Mental Health Nursing: Eating, Substance, Psychotic, Mood, and Anxiety Disorders Review

VOCABULARY style flashcards covering eating disorders, substance use, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety based on lecture modules.

Refeeding syndrome

A rare but potentially fatal complication occurring in the first $1-2$ weeks of commencing refeeding for severely malnourished individuals, involving disturbances in insulin and serum electrolytes like phosphate, potassium, and magnesium.

SCOFF Questions

A screening tool for eating disorders: S (Sick - self-induced), C (Control loss), O (One stone/$6\,kg$ loss in $3$-month period), F (FAR - believing oneself is far when others say thin), F (Food dominates life).

Anorexia Nervosa

A serious mental illness where low body weight or low body mass index (BMI) is the central feature, characterized by intense fear and avoidance of weight gain.

Bulimia Nervosa

Characterized by regular, overwhelming urges to binge followed by compensatory behaviours like self-induced vomiting, excessive exercise, or laxative misuse to avoid weight gain.

Binge eating disorder

The most common eating disorder, characterized by recurrent episodes of binge eating without the use of compensatory behaviours.

Psychological dependence

A compulsion or craving to continue taking a substance because of the need for stimulation or to relieve anxiety and depression.

Physical dependence

The need to take a psychoactive substance to avoid physical disturbances or withdrawal symptoms following the cessation of use.

Tolerance

A state where the body adjusts to excessive dopamine production from chronic substance use, leading to a decrease in pleasure and requiring an increased dose to achieve the desired effect.

Wernicke encephalopathy

A short-term condition related to substance use characterized by confusion, ataxia, and vision changes.

Korsakoff syndrome

A long-term condition related to substance use characterized by cognition and memory impairment, confabulation, and hallucinations.

Delirium Tremens (DTs)

A medical emergency and severe form of alcohol withdrawal occurring $1-5$ days after cessation, characterized by disorientation, agitation, and hallucinations.

4 L’s

A framework for the adverse health risks of substance use: Liver, Lover, Livelihood, and Law.

Delusions

Fixed, false beliefs maintained despite contradictory reality or rational arguments.

Hallucinations

False sensory perceptions of internal origin that occur in the absence of an actual external stimulus.

Loosening of associations (Flight of Ideas)

A form of disorganized speech involving shifting rapidly between topics with no clear connections.

Tangential thinking

Shifting rapidly between topics where connections exist, but the speaker digresses from the main focus of the conversation.

Neologisms

Made-up words or phrases that carry meaning only to the speaker.

Echolalia

The purposeless repetition of words spoken by another person.

Echopraxia

The purposeless repetition of the actions performed by another person.

Positive symptoms

Symptoms of psychosis best described as an 'excess' of or additional experiences, such as hallucinations or delusions.

Negative symptoms

Patterns of behavior involving the removal or withdrawal of normal everyday functioning, including emotional responsiveness, spontaneous speech, and volition.

Atypical 2nd generation Antipsychotics

Medications effective for both positive and negative symptoms of psychosis with a decreased risk of extrapyramidal effects, though they carry a risk of metabolic syndrome.

Akathisia

An extrapyramidal side effect characterized by a feeling of inner restlessness and a desire to walk or pace.

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS)

A potentially lethal reaction to antipsychotics usually occurring within one week, characterized by hyperthermia, muscle rigidity, and altered consciousness.

Mood stabiliser

A medication that must be able to treat and prevent both acute depression and acute mania.

Lithium

Considered the gold standard and first-line treatment for bipolar disorder.

Serotonin syndrome

A dangerous condition with a mortality rate of $2-12\%$, involving altered mental status, autonomic dysfunction, and neuromuscular abnormalities.

Discontinuation syndrome

A range of uncomfortable symptoms like GI upset, dizziness, and anxiety resulting from the rapid cessation or tapering of antidepressants.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

Excessive anxiety and worry that is difficult to control, experienced with symptoms like restlessness, muscle tension, and sleep disturbance.

Panic attack

Sudden, severe, and uncontrollable anxiety or fear that reaches a peak within minutes, involving symptoms like palpitations, sweating, and trembling.

Factitious disorder

Formally known as Munchausen, a condition where illness is fabricated or self-imposed to seek medical attention and perceived benefits of the patient role.

Partnership in care

A collaborative relationship between consumers, families or carers, and clinicians or service providers to deliver person-centered care.

EASE framework

A family-focused practice model consisting of four stages: Engage, Assess, Support, and Educate.