Unit 5 – Mental and Physical Health

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to mental and physical health as outlined in Unit 5 of the lecture notes.

Stress

A psychological and physical response to demanding situations, which can be either distress (unpleasant) or eustress (pleasant).

Eustress

A type of stress that is beneficial and enjoyable, potentially leading to positive outcomes.

Distress

A type of stress that is unpleasant, creates resistance, and generally offers no benefit.

Hedonic Adaptation

The process by which people become accustomed to a certain level of happiness, leading them not to notice it.

General Adaptation Syndrome (G.A.S.)

A three-stage reaction to stress: Alarm, Resistance, and Exhaustion.

Alarm Stage

The initial stage in G.A.S. where the fight or flight response is activated, leading to anxiety and an increase in adrenaline.

Resistance Stage

The second stage in G.A.S., where the body attempts to cope with stress and maintain functionality.

Exhaustion Stage

The final stage in G.A.S., characterized by diminished physical and mental resources, leading to a decline in health.

Tend & Befriend

A stress response strategy that involves seeking social support and nurturing others to cope with stress.

Problem-Focused Coping

A coping strategy that involves tackling the stressor directly to eliminate its source.

Emotion-Focused Coping

A coping strategy that involves managing emotional responses to stress rather than addressing the stressor itself.

Positive Psychology

The scientific study of human strengths and virtues that focuses on well-being and optimal functioning.

Well-being

A state of happiness and contentment characterized by low levels of distress and good physical and mental health.

Resilience

The ability to adapt well in the face of adversity or stress.

Authentic Happiness Inventory

A tool developed by Martin Seligman to measure happiness based on positive psychology principles.

Altruism

Selfless concern for the well-being of others, considered a key aspect of well-being.

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

A mood disorder characterized by persistent sadness and loss of interest in activities.

Bipolar Disorder

A mental health condition marked by extreme mood swings, including manic and depressive episodes.

Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorder

A severe mental disorder characterized by distorted thoughts, perceptions, emotions, and behaviors.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

A type of therapy that combines cognitive and behavioral techniques to help individuals change maladaptive thinking and behaviors.

Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)

A mental health condition where an individual exhibits two or more distinct personalities.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

An anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and behaviors (compulsions).

Therapeutic Alliance

The collaborative relationship between therapist and client that is critical for effective therapeutic outcomes.

Avoidance-Avoidance Conflict

Choosing between two undesirable options.

Learned Helplessness

A state where individuals feel unable to control the situation due to previous experiences.

External Locus of Control

Belief that outcomes are controlled by external factors (e.g., a strict teacher's unfair grading).

Daily Hassles

Minor irritations or stressors that occur regularly and accumulate over time, significantly affecting mental health.

Types of Stressors

1. Catastrophes: large-scale disasters causing significant emotional and physical damage. 2. Significant life changes. 3. Daily hassles and social stress: accumulate over time and primarily affect mental health.

Type A Personality

Competitive, hard driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and prone to anger.

Type B Personality

Easy-going and relaxed people.

Problem-focused coping

Attempting to alleviate stress directly by changing the stressor or the way we interact with it.

Emotion-focused coping

Attempting to alleviate stress by avoiding or ignoring the stressor and attending to emotional needs related to our stress reaction.

Learned Helplessness

The helplessness and passive resignation humans and other animals learn when unable to avoid repeated aversive events.

Self-control

The ability to control impulses and delay short-term gratification for greater long-term rewards.

Happiness

The state characterized by feelings of contentment and well-being, which can be segmented into subjective (influenced by personal feelings) and objective (impartial and factual) dimensions.

Gratitude

Appreciation of received tangible or intangible benefits; a state of being thankful.

Keys to Well-being

Factors that contribute to overall happiness including Altruism, Awe, Compassion, Empathy, Forgiveness, Gratitude, Mindfulness, Purpose, Social Connection, Intellectual Humility, and Bridging Differences.

Signature Strengths

Individual characteristics that define a person; operating signature strengths correlate with higher happiness and well-being.

Posttraumatic Growth

Positive experiences that may arise after trauma, including personal strength, greater appreciation for life, and spiritual development.

Subjective well-being

Self-perceived happiness or satisfaction with life.

Feel-good, do-good phenomenon

People's tendency to be helpful when in a good mood, and vice versa.

Adaptation-level phenomenon

Forming judgments relative to a neutral level defined by prior experiences.

Social comparison

Happiness and social comparison usually have a negative correlation.

Broaden-and-build theory

Positive emotions broaden awareness, helping build novel life skills and resilience.

Aerobic Exercise

Helps alleviate depression and anxiety, fights heart disease, and is associated with better cognitive functioning.

Mindfulness Meditation

A reflective practice attending to current experiences in a nonjudgmental and accepting manner; boosts happiness and lessens anxiety and depression.

Faith Factor

The finding that religiously active people tend to live longer than those who aren’t religiously active.

Deviant Behavior (Three D's of Psychological Disorders)

Behavior that deviates from societal norms, indicating a potential mental disorder.

Distressful Symptoms (Three D's of Psychological Disorders)

Symptoms that cause significant anxiety or distress, suggesting a mental health concern.

Dysfunctional Behavior (Three D's of Psychological Disorders)

Behavior that impairs normal functioning, indicative of a psychological disorder.