The use of alcohol, tobacco and illicit substances is both the cause and effect of much suffering among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia (AIHW 2011). Substance misuse has severe negative social and economic impacts on the individual, general population and family. This report will explore the effects of substance abuse, interventions that can be implemented and resources available to clinicians in managing indigenous people with mental health issues.
2. Psychosis
A person with psychosis loses contact with reality and behaves abnormal and present with changes in personality and thought process disorder. Bizarre behaviours, functional incapability and poor social function are normally evident in the …show more content…
The rate or speed of speech, the appropriateness and clarity of answers should be evaluated during assessment
3.3Thought Content: This component of the MSE assesses what the patient is saying. Hallucinations, delusions, thoughts of suicide or harm to others may the identified. Daniel has made treats to harm staff and himself. There is report of him having command hallucinations telling him to harm staff.
3.4 Cognition: Elements of the patient’s cognitive status that include, consciousness, attention, orientation and memory function are assessed. Daniel believes he is in a local police watch house. Results from a study (Koskinen, Ahveninen, Kujala, Kaprio, O′Donnell, Osipova & Rose, 2011) suggest that subtle neurophysiological changes in proper processing and in attention and orienting to environmental changes can be related to alcohol use during adolescence and early adulthood.
3.5 Insight and Judgement: Insight relates to the patients awareness of their illness and need for treatment, hence compliance with treatment can save as a measure of the patient’s judgement. Daniel shows limited understanding of the need to remain in hospital.
4. Misinterpretation of symptoms as opposed to a cultural …show more content…
Indigenous people can also access health care through the Primary Health Care Activity (PHC Activity) and this program ensures that clinicians offer culturally appropriate care. Mental Health First Aid for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander is a program that trains clinicians with and equips them with experience working with Aboriginal people with mental health problems. Headspace is a valuable program that seeks to improve mental health, social well-being and active participation in the community by young people including indigenous youths. This service deals with mental health, alcohol and other drug issues amongst other