The+Hidden+Secret+In+Mental+Health+and+Committing+Suicide

Name: Xin Yi Sim Student Number: n8110077 Tutor’s Name: Judith Meiklejohn


 * “It is not worth the bother of killing yourself, since you always kill yourself too late” ** //Emil Cioran, 1911//

 **Cultural Artefact**

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Slow is a song about suicide by Sarah Jade. Sarah Jade is a Korean, living in the United States. She is a local solo artist, with a strong music interest in acoustic style, and she is a low profile artist as she is not composing music for the sake of fame and wealth. In this song, she aims to convey her support through her lyrics, to not only her friend but also targeting anyone who expresses suicide ideation. She also tries to eliminate their suicide thought with melody. With the combination of both lyrics and melody, she touches on their poor situations that they have encountered, and attempts to understand them.


 *  Public Health Issue **

media type="youtube" key="ZSE3LsNviNo" height="315" width="560" Suicide is frequently listed as a debatable public health issue due to the prevalence of mental health illness in Australia (Taylor, Page, Morrell, Harrison & Carter, 2005). According to Jeffery (2006), suicide is identified as knotty public health issue among Australians. It is strongly recommended to stage an early intervention in order to prevent suicide rate from elevating in and to achieve long-term benefit. The research from World Health Organization [WHO] (2007) has identified mental health as one of the major factors in resulting suicide. Additionally, there is also an indirect linkage to changes in both individual and socio-economic environments such as financial stability, unemployment, relationship and region can also have negative impacts on both physical and mental health (Bosma & Mackenbach, 2001).


 *  Literature Review **

According to Bertolote & Fleischmann (2002), suicide is classified as a global burden disease and is one of the top ten death causes in all age range. It is also noted that suicide is one of the top three causes of death among people in the age group between 15 to 34 years old. The number of suicide deaths can be presented in the classification of gender, age, ethnics group and region. Suicide and mental disorder can also be influenced under the circumstances of socio-economic status such as income, occupation, relationship and region.

Based on the resources from Australian Bureau of Statistics [ABS] (2011), the death rate, caused by suicide, for male is four times more than the death rate of female while the highest suicide age group for male is 30-34years old, followed by the age group of 35-39years old for female. Apart from that, region areas also act as a factor affecting the rate of suicide. Taylor, Page, Morrell, Harrison & Carter (2005) highlights that the suicide rate for male staying in rural areas are significantly higher when compared with urban areas. For ethnics group such as indigenous and non-indigenous in Australia, Australian institute of Health and Welfare [AIHW] (2011) shows that the risk of suicide death due to mental illness for indigenous people is 5.5, which are 2.2 times higher than non-indigenous people, and the mental illness may have emerged as a result of their lower socio-economic status.

The gradual increase in unemployment, yet leads to a significant increase of fifty percentages in suicides (Department of Health and Ageing [DOHA], 2011). Unemployment is associated with the amount of income earned. Therefore, losing job, income and relationship are the common factors poses as reasons for young people to commit suicide. It is also noted that different combination of factors and age groups may create different result. Somatic illness is one of the factors for elderly to attempt suicide (Rubenowitz, Waern, Wilhelmson & Allebeck, 2001).

Apart from individual suicides, group suicide and internet suicide pacts have become a frightening trend in Japan. This is appealing to those who are afraid to die alone. This also has a strong detrimental effect on the society as indecisive people may be driven to take the plunge and commit suicide through peer pressure. This is one of the contributing factors that push suicide death against National Rate Level (Ozawa-de Silva, 2008). 1.53 million suicide deaths are predicted by 2020. It is noted that there an alarming number of people attempting suicides throughout the globe, for suicides attempts are at least 20 times of the actual suicide deaths (Bertolote & Fleischmann, 2002).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Suicide results in a heavy financial burden for the government because, apart from the expenditure spent on collating information about suicide, an enormous amount of capital has been invested in suicide prevention strategy programme. A total amount of $127.1 million is being funded for the National Suicide Prevention Program and an extra of $64 million for assistance in further expansion over the years (DOHA, 2011).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Having said that, early state intervention will help to increase suicide awareness, identify for mental illness and suicide treatment and counselling services by providing support to at-risk group in order to avoid spontaneous growth in suicide rate, at the same time promoting suicide prevention (Washburn & Mandrusiak, 2010).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Suicide prevention strategy program is considered as a good monitoring tool, yet it is noted that its methodology has some significant flaws as well. The data collected for generating a suicide death statistic can be misleading due to the under report of actual suicide death rate and the inconsistency in research record (Cooper & Milroy, 1995). The information is gathered from medical practitioners or coroners, and are from different states. For an accident to be classified as a suicide case, strong evidence is required to support the claim (DOHA, 2011). There are different mode of suicide such as self inflicted harm and accidentally self-harm and therefore, the International Classifications of Diseases’ (ICD-10) has a strict criteria in order to ensure that specific intentions of death are being categorised properly. As a result, this can affect the accuracy of the statistic if the sources of information are misplaced (Parliament of Australia [APH], 2010).


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Cultural and Social Analysis **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Mental health issue is affecting all social and cultural groups. The usage of mental health services to promote mental health is relatively low due to the wide adoption of social network and support. Research shows that social support works effectively on mild mental illness patient, but is unable to tackle serious cases of mental illness well. Therefore, mental health services are still required to support the prevalence of suicide attempt and mental illness (Maulik, Eaton & Bradshaw, 2009).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">According to Llewellyn, McConnell, Cant & Westbrook (1999), social supports from social group can improve mental health because there is a definite link between social groups and mental health. A good example is as follows, refugees who are newly migrated to an unfamiliar place have difficulty in adapting to a different culture and language. The negative impacts on education, employment opportunities and social integration can develop the risk of mental health problem (Bond et al., 2007). To resolve this problem, it is important to ensure that sufficient coping resources such as social support from voluntary societies to promote interaction between people with common ideas, whilst enhancing the sense of belonging and self-esteem and decreasing in the feeling of isolation to enhance mental health (Heaney, Price & Rafferty, 1995).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Apart from social group, cultural group has an impact on mental health issue as culture determines their way of communication, perspectives on solving problem and ability to cope certain issues in terms of mental health. The limited availability of insurance, money, positive attitude towards the treatment as well as racism and discrimination have marginalised them from receiving appropriate and high quality of mental health services. Thus, effective communication skills play an important role when dealing with patients from different cultural background (Abramson, Trejo & Lai, 2002).

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The mental health awareness is important because it educates the general public about mental health and mental illness. Other than transmitting the message through media, the awareness program is also delivered through mental health education at school, to target the students and provide them reliable information on opening up and approaching the right person for help. However, not a lot of relevant information has been obtained from parents because they see mental health problem as a social stigma and a complex issue to discuss (DeSocio, Stember & Schrinsky, 2006). Mental health education should be undertaken with parents and other adults too. It is essential that health experts should focus on treatment rather than just showing concern about mental health. The mental health system is unable to be finalised and may fail horribly in promoting mental health problems if a wrong path has been undertaken. Mental health awareness is an important component, for it will hugely benefit the mental health field if the right direction has been undertaken (Butler, 2011).


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Analysis and Reflection **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Slow is a song dedicated by Sarah Jade to a friend who is suicidal. The lyrics of the song describe the intimate relationship between two best friends but one of them is feeling hopeless and is expressing her suicide ideation. Her friend is feeling helpless as there has not been any intervention from anyone nor practical action to be undertaken to help her out. Sarah Jade hoped that she could convey positive messages through her song in order to steer her friend from her negative thought and informing her friend about her feelings during the composition of this song. Sarah Jade has included her support in the lyrics by illustrating her understanding from a friend’s perspective. The lyrics “ <span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">I'll write this song for you today….. A brand new tune… Just for you <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">” clearly brings out her support for her hopeless friend while “ <span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">You Peaceful Child…. Afraid of mice….Afraid of life <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">” represents her understanding of the fear of her friend to confront the situation.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">To fulfil the reflection requirement, this assessment enables me to have an in depth understanding between the relationship of friendship and suicide behaviour in terms of individual and society group. In my personal view, the ups and downs of life require you a real friend to confide and gain support from which plays an important role in real life for individual. When it comes to society group form, it is important to highlight that human life is priceless and the action of suicide is preventable no matter the suicide thought is being initiated in any form of matter. This can assist in promoting a healthier global public health issue.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The body of this essay has provided information about the root of mental health and most importantly, a guideline to assist people with mental health issues. Nonetheless, mental awareness program, often funded by the government is essential but social support from friends and family play an important role too. Sarah’s songs show strong moral support, and her lyrics have also hinted strongly how her friend is not open to confront her mental illness, a situation which can be assisted with intervention from an early health awareness program.


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> References **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Abramson, T. A., Trejo, L., & Lai, D. W. L. (2002). Culture and mental health: Providing appropriate services for a diverse older population. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Generations, 26 //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(1), 21-21-27. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/212202302/132B8E926E7265C584C/2?accountid=13380

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011, Suicides, Australia, 2005, cat. no. 3309.0, ABS, Canberra retrieved on 30th October 2011 from: http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/mf/3309.0/

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2011). //Mental Health.// Retrieved 30th October 2011 from: http://aihw.gov.au/mental-health-indigenous/

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bertolote, J. M. & Fleischmann, A. (2002). Suicide and psychiatric diagnosis: a worldwide perspective. World Psychiatry official Journal of The World Psychiatric Association, 1(3), 181-185. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1489848/

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bond, L., Giddens, A., Cosentino, A., Cook, M., Hoban, P., Haynes, A. & Scaffidi, L. (2007). Changing cultures: Enhancing mental health and wellbeing of refugee young people through education and training. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Global Health Promotion,14 //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(3), 143-143-9. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/233355023/fulltextPDF/132B848C3C5202579BF/15?accountid=13380

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bosma, H., & Mackenbach, J. P. (2001). Neighborhood socioeconomic status and all-cause mortality. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">American Journal of Epidemiology, ////<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">153 //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(4), 363-363. Retrieved from: http://aje.oxfordjournals.org/content/153/4/363.full.pdf

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Butler, M. (2011). Mental health reform update. Retrieved October 31, 2011 from http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/43B015EF85E16E6ACA25785A000527C6/$File/mb031.pdf

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Cooper, P. N. & Milroy, C. M. (1995). The coroner’s system and under-reporting of suicide. //US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health, 35//(4), 319-26. Retrieved from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7500856

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Department of Health and Ageing. (2011). //Suicide mortality data and their reliability//. Retrieved from: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/1D2B4E895BCD429ECA2572290027094D/$File/intdata.pdf

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Department of Health and Ageing. (2011). //Unemployment and suicide.// Retrieved from: http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/1D2B4E895BCD429ECA2572290027094D/$File/intunem.pdf

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">DeSocio, J., Stember, L., & Schrinsky, J. (2006). Teaching children about mental health and illness: A school nurse health education program. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Journal of School Nursing, 22 //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(2), 81-81-6. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/213112867/fulltextPDF/132B91D871066060BEB/2?accountid=13380

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Heaney, C. A., Price, R. H., & Rafferty, J. (1995). Increasing coping resources at work: A field experiment to increase social support, improve work team functioning, and enhance employee mental health. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Journal of Organizational Behavior (1986-1998), 16 //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(4), 335-335. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/228921721/132B86DED0A628E994A/1?accountid=13380

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jeffery, M. (2006). His Excellency Major General Michael Jeffery Ac Cvo Mc Governor-General Of The Commonwealth Of Australia On The Occasion Of The Opening Of The Australian Psychological Society’s Inaugural Aboriginal Art Exhibition. Retrieved October 31, 2011 from http://www.gg.gov.au/pdf/speeches/2006/s20060807139.pdf

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Llewellyn, G., McConnell, D., Cant, R., & Westbrook, M. (1999). Support network of mothers with an intellectual disability: An exploratory study. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Journal of Intellectual & Developmental Disability, 24 //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(1), 7-7. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/214937109/132B8ACE4A238B8F985/13?accountid=13380

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Maulik, Pallab K,M.D., PhD., Eaton, W. W., PhD., & Bradshaw, Catherine P,PhD., M.Ed. (2009). The role of social network and support in mental health service use: Findings from the baltimore ECA study. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Psychiatric Services,60 //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(9), <span class="skype_pnh_print_container"><span class="skype_pnh_print_container"><span class="skype_pnh_print_container">1222-1222-9 <span class="skype_pnh_container"><span class="skype_pnh_mark"> begin_of_the_skype_highlighting <span class="skype_pnh_highlighting_inactive_common"> <span class="skype_pnh_dropart_span"> <span class="skype_pnh_textarea_span"><span class="skype_pnh_text_span">1222-1222-9  <span class="skype_pnh_mark">end_of_the_skype_highlighting. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/213120574/fulltextPDF/132B8A3DCF213E5DD9/2?accountid=13380

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Ozawa-de Silva, C. (2008). Too lonely to die alone: Internet suicide pacts and existential suffering in japan. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Culture, Medicine and Psychiatry, 32 //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(4), <span class="skype_pnh_print_container"><span class="skype_pnh_print_container"><span class="skype_pnh_print_container">516-516-51 <span class="skype_pnh_container"><span class="skype_pnh_mark"> begin_of_the_skype_highlighting <span class="skype_pnh_highlighting_inactive_common"> <span class="skype_pnh_dropart_span"> <span class="skype_pnh_textarea_span"><span class="skype_pnh_text_span">516-516-51  <span class="skype_pnh_mark">end_of_the_skype_highlighting. doi:10.1007/s11013-008-9108-0

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Parliament of Australia: SENATE. (2010). Suicide reporting & statistics. Retrieved from http://www.aph.gov.au/senate/committee/clac_ctte/suicide/report/c03.htm

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Rubeniwitz, E., Waern, M., Wilhelmson, K., & Allebeck, P. (2001). Life events and psychosocial factors in elderly suicides - a case-control study. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Psychological Medicine, 31 //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(7), 1193-1193-202. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/204509745/132B39E43F726820441/9?accountid=13380

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Shifting the focus of the mental system. (2011). Retrieved from: http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/56646.html

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Taylor, R., Page, A., Morrell, S., Harrison, J., & Carter, G. (2005). Social and psychiatric influences on urban-rural differentials in australian suicide. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Suicide & Life - Threatening Behavior, ////<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">35 //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(3), 277-277-90. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/224871345/fulltextPDF/132AD8785664B695353/5?accountid=13380

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Washburn, C. A., & Mandrusiak, M. (2010). Campus suicide prevention and intervention: Putting best practice policy into action. //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">The Canadian Journal of Higher Education, 40 //<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">(1). Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com.ezp01.library.qut.edu.au/docview/734767111/fulltextPDF/132B42769B6548D82AD/5?accountid=13380

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">World Health Organisation. (2011). Mental Health: suicide prevention. Retrieved October 30, 2011 from http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/en/


 * <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Learning Engagement And Reflection Task **

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Student’s Name: Michael Garrahy <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Title of the page: Cultural Sensitivity, can health services ‘feel’? <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Title of my comment: I agree with you!

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">COMMENTS: I really enjoy reading your piece of work because it is clear and informative and I strongly agree with the difficulty in overcoming the language barriers. From my self-experience, there are a multitude of languages being spoken in my country but English is considered as a second language because it is not the official language in my country. For the younger generation, we are being educated with three languages if being compared to the previous generation as some of them are uneducated or some with the official languages instead of English. For example: when our grandparents are going for consultation in the hospital, it is our task to become a translator in order to close the gap of the communication barrier between doctor and patient. Sometimes, they treat us like do not understand anything or they might ask can you bear with me, if not I can actually switch you to an alternative person in order to bring the gap closer. At least, we do know that the health care services are putting in effort for the best result in overcoming the language barriers in communication.

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Student’s Name: Marita O’Sullivan <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">Title of the page: I want an iPhone! Individualism, Consumerism, Technology and Gen Y’s Mental Health Title of my comment: Future is unpredictable

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',serif; font-size: 12pt;">COMMENTS: I absolutely love your video as it is pretty straightforward to pinpoint the main points of what you are going to mention in the latter part of your essay. I agree with what you have mentioned that iPhone is popular because of its brand and it is just like a branded bag that everyone is aiming for that. In my friendship circle, six out of eight of them are using iPhone whilst for other two are not using is not because of they could not afford it but just being reluctant to follow the iPhone ‘TREND’. Apart from friends, my little cousin who is currently in primary school insisted her mum to get her an iPhone just because of her friend is having one. Is it because of the influence from peers, advertisements or strong technology waves that causes an impact especially on young generation? I cannot even imagine of what would happen in the future. Technology and consumption pattern is changing our life without showing much notification!