Browsing by Subject "nuorten mielenterveysongelmat"

Young people are often vulnerable to mental disorders while they are in a sensitive and fragile developmental stage. Mental disorders are becoming more and more common among young people at an alarming rate. It is estimated that one in five young people suffers from some form of mental disorder and would benefit from a treatment. Mental disorders demand different kinds of treatments. Medical treatment is not the only solution and it should be supported by some sort of functional therapy. By medical treatment you can treat the symptom, not the cause of it. Functional therapy is designed to accustom the patient back to the normal daily habits. It helps the patient to adjust to the normal live after a period in hospital. Different kinds of therapies should be motivating and effective in order to achieve the coals. The empowering effects of nature have been utilized in metal health care. Garden activity has been found to have a positive effect on the human experience of self-confidence and on the ability to cope in social contacts. It has been found to relieve aggression and stress as well as to improve attention and maintenance of social relationships. In natural environments the patient can feel from the treatment relationship and forget about his or her patient status for a while. This study focused to therapeutic horticulture and how it affects young people with mental health problems. The study involved young people in Pitkäniemi psychiatric hospital in two different departments. Young people took part in a weekly garden group from May to September. The aim was to find out if garden activities have an effect to the concentration and mood. Young people self-evaluated their ability to concentrate and their mood before and after the horticultural therapy session. The activities in the garden plot and the patients participating in the garden activities were observed. The nurses were interviewed after the study period. Positive results were obtained. Young people felt that they were calmer, happier and refreshed after therapeutic horticulture session and their concentration was increased. Plants were treated with care and the young patients participated in various work without any preconceptions.