The person in this scenario who may be in need of the help of a Mental Health First Aider is the 60 year old uncle. It appears that after the loss of his wife, the uncle developed depression. Even though it is completely normal for everyone to experience periods of depression, however it is not normal for depression to linger for a long time without signs of coping or recovery. In the uncle’s case, his depressed mood has lasted for almost a year. Although it is normal to feel depressed after the distressing event of losing a partner, it is also normal to cope with such a loss. The uncle, even after time passed, has still not begun to cope with the death of his wife.
Symptoms the uncle is exhibiting include detachment and loss of interest. It is noticeable that the uncle is detaching himself from the world because he is invited out by his family, but does not accept the invitations. The uncle’s loss of interest is also noticeable because he sits and stares into space for a majority of the day. Emotions the uncle is displaying include grief and depression. The uncle has been described as being stuck in grief. He has also been described as being depressed. These symptoms and emotions are commonly associated with the symptoms and emotions experienced by people who suffer from depression.
It is due to the previously mentioned symptoms and emotions that depression is recognizable in the uncle. Major depressive disorder “lasts for at least two weeks and affects a person’s ability and to have satisfying personal relationships” (pg. 20). It is important as a Mental Health First Aider to express concern for the individual who may be in need of help. In the uncle’s case concern is expressed as worry. It is because of this worriment that th...
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...eemed fitting for the uncle’s situation.
The fifth step of the action plan, E, is encourage self-help and other support strategies. Other family, friends, faith communities, and support groups may be helpful sources for the uncle to use as a support system. It could even be helpful for the uncle to attend a grief support group or a group for people who have lost partners, such as the West Suburban Widows and Widowers support group. The uncle could also use some support strategies, such as exercising, to relieve his depression.
After the loss of his wife, the uncle in this scenario fell into a deep depression. With the help of a Mental Health First Aider the uncle could get assistance. By following the five steps of the Mental Health First Aid Action Plan, also known as ALGEE, the uncle may be able to receive the help he needs in order to deal with his depression.
This stage involves an individual reflecting on themselves and their life in order to determine if they are content with the life they lived or if they have any regrets. If the young adult is unable to establish contentment and peace, then frustration and regret results because the individual becomes saddened they didn’t live a better life (Potter, Perry, et al. 2013). Unfortunately, this patient is experiencing despair because he is currently divorced living alone. Although his children visit him often, they live out of town and are busy with their own lives. Additionally, his present diagnosis of pneumonia and rhonchi facilitate the deterioration of his health as well as his past medical history (cataract and femoral surgery).
Lastly, there is family therapy, and in my opinion the most important. This is essential for both the patient and members of their family to understand and learn how to cope with this behavior. This style of therapy will teach family members not to be co-dependent and allow the patient to take responsibility for their actions.
Why do we become happy, sad, mad, or upset? Why are some days good while others are bad? We smile, cry, laugh, frown and this is a continuous cycle throughout life. Individuals describe depression as a state of sadness and confusion that humans face, but in reality depression impacts much more than one’s mood or behavior. I strongly believe depression is a mental health disorder, one in which people of society need to take more serious. I have been struggling with depression for quite a few years, as well as, witnessing close family members and friends who also face the daily challenges depression brings alone. It is hard to read the news headlines, of the traumatic stories of suicide. These individuals cannot handle the overwhelming problems and stress life. Often, they have no one to explain how valuable life is, ways to help them through difficult situations, or most importantly, getting individuals professional counseling. In most cases it is not that others do not want to help those in need, but that they are unaware of what actions to take in order to provide that help. I plan to become a counselor, so I can be educated on the different emotional, physical, and social problems individuals deal with. The questions I propose are valuable for me to research, so I can inform society the importance of understanding depression. What are the different types of depression? How can depression affect an individual's appetite, sleep pattern, and health conditions? When is therapy counseling and medication needed for treating depression? What are the main experiences individuals face that trigger depression? How are ages affected by depression? What are coping skills for depression? I believe the information I gain from these sources wi...
Spencer, Susan. “Mental Health First Aid: A Concept Whose Time Has Come.” Worcester Telegram & Gazette [Massachusetts] 15 Jan. 2014: n. pag. NewsBank Special Reports. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.
...etween Major Depressive Disorder and bereavement. A competent and experienced professional should be able to identify these differences and apply the correct diagnosis. The risk of misdiagnosing Major Depression in an individual regardless of the stressor could be harmful and in the words of Zisook, “impedes healing (Zisook & Shear, 2013).” When considering the example of an African American woman who presents with depressive symptoms after her mother’s recent death, the previous exclusion would have discouraged a diagnosis Major Depressive Episode to be made. However, with the new DSM in use it is appropriate to make a diagnosis of Major Depressive Episode if careful consideration has been made involving the client’s history and cultural norms and it is found that a major depressive episode is occurring along with the grief ( American Psychiatric Association, 2013)
...lematic and alcoholic family she was faced with this big life change and she became emotionless to not face her parents. Then Tara’s boyfriend died which increased her previous depressed mood and then she started having suicidal thoughts, which made her feel worthless and like her life did not had a point. Tara started to be hospitalized and she keeps falling deeper in the spiral of depression. However she discovered coping mechanism which work for her like shopping and work and she is positive that one day she can open her own clinic. The treatment used for Tara is ECT which is a very drastic way of treatment because she gets electro convulsions and because of those she looses memory, Tara should be put in a support group which would give her the possibility to face her problems, knowing that she will have people next to her who understand her and don’t judge her.
NASMHPD. (2014, Accessed April 27). Retrieved from NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF STATE MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAM DIRECTORS: http://www.nasmhpd.org/About/AOMultiStateDisaster.aspx
Just for a minute, think about a family member or friend who has been depress. Now imagine if they are not able to control their emotions and go into want many call a “dark place” in their subconscious. That family member or friend might start feeling hopeless, unbearable pain, distant themselves from social gathers, and might start saying things like “I have no reason to live anymore”, or they might ask “have you ever thought what dying might be like?” These are all warning sign that something might be wrong, and for those people that aren’t able to relies these sign can the AFSP offer information on the warning sign and how to talk to some. Just by understand what the early warning signs are anyone can possibly help save someone’s life.
Depression is an illness within itself that affects the “whole body”. (Staywell,1998) The body, feelings, thoughts, and behavior are all immensely altered when someone is depressed. It is not a sign of personal weakness, or a condition that can be wished or willed away. For some people depression is just temporary, but for others it can last for weeks, months and even years.
Depression is a mental health condition which is widely recognised as one of the most common conditions for which people seek and receive care. There are many specific nursing problems which are encompassed by the medical term “depression” and these include physical, cognitive and behavioural patterns. Successful treatments of depression are psychosocial interventions which aim to identify and challenge a depressed persons pessimistic attitudes and beliefs and which promote an individuals’ participation in rewarding activities in an attempt to reduce any negative behaviours. The aim of this essay is to identify specific nursing problems which are encompassed by the term “depression” and relate these to a patient whom the author had met whilst out on clinical placement who had been given a medical diagnosis of depression. It is also the aim of this essay to discuss different psychosocial interventions and how effective these are in assisting a patient in their road to recovery.
We sat for two and a half hours with the sister and the treatment team trying to decide if he was independent enough to live in a housing residence from MHA. When I left my internship, it was decided that the director of MHA housing would have multiple dinner meetings with this young man and decide if he would qualify for housing with MHA and be capable of living on his own for the most part. His violence was a concern for the other residents as well. It was amazing to watch as the community come together to help this man and his sister. Using the local services, therapy approaches, and compassion towards this family, decisions were made and help was on its way.
Some typical symptoms of a depressive episode include loss of interest or pleasure in activities that are usually enjoyed, loss of confidence and self-esteem, complaints or evidence of diminished focus or concentration, and bleak or pessimistic views of the future (WHO, 1992; Maj & Satorius, 2002). Two additional aspects to consider are age and cognitive functioning, as a young person’s capacity differs from the cognitive function of an adult, and their ability to distinguish between rational and irrational thoughts and feelings should be taken into consideration during therapy (Braswell, 2001).
The Davis family is facing multiple problems and has difficulties meeting the emotional needs of its family members. Recent events/crisis and the stresses associated with these events resulted in feelings of anxiety and poor communication between family members. This further impacts the family’s coping ability. An appropriate nursing diagnoses for this family is: Interrupted family processes related to vulnerability and dysfunctional behavior of family members. Setting mutual goals and proper interventions can help this family achieve a positive outcome and ensure the family’s wellbeing.
Since the child dying in Greg’s care, he has felt the need to look for someone to talk too immediately in regards to how he is feeling. If Greg were a friend of mine, I would have had him talk to a crisis counselor in his area. Greg is showing signs of stress, when he stated that he needed someone to talk to right away, that was a trigger for me. I would then be concerned about him drinking to the point where he is no longer in control and possibly taking his life because of the guilt he is feeling. In talking to a crisis counselor, the professional will do intake and an assessment to see what the issues are and his history with how the drinking had begun. This can be a very intense process since Greg had been drinking for many years and it affected not only him but also his job and possibly his marriage. After completing the assessment, the professional with then refer him to a level 1 outpatient treatment. Outpatient treatment is an organized nonresidential treatment service or an office practice with addiction professionals and clinicians providing professionally directed alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment (PsychCentral website, 2016, para.
Simpson, C. (2007) ‘Mental Health part3: Assessment and Treatment of Depression’ British Journal of Healthcare assistants. pp 167-171.