Social work

Mental and behavioral disorders are on of the largest problem of society health. Mental Health Center of Kaunas in Šilainiai outpatient clinic were treated about 900 schizophrenia ill people. These persons have a lot of social, psychological and occupational problems. These patients often feel stress, fear, worry, they don’t believe in their strength or they feel lonely.
Besides all these problems, people who are suffering from schizophrenia often have a weight growth problem. Specialists of Mental Health didn’t pay enough attention to this clients’ problem. Clients’ weight is growing about 10-20kg by using antipsychotic medicaments. Changes in body proportions often cause the new complexes for schizophrenia ill people. So, this problem makes troubles for meaningful functioning of these persons and causes their quality of life.
Beginning with 2005 Mental Health Center of Kaunas in Šilainiai outpatient clinic started to carry out Weight Control Program for people using antipsychotic medicaments. The aim of this program is to help to control the weight for schizophrenia ill people. In such way, team of the specialists are seeking to decrease negative outcomes of overweight to schizophrenia ill people physical health and also to social outcomes, which can rise by weight growth.
Weight Control Program for people using antipsychotic medicine is useful for consumers of mental health services and for specialists, who started to work by team work principals. During this programs weight had become less than 5-9kg for 10 percent of participants and weight growth stopped for 64 percent of participants. Schizophrenia ill people learned how to control their weight and their self-confident, belief in methods of treatment increased. Collaboration between clients and specialists of mental health has improved by growth of trust. Such therapeutic relation helps to find better rehabilitation measures, which answer clients’ expectations.