Week 9 D1: Mental Health Conditions and Substance Use Disorders
Mental health and substance use disorders can be exacerbated by many of the topics already covered in this course, including environmental factors such as poverty, homelessness, discrimination, oppression, and physical health concerns. Greater attention has been given to mental health in recent years. However, the stigma still remains and can prevent people from accessing services to treat their symptoms. It can also prevent them from speaking openly about what they are feeling. Social workers aim to break down this stigma while also considering cultural factors that may influence experiences of mental illness and substance use disorder.
In this Discussion, you examine one mental health condition or substance use disorder and consider the role of the social worker in supporting clients with this disorder.
To prepare:
- Review the textbook chapters on mental health and substance use listed in the Learning Resources.
- Navigate to the Media tab of the Learning Resources. Review the Psych Hub video and several videos on the National Alliance on Mental Illness site depicting a mental health condition. Select one of these videos on which to focus your Discussion.
- Consider the mental health condition (e.g., depression, schizophrenia, OCD, etc.) or the substance use disorder depicted in the video you chose. Reflect on the symptoms, effects, and associated stigma.
Post:
- Identify the mental health condition or substance use disorder, its symptoms, and its effect on the individual.
- Describe stigma in relation to this condition.
- Describe the role of a social worker in supporting individuals with this condition.
Tutorial for Mental Health Conditions and Substance Use Disorders
