Current Issues in Mental Health
Mental health issues have always been a part of public health concerns to be addressed accordingly. However, over the past couple of years, the prevalence of mental health problems has increased dramatically in general audiences, with the issues of depression and anxiety have become upsettingly common (Xiao et al., 2022). The described concern can be partially explained by the emergence and rapid expansion of COVID-19, which has contributed to the increase in fear for the well-being in most people (Xiao et al., 2022). Indeed, studies show that the level of mental health concerns and issues has skyrocketed since 2019 among both patients and healthcare experts alike (Alkathiri et al., 2022). Therefore, major depressive disorder, general anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and related mental health issues remain some of the most common concerns in the general population (Alkathiri et al., 2022). By introducing the idea of patient-oriented and patient-specific approaches in addressing mental health concerns globally, one will be able to address the current problem of anxiety and depression.
Stigma Associated with Depression and Anxiety
However, even with the skyrocketing number of mental health issues in general populations and an increasing demand for proper mental health services, the percentage of people who seek much-needed help is upsettingly small. Global data shows that 60% of people facing mental health concerns do not receive the required care (National Institute of Mental Health, 2023). The specified outcomes can be attributed to the fact that mental health issues are largely stigmatized in most communities (Xiao et al., 2022). In turn, the presence of stigma stems primarily from the lack of awareness and health literacy needed to understand the nature of mental health disorders (Xiao et al., 2022). Thus, a health awareness program promoting literacy regarding mental health issues should be implemented to improve accessibility to relevant resources for people with mental health issues.
Policy Addressing the Mental Health Concerns
In order to address the outlined concerns, one will need to introduce several crucial policies. Firstly, and most importantly, a policy addressing the current lack of health literacy in regard to mental health will have to be designed. Namely, nurses will be encouraged to establish a rapport with communities to ensure that their vulnerable members have access to healthcare resources and professional support. Furthermore, a program geared toward patient education regarding mental health symptoms and the associated threats will have to be provided. The specified policy will require nurses to offer patients an extensive amount of resources and relevant information to ensure that they are fully aware of early symptoms of mental health issues, particularly anxiety and depression, and can seek professional help immediately.
Additionally, concerns regarding the stigma surrounding the issue of mental health will have to be addressed on a policymaking level. In order to advance the issue of mental health management, the policies in question will also have to address the stigma that accompanies mental health issues, which is why a positive image of a mental health patient will have to be promoted to the general audience. Specifically, the presence of mental health concerns should be represented as sympathetic as opposed to shameful.
Three Core Policy Concepts
The introduction of the policy described above will have to be accompanied by the incorporation of three essential concepts into its framework. The concepts under analysis will serve as the foundational idea that will guide the implementation of the policy in question and provide mental health experts with the necessary guidance. The first notion that the policy should incorporate is one of patient beneficence. In a mental health context, overlooking the basic needs of patients, including the recognition of their dignity and the pursuit of their beneficence, is remarkably easy and, therefore, upsettingly common. Thus, it is strongly recommended that mental health experts should integrate the concept of patient beneficence into the ethical framework for decision-making in the context of mental health management.
Another crucial concept that the framework under analysis must incorporate is one of health literacy, particularly patient education. Due to the stigma that patients with mental health concerns face, the lack of awareness regarding the identification and management of even the most basic mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, remains drastically low in the general population (Alkathiri et al., 2022). Consequently, it is recommended that patient education should become one of the central concepts within the new policy. The concept in question will inform the choices that experts will make when introducing community-based and individual interventions for addressing major depression and GAD.
Finally, in order to create an effective policy, one must incorporate the concept of nurse-patient communication into the framework. As established above, patients face significant challenges when seeking g mental health support due to the presence of stigma surrounding the subject matter. Therefore, introducing hotlines for people suffering from GAD and major depression should be regarded as a part of the policy.
Mental Health Services and Resources
- MentalHealth.gov (2023): Web. (“Featured resources,”)
- MedlinePlus (2023): Web. (“How to improve mental health,”)
- AmWell (2023): Web. (“How online doctors’ visits work,”)
- Doctor on Demand: Web. (“About us,” 2023)
- Live Health Online: Web.(“Psychiatry,” 2023a)
- Rethink My Therapy: Web.(“Psychiatry,” 2023b)
References
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Alkathiri, M. A., Almohammed, O. A., Alqahtani, F., & AlRuthia, Y. (2022). Associations of depression and anxiety with stigma in a sample of patients in Saudi Arabia who recovered from COVID-19. Psychology research and behavior management, 381-390. Web.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). Stress and coping resources. Web.
Featured resources. (2023). MentalHelath.gov. Web.
How online doctors’ visits work. (2023). Amwell.com. Web.
How to improve mental health. (2023). MedlinePlus.com. Web.
National Institute of Mental Health. (2023). Caring for your mental health. National Institute of Mental Health. Web.
Office on Women’s Health. (2023). Good mental health. Web.
Psychiatry. (2023a). LiveHealthOnline.com. Web.
Psychiatry. (2023b). RethinkMyTheraoy.com. Web.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2023). National directory of mental health treatment facilities. SAMHSA. Web.
Xiao, X., Yang, X., Zheng, W., Wang, B., Fu, L., Luo, D., Hu, Y., Ju, N., Xu, H., Fang, Y., Chan, P. S. F., Xu, Z., Chen, P., Xe, J., Zhu, H., Tang, H., Huang, D., Hong, Z. … & Zou, H. (2022). Depression, anxiety and post-traumatic growth among COVID-19 survivors six-month after discharge. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 13(1), 2055294. Web.