Psychology Chapter 10 - Maintenance of mental wellbeing

Biopsychosocial protective factors

Biological: Adequate nutritional intake and hydration, adequate sleep

Psychological: Cognitive behavioural strategies, mindfulness meditation

Social: Support from family, friends and community that is authentic and energising

Adequate nutritional intake and hydration

Eating a varied, balanced diet that meets all your nutritional needs (macronutrients, micronutrients like vitamins and minerals, overall energy intake) and drinking enough water to maintain good physical health and feel mentally well as a result.

What are salts, iodine and fats important for in the nervous system

Salt is required for action potentials to occur; iodine is important for the nervous system; fats are important for neuron structure

How does a good diet help mental health?

Having an adequate diet contributes to a person's mental wellbeing because it provides the baseline level of physical and mental health that allow for a person to adapt and change when faced with stressors.

Diet recommendations

- Eat a variety of foods including adequate omega-3

- Drink lots of water

- Don't skip breakfast and eat regularly through the day

- Don't rely on supplements

- Avoid heavily processed foods with excess salt, sugar and fats

- Don't rely on drugs and alcohol

Adequate sleep

Adequate quantity and quality of sleep is essential for maintaining good mental health and increasing resilience, due to sleep's restorative nature and the affective, behavioural and cognitive effects of sleep deprivation.

Is sleep a precipitating or perpetuating factor?

Sleep is a precipitating and perpetuating risk factor for many mental disorders. Insomnia is a common comorbidity with anxiety disorders.

Cognitive behavioural strategies

Techniques drawn from CBT used to identify, assess and correct faulty patterns of thinking or problem behaviours in order to manage own mental health and increase resilience. Each treatment involves cognitive and behavioural strategies

Cognitive strategies

Constructive reasoning - learning to identify, challenge, and modify or replace negative, irrational thoughts (or cognitive distortions) with more reasonable and helpful ways of thinking. Must identify negative thoughts and associated situations to find patterns (possibly through self-monitoring)

5 cognitive constructive reasoning strategies to challenge irrational thoughts

1. Consider the evidence

2. Is there an alternative explanation

3. What would you say to a friend who is thinking like that?

4. What is the likelihood?

5. Is there a more helpful way to think about this?

Behavioural strategies

Behaviour activation - Identifying and scheduling activities that promote enjoyment or reduce stress e.g. walks, seeing friends.

Steps of behaviour activation

1. Monitor current activities (and rate enjoyment)

2. List activities associated with enjoyment

3. Plan to do enjoyable activities

4. Complete planned activities

5. Evaluate the schedule (to see if it's improving mental wellbeing)

Meditation

The practice of focusing or clearing your mind using a combination of mental (visualisations or subvocalisations) and physical (postures or movements) techniques

Mindfulness

The quality or state of being conscious or aware of one's internal states and surroundings. Anxiety is future focused so therefore reduces anxiety

Mindfulness meditation

A type of meditation in which a person focuses attention in the present moment, on their breathing, thoughts, feelings and sensations as they come in a non-judgemental way. Helps to slow racing thoughts and avoid negative thinking.

Support from family, friends and community

Assistance, care or empathy provided by others to increase resilience. Must be authentic and energising

Social support

Assistance, care or empathy provided by people to each other, typically to aid coping.

Ways to provide social support to someone with a mental health issue

1. Validate their feelings, then reframe their negative thoughts

2. Avoid downwards spirals

3. Be authentic and energising

4. Listen well

5. Be responsive, not dismissive

Culture

The way of life of a particular community or group that sets it apart from other communities and groups

Cultural determinants of mental wellbeing

Protective factors that help maintain strong connections to culture, strengthen cultural identity, enhance resilience and contribute to the maintenance of good mental wellbeing. Includes cultural continuity, self-determination, connection to Country, language, family, kinship and community, cultural expression, and cultural beliefs and knowledge

Cultural continuity

The preservation of all things to do with culture over time, and the sense of history, identity and belonging this provide. Disconnection has been found to lead to and perpetuate poor mental health.

Self-determination

The human right to freely determine or control one's political status and freely pursue one's cultural, social and economic development. Involves ATSI consultation and voice in decisions affecting them.