Mental health education
Introduction
Mental health has always been an important element for the wellbeing of individuals and communities. Depression, which is a burdensome mental health problem among young persons, is a leading cause of disability and a major contributor to the global disease pattern. Many people with depression may not be in the position to access health services, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Most healthcare systems in many nations cannot deal with the potentially high number of patients with depression; this explains why health education initiatives are gaining an increased acceptance for both primary and secondary prevention of depression. The purpose of this paper is to explore the benefits of mental health education for patients with depression. The paper also explores the barriers that limit the effectiveness of mental health education as well as the skills that nurses would need to deliver education on depression to service users. The relevance of the findings in nursing practice will also be explored.
Benefits
The health sector in modern society has taken sufficient measures to ensure that services provided are patient-centered particularly by advocating for patient engagement through patient education. Patient education for depression cases may involve information about depression and how it can be treated. Clients are also equipped with knowledge on how to navigate the healthcare system.
The importance of educating patients on depression is that the information offered helps patients to make decisions that are informed. When depressed patients are educated, they become more knowledgeable about matters relating to their care as well as the treatment options available for them. The information then gives them the power to identify the types of care that they want or do not want to receive. Conflicts in the healthcare setup are minimized since the decisions made match the preferences of the patient with depression. Health education sessions provide the depressed with platforms for them to express their fears and concerns openly so that, together with the caregiver, they can find a way forward in their recovery. Patients get to understand themselves more.
Mental health education empowers depressed patients to improve their health statuses. During health education sessions, patients are taught about medications, risk factors, and the signs and symptoms of depression to ensure that clients gain a comprehension of their condition. When initiatives are taken to ensure that the patient understands their condition, it is more likely that they will not misunderstand it and will most probably adhere to the guidelines and recommendations given to them by caregivers. This will, in turn, affect their health outcomes adversely and significantly. If a patient understands more about depression, the more comfortable he or she is likely to actively get involved in their care and follow the necessary regimens. Informed patients may be more willing to modify their lifestyles to prevent undergoing depression in the future compared to those who are ignorant of the causes, risk factors, and how to prevent depression. Patients learn how to cope with difficulties that come their way efficiently.
Potential barriers
While mental health education is an effective patient-centered strategy, due to the complex nature of these disabilities, there are a lot of barriers that affect the initiative. In most middle and low-income nations, there is an inadequacy of health professionals. The impact of this is tha even if there are people who need information on depression, the number of caregivers available is inadequate. Lack of education may hinder the provision of adequate care. It is challenging for health education professionals to contact people who have limited knowledge in depression hence few recognize the condition and seek help. Out of ignorance, some people may refuse to acknowledge that depression is a mental health issue that needs to be addressed. People who do not acknowledge depression as an issue and choose to solve the issue on their own may fail to accept the help being provided by health educators. Health education may not be as effective as expected in communities where patients with depression are stigmatized and discriminated against. Many patients will avoid any interventions that may result in them being labeled and socially excluded; they might even choose to conceal their symptoms. The mental health system in most nations is fragmented and many patients often lament over how frustrating the system is and the time they have to wait to navigate through this system that has disorganized services. The liability of this is that it renders health education useless since patients may fail to access the required services if they are not patient enough.
Skills
As with any other profession and career, nurses have to have an excellent education and be well informed on information technology if they bare to gain an insight into the behavior of clients. Nurses as frontline caregivers for depression patients should be capable of being genuinely empathetic and forming strong therapeutic relationships, based on trust, with their depressed patients along with their families. When building relationships with depressed patients, nurses are needed to reassure, attentively listen to and talk with the patients. For a nurse to provide effective mental health education to depressed patients, they need great communication skills. Communication skills will make it easier for nurses to give their depressed patients verbal instructions that may help empower them in their weakest moments when they feel as though they have no control over their lives. besides knowing what to say, great communication skills ensure that the tone and volume of voice along with the body language of the nurse when addressing patients on matters related to depression is right to avoid any misunderstandings and potential conflicts. The nurse must be familiar with depression problem-solving techniques to address any issues that may arise during health education sessions. A nurse to provide effective education has to have observational and psychosocial skills. They have to be competent enough to provide good judgment in different setups and offer great advice for depressed patients. They should be capable of liaising with other caregivers such as doctors and social workers to ensure that patients’ education needs are properly addressed. Excellent teamwork skills are essential. Nurses should be good at persuading their audiences if their education interventions are to be effective. If they are persuasive enough, they can convince people to take matters of depression more seriously, arrange support for the depressed, and encourage patients to be actively involved in therapeutic activities. A competent nurse has to be compassionate and has strong ethics along with healthy professional boundaries if they are to be effective in educating service users on depression.
Application of findings
Nurses are a major asset in the management of depression. With special training as a nurse, one can help in the attainment of excellent patient outcomes when working alongside other professionals in the management of depression especially through health education in a primary care setup. Nurses are involved in the planning and implementation of evidence-based care and interventions inclusive of the process of referrals, risk assessment and management to depressed patients, development of a care pathway and assessment process, reviewing, e.t.c. through health education, nurses aim at normalizing the care of depression patients while minimizing stigmatization and depression. Improved health education heightens awareness of depression as a major mental health issue. During nursing practice, the nurse should include the role of the nurse in the assessment of patients’ response to treatment, level of awareness, and mastery of self-help techniques. With the right advice, support, and guidance, patients with depression can face problems related to the medication.
Nurses during health education sessions, inform patients of available care pathways and empower them to choose the type of care that they think will help them through the hard times. Nurses can provide the patient with different information sources such as pamphlets, leaflets, recorded audiocassettes, or even videos on depression which mat reassure and empower patients while informing them at the same time. With a great personality and communication skills, nurses can reach out effectively to service users. For the nursing practice to be effective, the nurse has to be well informed on matters relating to depression and be equipped on ways through which this information can be applied in practice. The nurse has to be warm, compassionate, and exhibit genuine empathy when dealing with clients and their unique situations inclusive of stigma and discrimination. To be effective in patient education, the nurse has to be persuasive to convince service users to leave behind unhealthy lifestyles and adhere to medication. This can be achieved by effectively instructing service users on the necessary self-care steps and helping them understand why they need to maintain self-care. Nurses should teach patients how to recognize depression warning signs, the actions to take whenever a problem occurs as well as the relevant pert to contact in case there are any questions on depression that they need to ask.
Conclusion
Mental health is an issue that can be handled through health education to enhance positive health outcomes. Patients with depression who are equipped with knowledge have the power to take control of their lives, make necessary lifestyle adjustments and still manage to remain self-sufficient.