Mental illness is a disorder which impact a persons emotions greatly causing abnormal behaviours and results in an individual being incapable to function socially. The population of people suffering from mental illness is greatly increasing. In addition, often people suffering from mentall illness are unaware of there circumstance. This is very significant for the fact that Australia's local communities lack the acknowledgement and recognition of people with these disorders and the resources and support for mentally ill people is weak.
In New South Wales the legislation which relates to the care and treatment of the mentally ill is based on The Mental Health Act (1990). The aim of this act is to protect the rights of people with mental illness or mental disorder whilst ensuring that they have access to appropriate care. The Mental Health Act did slightly improve the treatment towards mentally ill people, however, with all the technology and facilities NSW and its local communities have, support for the individuals suffering is extrememly lacking.
There very little ways in which the community and the government have assisted in maintaining a healthy life style with mentally ill people is by providing medications which gradually allow the mentally ill to behave normally. In addition there are various treatments which are currently new. Mental health review tribunals take place which reguarly review mentally ill patients whilst also hearing appeals and complaints of negative treatment.
The communities and the state is not living up to the expectations of mentally ill people and their families, and is failing to support the mentally ill which is evident by the amount of media circling this topic. A perfect example of this would be The Sydney Morning Herald article "Many Mentally Ill Not Seeking Support" written on otober 5th 2010. This article manifests the mentally ill not seeking support for the reason of the stigma attached. In addition, it highlights the...