
and may not have felt financially secure when being discharged from hospital. Jane's ability to execute daily chores
may be affected by hallucinations because her perception will be distorted, or she may see something that is not
present when attempting to complete a task, impairing her abilities. For example, if Jane was cooking, she may have
a hallucination of someone telling her to burn her food or act destructively, preventing her from completing the task.
Jane's refusal of medicine indicates that she is unwilling to participate in her hospital's treatment programme.
Because her treatment is now being reviewed, she may be sectioned under the Mental Health Act in order to be
forced to take her medicine and participate in therapy, which, while unethical, will aid her rehabilitation. If Jane is
sectioned under the MHA, her illness may deceive her that certain plans are being made to hurt her, leaving her
lacking faith in people around her who will administer her care.
Mental health illnesses can have a variety of effects on an individual's psychological well-being since they might
impair an individual's mental capacities to cope with experiences that they would have handled fine before being ill. A
mental illness can also have an affect on how an individual operates since they must adjust to live with their
symptoms and may have impaired function when doing fundamental daily tasks.1 Mental health illnesses are often
treated with medicine that helps to restore a hormonal imbalance in a person's body by creating or decreasing a
specific hormone related to their condition. Because there are many different types of complicated mental disorders,
different drugs have been developed to target each illness and serve to enhance the lives of all people with mental
disorders who react well to treatment. As with other drugs, there may be negative effects. Each medicine or class of
pharmaceuticals will have its own set of adverse effects. Medicine may only be administered by someone with a
medical degree because when someone starts taking prescription, they must be watched to check for and treat any
adverse effects that may occur as a result of the medication. Because each person is unique and will react differently
to different medications and dosages, it is critical that a doctor be able to periodically evaluate the individual when a
new prescription is administered. Unless a person is eligible for health benefits or is jobless, prescriptions will cost £9
each time; however, purchasing drugs in bulk or claiming health benefits can lower the cost, allowing those with
mental illnesses to spend less money on other necessities or save money.
Jane, who has been recognised as a risk to herself and is over the age of 18, will most likely be prescribed medicine
to alleviate her symptoms and keep her safe while both inpatient or outpatient. Generally, Jane will be prescribed
antipsychotics to lessen her schizophrenia symptoms by blocking the function of dopamine in her brain. Medication
will help manage Jane's mood and keep her safe, but because she refuses to take it because she believes she is not
unwell, she may be unwilling to take it, thus if she was sectioned, she may require constraint for medication delivery.
When a person has poor mental health or wellbeing, the first treatment that is generally provided is psychotherapy, a
form of talking treatment for mental health illnesses that can help people get to the bottom of their feelings. Speaking
1(2021)
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller tahseenalzahra15. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £5.99. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
