If you are a nursing or health student interested in helping others, getting a bachelor’s or master’s degree in mental health nursing is a great idea. The right qualifications will help you pursue a successful career, land better jobs and earn a good salary.
Mental health affects how we function and how we interact with our environment and others. Poor mental health is one of the main causes of many illnesses and a deplorable quality of life. Knowing more about it allows professionals to help sick people and lead them to live a better life. Today we will see why someone interested in the health field should consider opting for a mental health program.
What is mental health?
Mental health covers social, emotional and psychological well-being. It affects how a person thinks, acts, feels, handles stress, relates to others, and makes decisions. Mental health is crucial at every stage of life, from childhood through adolescence and even into adulthood. Poor mental health leads to disruptive behavior, mood and thought patterns.
Life experiences, trauma, abuse, family history, genetic structure, brain chemistry, and other biological factors can make a person more prone to depression. However, poor mental health is reversible and patients can always fully recover and improve with professional help.
Common Symptoms of Mental Health Patients
- Drug abuse
- Sleeping or eating excessively
- Severe mood swings
- Sudden or random aches and pains
- Feeling of numbness and emptiness
- Low energy or excessive fatigue
- helplessness or despair
- Having a flurry of emotions such as anger, worry, fear, sadness, or confusion
- Constant fights with family or friends
- Disbelief or hearing voices
- Thoughts of suicide or thoughts of killing
- Inability to perform daily tasks
Why take mental health training?
Now that you are clear about what mental health is and what most patients often face when confronted with this disease, it is time to consider the top reasons for taking health education below. mental:
Increase in the number of mental health patients
Mental health issues across the world, particularly in Australia, have seen a huge increase. This includes an increase in the number of people suffering from stress, depression and anxiety issues.
The AIHW (Australian Institute for Health and Welfare) estimated in its 2017 to 2018 report that one in five people had behavioral and mental health problems. He further said that one in eight people in South Wales also suffer from anxiety or related problems. 1 in 10 people have episodes similar to depression.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the quarantine of millions of people. A huge impact on routine, income and other factors has led to an increase in the number of mental health patients. This has increased the need for mental health specialists to help these people.
- Mental health nurses help people fight stigma
- They facilitate cross-cultural support and care
- They help save the lives of patients who have become suicidal or desperate
- Nurses help patients cope with addiction and break out of negative thought patterns
Awareness drives productivity in the workplace
The BeyondBlue report showed that around 91% of Australian workers prioritize mental health, while 88% believe physical wellbeing is more important. The same workers also shared that only 52% think their work environment is healthy and 76% think their environment is physically safe.
Nearly 75% of employees said their workplace should provide support for workers dealing with depression and anxiety. Mental health awareness and professional help are likely to keep workers happy and increase productivity. Nearly 72% of individuals said positive mental health is necessary for a productive workspace.
It is therefore obvious that all companies, businesses and organizations should strive to have a mental health service with a mental health nurse or certified professional. A mental health degree holder is vital for all kinds of teams, and the huge scope provides tons of opportunity. Earning a degree should help you meet the needs of people in your own business or get hired into a business that requires your skills.
Technological advances
As more people become aware of mental health, there is hope for progress. Even the technology and IT industries are leveraging technology to help deliver better mental health services. A good example is telehealth. This allows you to talk to professionals through your PC or smartphone. A telehealth tool protects your data while allowing you to remotely connect to a mental health physician.
You can also find online mental health courses, seminars, and workshops that help build peace. As a mental health degree graduate, all of these opportunities are exciting and great ways to earn money while helping others from the comfort of your own home.
Professional and personal growth
Learning about psychology and how the human mind works is essential to getting a mental health education. These topics allow you not only to understand others, but also to better understand your own emotions, thoughts and well-being.
You will know how to help yourself and others during a crisis and formulate a recovery plan for future patients. The technical and soft skills that students acquire while earning their mental health degree help develop additional skills such as:
- Empathy or the ability to understand a patient’s emotions and needs. A nurse, doctor or specialist can communicate better with their clients
- Observation skills that help differentiate between nonverbal and verbal cues
- Strong communication skills, including verbal and written communication, equip professionals for a variety of mental health careers
- Honesty and authenticity, so that patients trust their doctor and are willing to tell him more about their problems
- Measures to be taken to prevent suicides, self-harm attempts and thoughts in patients
You can get mental health training or a relevant degree not only to help others, but also to help yourself. You also don’t have to worry about being a perfect person with no history of abuse or trauma to be able to become a doctor.
Remember that education and training will help you better understand mental health when dealing with many patients and various issues. All you need is the passion and drive to help others, whether you’re opening a clinic, becoming a therapist assistant, working in an office or organization, or even helping people online.
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