mercredi 21 mai 2014

Facts About Mental Health Advocacy Colorado

By Minnie Whitley


Mental health advocacy is inclusive of various actions that are aimed at bringing a change to the main structural and attitudinal obstacles to achieving outcomes of mental health that are positive. It is a relatively new concept that was developed initially for the purpose of reducing stigma and discrimination. It was also meant to promote human rights of persons that have such disorders. When considering the concept of mental health advocacy Colorado residents have many details to learn.

In the last 30 or so years, there has been a better definition of the needs and rights of persons with mental disorders. As a result of this the families and hence consumers got to develop organizations to assist in making them to be heard in a better way. Sometime after that, they were joined by nongovernmental organizations, associations of health workers and also governments. Over time, the support services have broadened to include rights of persons with less severe conditions. Even the general population has been considered.

The actions associated with advocacy are numerous. Examples include mutual help, denouncing, counseling, education, raising awareness, training and dissemination of information. At the same time, there are a number of barriers experienced. There are many parts of the world in which people with this condition are not treated as well as those with other physical disabilities. In fact, they are neglected by many people in the society.

There is only a small number of people with this condition and still receive the most basic treatment. The remaining people who are the majority are subjected to stigma and discrimination. A good number of communities faced with factors which present risks to psychological health. Some of the experienced barriers are poor quality services in hospitals, lack of employment opportunities and stigma.

Through stigmatization, people become deeply compromised socially and also discredited. Persons with serious mental disorders have a different appearance owing to the side effects. There are lots of misconceptions about such people. For instance, that they are lazy, violent, unreliable, irresponsible, with no conscience and worthless. Other people also consider them to be unsafe, unable to sustain families and stupid. The misconceptions vary and individuals will be subjected to different ones. It is these misconceptions that bring about stigma.

The majority of the support initiatives have lead to positive results despite the many obstacles. Despite the fact that science is still to prove that such support indeed improves mental health in people, reports of positive outcomes in many countries have been received. Among these positive outcomes are placing the issues on government agendas, making changes to laws, protecting rights of people with such conditions and improving policies and practices of various institutions.

In many countries such support has brought about changes in the ways that people with such disorders are regarded. Consumers are able to articulate their own vision of service they want or need. Further, they are increasingly making informed decisions as concerns treatment as well as other issues affecting their daily lives.

The role of consumers and families as concerns support is diverse. Some of these include improvement of legislations and policies and involvement in development and planning. Furthermore, they also mediate, defend and counsel other consumers.




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