Ch. 15 Behavioral Health

Emotional symptoms

• Panic

• Fear

• Apprehension

• Anxiety

• Withdrawal

• Nightmares

• Flashbacks

• Ritualized repetitive behaviors

Physical symptoms

• Rapid heart rate

• Sleep disturbances

• Shortness of breath

• Muscular tension

• Gastrointestinal upset

• Cold, clammy hands

Depressive disorders

Approximately 10% of adults in America experience symptoms of depression. Depression affects females more than males. It alters a person’s way of thinking and interferes with his or her daily activities.

Major depressive disorder

manifested as a combination of symptoms that affects the patient’s ability to work, sleep, study, and enjoy previously pleasurable activities

Dysthymic disorder

though not a severe form of depression, can progress to major depression at some time in the patient’s life

Bipolar disorders

mood disorders or manic-depression; manifested as moods change from extreme high (mania) to extreme low (depression)

Phobia

an extreme, irrational fear of something that actually is not dangerous

Panic disorder

characterized by irrational feelings of fear and horror that occur suddenly; symptoms occur along with nausea, weakness, chest pain, palpitations, diaphoresis, vertigo, syncope, and a fear of awaiting trouble or loss of control

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD)

characterized by certain obsessions where the patients think they are not in their control, so they repeatedly perform certain acts (ritualistic behavior) to prevent those obsessions

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

occurs in individuals who have experienced or witnessed terrifying physical or emotional events such as assault, r*pe, battery, war, natural disasters, and acts of terrorism; frequent flashbacks or replay events in the patient’s mind, causing feelings of guilt and fear

Schizophrenia

A chronic psychological disorder that is a disabling brain condition. Causes delusions, hallucinations, difficulty speaking and expressing emotions

Dementia symptoms

• Short-term memory loss

• Confusion and disorientation about a person, time, and location

• Lack of personal hygiene, nutrition, and safety

• Personality changes

• Patient inability to follow simple directions

Alzheimer’s Disease

a distressing, chronic, degenerative, and progressive disease that affects the parts of the brain that control thought, memory, and language. A form of dementia

HIPPA guidelines psychotherapy note

a psychotherapy note is a written documentation by a mental health professional that contains description and analysis of the conversation between a patient and healthcare professional during the counseling sessions.

• Psychotherapy notes cannot be disclosed to insurance providers or third parties without specific permission from the patient.

• The therapist decides whether to disclose the psychotherapy notes to the patient. A patient has limited access to these psychotherapy notes.