OT’s are essentialto mental health

Mental health challenges can present as a primary condition or disease, or as a symptom of the dysfunction caused by a different disability. A person does not need to meet the criteria for a mental illness to be negatively affected by their mental health.

According to the World Health Organisation, 8.5 million people aged between 16-85 have experienced a mental illness or event at some time in their life (43% of the population). Furthermore, 4.3 million had experienced a mental illness in the previous 12 months (22% of the population).

Occupational therapists are essential to addressing mental health issues in Australia. With extensive, real-world skills and knowledge that are practical and relevant, OT’s are beautifully placed to successfully guide implementation and sustainable utilisation of strategies with an improved outcome.

OT-based mental health support is required now more than ever for the ever-growing and diverse population of people who experience mental health distress.

Occupational therapy is a highly impactful solution to ensuring people can live with greater quality of life without poor mental health as a barrier.

Examples of how OT’s can support people with mental health challenges:

·       Establish a list of meaningful activities and tasks the person needs and wants to do. Activities might include aspects of their physical, emotional and spiritual self.

·       Facilitate discovery of the person’s unique values and support behaviour consistent with those values through theory frameworks i.e. Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).

·       Help identify the person's personal strengths and the social supports and resources in their life that they can draw upon.

·       Set a short-term goal or two – something achievable that would provide a sense of hope, progress and success.

·       Map out a routine – either reconnecting with what worked before or developing new process that might work within their current capacity.

·       Teach and practice healthy coping strategies and skills such as grounding and breathing exercises or assertive communication.

·       Set up the physical environment to support routine for example, introduce a scheduling system and provide strategies to declutter.

·       Provide education about the mental health condition to de-threaten the emotional impact and empower the person.

·       Discuss individual sensory preferences and impact on functioning, i.e. socially withdrawal due to being emotionally overwhelmed by loud noise.