Key Issue Understanding a mental health disorder
1 in 4 people will experience a mental health disorder at some point in their life. It is important that people around them are able to understand the symptoms and effects this might have on an individual in order to provide support and understand their behaviour. This can help reduce stereotyping and labelling that might exist. One mental health disorder is schizophrenic which is a psychotic disorder characterised by hallucinations and delusions. Males are more likely to develop schizophrenia from the ages of 15 – 25, and females most likely experience the onset in their 20’s. The DSM divides symptoms of schizophrenia into positive and negative symptoms. Treatment for schizophrenia includes antipsychotics, CBT and care in the community. By recognising the signs of schizophrenia, the ages it occurs and the help that is available means that if an individual is concerned about themselves or a friend they know help is available.
Practical
Note: This is an example only. You need to apply these points to the disorder and leaflet you made
Target audience
My leaflet was aimed at teenage boys because schizophrenia can occur at the age of 15 and I didn’t think many boys would know about what schizophrenia is
Purpose/intended outcome
To inform teenage boys of the symptoms of schizophrenia and treatments that are available. I wanted to include the symptoms because they might recognise these in their friends and not understand them. By including treatments this informs them that treatment is available should they be concerned
Material chosen
Design - I chose a blue and green background as I thought this would stand out and are colours that do not appear feminine. I included a picture of a teenage boy on the front, as I thought it would also stand out and make boys realise that schizophrenia can happen to them. If I only included writing, a teenager may have found this boring.
Content - I included the symptoms but put them into words that were easy to understand as I thought putting ‘poverty of speech’ would be unclear and that ‘using fewer words’ would make more sense to someone reading my leaflet. I included a biological treatment and a social treatment as these can be used alongside each other
Secondary data
Secondary data was collected using textbooks and the internet. I used A2 Psychology by Christine Brain to gather information on the treatments as it included antipsychotics and ACT. I used the NHS website for symptoms of schizophrenia, as well as using a Google search to find out further information on drug treatments such as names of antipsychotics. I then used the information on my leaflet, putting it into my own words and in a way that I thought would be easy to understand for a teenager
1 in 4 people will experience a mental health disorder at some point in their life. It is important that people around them are able to understand the symptoms and effects this might have on an individual in order to provide support and understand their behaviour. This can help reduce stereotyping and labelling that might exist. One mental health disorder is schizophrenic which is a psychotic disorder characterised by hallucinations and delusions. Males are more likely to develop schizophrenia from the ages of 15 – 25, and females most likely experience the onset in their 20’s. The DSM divides symptoms of schizophrenia into positive and negative symptoms. Treatment for schizophrenia includes antipsychotics, CBT and care in the community. By recognising the signs of schizophrenia, the ages it occurs and the help that is available means that if an individual is concerned about themselves or a friend they know help is available.
Practical
Note: This is an example only. You need to apply these points to the disorder and leaflet you made
Target audience
My leaflet was aimed at teenage boys because schizophrenia can occur at the age of 15 and I didn’t think many boys would know about what schizophrenia is
Purpose/intended outcome
To inform teenage boys of the symptoms of schizophrenia and treatments that are available. I wanted to include the symptoms because they might recognise these in their friends and not understand them. By including treatments this informs them that treatment is available should they be concerned
Material chosen
Design - I chose a blue and green background as I thought this would stand out and are colours that do not appear feminine. I included a picture of a teenage boy on the front, as I thought it would also stand out and make boys realise that schizophrenia can happen to them. If I only included writing, a teenager may have found this boring.
Content - I included the symptoms but put them into words that were easy to understand as I thought putting ‘poverty of speech’ would be unclear and that ‘using fewer words’ would make more sense to someone reading my leaflet. I included a biological treatment and a social treatment as these can be used alongside each other
Secondary data
Secondary data was collected using textbooks and the internet. I used A2 Psychology by Christine Brain to gather information on the treatments as it included antipsychotics and ACT. I used the NHS website for symptoms of schizophrenia, as well as using a Google search to find out further information on drug treatments such as names of antipsychotics. I then used the information on my leaflet, putting it into my own words and in a way that I thought would be easy to understand for a teenager