BH Benchmark

Difference between behavioral and mental health?

Behavioral health is broader; it includes mental health plus behaviors like substance use and habits.

Professional authorized to prescribe psychiatric meds?

Psychiatrists or Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners.

Primary responsibility of a behavioral health nurse?

Administering medication and monitoring patient vitals

Professional for housing and community support?

Social Worker.

Two examples of treatment settings?

Inpatient psychiatric hospitals and outpatient clinics.

Professional focused on daily living skills?

Occupational Therapist.

What is the main purpose of a behavioral health care team?

To provide holistic, multi-disciplinary care for the whole person.

Therapy that changes negative thinking patterns?

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT).

Area addressed by physical therapy in this field?

Physical issues caused by stress or medication side effects.

Why is teamwork important in behavioral health treatment?

It ensures continuity of care and addresses the complex, overlapping needs of a patient from multiple expertise levels.

Definition of stress?

The body's physical and emotional reaction to a challenge or demand.

Three stages of GAS?

Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion.

Body's reaction in the Alarm stage?

Triggers fight-or-flight, increasing heart rate and adrenaline.

Health problems from long-term stress?

Heart disease, high blood pressure, and weakened immunity.

What is burnout?

Total emotional and physical exhaustion from prolonged stress.

Scientist known for fight-or-flight?

Walter Cannon.

Example of a healthy coping strategy?

Mindfulness, exercise, or deep breathing.

Conflict involving two negative options?

Avoidance-avoidance conflict.

The stage where the body tries to return to normal while remaining on high alert.

Resistance stage.

Positive effect of stress?

Eustress can improve motivation and performance.

Medical definition of addiction?

A chronic, relapsing brain disease involving compulsive use.

Brain chemical involved in reward?

Dopamine.

Definition of tolerance?

Needing more of a substance to get the same original effect.

Dependence vs. Addiction?

Dependence is physical need; addiction is the behavioral compulsion.

Example of a behavioral addiction?

Gambling or excessive gaming.

Two risk factors for addiction?

Genetics (family history) and environmental trauma.

What happens during withdrawal?

Physical and mental distress when a substance is stopped.

One protective factor against addiction?

Strong social support or high self-esteem.

Impact of stigma on addiction?

It creates shame and prevents people from seeking help.

Stages of the addiction cycle?

Binge/Intoxication →
Withdrawal/Negative Affect →

(BIWN)

Definition of suicide?

The act of intentionally causing one's own death.

Two suicide risk factors?

Untreated mental illness and previous attempts.

Two suicide warning signs?

Talking about wanting to die and giving away belongings.

Two protective factors for suicide?

Access to healthcare and strong community bonds.

What is the safest action if a friend talks about wanting to die?

Stay with them and contact a professional

Why "permanent solution to temporary problem"?

It emphasizes that while feelings of despair are often temporary or treatable, the act of suicide cannot be reversed.

Impact of access to lethal means?

It significantly increases the risk of a completed suicide.

Why ask someone directly about suicide?

It opens a door for help and does NOT plant the idea.

Common myth about suicide?

Myth: People who talk about it won't actually do it.

How coping skills affect suicide risk?

They provide safe ways to manage pain, lowering the risk.

A teen has been under heavy academic pressure for months and now feels exhausted, sick often, and unmotivated.

exhausted

Someone starts using a substance occasionally but now needs it daily and feels unwell without it. Which concept best explains this change?

Dependence.

A student posts online about feeling hopeless and gives away possessions. What should a friend do first?

Contact the student immediately to offer support and notify a trusted adult.

Role of a Psychologist in behavioral health?

They provide specialized testing, diagnosis, and psychotherapy (but usually do not prescribe).