Mental Health Study Guide

development assets

the building blocks of development that help people become responsible, caring adults

empathy

the ability to imagine and understand how someone else feels

constructive criticism

non hostile comments that point out problems and encourage improvement

modeling

observing and learning from the behaviors of those around you

hormone

a chemical secreted by your glands that regulates the activities of different body cells

emotion

signals that tell your mind and body how to react

Personal identity

your sense of yourself as a unique individual

Personality

a complex set of characteristics that marks you unique

Defense mechanism

mental processes that protect individuals from strong or stressful emotions and situations

Self-actualization

striving to become the best you can be

influences of personality

environment and genetics

Personal identity

your sense of yourself as a unique individual

how do hormones affect emotions

they intensify the emotion

sympathy

you feel bad for someone

fear

a normal response to a frightening event

phobia

an irrational fear of something that doesn’t exist and it keeps you from living a normal life

repression

involuntary pushing of unpleasant feelings out of conscious thought (Simon was in a terrible car accident but has no memory of it later (involuntary))

suppression

conscious, intentional pushing of an unpleasantness from one’s mind (Olivia is getting fired but she decides not to think about it (voluntary))

rationalization

making excuses to explain a situation or behavior rather than directly taking responsibility for it (Emma got a bad grade on a test and claimed “I didn’t care about it anyway”)

regression

reverting to behaviors more characteristic of an earlier stage of development rather than dealing with the conflict in a mature manner (Lily doesn’t get attention at home so in school she acts in an immature and childish way to get attention)

denial

unconscious lack of acknowledgement of something that is obvious to others (Alex’s mom passed away but she still denies that it happens and acts as if she’s alive)

compensation

making up for weaknesses and mistakes through gift giving, hard work, or extreme efforts (a student who struggles with sports makes up for this by being a top student)

projection

attributing your own feelings or faults to another person or group (someone who cheats always accuses other people of cheating)

idealization

seeking someone else as perfect, ideal, or more worthy than everyone else (Someone might ignore the toxic traits in their partner and believe that they are perfect to avoid the anxiety of incompatibility)

stress management skills

skills that help you handle stress in a healthful, effective way

depression

a condition characterized by prolonged feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and sadness

stressor

anything that causes stress

resiliency

the ability to adapt effectively and recover from disappointment, difficulty, or crisis

stress

reaction of the body and mind to everyday challenges and demands

protective factors

conditions that shield individuals from the negative consequences of exposure to risk

chronic stress

stress associated with long-term problems that are beyond a person’s control

relaxation response

a state of calm that can be reached if one or more relaxation techniques are practiced regularly

psychosomatic response

a physical reaction that results from stress rather than from an injury or illness

anxiety

the condition of feeling uneasy or worried about what may happen

perception

the act of becoming aware through the senses

example of biological stressors

injury or illness

example of environmental stressors

anything in surroundings

example of cognitive stressors

way someone specifically views something (ex. being late)

personal behavior stressors

result of decisions - your choice (ex. perfectionism, procrastination)

life situation stressors

things you can’t control - not your choice (ex. death, divorce, tests)

what is the first stage of the body’s stress response

alarm (mind and body on high alert, fight or flight)

what is the second stage of the body’s stress response

resistance (body adapts to rush created by alarm and reacts, you choose fight or light, your body is able to perform at a higher level of endurance)

what is the third stage of the body’s stress response

fatigue (physical: when the muscles work vigorously for a long period. psychological: due to constant worry, overwork, depression, boredom, or isolation. pathological: brought on by overworking the body’s defenses in fighting disease)

4 common psychosomatic responses

headache, asthma, high blood pressure, weakened immune system

name three mental/emotional and social effects of stress

difficulty concentrating, mood swings, risks of substance abuse

4 strategies to help you control the effects of chronic stress in life

engage in physical activity

look for support among your friends and family

find a hobby or activity that relaxes you

avoid using tobacco, alcohol, other drugs

Stress-management skills

skills that help an individual handle stress in a healthful, effective way 

 List the four stress-management techniques

redirect your energy

keep a positive outlook

seek out support

express yourself

 List four symptoms of anxiety.

feelings of fear or dread

rapid heart rate, lightheadedness, or shortness of breath

perspirations or  trembling

restlessness or muscle tension

Explain why striving for perfection can cause anxiety.

A perfectionist’s anxiety comes from believing that nothing he or she does will be good enough. Placing this type of pressure on oneself can lead to frustration and unhappiness. Having realistic expectations and taking a positive view of your accomplishments can help you avoid the anxiety caused by perfectionism.

Resiliency

 the ability to adapt effectively and recover from disappointment, difficulty, or crisis

Attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors are internal factors. Name four more.

commitment to learning

positive values

social competency

positive identity

 List two benefits of having social competency.

you can resolve conflicts nonviolently

you can resist negative peer pressure

conduct disorder

A pattern of behavior in which the rights of others or basic social rules are violated

grief response

An individual’s total response to a major loss.

mood disorder

An illness that involves mood extremes that interfere with everyday living.

Mental Disorder

 illness of the mind that could affect thoughts, feelings, behaviors of a person preventing them from living a normal life 

name two classifications of mental disorders

organic and functional

6 major types of mental disorders

anxiety disorder	4. conduct disorder
mood disorder	5. schizophrenia
eating disorder	6. personality disorders

Name four types of anxiety disorders.

phobia

obsessive compulsive disorder

panic disorder

post-traumatic stress disorder

PTSD

condition that may develop after exposure to a terrifying event that threatened or caused physical harm 

Name two types of mood disorders.

bipolar and clinical

Behavior therapy

a treatment process that focuses on changing unwanted behaviors through rewards and reinforcements 

Cognitive therapy

a treatment method designed to identify and correct distorted thinking patterns that lead to feelings and behaviors that may be troublesome, self-defeating, or self destructive

closure

the acceptance of a loss

coping

dealing successfully

step one of grieving process

denial or numbness (cannot believe the loss has occurred. This part of the process protects the person from being overwhelmed by his or her emotions)

step two of grieving process

emotional releases (reactions come with recognition of the loss and often involve periods of crying, which is important to the healing process)

step 3 of grieving process

 anger (feeling powerless and unfairly deprived, the person may lash out at whatever is perceived to be responsible for the loss. Sometimes a general resentment toward life sets in)

step 4 of grieving process

bargaining (as the reality of the loss becomes clear, the person may promise to change if only what has lost can be retired, even for a little while)

step 5 of grieving process

depression (beyond the natural feelings of sadness, feelings of isolation, alienation, and hopelessness occur as the person recognizes the extent of the loss)

step 6 of grieving process

remorse (the person may become preoccupied with thoughts about what he or she could have done to prevent the loss or make things better)

step 7 of grieving process

acceptance (this stage can involve a sense of power, allowing the person to face reality in constructive ways and make significant and meaningful gestures surrounding the idea of loss

step 8 of grieving process

 hope (eventually the person reaches a point when remembering becomes less painful and he or she begins to look ahead to the future) 

List four effective coping measures to deal with disasters and crises.

spend time with other people, and discuss your feelings	3. eat nutritious foods, exercise, and get enough rest and sleep
2.get back to daily routines as quickly as possible	4. do something positive to help your community through the event, such as assisting with cleanup or raising money for aid