Case Study: Two Barriers To Belinda's Recovery

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The second barrier to Belinda’s recovery would be her age in the case of treatment as it raises legal and ethical issues if she refuses treatment. Although Belinda is only seventeen years of age, the Ministry of Health (1998) state that a person of this age is well within their rights to consent or refuse to being medicated and the refusal cannot be overruled by parents. However, if it is judged by a mental health professional that if a young person over sixteen years of age is not capable to give consent, then a legal representative, who is usually a parent can give consent on their child’s behalf (MoH, 1998). The Ministry of Health (2008) state that it is essential for every person working in a mental health and addictions service to …show more content…

The Ministry of Health (2008) also state that it is essential to identify a patient’s community or community of interest and support the patient to develop and maintain connections. For Belinda, the third barrier to recovery she may possibly face could be the stigma and discrimination attached by the community and those around her to being mentally unwell. Walker at al. (2012) state that people with mental health problems are possibly the most highly stigmatised group in today’s society for the reason that once a person’s diagnosis of mental illness is established, it is very hard to get rid of, or shake off. Lyons, Hopley and Horrocks (2009) state that stigma and discrimination have the potential to develop an enormous negative impact on people’s lives and overall well-being. The potent and damaging impact of stigma aimed at mental health patients encompasses most aspects of everyday life, as the continuous onslaught of discrimination impacts on relationships within families, which has the effect of eroding an individual’s confidence, contributing to self-initiated social exclusion (Lyons et al., 2009). Stigma in regards to mental health is linked with a number of social problems such as higher levels of poverty, poor physical and mental health, social isolation, deprivation and poor educational achievement (Bates & Stickley, …show more content…

The second barrier to her recovery would be the possible legal and cognitive issues surrounding her age. The third barrier to Belinda’s recovery would be the possible stigmatisation and discrimination she could face. The common theme in overcoming these barriers to recovery is education, and how a good mental health nurse would that Belinda and her parents have gained a greater understanding of Belinda’s possible diagnosis of Prodromal schizophrenia, which leads to

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