mental wellbreing full

What is mental wellbeing?

A state in which an individual can function effectively, cope with challenges and participate meaningfully in life. Mental wellbeing can fluctuate over time.

What are the three ways of considering mental wellbeing in this AOS?

1. Levels of functioning

2. Resilience

3. Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB)

What is a high level of functioning?

A high level of functioning involves primarily adaptive behaviour, meaning the individual can adjust to the demands of everyday life appropriately and effectively.

What is adaptive behaviour?

Behaviour that enables an individual to adjust to their environment appropriately and effectively.

What is a low level of functioning?

A low level of functioning may involve primarily maladaptive behaviour, which interferes with an individual's ability to adjust effectively to the demands of everyday life.

What is maladaptive behaviour?

Behaviour that interferes with an individual's ability to adjust to their environment or function effectively in everyday life.

What is resilience?

The ability to cope with and manage change and uncertainty.

What is SEWB?

A multidimensional and holistic framework for wellbeing that recognises the interconnected elements of being for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

What are the elements of SEWB?

• Body

• Mind and emotions

• Family and kinship

• Community

• Culture

• Country

• Spirituality

• Ancestors

What does Country mean in SEWB?

A connection to land, place, waterways, environment, culture, spirituality and ancestors.

It can contribute to a person's identity, belonging, cultural connection and overall wellbeing.

What does kinship mean in SEWB?

The relationships, connections and responsibilities between family members and other people within a community.

Kinship can provide connection, belonging, support and a sense of identity.

MENTAL WELLBEING AS A CONTINUUM

Mental wellbeing can range across different levels rather than simply being “mentally healthy” or “mentally ill”.

Mental wellbeing can fluctuate over time.

An individual's mental wellbeing may change depending on the intensity of their stress or anxiety and how effectively they can cope.

What is the biopsychosocial approach?

An approach that explains behaviour and mental wellbeing through the interaction of biological, psychological and social factors.

What are biological factors?

Factors relating to the body and biological processes, such as genes, neurotransmitters and physical health.

What are psychological factors?

Factors relating to mental processes and behaviour, such as thoughts, emotions, learning and cognitive biases.

What are social factors?

Factors involving relationships, social environments, culture and interactions with other people.

What is a specific phobia?

An intense and disproportionate fear of a particular object or situation that can cause significant anxiety and interfere with daily functioning.

BIOLOGICAL FACTORS IN SPECIFIC PHOBIA

GABA dysfunction

GABA stands for Gamma-amino butyric acid.

its an inhibitory neurotransmitter.

GABA dysfunction contributes to specific phobia by insufficient inhibition of neural activity associated with anxiety, contributing to heightened phobic anxiety.

BIOLOGICAL FACTORS IN SPECIFIC PHOBIA

Long-term potentiation (LTP)

LTP is a long-lasting strengthening of synaptic connections following repeated stimulation of neurons.

its contributes to a specific phobia by repeated activation of neural pathways associated with fear can strengthen those pathways, making the fear response more likely to occur in the future.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN SPECIFIC PHOBIA

Classical conditioning

Classical conditioning can precipitate a specific phobia when a previously neutral stimulus becomes associated with a frightening or unpleasant experience, causing the individual to develop a conditioned fear response.

Precipitate means to trigger or bring about the development of something.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN SPECIFIC PHOBIA

Operant conditioning

Operant conditioning can perpetuate a specific phobia when avoidance of the feared stimulus can be negatively reinforced because avoiding it temporarily reduces anxiety.

Negative reinforcement is the strengthening of a behaviour because an unpleasant stimulus or feeling is removed or reduced.

Avoidance maintains a specific phobia because avoidance temporarily reduces anxiety, reinforcing the avoidance behaviour and preventing the individual from learning that the feared stimulus may not be dangerous.

PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS IN SPECIFIC PHOBIA

Cognitive biases

A cognitive bias is a systematic pattern of thinking that can lead to distorted or inaccurate interpretations of information.

A memory bias is a tendency to selectively recall or focus on information that supports an existing fear or belief.

A memory bias can perpetuate a specific phobia if the individual may remember threatening or frightening experiences more easily than safe experiences, reinforcing their fear.

Catastrophic thinking is a cognitive bias involving imagining or expecting the worst possible outcome.

Catastrophic thinking can perpetuate a specific phobia if it increases the individual's perception of threat and anxiety by causing them to overestimate the likelihood or severity of a negative outcome.

SOCIAL FACTORS IN SPECIFIC PHOBIA

Specific environmental triggers are events or experiences in an individual's environment that may contribute to the development or activation of a specific phobia.

Some examples of environmental triggers for a phobia could be a frightening experience, witnessing an accident, or exposure to frightening information or media.

Stigma can affect treatment for specific phobia when fear of being judged or negatively labelled may discourage someone from seeking treatment, allowing the phobia to continue.

BIOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS

Benzodiazepines

What are short-acting anti-anxiety benzodiazepines?

Medications that can be used to manage phobic anxiety, particularly in the short term.

BIOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS

How do benzodiazepines work?

They act as GABA agonists, enhancing the inhibitory effects of GABA and reducing neural activity associated with anxiety.

BIOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS

Breathing retraining

What is breathing retraining?

A technique that teaches an individual to control their breathing to help reduce physiological symptoms of anxiety.

BIOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS

Give two benefits of breathing retraining for specific phobia.

• It can reduce physiological symptoms of anxiety.

• It can help the individual manage anxiety while engaging with other treatments, such as exposure therapy.

PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.(CBT)

What does CBT target?

The relationship between an individual's thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS

How can CBT treat a specific phobia?

It can help individuals identify and challenge unrealistic or anxious thoughts and develop more adaptive behaviours.

PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS

Systematic desensitisation

What is systematic desensitisation?

A behavioural treatment involving gradual exposure to increasingly anxiety-provoking stimuli while using relaxation techniques.

PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS

What is a fear hierarchy?

A list of feared situations arranged from the least anxiety-provoking to the most anxiety-provoking.

PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTIONS

How does systematic desensitisation reduce phobic anxiety?

The individual gradually encounters increasingly feared situations while managing their anxiety, allowing them to develop a reduced fear response.

SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS

Psychoeducation

What is psychoeducation?

Providing individuals, families or supporters with information and strategies to better understand and manage a mental health condition.

SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS

How can psychoeducation help families and supporters of someone with a specific phobia?

It can teach them how to provide helpful support and understand the individual's phobia.

SOCIAL INTERVENTIONS

What should families/supporters do when helping someone with a specific phobia?

They can help challenge unrealistic or anxious thoughts and provide supportive encouragement.

What is a protective factor?

A factor that reduces the likelihood of negative outcomes and supports the maintenance of mental wellbeing.

How can adequate nutritional intake protect mental wellbeing?

It provides the body and brain with nutrients needed for healthy physical and cognitive functioning.

How can adequate sleep support mental wellbeing?

Sleep supports healthy brain functioning, concentration, emotional functioning and the ability to cope with everyday demands.

What are cognitive behavioural strategies?

Strategies that involve identifying and changing unhelpful patterns of thinking and behaviour.

How can cognitive behavioural strategies maintain mental wellbeing?

They can help individuals recognise unhelpful thoughts, develop more realistic thinking and engage in adaptive behaviours.

What is mindfulness meditation?

A practice involving focusing attention on the present moment and observing thoughts and feelings without immediate judgement or reaction.

How can family, friends and community maintain mental wellbeing?

They can provide authentic and energising support, connection, belonging and practical or emotional assistance.

What are cultural determinants of wellbeing?

Cultural factors that influence wellbeing, including cultural continuity and self-determination.

What is cultural continuity?

The maintenance and continuation of cultural identity, knowledge, practices, traditions and connections across generations.

How can cultural continuity support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander wellbeing?

It can strengthen identity, belonging, cultural connection and social and emotional wellbeing.

What is self-determination?

The ability of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to make decisions and have control over matters that affect their lives and communities.

How can self-determination support wellbeing?

It can promote empowerment, autonomy, culturally appropriate decision-making and stronger communities.

Classical conditioning vs operant conditioning in specific phobia?

• Classical conditioning → can precipitate/develop the phobia.

• Operant conditioning → can perpetuate/maintain the phobia through avoidance and negative reinforcement.

How do you explain avoidance in a case study?

Avoidance may perpetuate the individual's specific phobia through negative reinforcement because avoiding the feared stimulus temporarily reduces anxiety. This reduction reinforces the avoidance behaviour, making it more likely to occur again.

How do you explain catastrophic thinking in a case study?

Catastrophic thinking may contribute to the individual's phobic anxiety because they overestimate the likelihood or severity of the worst possible outcome, increasing their perception of threat.

How do you explain the biopsychosocial approach in a case study?

A biopsychosocial approach explains the individual's specific phobia through the interaction of biological, psychological and social factors.

Flashcard 77

Q: What are cultural determinants of wellbeing?

A: Cultural factors that influence wellbeing, including cultural continuity and self-determination.