Mental Illness In Australia

Mental health services in Australia provides a picture of the national response of the health and welfare service system to the mental health care needs of Australians.

Anxiety is one of the most common mental illnesses effecting nearly 15 million people. Symptoms of anxiety can vary from minor to major effects depending on the victim. Teenager Georgiann Steely has had anxiety since a child (Landro 1). There are many types of anxiety ranging from social to phobic anxiety. Anxiety affects many people in today's society. To understand and treat it, one must look at its causes, the effect on the victims, and how it is currently treated.

A mental illness is an issue that affects one’s behaviour, emotions, thoughts and ability to interact with others (Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing 2007). Common mental illnesses in Australia include anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, eating disorders and personality disorders, with the most prevalent being anxiety disorders and depression. Anyone can develop a mental illness, although suffering from a chronic medical illness, experiencing a highly stressful or traumatic event, having a blood relation with a mental disorder or drug and alcohol use can increase one’s risk (Mayo Clinic 2015).

Mental health is a significant and growing issue affecting almost half (45%) of the Australian population (Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2017, p. 2). Mental health refers to a person’s state of psychological and emotional wellbeing where they have the ability to handle day-to-day stressors and function constructively in the community (World Health Organisation, 2013, p. 7). The impact of mental health is substantial in Australia with 7.8% of the total health expenditure spent on mental health associated services in 2014-15, this equates to roughly $8.5 billion (AIHW, p. 25). The distribution of mental health disorders in our society is unbiased and affects a wide variety of diverse individuals. Given this however, figures show

The Australian Government and all state and territory governments share responsibility for mental health policy and the provision of support services for Australians living with a mental disorder. State and territory governments are responsible for the funding and provision of state and territory public specialised mental health services and associated psychosocial support services. The Australian Government has primarily taken the lead in national mental health reform initiatives but also funds a range of services for people living with mental health difficulties. The importance of good mental health, and its impact on Australians, has been long recognised by the Australian Government and all state and territory governments.

Treatment is typically individualized, but several standard approaches have tested to be adequate. Health care professionals can use one or even a combination of treatments. The two main treatments for anxiety disorders are psychotherapy and medications. Psychotherapy, often referred to as talk therapy, involves working with a therapist to understand and reduce your anxiety symptoms. One particular method is cognitive behavioral therapy. Cognitive behavior therapy focuses on teaching you specialized techniques to progressively return to the life you’ve avoided due to anxiety. “Several types of medications are used to treat anxiety disorders, some include, antidepressants, Buspirone and Benzodiazepines. These medications can be dangerous and should be taken as prescribed by your health care physician”

Contrary to prejudice belief, there are all kinds of forms that this disorder may take. Among the classifications for anxiety are generalized, social, bipolar, phobia-based, genetic, and trauma-based. Because of all of the diverse methods of coming upon this condition, there is a myriad of techniques in coping with it. However, there is no universal cure for all types.

A vast number of people in modern Australia have mental health problems, and the healthcare sector is trying to create policies that guide social work practice. The policies are aimed at balancing the recovery challenges, reducing the cost of mental healthcare, and also increasing social work benefits. Most of those who experience mental illnesses in Australia endure long-term mental disability. Mental health problems impact on the lives of the patients, their families’ service providers, and social work practitioners. The policies regulating mental health services are formulated with an inclusion of social work practices in order to enhance full patient recovery from the mental disorders.

If someone asked the question, “have you ever experienced anxiety”, most will say yes, because occasional anxiety is a normal part of life. Some people feel anxious when a situation transpires at their workplace, if they are about to take a test, or making important decisions that occurs in everyday life. But if you suffer with anxiety disorders, it involves more than just a brief moment of worry or fear. The anxiety disorder that people suffer with does not just secede in due time; it gets worse over time and sometimes last years. These emotions can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, school work, and relationships. There are several different types of anxiety disorders. Examples include generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress

Diagnosing anxietyAnxiety is diagnosed by is something a doctor mental health or medical professional and they will then determine will have to do to be able to determinethe type of anxiety disorder you may have that you may have. Mental health professionals use the

I will discuss what Anxiety is, how to diagnose it, and also how to treat it. It is very common and I’m pretty sure most of you know basically what it is. But just in case I will go over the main important things to know about Anxiety. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear. For a person with an anxiety disorder, the anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time. The feelings can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, school work, and relationships. There are several different types of anxiety disorders. Examples include generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder. According to the American psychological association, Anxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts, and invisible changes like increased blood pressure. You can have OCD, phobias, panic attacks, and PTSD. OCD is basically anxiety that takes the form of obsessions and compulsions. I know many of you guys are scared of spiders or bees and that is

A starting point is to answer questionnaires, observe one’s own physical interactions and measure the physical symptoms are associated with anxiety. A standard method to measure and diagnose a variety of anxiety disorders is through screenings in the form of a questionnaire in which a person will answer questions about their anxiousness, physical health and lifestyle choices. Sufferers of panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and obsessive compulsiveness disorder are encouraged to schedule an appointment with a mental health professional to answer written questions. The answers to the questions places them on an anxiety scale that will determine appropriate treatment. Another method that can be used to assess anxiety disorders is to do interaction observations. According to the Anxiety Disorders Association of American, people who suffer from some form of anxiety often would withdraw from the society and remove themselves from relationships as part of their illness. A person that is in unfamiliar territory would experience a simulated state of anxiety and would become less social. Observing this change in the person’s social life and interactions can be a way to measure the change in the level of the anxiety. Anxiety symptoms can also be measured through physical signs anxiety disorders can cause stress to the body along with the mind. Anxious individuals may be at a higher chance of having high blood pressure. The muscles in the body may feel tense and tight and the heart may beat faster in reflection of the emotional tenseness. Going through a physical exam along with talking about the emotional symptoms may show to the doctor that the person is indeed suffering from anxiety, especially if there is no medical conditions that would explain the physical

The most common mental illness is anxiety. People that don’t have to experience it, don’t know that there are many causes for it. General Anxiety is the type many have to live with, that affects all aspects of your life. Stress can cause Anxiety for people who never experienced it, at any age. Social Anxiety makes it hard for that person to be in big crowds, or in severe cases around people at all. Everyday people are learning to cope with and handle their anxiety either if it’s with medication or, coping mechanisms it can be done. Anxiety is a mental illness that has lots of triggers, and learning if you have it or a type of it is very smart for your mental health.

In today’s world, anxiety is a normal part of life, but there is an abounding amount of people who honestly have been diagnosed a different type of an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is basically over thinking, in a nutshell, it’s honestly just the fear of not knowing what is going on or what’s going to happen next or in life. Anxiety has become increasingly common in today’s society. There is a great deal of duds, we, as humans have fears about certain subjects. For example, international terrorism as well as global warming, can lead people to being further anxious in today’s day and age.

In my personal opinion, this topic falls under two domains, cognitive and psychosocial. Anxiety disorders fall under cognitive because they affect your brain. The impact of anxiety on the brain can cause things such as, “crippling focus upon negative life-events and making concentration difficult.” (Robinson, Oliver J., Katherine Vytal, Brian R. Cornwell, and Christian Grillon.). Anxiety can slowly deteriorate your thought processes and ability to make cognitive, rational decisions. Which in turn also leads to other negative affects such as irrational fears, negative thinking, over-thinking, etc.. Anxiety also falls under the psychosocial