Influencing Social Change Essay Paper

Posted: December 24th, 2022

Influencing Social Change Essay Paper

Discussion: Influencing Social Change Individuals with psychiatric mental health disorders are frequently stigmatized not only by society as a whole, but also by their friends, family, and sometimes healthcare providers. In your role, however, you have the opportunity to become a social change agent for these individuals. For this Discussion, consider how you might make a positive impact for your clients and advocate for social change within your own community. Learning Objectives Students will: • Apply strategies to become a social change agent for psychiatric mental health Learning Resources Required Readings Angermeyer, M. C., Matschinger, H., & Schomerus, G. (2013). Attitudes towards psychiatric treatment and people with mental illness: Changes over two decades. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 203(2), 146–151. Retrieved from http://bjp.rcpsych.org/content/203/2/146.full Bui, Q. (2012). Antidepressants for agitation and psychosis in patients with dementia. American Family Physician, 85(1), 20–22. Retrieved from http://www.aafp.org/journals/afp.html Dingfelder, S. F. (2009). Stigma: Alive and well. American Psychological Association, 40(6), 56. Retrieved from. Influencing Social Change Essay Paper http://www.apa.org/monitor/2009/06/stigma.aspx Jenkins, J. H. (2012). The anthropology of psychopharmacology: Commentary on contributions to the analysis of pharmaceutical self and imaginary. Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 36(1), 78–79. doi:10.1007/s11013-012-9248-0 Price, L. H. (2010). Violence in America: Is psychopharmacology the answer? Brown University Psychopharmacology Update, 21(5), 5. Retrieved from http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1556-7532 Optional Resources Bennett, T. (2015). Changing the way society understands mental health. National Alliance on Mental Illness. Retrieved from http://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/April-2015/Changing-The-Way-Society-Understands-Mental-Health Mechanic, D. (2007). Mental health services then and now. Health Affairs, 26(6), 1548–1550. Retrieved from https://web.archive.org/web/20170605094514/http://content.healthaffairs.org/content/26/6/1548.full Rothman, D. J. (1994). Shiny, happy people: The problem with “cosmetic psychopharmacology.” New Republic, 210(7), 34–38. To prepare for this Discussion: • Reflect on how you might influence social change for psychiatric mental health. Post an explanation of how you, as a nurse practitioner, might become a social change agent for psychiatric mental health. Include how you might advocate for change within your own community.Influencing Social Change Essay Paper

Influencing Social Change

How I might influence social change for psychiatric mental health

Individuals with mental health disorders face challenges completing everyday activities, while also enduring prejudices and stigmatization from the family, friends and at times healthcare providers. These circumstances lead to unfair and unnecessary difficulties for mental health patients in the acquisition and maintenance of basic living wants and needs such as medical services, housing, social connections, housing, and employment. According to Dingfelder (2009), individuals with mental disorders beliefs of society about them; that they are incompetent, violent, untrustworthy and irrational which can cause distress that at times worsen their conditions. Additionally, stigma keeps patients from taking drugs or seeking treatment and rehabilitation. Because of prevalent misunderstanding and ignorance about individuals with mental illnesses, they are usually feared and encounter cruel stigmatization and discrimination.Influencing Social Change Essay Paper

I might influence social change for psychiatric mental health by advocating for the development of anti-stigma programs will subsequently improve the care of mental health patients and promote the rights of patients who suffer prejudice as a result of their disability. This can be achieved through equipping healthcare providers with skills to enable them appreciate mental disability as any other illness and offer care to patients without stigmatizing them.  Knaak  et al (2016) argue that stigma reduction in psychiatric mental health can be achieved through offering interventions that include busting myth about mental disorder that negatively influences care. Stigma can also be reduced through emphasizing or demonstrating recovery from a mental disorder showing ways through which nurse practitioners play an influential role in the recovery process.Influencing Social Change Essay Paper

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I might also influence social change by informing, persuading or motivating the public and mental health care providers to alter their views about mental disorders as well as advocating for transformations in the economic, structural and social determinants of mental health. According to Varghese (2015), educational or informing role tries to create knowledge, understanding and awareness of issues related to mental health within the community. The motivating or persuading role tries to change individual’s perspectives and to encourage particular deeds or behavior via emotional arousal schemes. A crucial action would be the reduction of the stigma connected with mental illnesses and to persuade people to take on deeds supportive of individuals with mental disabilities and disorders.

How I might become a social change agent for psychiatric mental health, including how I might advocate for change within my community

As a nurse practitioner, I might advocate for the needs of mental health patients and their families by utilizing my expertise to persuade policymakers concerning economic issues, and also issues in health care and educational systems. I might advocate for social integration of individuals with mental health disorders by campaigning for these individuals to equal access to equal education, housing and employment opportunities like other people. Additionally, I might become a social change agent for psychiatric mental health by advocating for the establishment of educational support groups along with patient empowerment to diminish negative attitudes towards mental disorders.Influencing Social Change Essay Paper

Mandal and Prakash (2014)  assert that that nurses have an opportunity to positively impact on the public and can utilize their position to assist the community identify the opportunity for support to end stigmatization. Therefore, it is crucial to emphasize on their attitudes and knowledge towards mental illnesses and individuals with mental disorders. Discrimination and stigma towards people with mental illnesses have adverse implications for prevention and treatment of mental disorders, as well as the quality of living and rehabilitation of the mentally ill individuals.Influencing Social Change Essay Paper

I might become a social change agent by awareness raising activities where psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners along with key stakeholders engage in activities aimed at increasing the community profile of issues of mental health.  I might encourage stakeholders who work in mental health to raise understanding of mental health matters in my community and consider what needs to be done for mental health patients to access healthcare. According to Stuart (2016), a majority of awareness raising initiatives are aimed at opening a discourse on mental health with the presumption that bringing the issue out will enhance social tolerance and integration of people with mental disorders into the community.Influencing Social Change Essay Paper

Another strategy that I can use to become a social change agent is literacy programs. Angermeyer et al (2013) argue people tend to distance themselves from individuals with mental disorders. The rise in alarm about mental health patients is demonstrated in the society’s mounting approval of mandatory admission of patients who are viewed as a public nuisance.  Additionally, increasing portion of the public has the perspective that psychiatric medical centers are essential to safeguard community from mentally sick individuals. Social contact programs will attempt to increase understanding about mental disorders, their symptoms, treatments and where to look for assistance.Influencing Social Change Essay Paper

Stuart (2016) alleges that just like awareness programs, the underlying supposition is that enhanced awareness and knowledge about discrimination and stigmatization will empower people to take suitable action. Social contact programs are an important strategy that I can use to improve the inclusion of mentally ill individuals into the community. Improved social contact with individuals who are stigmatized can change flawed generalizations and perceptions, and lessen discrimination and prejudice. Positive interpersonal contact can greatly minimize stigmatization encountered by individuals with mental disorders. Contact-based education can be a core aspect of social contact programs.  Social contact programs can be utilized in developing community-based anti-stigma networks that offer contact-based raining to several target groups such as health providers and groups of individuals with mental disorders.Influencing Social Change Essay Paper

References

Angermeyer, M., Matschinger, H., & Schomerus, G. (2013). Attitudes towards psychiatric treatment and people with mental illness: Changes over two decades. The British Journal of Psychiatry, 203(2):146–151.

Dingfelder, S. (2009). Stigma: Alive and well. American Psychological Association, 40(6): 56

Mandal, P., & Prakash, S. (2014).  Stigma of Mental Disorders and Role of Nursing Professionals: A Developing Country Perspective. Journal of Nursing and Care, 3: 190.

Knaak, S., Mantler, E., & Szeto, A. (2016).  Mental illness-related stigma in healthcare. Healthcare Management Forum, 30(2): 111-116.

Stuart, H. (2016).  Reducing the sigma of mental illness. Global Mental Health, 3:e17.

Varghese, P. (2015).  Advocacy in mental health: Offering a voice to the voiceless. Indian Journal of Social Psychiatry, 31 (1): 4-8.Influencing Social Change Essay Paper