AN INTRODUCTION TO MENTAL HEALTH - The Nossal Institute for ...

Step 2
Give a presentation based on the ‘Information for Presentation’ box
below.
INFORMATION FOR PRESENTATION
There are different types of mental health professionals
• Psychiatrists – are doctors specialised in the treatment of mental disorders who are able
to prescribe medication.
• Psychologists – are trained in psychology and usually provide ‘talking’ treatments.
• Psychiatric nurses – are nurses with specialist psychiatric training, who can also help
with counselling and rehabilitation.
• Psychiatric social workers – work in both hospitals and community settings to help
with life difficulties faced by people with mental disorders.
• Counsellors – are trained to listen to people talk about their lives, and to help them solve
any problems that may be negatively affecting their mental health and well being.
Access to mental health services
• Alternative, religious and traditional health care providers can also provide care and
support for people with mental disorders.
• The family or traditional healer may be the main route of access to formal primary care
for a person with a mental disorder.
• However, it is also important to recognise that some local beliefs regarding mental
disorders, such as thinking that the cause is black magic or evil spirits, may delay early
recognition of illness, and prevent appropriate treatment and follow-up. 15
• When a person has a mental disorder it is best if they can receive treatment from a
local doctor who has knowledge about mental disorders and experience caring for
affected people.
• A primary health care doctor can refer a patient to a mental health specialist if required,
although specialist mental health trained personnel are quite limited in rural areas. 14
Step 3
Divide the participants into four groups.
Ask each group to identify one member of the group who will make notes
to feed back to the whole group.
Each group is given one of the four Case studies (A, B, C & D), and after
reading it again they briefly revise the following:
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AN INTRODUCTION TO MENTAL HEALTH