community mental health nursing

1. UNIT 7
COMMUNITY MENTAL
HEALTH
PRERSENTED BY mr .pritesh patel

2. COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH
• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental
health is “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes
his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of
life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a
contribution to his or her community”

3. COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH NURSING
• COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH NURSING IS THE
APPLICATION OF SPECIALISED KNOWLEDGE TO
POPULATIONS AND COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE
AND MAINTAIN MENTAL HEALTH, AND TO
REHABLITATE POPULATIONS AT RISK THAT
CONTINUE TO HAVE RESIDUAL EFFECTS OF
MENTAL ILLNESS.

4. • Psychiatric nursing in the community setting
differes markedly from its hospital counterpart.
• The community setting requires that the psychiatric
nurse possesses knowledge about a board array of
community resources and be flexible in
approaching problems related to individual
psychiatric symptoms, family and support systems
and basic living needs such as housing and
financial support.

5. Goals of C M H Nursing
• Provide prevention activities to population for the
purpose of promoting mental health.
• Provide prompt interventions
• Provide corrective learning experiences
• Help individuals develop a sense of self worth and
independence.
• Anticipate emotional problems

6. • Identify and change social and psychological factors that
influence human interactions
• Develop innovative approach to primary preventive
activities
• Provide mental health education and how to assess the
mental health.

7. IMPORTANCE
• Community provides many elements that are critical to
mental health
• Belonging:
Community provides a sense of belonging — a group you
identify as being a part of. This is different than conforming to
be in a group. A true sense of belonging includes the ability for
you to feel you are a part of the community as your true self.
There is not anything you have to change to be a part of the
community, but instead, you are embraced and appreciated for
your unique qualities.

8. • Support:
Having people you can call on when you need to talk or need help
with something can help you through difficult situations that might feel
insurmountable alone. Knowing there are people who support you can
help you feel cared for and safe, and can benefit your outlook on life.
• Purpose:
In community, people fill different roles. Perhaps you’re the
friend who enjoys cooking and can be counted on to bring a hot meal
over when someone is going through something. Or you’re the friend
who others know they can call when they need to talk about their
struggles. These roles can give you a sense of purpose through bettering
other people’s lives. Having purpose, and helping others, helps give
meaning to life.

10. GENERALATTITUDE TOWARDS THE
MENTALLY ILL
• In general, the community responds to the mentally ill
through denial, isolation and rejection. There is also a lack of
understanding of mental illness as any other illness, and a
lack of tendency to reject both the patients and those who
treat them.
• Mentally ill are viewed as people with no capacity for
understanding.
• People feel mental illness cannot be cured, and even if the
patient gets better, complete physical rest is considered
essential.

11. • The mentally ill are by and large perceived as
aggressive, violent and dangerous.
• An individual's values and personal beliefs affect his
attitude about mental illness, the mentally ill and
treatment of mental illness.
• There still exists a stigma surrounding individuals who
need or use psychiatric mental health services.
• The need continues for public education to modify or
alter misconceptions about mental illness and people
with mental disorders.

12. MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT MENTAL ILLNESS
• Beliefs about mental illness have been characterized by
superstition, ignorance and fear.
• Although time and advances in scientific understanding of
mental illness have dispelled many false ideas, there remain a
number of popular misconceptions.
• some of them are:
1. Mental illness is caused by supernatural power and is the
result of a curse or possession by evil spirit
2. mentally ill people show bizzarre behavior

13. 3. Mentally ill people are dangerous
4. Mental illness is something to be ashamed
5. Mental illness is not curable
6. Mental illness is contagious
7. Mental illness is hereditary
8. Marriage can cure mental illness
9.Mental hospitals are places where only dangerous mentally ill
individuals are treated and restraint is a major form of treatment

14. PREVENTION OF MENTAL ILLNESS

42. SOME OF THE INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS IN
MENTAL HEALTH
• Crash programs offered at NIMHANS, Bengaluru
 Dr RM Varma, Director and Dr Karan Singh, Minister of health in the
Central Government, jointly introduced community based mental health
program at NIMHANS.
 A community psychiatry unit was started in october 1975.
 This unit launched the following programs:
1. Primary health center (PHC)
2. General Practitioner
3. School mental health program
4. Home-based follow up of psychiatric patients

43. 5. Extension programs by “Satellite Clinics”
6. Extensive use of outdoor services
7. Involvement of ICDS prsonnel in child mental
healthcare.
8. Anganwadi workers are trained
9. Training by volunteers
10. Student enrichment program and student
volunteers program