ANTI-OPPRESSIVE SOCIAL WORK WITH PERSONS WITH MENTAL ILLNESS
Keywords:
social work, oppression, people with mental illness, reflection, narrative approachAbstract
People with mental illness experience difficulties in various areas of their lives. They face difficulties with their social functioning and maintaining effective relationships in most spheres of the social environment. They are still one of the most discriminated groups in society and very often experience oppression, which they internalize in themselves and this leads to low self-esteem and self-esteem. This, in turn, reduces their chances of recovery and negatively affects their well-being. The existing stigma surrounding mental illness limits the access of people with this type of disability to public resources, thus exacerbating their problems.
Anti-oppressive social work aims to change a person's view of himself and restore his ability to cope with the consequences of structural inequalities and improve his skills for social functioning.
The report presents findings from a literature review on the topic of oppression and empowerment of persons with mental illness. The various forms of oppression, their influence and the possibilities for realizing anti-oppressive social work are examined. There is a focus on reflection as a method to support social workers' skills to provide effective social support promoting recovery, functioning and well-being. The narrative approach in social work with a group are identified as appropriate methods that support the individual in the process of creation and appropriate self-determination to increase their coping options. Effective social work requires focusing attention on oppression and inequality as the source of the problems of persons with mental illness and applying approaches aimed at overcoming them.
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