Behavioral health is an aspect of treatment that focuses on the mutual relationship between persons in society and their bodily health. This encompasses the good state of the body, mind and spirit. The three can be viewed as one or as individual features. Behavioral health care has evolved over the years. Several issues have led to these changes. It has finally reached a point where the focus has shifted from institutionalized health care to community-based services. This shift has resulted in the improvement of the behavioral health care industry. (Christner, 1997)
An issue that has led to the development of community-based mental health care is the increased focus on human rights. (Christner, 1997) Mental institutions were known to be inhumane to the patients themselves. They were kept in custody for long periods of time. The moral of this incarceration was called into question during the last century. Special focus was given to children who were diagnosed with mental retardation in the early stages of their lives. One of the issues that have led to the de-institutionalization of behavioral health care is the development of psychotropic medication. (Christner, 1997) This occurred during a period when most asylums were congested. The creation of Thorazine led to the development of more anti-psychotic medication. These medications became more and more available. (Schwartz, 2001) The length of time that the mentally ill stayed in hospitals was thus reduced. This provided an avenue for community-based services to flourish. Asylum populations were subsequently allowed to decline. De-institutionalization was allowed to take place. There were many patients in mental institutions that were able to function in society. These patients only needed a little out-patient care. This shift has improved behavioral health care since the number of the mentally retarded has relatively reduced. The financial benefits of these changes are also immense. These funds can be devoted to more research about behavioral health care. (Schwartz, 2001)
One of the major challenges of providing mental health care in a community setting involves the cost of monitoring the mentally ill. A health practitioner must monitor the mentally retarded and this involves transportation and other costs. It is also much easier for such a patient to be monitored within an institution than in a community setting. Adequate care may also not be provided in such a setting. This problem can be resolved in two ways. The first is by instilling more support and a sense of involvement in the members of that particular community. The second way is by increasing funding to organizations and projects that support the mentally ill. (Schwartz, 2001)
The discovery of Thorazine and its subsequent availability had a dramatic effect. A good effect was that it improved the treatment of behavioral patients and reduced the time that they had to spend at mental institutions. One negative effect of this drug was its side effects. These included slurred speech and constipation. Others were sedation and dry mouth. There were also several skin reactions as well as reactions of the reproductive system. (Matarazzo, 1984) These side effects caused delays in treatment since the patients mistrusted the drug and the process of its administration. Early patients who used Thorazine showed various changes. These included improvement in their emotional and mental processing. Thorazine changed behavioral science since it allowed the number of patients at mental asylums to reduce significantly. Thorazine has been substituted by atypical antipsychotics. These newer generation drugs are more preferred in the treatment of ailments such as schizophrenia. They have fewer side effects compared to Thorazine. Thorazine is however still regarded as an efficient antipsychotic. (Matarazzo, 1984)
References
Christner, A. M. (1997). Behavioral health: the year in review. New York, NY: Manisses Communications Group.
Matarazzo, J. D. (1984) Behavioral health: a handbook of health enhancement and disease prevention. New York, NY: Wiley.
Schwartz, D. (2001) Behavioral Health: Dm Strategies & Programs. Hcpro Inc.