Module 4 Discussion Assignment
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Module 4 Discussion Assignment
Do you think that there should be a time limit set on how much treatment your health insurance should pay for concerning mental health treatment?
In my opinion, no insurance should set a time limit on payment about mental health treatment. Mental treatment suffers from prevalent discrimination as compared to physical health treatment. The universal health care advocates for treatment and delivery of health services to all without discrimination( “Dr. Katherine C. Nordal on using insurance to cover mental health treatment: Questions for psychologist Katherine C. Nordal, PhD,” 2010). Putting a time limit on how much insurance should pay for mental health treatment will be discriminatory. Mental illness takes time to predict and, once diagnosed, requires quite a lot of time to treat, including counseling sessions and other support systems. Therefore, no time limit should be put on how much insurance should pay for mental illness treatment (“Dr. Katherine C. Nordal on using insurance to cover mental health treatment: Questions for psychologist Katherine C. Nordal, Ph.D.,” 2010).
Do you think it is appropriate for a pediatrician or general practitioner (PCP) to make mental health diagnoses?
The type of mental illness diagnosis matters a lot. This is because; there are different types of mental illnesses like bipolar disorder, trauma, schizophrenia, or substance abuse disorders, which require specific treatment approaches. A pediatrician or general practitioner may diagnose mental illness. However, a psychiatrist should make the diagnosis, as it will give better outcomes. According to research studies done by Allison et al., (2016), most of the diagnosis done by general practitioners or pediatricians come out as 50% misdiagnosis. This is because, as much as they are trained to recognize mental illness, they lack updated information and specialized education and the needed expertise to diagnose as psychiatrists do.
Do you think that your mental health status is something that people (anyone) should know about (your job, teachers, friends, significant other)?
Getting a diagnosis or mental illness can be an uphill task; however, getting validation and its treatment becomes a great relief. The most challenging task for people with mental illness is disclosing the illness to friends, family, and even colleagues due to the prevalence of stigma concerning mental illness. One has the right to choose whom to tell about the mental health status. Rusch (2013 ), advises that it is good to follow the recommended disclosure process seriously to protect oneself from discrimination and wrong judgment ( Rusch, 2013). One should not open up indiscriminately to others about his/her mental health status. However, it is crucial to share your mental health status to those who are close to you so that they give you the needed support. For instance, telling your employer is good, as he will understand when you miss work to go for a psychiatrist appointment. The same case applies to family and close friends. They can offer support with understanding without misjudging.
References
Allison, S., Goodall, A., & Bastiampillai, T. (2016). Expert leadership – why psychiatrists should lead mental health services. Australasian Psychiatry, 24(3), 225-227. https://doi.org/10.1177/1039856216644403
Dr. Katherine C. Nordal on using insurance to cover mental health treatment: Questions for psychologist Katherine C. Nordal, Ph.D. (2010). PsycEXTRA Dataset. https://doi.org/10.1037/e553702010-001
Rüsch, N. (2013). Evaluating the efficacy of ‘Coming out Proud,’ a group-based intervention to facilitate disclosure and decrease the self-stigma of mental illness. http://isrctn.com/. https://doi.org/10.1186/isrctn43516734