In order to explain the experience of mental health, its complexity needs to be both understood and appreciated. There are diverse perspectives in mental health that are used for assessment, diagnosis and treatment. This essay will use the K272 Holistic Model to illustrate a framework that can help explain the experience of mental health. Alongside this model are the experiences of Hilary, a case study used within the course materials whose physical, psychological, emotional, social and spiritual/personal meaning dimensions reveal the factors that may have contributed to her mental distress (The Open University, 2010, p.31-51). The effectiveness of the medical model providing an explanation will be considered and differing frameworks of understanding will be discussed. This essay will consider the opinion of different user groups regarding the usefulness of a holistic model and whether those within a particular group have the same view.
A holistic approach views the person as a whole. Seedhouse (2000) suggests that we can only understand separate parts when we look at the whole, even when we understand each part individually. Hilary is placed at the centre of the K272 Holistic Model and surrounded by the five dimensions of life. An outer area represents further connections and relationships that influence and are influenced by Hilary, this will reveal a wider view of her world (The Open University 2010, p23). Information is gathered and added to the appropriate dimension to create a framework that can be used as a map to discover what has contributed to Hilary’s mental distress. The model has clearly shown there are factors in each dimension and these factors also impact and are impacted by other dimensions. Influences in Hilar...
... middle of paper ...
...anation for the experience of mental health regarding the area of focus, they do not consider other factors. The relationship between mind and body was considered, there are three differing frameworks of understanding. Dualism believes the mind and body are separate, materialism believes there is no distinction and interactionism believes they interact with each other. The opinions of different user groups regarding their view of a holistic model revealed there are also differing opinions between each group and also within the groups. This essay has shown that the experience of mental health is complex and explanation can be ambiguous. The diverse perspectives and differing opinions held within the field of mental health makes answering the question ‘how might a holistic model explain the experience of mental health?’ depend on the perspective of whoever answers.
Wrycraft, N, 2009. An Introduction to Mental Health. 1st ed. Glasgow: Bell and Bain Ltd.
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
The social constructive approach to depression is summed up by 'the fact that the body became legible does not imply that some invariant biological reality was finally revealed to medical enquiry. The body was only legible in that there existed in the new clinical techniques a language by which it could be read.' (Armstrong, 1983) which exemplified the subjective practice of this approach. This methodology is qualitative and focuses on how objects and events are constituted in talk and texts. Also how social identities are created using cultural discourses. It analysis depression through discourse, resources and processes in conversations, interviews and ethnomethodology. It examines what people say and how they say it and what cultural resources
Mental health is being aware, accepting yourself, and striking a balance in all aspects of your life like social, spiritual, physical, economical, and mental (Association, 2001). Mental health can be described as our positive interactions with the context and events in our life, and having the ability to cope with life’s stressors. Mental health problems can begin at anytime during your life (CAMH, 2010). In fact anything can make it difficult for an individual’s ability to interact effectively, and may lead into a mental health problem (Association, 2001).
It is generally accepted within healthcare that to understand mental health we must adopt the biopsychosocial model. This model assumes that an interdependent relationship exists between biological, psychological and social factors which are involved in all aspects of mental health (Toates, 2010, p. 14). To be true to the model research must be holistic and not investigate the factors in isolation.
One in five Americans, approximately 60 million people, have a mental illnesses (Muhlbauer, 2002).The recovery model, also referred to as recovery oriented practice, is generally understood to be defined as an approach that supports and emphasizes an individual’s potential for recovery. When discussing recovery in this approach, it is generally seen as a journey that is personal as opposed to having a set outcome. This involves hope, meaning, coping skills, supportive relationships, sense of the self, a secure base, social inclusion and many other factors. There has been an ongoing debate in theory and in practice about what constitutes ‘recovery’ or a recovery model. The major difference that should be recognized between the recovery model and the medical model is as follows: the medical model locates the abnormal behavior within an individual claiming a factor that is assumed to cause the behavior problems whereas, the recovery model tends to place stress on peer support and empowerment (Conrad and Schneider, 2009). This essay will demonstrate that the recovery model has come a long way in theory and practice and therefore, psychological well-being is achievable through this model.
Holistic nursing focuses on promoting health and wellness. It is care that is based on the theory of a balance between the body, mind and spirit. Its goal is to heal the body person as a whole. Holistic assessment is a practice that is specialized on nursing knowledge, theories, expertise and intuition to guide nurses in becoming therapeutic partners with their patients. It recognizes and gathers information about the totality of the human being, the interconnectedness of body, mind, emotion, spirit, socio-cultural, relationship, context, and environment. This paper is based on a holistic assessment of a patient from my job. A 72 years old Caucasian.
This assignment is to discuss abnormality in mental health and the medical models used to diagnose mental disorders namely depression and eating disorders, why these models can be unreliable and theories behind what causes these disorders, whether it be environmental (nurture) or hereditary (nature) and how different cultures and societies can have an impact on diagnosing these disorders.
Latorre, M. (2000). A Holistic View of Psychotherapy: Connecting Mind, Body, and Spirit. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 36:2, 67-68.
Introduction: For this essay I am going to critically discuss the biomedical model as well as the social model of health and how they both relate to the lay perspectives on health and illness.
In this paper I will be discussing the two most prevalent models of health. These two models of health are not, of course, total opposites. Similar to terms such as gay and straight they are two definitive labels placed upon a broad spectrum that is hardly definitive. There exists in this case as well a large clouded middle between the two limiting labels. These are collections of thoughts about how to go about continuing life. These two paradigms in modern healthcare I hope will one-day come to know one another. For now let us say that in generally speaking there are two different approaches or models of medicine and they are allopathic and holistic. Allopathic is another term for our modern western medicine, which in the United States is the dominant one and the one most familiar to the masses. The other, the holistic model, also known as alternative, is commonly associated with older ideas that originated in the East.
Why is an integrative perspective, one that sees value in many models, including those listed above, the wise path to take when attempting to explain, treat, and prevent mental illness?
The bio-psycho-social-spiritual model is very important in the world of Psychopathology. Psychopathology refers to a dysfunction in the mind of an individual (Abercrombie, 2013). The bio-psycho-social-spiritual model covers all the different areas that could factor into a mental disorder. The causes can be any combination of biological, psychological, social, or spiritual factors. The mind is a very complex thing that we, as humans, cannot even begin to comprehend. Often in class, we find ourselves talking about the “fine line”. This line is referring to the very small difference between what society considers “normal” and “not normal”. One quote I like that shows why it is hard to figure out the difference says, “The concept of physical illness
The main cause of mental illness has been confusing because there are multiple components of causes with various correlates. In order to make clear of this confusion, the present essay explores the causes of mental illness primarily found inside the individual, outside the individual and is a combination of the two. It is concluded that the causes of mental illness are primarily found a combination of the inside and outside causes.
I define holistic health in this way because holistic health has numerous ways to attain a health and to approach the analysis of an illness. The modalities I learn in my holistic health class have made me to realize that there is more than one way to achieve the health and western medicine is not the only hope to reduce or cure the symptoms of any di...