Mental and Physical Health

These flashcards cover key concepts and terms related to mental and physical health as discussed in lecture notes.

Health Psychology

explores the impact of psychological, behavioral, and cultural factors on health and wellness.

Stress

The process by which we perceive and respond to certain events, called stressors, that we appraise as threatening or challenging.

Type A Personality

A personality type that is competitive, hard-driving, impatient, verbally aggressive, and anger-prone.

Eustress

Motivating stress that can help enhance performance.

Distress

Debilitating stress that can overwhelm and lead to adverse effects.

General Adaptation Syndrome

A three-phase response to stress that includes alarm reaction, resistance, and exhaustion.

Tend-and-Befriend Theory

The idea that people (often women) respond to stress by seeking social connections and tending to others' needs.

Problem-Focused Coping

Coping strategy that involves identifying stressors and finding solutions to them.

Emotion-Focused Coping

Coping strategy that involves managing emotional responses to stress rather than addressing the stressor directly.

Positive Psychology

The scientific study of human flourishing that focuses on factors that foster well-being and resilience.

Subjective Well-Being

Self-perceived happiness and life satisfaction.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

An integrative therapy that combines cognitive and behavioral techniques to change self-defeating thinking and behaviors.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

An anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts (obsessions) and/or actions (compulsions).

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

A disorder characterized by flashbacks, nightmares, and severe anxiety following a traumatic event.

Bipolar Disorder

A mental health condition characterized by alternating periods of mania and depression.

Schizophrenia

A severe mental disorder characterized by distortions in thinking, perception, emotions, language, and sense of self.

Dissociative Identity Disorder

A rare dissociative disorder in which a person exhibits two or more distinct and alternating personalities.

Anorexia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of gaining weight and a distorted body image, leading to restricted food intake.

Bulimia Nervosa

An eating disorder characterized by cycles of binge eating followed by purging.

Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)

A non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of depression.

Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)

A biomedical therapy for severely depressed patients through the application of electrical currents to induce seizures.