Mental health is
necessary in order for an individual to undertake their day to day activities
in a normal way and at an optimal level of human activity. However, cases of
mental disorders tend to disrupt or even halt the normal functioning of a human
being (Harris , 2013). In the recent
past, there have been numerous cases of reported variations of mental
disorders. This has been brought about by the medical scientific advancement
that has been on the rise in the recent years. It should be noted that the inadequacy
of knowledge by the people of the past often led to non-diagnosis of these
mental disorders, hence the neglect of the victims; as the cases were treated
as a curse from the ancestors. With the
recent effort of awareness creation, most of the cases of mental disorders are
being diagnosed, leading to the medical specialists and practitioners taking
the necessary steps which will ensure the absolute control of the disorder.
One
of the most common cases of mental disorder is the Post Traumatic Stress
Disorder abbreviated as PTSD. PTSD refers to a mental condition whereby its
symptoms are observed especially in the victims that have survived trauma or
psychologically terrific event (England 2009). These events usually revolve
around cases of physical or sexual assault, an abrupt death of a relative,
family member of loved ones, and also during deadly cases of natural disasters
like earthquakes or tsunamis (Brewin, 2003). To assess and diagnose such case
of a mental disorder, it takes skills and expertise of experienced social works
professionals. Subsequently a social worker will be tasked with the counseling
of the patients and the overall process of that ensures the recovery of the
victims from the disorder. Therefore, this paper seeks to explore the ideal
role of social work professionals in relation to gaining control and
effectively eradicating cases of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Harris , 2013).
Social
Work
Social
work refers to a profession seeking to raise the life quality of an individual
or a group of persons via various means which are inclusive of crisis
intervention and overall care for the victims of natural disasters and
political instabilities (Chilman, 1984). Essentially, social workers aim at
ensuring the eventual achievement of social justice especially to the victims
of marginalization in the society, mostly resultant from witnessed oppressions (Dziegielewski,
2003).
Global
warming and climate change have led to the sharp increase in cases of PTSD.
This is especially so given the cases of natural disasters that come as a
result. In fact, the most recent case of earthquake in Japan and Nepal Africa ,
the survivors of the disease are yet to overcome the psychological effects from
the trauma of loss of friends and relatives. Further, the spiraling cases of
terrorism and political instability that triggers civil war in the Middle East
have, in turn, lead to the adverse mental effects and disorders to the civilian
and the military forces as well. Considering all these cases, it is therefore
clear that social workers have an ever-widening role to play on the global
scale, especially with major focus on neutralizing the rising cases of PTSD
among adults and children as well.
The
Role of Social Workers
There are numerous
roles of a social worker in relation to PTSD. These include the following:
Assessment
of the Possible Victims for a Diagnosis.
Social
workers are specially trained individuals to handle the cases of PTSD.
Therefore, they have enough knowledge on the symptoms of the disorder. Usually,
the potential victims undergo various stages of medical checkups conducted by
social workers. Notably, the stages are specifically designed to fit into the
patients’ context and the level of the disorder. In addition, medical
facilities for such tests are equipped with necessary medical tools which
assist the social worker in conducting a successful assessment to the victims
for a possible diagnosis. In case of positive results to the test, a social
worker has an authority to diagnose the disease and take the necessary
precautions for PTSD neutralization. This involves medical prescription and
recommendation for specialized care and treatment of the patient in case of
advanced chronic PTSD (US&IM, 2006).
Providing
Psychotherapy and Counseling Services to the Patients
After
confirmation that the patient is suffering from a mental disorder such as PTSD,
a social worker is tasked with counseling the patient in order to deal with and
overcome the psychological effects and trauma. Social work training involves
empathy conditioning that enables the professional to listen to the patient
with high levels of empathy (Üstün et. al, 1995).
Therefore, as the PTSD patient disclose their personal problems and openly
express feelings to the professional, the show of care, concern and
understanding greatly helps the patient towards a healing path.
On
the other hand, psychotherapy conducted at an appropriate environment has the
ability of enabling the patient to have a deeper knowledge of their mental
condition, personal mood status, thoughts at any given time, individual
feelings and the overall behavior pattern. This knowledge enables the patient
to have a control of the personal mindset and thus be set on a recovery path
and personal healing procedure from PTSD. In this case, the social worker has a
role of regulating the conversation in a way that enables the patient to come
up with the personal in-depth realization and self-awareness.
Prevention
Role
One
of the main roles of the social workers is to ensure that further cases of PTSD
mental disorder are prevented from occurring to a population that survived
natural calamities, diseases, and war. This usually involves the social worker
using their skills and experience to effectively modify the clearly stressful
environmental situation and therefore strengthening the capability of the
survivors to accept and cope with the situation (O’Hagan ,
2007).
In an environmental setting where most of the population is prone to the PTSD,
social worker activities that ensure preventive measures include; educating the
public on the need for their emotional self-care measures, the need for
building healthier relationships with their colleagues as well as taking steps
towards boosting the level of community knowledge and skill base. Additionally,
the social workers should ensure the presence of societal social action and
engage in advocacy activities aimed at ensuring the eventual realization of
social justice.
Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation
aims at minimizing the levels of the long-term effects of the PTSD on patients
after undergoing successful treatment and recovery from the disorder.
Essentially, the rehabilitation measures to the PSTD patients involves
undergoing a re-training program on the personal strength areas so that the
individual can be able to regain their former optimum productive levels and
capabilities in the society( Willey, 2013). For instance, the victims of the Nepal Nepal
Reducing
Isolation and Neglect
Chances
of recovery of a neglected and isolated patient are slim. To counter this,
social workers strive to ensure that these patients get constant care and
company which is of a significant important in their recovery process. Most of
the older population is affected by the PTSD due to their lowered self-esteem
levels and feeling of lowered self-worth. This is a common phenomenon if a
partner dies, and an individual further neglected by the rest of the family
members and friends. In such an occurrence, a social worker is tasked with
ensuring that the victim has a constant social contact and support in order to
fully recover from the mental disorder.
It
has been observed that there are other areas, especially the rural areas where
the cases of mental illness are can be transferred from one individual to the
other. Such lack of enough knowledge has made most of the PTSD patients to be
abandoned and isolated. The intervention of social workers in such cases is to
ensure that the creation of understanding to the community members of the need
to assist the patient and the nature of the disease they are suffering from.
Additionally, they ensure that the community undergoes a capacity building
program so that in case of occurrence of traumatic events in the future, they
will have the capability if dealing with them without necessarily requiring the
intervention of the social workers (Bentley , 2002).
Advocacy
of Reforms
In
the cases of the trauma caused by political instability that leads to civil
war, the social workers have a role of ensuring that there are subsequent
constitutional and political reforms being implemented in the country so as to
avoid future cases of political turmoil that leads to war, hence trauma to the
citizens. These traumatic events often lead to the mental disorders such as
PTSD. In fact, social workers Aare usually
involved in activities that leads to the revolutionary steps by the citizens
which are aimed at restoring the political stability, harmony, and peace. It
should be noted that some peaceful protests are led by social workers who see
the need of social justice and equality in the society. Social workers trigger
movements through their educative policies meant to create awareness to the
public and thus leading to the toppling of repressive government and installing
of those that have clearly set policies to ensure that human rights and dignity
is conserved. In the long run, the efforts tend to bear fruits in that the
cases of traumatic events such as war brought up by political tensions are
greatly minimized and eventually diminished. Eventually, PTSD will be curbed (O'Hagan , 2007).
Boosting Economic Status.
Some
cases of PTSD are as a result of high poverty levels and lack of employment
especially in third world countries. The social worker has a responsibility of
limiting such cases in these regions through finding means and ways with which
to eliminate poverty. On the other hand, ways in which to ensure
self-employment and finding jobs to the unemployed workforce goes a long way
towards the realization of a mentally healthy society. Most social workers are
attached to non-governmental organizations that aim at improving the living
standards of citizens of a given country. Through such connections, aid can be
provided to the vulnerable in the society. It has been observed that happiness
greatly minimize chances of stress related mental conditions. Therefore, ensuring
that the disadvantaged in the society have lesser problems to worry
consequently means that the stress related disorders such as PTSD is kept at bay
(Zastrow, 2010).
Provision of Care to the Disabled
The
disabled have higher chances of being affected by the PTSD. This is because
their self-esteem level are mostly lower than those of a normal person,
therefore, any signal of neglect directed to them have a lasting effect to them
psychologically. Therefore, long periods
of isolation leads to them feeling lonely and losing self-worth, which adds to
the complications and chances of a mental disorder. In this consideration,
social workers ensure that the disabled in the society gets equal chances of
education and other social amenities as in the case of a normal person. In
fact, social workers ensure that extra specialized care is accorded to these
individual in order to meet their individual needs in the society. To achieve
this, social workers are involved in the efforts of setting up specialized
institutions that offer specialized education and other services to the
disabled and the marginalized groups. The success of these institutions is
usually measured from the ability of interaction by the disabled, which makes
them have a sense of belonging hence tremendously raising their self-esteem
(Zastrow, 2009).
In
other instances, social workers have been involved in an activism of ensuring
that the persons with disabilities are well represented in the workplaces and
legislative bodies. This is targeted at ensuring that the marginalization of
these individuals in any country is greatly inhibited. Notably there has been a
significant rise in the number of associations led by social works which are
aimed at ensuring that the needs of the vulnerable and the marginalized in the
society are met. Therefore, all these efforts have enabled the minorities
including the disabled to feel important and thus minimizing their stress level
which, in the long run, is a preventive factor for cases of mental disorders
such as PTSD.
Conclusion
In
conclusion, social workers play an important role in the society today. Their
expertise, skills, and ingenuity have helped in assessment and diagnosis of the
rampant cases of PTSD mental disorder in the society today. Furthermore, they
help in the creation of awareness on the society on the need of constant care
to the mentally ill patients. Their efforts in advocating for human rights and
equality highly aids in ensuring that the stress levels of the minority are
diminished hence preventing the cases of trauma.
References
Brewin,
C. R. (2003). Posttraumatic
Stress Disorder: Malady or Myth?. New Haven :
Yale University
Chilman,
C. S. ,
Glasser, P. H. University of Michigan Ann Arbor , Mich :
Social Work Education and Population Planning Project, the University of Michigan
Dziegielewski,
S. F. New York Co.
United
States., & Institute
of Medicine Washington
Üstün,
T. B. Chichester :
J. Wiley.
Zastrow,
C. (2009). Social Work with Groups:
A Comprehensive Workbook. Belmont ,
CA
Zastrow,
C. (2010). Introduction to
Social work and Social Welfare: Empowering People. Belmont , CA
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