Stress and Mental Health Unit Notes

Vocabulary flashcards covering stress responses, coping mechanisms, psychosomatic illnesses, mental health disorders, and treatment resources from the lecture notes.

Traumatic Events

Intensely distressing or overwhelming experiences that can cause severe, long-lasting mental and physical strain.

Post-Traumatic Stress

A condition of persistent mental and emotional stress that occurs as a result of experiencing or witnessing a serious, distressing life event.

Daily Conflicts and Hassles

Everyday obligations, minor irritations, and responsibilities that add up to create routine stress.

Alarm Stage

The initial 'fight or flight' stage of the stress response during which adrenaline and epinephrine are released, increasing heart rate and suppressing digestion.

Resistance Stage

The second stage of the stress response where the body works to cope directly with the stressor and maintain standard function.

Homeostasis

The internal biological process of the body returning to its normal, balanced baseline after experiencing stress.

Exhaustion Stage

The third stage of the stress response, occurring when prolonged stress depletes body reserves, damages organs, and impairs the immune system.

Type A Personality

A personality pattern typically marked by high competitiveness, urgency, ambition, and a tendency to experience higher stress levels.

Type B Personality

A personality pattern characterized by a more relaxed, easygoing, patient, and less stress-prone demeanor.

Psychosomatic Illness

Physical medical conditions or bodily pain brought on, triggered, or exacerbated by emotional and mental stress.

TMJ (Temporomandibular Joint Disorder)

A stress-related physical response causing severe clenching of the jaw and tightening of facial muscles, often accompanied by teeth grinding.

Beta Endorphins

Mood-elevating neurochemicals released during cardiovascular exercise that produce feelings of happiness and overall wellness.

Power Naps

Short rest periods lasting between 20 and 30 minutes that enable the body and mind to recharge, regain focus, and reduce fatigue.

Imagery

A mental relaxation technique in which an individual visualizes a comfortable, peaceful environment or 'happy place' to relieve tension.

Role Rehearsal

A cognitive coping technique that involves mentally practicing or visualizing how to handle an impending stressful scenario prior to experiencing it.

Progressive Relaxation

A stress reduction technique centered on methodically relaxing the body's major muscle groups through stretching, movement, or targeted tension release.

Organic Causes of Mental Illness

Physical or biological factors leading to mental disorders, including brain trauma, chemical imbalances, genetic heredity, and physical disease.

Functional Causes of Mental Illness

Environmental, social, or developmental life experiences and emotional trauma that contribute to psychological distress.

Anxiety Disorders

A broad class of mental health conditions characterized by continuous, overwhelming fear, isolation, and insecurity that disrupt daily functioning.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

A disorder involving constant, uncontrollable worry and physical distress—such as rapid heartbeat, cold hands, and shortness of breath—without an identifiable rational cause.

Phobias

Intense, irrational, and debilitating fears focused on specific objects, social interactions, or situations that significantly impair normal activities.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

A condition driven by persistent, recurring unwanted thoughts (obsessions) that compel repetitive, rigid rituals or actions (compulsions) to ease anxiety.

Illness Anxiety Disorder

Formerly known as hypochondria, a disorder characterized by excessive, irrational fear of harboring or developing a severe medical disease.

Dissociative Disorders

Psychological conditions marked by an involuntary breakdown of personal identity, memory, or consciousness, typically caused by profound trauma or extreme stress.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

Formerly termed Multiple Personality Disorder, a severe dissociative condition where an individual possesses two or more distinct personality states, often arising from traumatic childhood abuse.

Schizophrenia

A severe psychiatric disorder characterized by a distorted perception of reality, auditory hallucinations, delusions, disordered speech, and deeply confused behavior.

Anorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder marked by self-starvation, severe refusal to consume or retain adequate nutrition, and excessive dieting driven by distorted body image.

Bulimia

An eating disorder distinguished by cycles of rapid, excessive eating (bingeing) followed by forced evacuation of the food through vomiting or laxative abuse (purging).

Bipolar Disorder

Also called manic depression, a mood disorder characterized by cyclical swings between periods of extreme mania (elevated energy and happiness) and profound depression.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

A recurring form of clinical depression correlated with changing weather patterns and limited sunlight during specific times of year, notably winter.

Acceptance

A phase in the grieving process wherein an individual acknowledges the finality of a loss and learns strategies to live and function alongside the reality.

Warning Signs of Suicide

Recognizable red flags that may indicate severe self-harm risk, including personal neglect, social withdrawal, extreme fatigue, giving away possessions, and talking about dying.

Psychiatrist

A licensed medical doctor who specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and medical treatment of mental health disorders, capable of prescribing clinical medication.

Inpatient Care

Formal psychiatric or medical care requiring a patient to be formally admitted to reside overnight within a hospital facility for continuous monitoring.

Group Therapy

A therapeutic modality where individuals experiencing similar psychological challenges or mental disorders meet together under the guidance of a licensed mental health professional.