Having problems with message search?
Agenda For Mental Illness Meeting Of 14th Jan 2006
Mental Illness meeting is being convened to discuss the impact and needs of those affected by Mental Illness.
Mental illness is a term that refers to all the different types of mental disorders, including disorders of thought,
cognition,mood or behavior. These disorders cause distress and result in a reduced ability to function psychologically, socially, occupationally or interpersonally.
People who have a mental illness might have trouble handling such things as daily activities, family responsibilities, relationships, or work and school responsibilities. You can have trouble with one area or all of them, to a greater or lesser degree. And you can have more than one type of mental illness at the same time.
- Severe Depression
- Anxiety Disorder
3. Panic Attacks due to Disasters like earthquakes/floods etc and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder-PTSD
- Phobias
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Manic Depression (Bipolar Disorder)
- Scizophrenia, psychotic and Allied Disorders
- Autism
- Substance Related Disorders like alcohol/illicit drugs etc.
- Cognitive Disorders like Alzheimer’s
- Attention Deficity Heperactivity Disorder-ADHD
- Epilepsy
- Self Inflicted Injuries- Suicide
Mental Retardation as a class will not be discussed but Mentally Retarded children have been known to have Mental Illness also. Spastics will also be discussed as a class along with Mentally Challenged as different from Mental Illness. Some specifics groups like Autistics/Epilepsy/Alzheimer’s etc may have special needs in the group.
Impact on Families and Society
People with a mental illness can experience problems in the way they think, feel or behave. This can significantly affect their relationships, their work, and their quality of life. Having a mental illness is difficult, not only for the person concerned, but
also for their family and friends.
Mental illnesses are some of the least understood conditions in society. Because of this, many people face prejudice and discrimination in their everyday lives. However, unlike the images often found in books, on television and in films, most people can lead productive and fulfilling lives with appropriate treatment and support. For some people, drugs and other medical treatments are helpful, but for others they are not. Medical treatment may only be a part of what helps recovery, and not necessarily the main part. It s important to remember that having a mental illness is not someone s fault, it s not a sign of weakness, and it s not something to be ashamed of.
Support Required- not in order of importance.
- For Families to cope with the impact of Mental Illness-Training programs
- Stop Stigma Socially- Specific campaigns
- Stop Discrimination
in jobs- Disability Commissioner to accept NAMI INDIA board psychiatrists before authorizing dismissals. Recent court case by MAITRI to be noted.
- Schools- early detection and intervention
- Suicide Prevention Campaigns
- For those ill- Day care Rehabilitation Centers
- Full-fledged hospital to house those without support of families like Richmond foundation Bangalore.
- Currently in Mumbai there are limited places without adequate care for those mentally ill without hope of recovery.
- Suicide Prevention Campaigns- Teaching in schools and colleges including BMC Schools
- Police assistance for Mentally Ill- e.g. suicide prevention calls etc.
- Support from Mumbai Psychiatric Society
- Support from Counsellors Association of India
- Psychiatric Wards of hospitals including BMC – infrastructure is
inadequate
- 1) daycare for partially disabled who can be given semi/skilled training
in sheltered workshop for rehabilitation.
2) shortstay homes for the mentally ill disabled due to marriages,death or ex/indiatrips when the ill have to be left for
shortstay.
3) Longrange homes for mentally ill who have none to care after the death of aged parents and also for abondoned mentally ill like "THE BANYAN" of chennai for abandoned mentally ill women. In case of budgetary restraints; the number 3) item should be given priority.
Warm Regards,
Akila Maheshwari
Yahoo! DSL Something to write home about. Just $16.99/mo. or less
Send Email