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Mental health in indigenous australians essay
Self reflection on aboriginal health
Personal reflection on aboriginal culture and health
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Vukic, Gregory, Martin-Misener & Etowa (2011) point out that distinctions between Aboriginal and Western worldviews of mental health run the risk of generalizing Aboriginal culture without considering individual and tribal differences or appreciating the dynamic nature of cultural worldviews, values, beliefs, and understandings (p.66). These distinctions can become an issue if we assume a specific worldview with the people we are working. That being said a western worldview on mental health does not include concepts of mind, body, emotion, and spirit or interconnectedness with family, land, and community (Vukic, Gregory, Martin-Misener & Etowa, 2011). Through a Western lens the individual is assessed by the symptoms described and not necessarily
through the lens of the social determinants of health that may be exacerbating the symptoms as defined within the mental health field. Unfortunately, individuals, communities and nations that experience inequalities in the social determinants of health not only carry an additional burden of health problems, but they are often restricted from access to resources that might ameliorate problems (Reading & Wien, 2014). From my perspective the current western worldview that currently exist are at direct odds within the communities I work. According to Blackstock (2008) the essential challenge is to create pathways that elevate Aboriginal approaches to mental health while acknowledging the value of collaboration with some aspects of western knowledge and understanding (p.5).
Culture is a collection of religion, traditions, and beliefs that are passed down from generation to generation. Culture is created and maintained through the repetition of stories and behavior. It is never definite because it is continuously being modified to match current trends, however, historical principles are still relevant. With respect to mental illness, culture is crucial to how people choose to deal with society and the methods used to diagnose and cope with mental illnesses. In Watters’
The aim of healing was to reconnect social and emotional harmony to the unwell, identifying the importance of interconnectedness amongst all people, animals, and plants Living in harmony with their environment, family and community is a central concept of health and healing for Indigenous Australians. Ill health is recognized as a manifestation of many factors including, spiritual and emotional alienation from the land, family, and community. The Dreamtime expressed by song, rituals, and art communicate the purpose of life, the spiritual connection of all humans, places, animals and plants and the necessity of balance Wholeness of body, mind, spirit and the living in harmony with nature were key concepts behind the Native Northern American healing philosophy.
Aboriginal health is majorly determined by several social factors that are related to their cultural beliefs. Health professionals regularly find it difficult to provide health care to aboriginal people due to the cultural disparity that exists between the conventional and aboriginal cultures, predominantly with regard to systems of health belief (Carson, Dunbar, & Chenhall, 2007). The discrepancy between the aboriginal culture and typical Western customs seems to amplify the difficulties experienced in every cross-cultural setting of health service delivery (Selin & Shapiro, 2003). Most of the social determinants of the aboriginal health are due to their strict belief in superstition and divine intervention.
The dominant biomedical model of health does not take into consideration lay perspectives (SITE BOOK). Lay perspectives go into detail about ordinary people’s common sense and personal experiences. A cultural perspective, like the Hmong cultures perspective on health, is considered a lay perspective. Unlike the Hmong culture, where illness is viewed as the imbalance between the soul and the body, the dominant biomedical model of health views health in terms of pathology and disease (SITE THE BOOK). Although the Hmong culture considers spiritual and environmental factors, the dominant biomedical model of health only looks at health through a biological perspective, and neglects the environment and psychological factors that affect health. Depression in the U.S. is a medical illness caused by neurochemical or hormonal imbalance and certain styles of thinking. Depression is the result of unfortunate experiences that the brain has difficulties processing (SITE 7). Unlike the Hmong culture, where Hmong’s who are diagnosed with depression report the interaction between a spirit, people diagnosed with depression in the Western culture report themselves to having symptoms such as feeling tired, miserable and suicidal (SITE
1) First topic chosen was wellness which is “a conscious, self-directed and evolving process of achieving full potential.” (The National Wellness Institute, para 3) What wellness means to me is being with my family, surrounding myself with your loved ones, or even being with the environment. To Indigenous people it is the exact same with their wellness with each other, or the wellness with their environment. Mental wellness in Indigenous is living a journey along the way being fulfilled in good health. This changed my thoughts because sometimes I don’t always see the good or surround myself in happiness which can create bad health for me.
Definition: Mental health has become a pressing issue in Indigenous communities. Often, a combination of trauma, a lack of accessible health resources, substance abuse, violence, and socioeconomic situations lead to high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality in Indigenous Peoples. This crisis is especially apparent in Indigenous youth, where there is a growing suicide epidemic but little mental health support and resources are provided. The increase in stigmatized and untreated mental illness has continued as trauma and systemic injustices remain unaddressed. Indigenous groups, governmental parties, and health organizations are involved.
There are significant health disparities that exist between Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Australians. Being an Indigenous Australian means the person is and identifies as an Indigenous Australian, acknowledges their Indigenous heritage and is accepted as such in the community they live in (Daly, Speedy, & Jackson, 2010). Compared with Non-Indigenous Australians, Aboriginal people die at much younger ages, have more disability and experience a reduced quality of life because of ill health. This difference in health status is why Indigenous Australians health is often described as “Third World health in a First World nation” (Carson, Dunbar, Chenhall, & Bailie, 2007, p.xxi). Aboriginal health care in the present and future should encompass a holistic approach which includes social, emotional, spiritual and cultural wellbeing in order to be culturally suitable to improve Indigenous Health. There are three dimensions of health- physical, social and mental- that all interrelate to determine an individual’s overall health. If one of these dimensions is compromised, it affects how the other two dimensions function, and overall affects an individual’s health status. The social determinants of health are conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work and age which includes education, economics, social gradient, stress, early life, social inclusion, employment, transport, food, and social supports (Gruis, 2014). The social determinants that are specifically negatively impacting on Indigenous Australians health include poverty, social class, racism, education, employment, country/land and housing (Isaacs, 2014). If these social determinants inequalities are remedied, Indigenous Australians will have the same opportunities as Non-Ind...
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders have some of the worst health outcomes in comparison to any other indigenous community in the world (AIHW, 2011). According to United Nations official Anand Grover, Aboriginal health conditions are even worse than some Third World countries (Arup & Sharp, 2009), which is astonishing, considering Australia is one of the worlds wealthiest countries. Thoroughly identifying the causes and analysing every aspect behind poor health of indigenous Australians, and Australian health in general, is near impossible due to the complexity and abundant layers of this issue. Even within the category of social determinants, it is hard to distinguish just one factor, due to so many which interrelate and correspond with each other. The aim of this essay is to firstly identify and analyse components of the social determinants of health that impact the wellbeing of Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders, and demonstrate how they overlap with each other. By analysing the inequalities in health of Aboriginal and non-indigenous Australians, positive health interventions will then be addressed. Racism and the consequences it has on Indigenous health and wellbeing will be discussed, followed by an analysis of how and why social class and status is considered a determining factor when studying the health of the Aboriginal population. The issue relating ...
...s a way of coping with bad memories and changes in culture (Reser, 1991). Many Indigenous are still being affected by the events which unfolded long ago. Alcohol is consumed by many who are known to have mental disorders. Depression is a major issue within the aboriginal population with many suffering with factors like grief, shame, worry, homesickness, and anger due to the colonization and the way it has changed their everyday life, culture and environment (Reser).
Guerin, B. & Guerin, P. 2012, 'Re-thinking mental health for indigenous Australian communities: communities as context for mental health', Community Development Journal, vol. 47, no. 4, pp. 555-70.
Mental illness is an addition to all of the previously listed perceived disadvantages of Native Americans by those of other ethnicities. Many believe that Native Americans are at a higher risk for mental illness than those of European descent. Many also believe that Native Americans have more people suffer from depression than their white counterparts (Stark & Wilkins, American Indian Politics and the American Political System, 2011). There have been studies conducted to test whether or not this is the case, with mixed results. Some studies say that Natives are at a higher risk and others say they are not. This discrepancy makes the answer unclear. If Natives are actually at a higher risk for and have more people suffering from depression than individuals of European descent, the question to ask is, “why?” Several factors play into depression and other mental illness, including biology, social standing, history, family, and any preexisting/comorbid diseases that could contribute to or cause depression.
Moodoo exhibits anti-social behaviour, an indicator for his depression, through his decision not to engage with the white Australians through speech. This will be the first barrier to overcome when counselling Moodoo, especially because Indigenous people can find it difficult to trust a non-Indigenous person in disclosing their personal stories (Young, 2009). Working with individuals of Indigenous descent is more than just understanding their problems, as a counsellor must have an understanding of their culture (Young, 2009). Due to the many differences between Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultures, this can be quite difficult, and even confronting for a person of non-Indigenous descent (Young, 2009). The formation of a therapeutic alliance is essential when working with a client of any culture, however the techniques used to create a warm and empathetic environment are of particular importance when working with Indigenous peoples (Young, 2009). There are three core conditions that should be used when establishing a new counselling relationship
Dudgeon, P., Walker, R., & Milroy, H. (2014). Working together: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health and wellbeing principles (2nd ed.). Perth: Kulunga Research Network.
...n their SEWB and on occasion constrain the accessible decisions. By and large terms, such variables are normal for the upkeep of great mental wellbeing for all individuals, yet, in strategy and practice, Indigenous individuals have needed to adjust to certain effects on their lifestyles and territories. Current understandings of SEWB uncover Indigenous individuals as needing to face a wide extend of social, investment, instructive and legitimate stressors seen as demanding a progressing impact on their mental wellbeing - the continuous legacy of a history pointed at their osmosis into standard Australian culture that from various perspectives served to undermine any feeling of fitting in with it. Generally speaking, improving the SEWB of Indigenous individuals remains a substantial and key try keeping in mind the difficulties are critical, they are not outlandish.
Indigenous psychology is concerned with creating and implementing culturally specific practices, concepts and tools for the study, and assessment of human functioning within the context of a native culture. For many non-western countries the inceptions of indigenous psychology are guided by a desire to develop appropriate solutions to psychological and social concerns that are more in sync with its socio-cultural realities and ideologies. As Sinha (1997) explains, “…the indigenous approach has two concerns: that of embedding psychology in specific cultural context, and of establishing a universality of its empirical base and principles” (p. 131). While there is general agreement when defining the parameters in the indigenous approach, concepts related to culture are less defined, vague and often too broad.