UNIT 4: AOS 2

wellbeing

a state in which an individual is mentally, physically, and socially healthy and secure

mental wellbeing

an individual’s psychological state, including their ability to think, process information, and regulate emotions

levels of functioning

the degree to which an individual can complete day-to-day tasks in an independent and effective manner

resilience

the ability to cope with and manage change and uncertainty

social wellbeing

the ability for an individual to form and maintain meaningful bonds with others, and adapt to different social situations

emotional wellbeing

the ability for an individual to appropriately control and express their own emotions in an adaptive way, as well as understand the emotions of others

social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB)

a framework that includes all elements of being, and therefore wellbeing, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples

multidimensional

made up of different components

holistic

an approach to wellbeing that considers the whole person, including their mental, physical, spiritual, and social needs

body

n/a

mind and emotions

ability to effectively manage thoughts and feelings

family and kinship

connection to the immediate and wider family group and community

community

n/a

culture

a strong sense of identity, values, tradition, and connection between the past, present, and future that drives behaviour and beliefs

country

n/a

spirituality

n/a

ancestors

a belief that a family and community’s ancestors are interconnected with Creation spirits and Country and watch over, guide, and protect families and communities in the physical and spiritual world

mental wellbeing continuum

a tool used to track fluctuating mental wellbeing

external factors

factors that arise from an individual’s environment

internal factors

factors that arise from within the individual

stress

a psychological and physiological experience that occurs when an individual encounters something of significance that demands their attention and/or efforts to cope

anxiety

a psychological and physiological response that involves feelings of worry and apprehension about a perceived threat

specific phobia

a type of diagnosable anxiety disorder that is categorised by excessive and disproportionate fear when encountering or anticipating the encounter of a particular stimulus

biopsychosocial approach

a holistic, interdisciplinary framework for understanding the human experience in terms of the influence of biological, psychological, and social factors

biological factors

internal, genetic, and/or physiologically based factors

social factors

external factors relating to an individual’s interactions with others and their external environment, including their relationships and community involvement

psychological factors

internal factors relating to an individual’s mental processes, including their cognition, affect, thoughts, beliefs, and attitudes

GABA dysfunction

insufficient neural transmission or reception of GABA in the body

GABA

the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system

Long-term potentiation

the long-lasting and experience-dependent strengthening of synaptic connections that are regularly coactivated

precipitating factors

factors that increase the susceptibility to and contribute to the occurrence of developing a specific phobia

perpetuating factors

factors that inhibit a person’s ability to recover from a specific phobia

cognitive bias

a predisposition to think about and process information in a certain way

memory bias

a type of cognitive bias caused by inaccurate or exaggerated memory

catastrophic thinking

a type of cognitive bias in which a stimulus or event is predicted to be far worse than it actually is

specific enviromental triggers

stimuli or experiences in a person’s environment that evoke an extreme stress response, leading to the development of a phobia

stigma

the feeling of shame or disgrace experienced by an individual for a characteristic that differentiates them from others

benzodiazepine

a type of medication that depresses central nervous system activity and is often used as a short-acting anti-anxiety medication

agnoists

a type of drug that imitates neurotransmitters and works to initiate a neural response (excitatory or inhibitory) when it binds to the receptor sites of a neuron

breathing retraining

a method used to teach breathing control techniques that may reduce physiological arousal

psychotherapeutic treatments

treatments that address dysfunctional emotions, thoughts, and behaviours through therapeutic communication

cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

a form of psychotherapy that encourages individuals to substitute dysfunctional cognitions and behaviours with more adaptive ones

systematic desensitisation

a therapeutic technique used to overcome phobias that involves a patient being exposed incrementally to increasingly anxiety inducing stimuli, combined with the use of relaxation techniques

psychoeducation

teaching families and supporters of individuals with mental health disorders how to better understand, deal with, and treat their disorder

protective factors

influences that enable an individual to promote and maintain high levels of mental wellbeing

biological protective factors

influences that stem from an individual’s brain and/or body that can maintain or promote mental wellbeing

adequate nutrition and hydration

when the type and amount of food and drink that an individual consumes meet their physical needs

sleep

a regular and naturally occurring altered state of consciousness that involves a loss of awareness and disengagement with internal and external stimuli

psychological protective factors

influences that relate to mental processes that can maintain and promote mental wellbeing

cognitive behavioural strategies

techniques that utilise traits of cognitive behavioural therapy, particularly recognising and changing dysfunctional thought and behavioural patterns

mindfullness meditation

the practice of meditation in which an individual focuses on their present experience to promote feelings of calm and peace

social protective factors

influences that exist in an individual’s social environment that can maintain and promote mental wellbeing

support

genuine and effective assistance provided by family, friends, and community

classical conditioning

a process of learning through the involuntary association between a neutral stimulus and an unconditioned stimulus that results in a conditioned response

operant conditioning

a three-phase learning process that involves an antecedent, behaviour, and consequence, whereby the consequence of a behaviour determines the likelihood that it will reoccur

determinants of wellbeing

factors that influence wellbeing on individual and community levels

cultural continuity

the passing down and active practice of cultural knowledge, traditions, and values from generation to generation

self-determination

the rights of all peoples to pursue freely their economic, social, and cultural development without outside interference