Summary of Study Session 18

In Study Session 18, you have learned that:

1. An important part of mental health promotion and prevention is raising awareness in the community.
2. Telling people about the links between child abuse or violence against women and mental illness in adulthood can help to motivate the community to try to stop these practices.
3. Khat, alcohol and cannabis are not always harmless and the community can help to encourage responsible use of these substances.
4. By encouraging people to use helpful coping strategies for life’s problems, you can help to reduce the risk of mental illness.
5. Screening for mental illness should be a routine part of your work. Detecting illness early can mean someone gets treatment and gets better more quickly.
6. Suicide prevention is focused on making sure people get treatment for mental illness and helping to support those who attempt suicide.
7. People with mental illness are at higher risk of many physical health problems and so need special attention from health workers.
8. You can give helpful advice to people with mental illness, their families and communities in order to reduce the disability suffered.
9. 9  Tackling stigma against mentally ill people can greatly improve their quality of life.