Behaviour and Mental Illness Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Behaviour and Mental Illness - Essay Example Because of these, many people fail to seek out help in fear of being labeled as crazy and perceived as not to be trusted, dangerous or capable of violence. Fear of being society's outsider is one of the most common reasons why people with mental illness go undiagnosed or untreated and in most cases diagnosed when it is too late to manage or treat the illness. The fact is, the majority of mentally impaired persons are neither criminals and are never violent. Those few who are violent get publicized in various ways in the television and movies; resulting to a negative perception of all mentally ill people. These also often become a basis for determining legal proceedings for mental health issues. The sad part though is that although some of the portrayals are accurate or realistic, some are more likely sensationalized. This results to the majority of the people being ignorant on the true nature of mental illnesses. Mental illnesses generates a lot of issues for the inflicted and his family; issues pertaining to legal, social, ethical and clinical aspects of the mental disorder. With this fact, government systems have infused in their health care systems laws for people having mental illnesses. The Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 19... sory assessments can be made when a medical practitioner considers that there are reasonable grounds that the proposed patient is or may be mentally disordered. Another is if the Court believes that the proposed patient is mentally disordered (ADHD.org.nz). Under this Act, the accepted patient is required to take either community or inpatient treatment arranged by suitable professionals defined in the Act. A patient who is subjected to a compulsory treatment order is required to accept such treatment for mental disorder as directed by a responsible clinician for the first month treatment at the current time of the compulsory treatment order and afterwards, if a psychiatrist appointed by a Review Tribunal considers that the treatment is in the patient's best interests. In all other cases, the patient's informed and written consent must be obtained, and may be withdrawn at any time (Guidelines to the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992, 2000). The Act further defines the rights of such persons subjected to the compulsory treatment order and provides better protection for their rights with the gradual reforms and consolidation with the laws pertaining to the assessment and treatment of persons suffering from mental disorder. In this paper, the situation of a probable candidate for the compulsory treatment order will be discussed from a Mental Health Support worker's point of view. Mental Health Support workers have the responsibility to work with people who have severe and enduring mental health problems who live in the community. Their focus is on the whole person, including their social circumstances and they establish their support by maintaining a close relationship with the person. History and Present Circumstances of the Probable