Mental health (nursing) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Mental health (nursing) - Essay Example Unfortunately, not every has been blessed with sanity. That is, there are millions of people living whose defected minds cannot cope up with the fast-paced world of today. When a person is not mentally fit, he is said to have a mental disorder. This is a psychological or behavioral defect that causes a disability that hinders normal human development. A mental disorder causes one to be labeled as ‘abnormal’, causing severe distress to the patient. There are many different categories of mental disorders - anxiety disorders, mood disorders, dissociative disorders, psychotic disorders, personality disorders, development disorders, sleeping disorders and even eating disorders (Radcliffe, 2000). There is no one cause for every disorder; it is usually explained by a biopsychosocial model, which is the interaction of biological, psychological and social causes (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2007). Mental disorders may not be cured entirely, but there is extensive treatment available. Psychotherapy is one of the basic methods along with medication. A psychologist cannot prescribe medication to the mental patient; a psychiatrist suggests medicines based on the diagnosis. Diagnosis is based on the patient’s history taken by the doctor as there is no other way for him to determine how the patient is feeling. There are many subgroups of the types of medicines available for mental patients – anti depressants (for producing happy hormones and lifting up a person’s mood), anxiolytics (for reducing anxiety and calming a person down; also prescribed for insomnia), mood stabilizers (using for bipolar disorders – extreme mood conditions), antipsychotics (for problems such as schizophrenia), and lastly stimulants (for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). These medicines are required for a mental patient to remain sane at times; however, there are adverse affects caused by adherence and excessive intake. Psychotherapy is a method which takes a