I recently talked about how the arts are used as therapy, and I thought that I would look into drama therapy in a bit more detail. I feel that drama therapy is a really fresh and interesting approach to mental health treatment.
The purpose of drama therapy is to help people find the right medium for them to take part in group or individual therapy to address and resolve some of their issues or make their troubles more bearable. Using drama in it's different forms helps people to explore painful and difficult life experiences through an indirect approach.
Drama therapy is used in several different settings, thus helping people with varying needs such as those suffering with mental illness and elderly people with dementia, to children that have been abused.
This video demonstrates methods of drama therapy and how it is used to explore feelings:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsPtNbNymi4
Twitter: @psych_discuss
Tuesday, 27 August 2013
Friday, 9 August 2013
Being Sectioned: What does it mean?
The term "sectioned" is used a lot when talking about mental health issues, but it seems many people don't know much about what sectioning actually is. Well fear not! Psych Discuss is here to help. This should make it a bit clearer:
What does 'being sectioned' mean?
Most people that are on a psychiatric ward or in a psychiatric unit are there completely voluntarily, and have agreed to come into hospital and get some help and treatment. But sometimes, it is necessary to admit a person into hospital without their agreement. This happens when someone has been 'sectioned' or 'detained' under the Mental Health Act 1983. When a person is sectioned it means that they cannot leave hospital freely and they will lose some of the rights that patients that are not under a section have.
Why and when would a person be sectioned?
In part 2 of the Mental Health Act, there are a number of different sections, a person would be detained under one of these. These sections are 2-5 When a person is taken to hospital, the relevant professionals will examine them. There are certain criteria that need to met in order for a person to be sectioned legally. In a nutshell, a person is sectioned under section 2 when it is felt that their mental disorder is of a nature or severity that requires hospital treatment for at least a limited period (maximum 28 days) and also that it is necessary for the person to be detained for their own safety or with a view to the safety of others. Section 3 is a slightly more serious level, it is used when appropriate treatment cannot be provided without the section as well as being necessary to ensure safety of the person and others, this section can last longer (up to 6 months at a time). Section 4 is only used in emergency cases when treatment cannot be delayed and it is urgent that a person is admitted into hospital. Section 5 can apply if a person is already in hospital as a voluntary patient and is then sectioned.
Who makes the decisions about sectioning?
Any approved mental health professional can put forward an application for a person to be sectioned if the deem it to be the best way of making sure they get the appropriate help. Before making the application the professional will interview the person to establish whether sectioning is the right path to take. A person's nearest relative also has the right to make an application, but generally they would go through a mental health professional as this is more practical.
PS: There are other parts to the Mental Health Act that refer to court orders and criminal cases etc, but we're just focusing on part 2 of the act for now.
Twitter: @psych_discuss
What does 'being sectioned' mean?
Most people that are on a psychiatric ward or in a psychiatric unit are there completely voluntarily, and have agreed to come into hospital and get some help and treatment. But sometimes, it is necessary to admit a person into hospital without their agreement. This happens when someone has been 'sectioned' or 'detained' under the Mental Health Act 1983. When a person is sectioned it means that they cannot leave hospital freely and they will lose some of the rights that patients that are not under a section have.
Why and when would a person be sectioned?
In part 2 of the Mental Health Act, there are a number of different sections, a person would be detained under one of these. These sections are 2-5 When a person is taken to hospital, the relevant professionals will examine them. There are certain criteria that need to met in order for a person to be sectioned legally. In a nutshell, a person is sectioned under section 2 when it is felt that their mental disorder is of a nature or severity that requires hospital treatment for at least a limited period (maximum 28 days) and also that it is necessary for the person to be detained for their own safety or with a view to the safety of others. Section 3 is a slightly more serious level, it is used when appropriate treatment cannot be provided without the section as well as being necessary to ensure safety of the person and others, this section can last longer (up to 6 months at a time). Section 4 is only used in emergency cases when treatment cannot be delayed and it is urgent that a person is admitted into hospital. Section 5 can apply if a person is already in hospital as a voluntary patient and is then sectioned.
Who makes the decisions about sectioning?
Any approved mental health professional can put forward an application for a person to be sectioned if the deem it to be the best way of making sure they get the appropriate help. Before making the application the professional will interview the person to establish whether sectioning is the right path to take. A person's nearest relative also has the right to make an application, but generally they would go through a mental health professional as this is more practical.
PS: There are other parts to the Mental Health Act that refer to court orders and criminal cases etc, but we're just focusing on part 2 of the act for now.
Twitter: @psych_discuss
The arts as therapy
There are a variety of therapy types that are used to help people with mental health issues,treatments such as cognitive behavioral therapy are used commonly; but there is another form of therapy , arts therapies, that combine the art forms and use them to treat the mentally ill.
What is art therapy?
Art therapies combine all forms of art and use them in a therapeutic environment with a fully qualified therapist. Using the arts as therapy can have many benefits. It helps people to find a way of expressing themselves in a comfortable and safe environment. Often, people with mental health problems find opening up about how they feel and exploring their emotions difficult and overwhelming, but through art therapy people have the freedom to create something. Them, with the help and support of the therapist, they can explore their creation and what it says about them and how they feel. They can then get to grips with their state of mind and get on the road to recovery. These types of therapy can provide a powerful method of expression and a release from trauma.
What types of art therapy are available?
The therapy forms that are recognised and regulated are:
If you watched "Don't call me Crazy" on BBC3 recently, you may have noticed art therapy being used on the unit. It's used commonly and seems to be a really effective way of helping those suffering with mental health problems. In addition to this, Channel 4, a few weeks ago, aired a programme called "notes from the inside with James Rhodes". This explored the concept of music and mental illness. James Rhodes is a concert pianist, and once a psychiatric patient under a section himself. He went into a psychiatric hospital to see if music could help the patients in the same way it helped him. It shows how much people can relate and express their feelings through art, in all it's forms. - It's a very interesting insight and emotional viewing, worth a watch! It's available on 4OD.
I'll be exploring some of these therapies in more detail throughout next week, so check back soon for more!
Twitter: @psych_discuss
What is art therapy?
Art therapies combine all forms of art and use them in a therapeutic environment with a fully qualified therapist. Using the arts as therapy can have many benefits. It helps people to find a way of expressing themselves in a comfortable and safe environment. Often, people with mental health problems find opening up about how they feel and exploring their emotions difficult and overwhelming, but through art therapy people have the freedom to create something. Them, with the help and support of the therapist, they can explore their creation and what it says about them and how they feel. They can then get to grips with their state of mind and get on the road to recovery. These types of therapy can provide a powerful method of expression and a release from trauma.
What types of art therapy are available?
The therapy forms that are recognised and regulated are:
- Music therapy
- Art therapy
- Dance Movement therapy
- Voice Movement therapy
- Drama therapy
If you watched "Don't call me Crazy" on BBC3 recently, you may have noticed art therapy being used on the unit. It's used commonly and seems to be a really effective way of helping those suffering with mental health problems. In addition to this, Channel 4, a few weeks ago, aired a programme called "notes from the inside with James Rhodes". This explored the concept of music and mental illness. James Rhodes is a concert pianist, and once a psychiatric patient under a section himself. He went into a psychiatric hospital to see if music could help the patients in the same way it helped him. It shows how much people can relate and express their feelings through art, in all it's forms. - It's a very interesting insight and emotional viewing, worth a watch! It's available on 4OD.
I'll be exploring some of these therapies in more detail throughout next week, so check back soon for more!
Twitter: @psych_discuss
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