Mental Illness: Early Stage Prevention is the Reasonable Approach

Abstract

Nearly 25% of individuals, in both developed and developing countries develop one or more mental or behavioral disorders at some stage in their life. A persistent negative attitude and social rejection of people with mental illness have prevailed throughout history in every social and religious culture. Of all the health problems, mental illnesses are poorly understood by the general public. Such poor knowledge and negative attitude toward mental illness threatens the effectiveness of patient care and rehabilitation. This poor and inappropriate view about mental illness and negative attitude toward the mentally ill can inhibit the decision to seek help and provide proper holistic care. These have been partly translated into experimental activities in primary health care and schools and in public health practices. Review article conclude that more information resources such as planned health teaching, self-instructional modules, and other form of study materials are further required for improving the knowledge regarding prevention of mental illness among the care takers of patients as well as in the community people. Thus, all the discussed study supports the need for assessment of knowledge regarding prevention of mental illness among the care takers of patients as well as in the community people.