nu 673 unit 3 reflection journal Describe your past experience in mental health or with someone with mental illness. ? What are the reasons you have chosen to work with this population? ? Discuss any concerns you have regarding this specific clinical course and population Adult/Geriatric. ? Identify personal and academic/professional goals for the clinical course and population Adult/Geriatric.

 Reflective Journal
Entry 1
My experience is mental illness stems back to my early childhood. I was born into a very
dysfunctional family with many mental illnesses. Some of these family members are diagnosed
and some are undiagnosed. My mother suffers from Bipolar I disorder and has history of
substance abuse. I was dealing with her disease at young age. I also had numerous others within
my immediate family with mental illness. Even though as a child/teenager I was aware that I was
experiencing mental illness. I started working with mental health in my early twenties as mental
health worker at a acute psychiatric unit. I begin seeing the vast population of individuals with
these same problems I experienced with family growing up. I was intrigued by the ability to label
it and treat the problems. I began studying different psych books while completing my basic
college classes. I worked with one particular psych nurse who also had a Bachelor of
Psychology. She inspired me to go to nursing school and work in the mental health field. I
received my first nursing job as a psych nurse on an acute adolescent unit. I fell in love working
with this age group and continued increasing my education.
I always make the statement when asked “why mental health?”, and that
statement is I didn’t choose mental health, mental health chose me. I love working with the
population of individuals suffering from the mental illnesses, to help guide them to receive
treatment and live a life worth living. My main goal is to help end the stigma associated with
mental illness and shed light on the vulnerable population to receive better treatments and
services.