Mental Health Week 1 Lecture Notes

Practical flashcards covering vocabulary from mental health nursing notes, including theories, therapies, and defense mechanisms.

Mental Health

A state of well-being where a person can cope with the normal stresses of everyday life, work productively, and contribute to the community; characterized by rational thinking, communication skills, and resilience.

Mental Illness

Significant dysfunction in mental functioning related to developmental, biological, or physiological disturbances.

Diathesis Stress Model

A model suggesting that the expression of mental illness results from a combination of a genetic predisposition (diathesis) and environmental or psychological events (stress).

Genetic Diathesis

When environmental stress triggers genes to activate in an individual who is predisposed to mental illness.

Mental Health Parity Act

Required insurance companies to provide equal treatment coverage for psychiatric disorders, where parity signifies equivalence.

Patient Protection + Affordable Care Act

A law that expanded Medicaid eligibility for mental health coverage.

Incidence

The number of new cases of a disorder within a certain time frame.

Prevalence

The total number of new and existing cases of a disorder within a certain time frame.

Lifetime Risk

The risk that a person will develop a disease in the course of their lifetime.

Clinical Epidemiology

A field that studies groups of people who actively struggle with a specific mental illness.

International Classification for Nursing Practice (ICNP)

Developed by the ICN to provide standardized nursing diagnoses so that nurses globally speak the same language.

DSMI

A diagnostic tool specifically used for mental health in America.

ICD (International Classification of Diseases)

An international classification system used for billing codes.

Conscious

Frend's level of awareness containing all the material a person is aware of at any given time; the smallest part of the mind.

Preconscious

Frend's level of awareness containing material that can be retrieved rather easily through conscious effort.

Unconscious

Frend's level of awareness including all repressed memories, passions, and unacceptable urges lying deep below the surface.

Id

The first personality structure to develop, which operates on the pleasure principle and wants what it wants (reflex action).

Ego

The problem solver and reality tester of the personality that navigates the wants of the Id with situational reality.

Super ego

The moral component of the personality structure associated with guilt and shame.

Defense Mechanisms

Unconscious operations that deny, falsify, or distort reality to make it less threatening and ward off anxiety.

Transference

When a patient transfers their feelings about someone else onto their caregiver.

Countertransference

When a nurse transfers their feelings about someone onto a patient.

Psychodynamic Theory

A newer psychoanalytic model that focuses on the here and now; works best on patients with a clear area of difficulty and motivation to change.

Interpersonal Theory

A theory suggesting the purpose of all behavior is to get needs met through interactions and to reduce or avoid anxiety.

Harry Stack Sullivan

American psychiatrist who believed humans are driven by the need for interaction and that loneliness is the worst feeling.

Hildegard Peplau

The 'Mother of psych nursing' who emphasized a collaborative, therapeutic partnership rather than a task-oriented process.

Orientation Phase

The first phase where the nurse and patient meet as strangers, establish trust, and identify the patient's needs.

Identification Phase

The second phase where the patient recognizes their own needs and becomes ready to participate in their own care.

Exploitation Phase

The third phase where the patient utilizes the nurse's expertise to explore solutions and work toward recovery.

Resolution Phase

The final phase where the relationship ends as the patient's needs are met, paving the way for independence.

Paulou

A behaviorist known for the classical conditioning theory.

John Bo Watson

A behaviorist who conducted the Little Albert experiment.

BoFo Shinner

A behaviorist known for operant conditioning, the Skinner Box, and the concepts of positive/negative reinforcement.

Extinction

A concept where a behavior is not repeated because it receives no reaction from others.

Modeling

A behavioral therapy where the patient learns new behaviors by imitating others, such as through role playing.

Aversion Therapy

A therapy where a negative stimulus is paired with an unwanted behavior to create repulsion.

Systemic Desensitization

A behavioral therapy where a patient is gradually exposed to a phobia while engaging in learned relaxation techniques.

Flooding

Exposing the patient to feared stimuli at full intensity for a prolonged period until it no longer causes anxiety.

Biofeedback

The use of a device to monitor vital signs with a goal of obtaining voluntary control over them.

Rational-emotive therapy (Ellis)

A cognitive theory where irrational beliefs dictate how a person perceives a situation.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (Beck)

A therapy focused on identifying and testing distorted beliefs (negative schemas) to change thinking and reduce symptoms.

Informed Consent (Nurse Role)

The nurse only witnesses and documents that consent was obtained, while the provider must explain the procedure, risks, and benefits.

Right to Refuse

The right of competent clients to refuse treatment or medications, except in emergency situations.

AMA (Against Medical Advice)

When a client leaves treatment against professional advise; requires determining if they are competent and educated on the risks of leaving.

Identification (Defense Mechanism)

Adopting the beliefs or behaviors of another individual.

Intellectualization

Focusing on facts or logic to avoid emotions associated with a stressful situation.

Projection

Attributing your own thoughts or feelings onto someone else.

Rationalization

Attempting to justify unacceptable behavior with a logic-based explanation.

Regression

Reverting to an earlier developmental level in response to stress.

Repression

The subconscious blocking of unpleasant feelings.

Splitting

Common in BPD, it is the failure to recognize both positive and negative attributes of an individual, resulting in all-or-nothing thinking.

Sublimation

Transforming unacceptable impulses into socially acceptable behaviors, such as hitting a punching bag.

Suppression

The conscious and voluntary blocking of unpleasant feelings.

Undoing

An attempt to cancel out an unacceptable thought or behavior, such as being excessively nice after being harsh.

Reaction Formation

Expressing the opposite feelings or behavior from what is actually felt.

Avoidance

Avoiding people, places, or situations associated with distressing thoughts and feelings.

Compensation

Focusing on strengths to make up for perceived weaknesses.

Conversion

The development of physical symptoms in response to stress without an underlying medical cause.

Denial

Refusing to accept the reality of a situation.

Displacement

The transfer of feelings or emotions from one target onto another.