Mental illness is more common than we think. According to the reports shared by the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 7.5 percent of the country’s population suffers from mental disorders. Despite the modernization and forward-thinking, the mindset of a particular segment of the society still goes un-waivered. They still discriminate against people who suffer from mental illness or other psychiatric concerns.
However, with the onset of concepts like psychosocial rehabilitation, the society at large is trying to help the folks with mental disorders live a better life and make them an indelible part of the community.
So, in this post, we shall discuss – what is psychosocial rehabilitation? Its principles, different psychosocial rehabilitation goals and objectives, and many other topics around the same.
Psychosocial rehabilitation (or psychiatric rehabilitation) helps restore the status of an individual who is diagnosed with mental health issues and psychiatric disabilities. The social psychology affects the thought process of such individuals burdening them with unwanted rules, and expectations.
The psychosocial rehabilitation and treatment approach reduces this prejudice allowing these individuals to become a part of the society and assist individuals with mental disorders to do well in different aspects of their life.
Psychosocial rehabilitation is an effective approach that responds to multiple needs of healthy living. It is an evidence-based practice that aims towards an individual’s recovery from psychiatric illness and difficult/ emotional situations.
Psychosocial rehabilitation focuses on increasing the possibilities of individual’s symptom management, personal improvement, social re-integration and quality of life. With guided practices, the individual works with the counsellor to pivot a balance between emotional issues and reality.
One of the major psychosocial goals and objectives of rehabilitation is ensuring that the individual gets fully recovered. However, recovery is always a multi-step process and hence must be defined based on the needs and the requirements of the individual.
Implementing PSR allows the individual to undergo a pre-defined process based on their needs and encourages them to look at the better side of life despite the disability they suffer from and its impact on their lifestyle.
The concept of the PSR process revolves around certain objectives and treatment processes to help individuals undergo a holistic development (social, emotional, and intellectual skills) ensuring they lead a happy lifestyle. Here you go:
The prime focus of psychosocial rehabilitation is to avoid targeting the acute phase of the illness. Hence all the programs and activities are sketched in a way where the individual takes control and stabilizes with the symptoms.
The objective of the program is to make the individual cope with the illness through social activities, guided meditations, and other recovery programs. The inclusion of evidence-based treatments and therapies, further makes the implementation of this program easier for the therapist and the individual seeking medical assistance.
Here, the individual learns to develop the self-help skills that are necessary to anticipate/ reduce the severity of the illness. Furthermore, it becomes handy when the individual is experiencing a relapse.
The program engages and educates the family members about the illness. This helps them to get their loved one on the path to a faster recovery from the illness. In addition to these, recovering individuals benefit from family therapy.
For someone who suffers from a mental disorder, the love and care of the family members come as a core support system once they step out of the psychosocial rehabilitation center. Proper knowledge about the symptoms, the aftereffects, and the individual allows the family to support and encourage the person to come out of the mental depression.
The ultimate goal of psychosocial rehabilitation is to reintegrate the individuals back to society. Through comprehensive programs and effective coping skills, the person learns to operate normally in society.
The basic premise of all the psychosocial rehabilitation programs revolves around the following principles ensuring that the individuals feel:
Psychosocial rehabilitation can be highly beneficial for a lot of people. However, everyone with a form of mental illness doesn’t need it.
Normally, most individuals can get back to a normal lifestyle with a combination of medication and therapy, while rehabilitation becomes a mandate in case the individuals require additional support. In a general scenario, PSR can help individuals in the following cases:
Other people who can benefit from PSR services are those with chronic and severe psychiatric conditions.
A psychosocial rehabilitation center is especially important for these individuals so that they can learn the necessary skills to function and cope with their condition.
These social, self-care, and life skills can benefit people with intellectual and cognitive disabilities.
People will have a period of major transition after they have been diagnosed with a mental health condition.
They may have some trouble managing their condition as they lose functionality and approach. Besides, they may also have trouble going to school or work or build supportive relationships with others.
However, once the treatment deals with their underlying condition, the rehabilitation process can help them build the required skills and support them to have fulfilling and satisfying lives.
Best Practices and Approaches Used in Psychosocial Rehabilitation
Currently, a combination of emerging and best practices based on evidence is used in psychosocial rehabilitation programs.
Irrespective of the strategy used, the goal of psychiatric rehabilitation is to restore the social and psychological functioning of the individual.
The whole idea behind psychosocial rehabilitation is that every individual is capable of achieving independence and adapting to various situations to be able to reach their goals.
There can be a considerable variation in specific psychosocial rehabilitation treatments depending on the case as well as an individual’s unique needs and available resources. Besides, the treatment processes can be highly individualized and collaborative.
Rehabilitation is effective when it encompasses a comprehensive plan addressing the person’s life and functioning. Usually, the plan is devised and executed by a clinical psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed counselor.
Moreover, a significant part of the process involves working with the person individually as well as in community settings.
If you know someone struggling with a mental health condition, don’t hesitate to reach out for professional help. Cadabams Rehabilitation Centre provides the best evidence-based treatment and therapies by well-trained medical professionals. Call us @ +91 96111 94949.