psych unit 4 mental wellbeing

Define Mental wellbeing

The state of mind, the enjoyment of life, and the ability to cope with the normal stresses of everyday life

Define functioning

How well an individual independently performs or ‘functions’ in their environment

Define adaptive and maladaptive behaviour

Adaptive behaviour : enables the individual to adjust to the environment appropriately and effectively

Maladaptive behaviour : detrimental, counterproductive or otherwise interfere with the individuals ability to successfully adaptive to the environment to fulfil their role in society.

Define resilience and identify characteristics

The ability to successfully cope with and manage change and uncertainty, bouncing back from adversity to difficult experiences and restoring positive functioning

• Strong belief in their abilities to complete

• High self-esteem

• Approaching adversity with a sense of optimism opportunity, hope

• Being adaptable and flexible

• Having problem solving skills

• Having the ability to make realistic plans and carry them out

Define Social and emotional wellbeing (SEWB)

A multidimensional and holistic concept used by ASTI people to describe the physical, social, emotional, spiritual and cultural wellbeing of a person

Identify the 7 domains of SEWB

1. Connection to body and behaviours

2. Connection to mind and emotions

3. Connection to family and kinships

4. Connection to community

5. Connection to culture

6. Connection to country

7. Connection to spirit, spirituality and ancestors

Describe each domain

1. Connection to body and behaviours

   • involves all aspects of physical health and wellbeing, especially feeling a strong and positive connection to one’s body and appreciating everything it allows them to do and experience in life

2. Connection to mind and emotions

   • emphasises the individuals personal experience of their mental wellbeing (or mental ill-health) and their ability to manage thoughts and feelings — intimately linked with spiritually

3. Connection to family and kinships

   • recognises that family and kinship systems have always been central to the functioning of traditional and contemporary ASTI peoples lives — maintains interconnectedness and provide a strong sense of belonging

4. Connection to community

   • emphasises a connection to a communal space that can take many forms and provides opportunities for individuals and families to connect and support each other, and work together

5. Connection to culture

   • refers to one’s secure sense of cultural identity and cultural values through connection to ASTI heritage — includes all knowledge systems, ways of knowing and traditions and practices

6. Connection to country

   • refers to land where ASTI people have traditional or spiritual association and deep sense of belonging — recognises the relationship with country underpins all other forms of relational wellbeing

7. Connection to spirit, spirituality and ancestors

   • recognises the sacred and interconnective relationship between country, human and non-human beings, as well as past, present and future — includes knowledge and belief systems, and Dreaming.

Define mentally healthy

Generally a positive state of mental wellbeing. Having the ability to cope with of manage life’s challenges, working productively, striving to fulfil one’s goals and potential, and having a sense of connection to others and the community in general

Define mental health problem

Negatively affects the way a person thinks, feels or behaves, but typically to a lesser extent and of a shorter duration than a mental disorder

Define mentally unwell

(Mental illness/disorder) is a mental state that involves a combination of thoughts, feelings and/or behaviours which are usually associated with significant personal depression and impair the ability to function effectively in everyday life

Define internal factors and describe the biological and psychological influences

Internal factors: influences that originate inside or within a person

• Biological: psychological influences which are often not under the individuals control (ie. genetics, hormones, FFF)

• Psychological: influences associated with mental processes .ie. beliefs, attitudes perception, prior learnings, problem solving skills, emotional response

Define external factors

Influences that originate outside an individual ie. work or school related factors, range and quality of relationships, amount of support available, exposure to stressors, level of education and income, housing, risk of violence, exposure to social stigma

Definitely Anxiety

A state of physiological arousal associated with feelings of apprehension, worry, uneasiness that something is wrong or that something unpleasant is about to happen — the future

Define Anxiety disorders

Used to describe a group of disorders characterised by chronic feelings of anxiety, nervousness and apprehension or fear about the future, with a negative affect

Define phobia

An excessive or unreasonable (irrational) fear directed towards a particular object, situation or event that causes significant distress or interferes with everyday functioning

Identify the 4 D’s of diagnosis

1. Dysfunction

2. Distress

3. Deviance

4. Duration

Define specific phobia

A disorder characterised by a marked or persistent fear or anxiety about a specific object activity or situation often leading to avoidance behaviour

Define panic attack

A period of sudden onset intense fear or terror, often associated with feelings of impending doom

Define anticipatory anxiety

The gradual or rise in anxiety level as the individual thinks about or anticipates being exposed to a phobic stimulus in the future

Identify and describe the biological factors that contribute to the development of a specific phobia

GABA dysfunction : failure to produce, release or receive the correct amount of GABA that is needed to regulate neuronal transmission

LTP : strengthen the association between fear and anxiety and the phobic stimulus, the more the memory/association is accessed, the more it is strengthened

Identify and describe the two models in psychological factors that contribute to the development of a specific phobia

Behavioural model: phobias are learned through experience and may be acquired, maintained or modified by environmental consequences such as rewards or punishments

Cognitive model: focuses on how the individual processes information about the phobic stimulus and related events

Explain how a specific phobia precipitated through CC and then perpetuated through OC

Precipitation by CC: to cause an event or situation to occur suddenly or unexpectedly (ie. little Albert)

Perpetuation by OC: the continuation or presentation of a situation - to keep something going — after acquisition through CC, the phobia can be maintained and therefore perpetuated through OC

identify and explain what bias is in the cognitive model and those two biases

Cognitive bias: a tendency to think in a way that involves errors of judgment and decision making

• Memory bias: refers to the distorting influences of present knowledge, beliefs and feelings on the recollection of previous experiences

• Catastrophic thinking: negative thinking where an object or event is perceived as being far more threatening, dangerous or insufferable then it really is and will result in the worst possible outcome (catastrophising)

Identify and describe the social factors that contribute to the development of a specific phobia

Specific environmental trigger: a specific object or situation in the environment that produces an extreme fear response (creates the phobia)

Stigma as a barrier for seeking treatment: a mark or sign of shame, disgrace or disapproval typically associated with a particular characteristic or attribute that sets a person apart ie. skin colour, cultural background, a disability or mental health disorder

Define evidence based interventions

Treatments that have been found to be effective on the basis of valid and reliable research studies

1. Identify the two biological management of specific phobias

1. Medications that target GABA dysfunction

2. Relaxation techniques

Define benzodiazepines and explain how they help with GABA dysfunction

Benzodiazepines: group of drugs that work on the CNS, acting as GABA receptors in the brain to increase GABA’s inhibitory effects and make post-synaptic nervous resistance to excitation

• benzodiazepines are GABA agonists, they stimulate the activity between the neurons, acting like GABA to reduce the firing of the neurons and reduce the symptoms of anxiety/have ca calming effect

Identify and describe a relaxation technique

Breathing retaining: involves teaching correct breathing habits to people with a specific phobia

• help to reduce anxiety or alleviate some of its symptoms

• Goal is to return breath to normal

Identify the the two psychological management of specific phobias

1. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

2. Systematic desensitisation

Define CBT and its two components

CBT : aims to identify, assess and correct faulty patterns of thinking that may then be affecting mental health and wellbeing. Changes to thought patterns lead to changes in behaviour

• cognitive therapy : a type of ‘talking therapy’ that focuses on individuals thoughts, beliefs and attitudes. Helps people to give meaning to their thought patterns, to understand the way they reason etc.

• Behavioural therapy : clinical application of learning theories such CC and OC. Deals directly with maladaptive behaviours such as avoidance and reduced activity levels.

Define systematic desensitisation and describe the 3 step process

Systematic desensitisation : a behaviour therapy technique that attempts to replace an undesirable response, such as fear, with a relaxation response through conditioning; the individual learns to associate being relaxed with the fear arousing stimulus with a series of graded steps

1. Teach client relaxation strategy to use to decrease physiological symptoms of anxiety when confronted by a phobic stimulus

   • mental imagery or the slow breathing technique (SBT)

   • SBT; in for 6 sec out for 6 sec hold for 6 sec continue till calm

2. Breaking down the anxiety producing object or situation into a sequence arranged from least to most anxiety producing

   • 10-15 stages

   • Ranked a 100 point scale

3. The systematic graduated pairing of items on the hierarchy with relaxation by working upward, one step at a time

   • these sessions continue until client is able to master those items at the top and phobia is extinguished

Identify and define the social management of specific phobias

Psycho education for families and supports

Psychoeducation: the provision and explanation of information about a mental disorder to individuals diagnosed with the disorder and its treatment

define protective factors

Any characteristic or event that enhances and protects mental wellbeing reduces the likelihood of the occurrence or recurrence of mental ill health

Name and define the biological factors to maintaining mental health

Adequate nutrition intake and hydration : eating/drinking well reduces the risk of physical health problems like cardiovascular disease and diabetes but it also helps with sleep, energy levels, mood and mental health

Adequate sleep : inadequate or poor sleep can adversely affect mental health and impairing affective, behavioural and cognitive functioning

Name and define the psychological factor for maintaining mental health

Cognitive behavioural strategies : techniques drawn from CBT to identify, assess and correct faulty patterns of thinking and problem behaviours that may be negatively affecting mental health and wellbeing

identify and define the two cognitive behavioural strategies

1. Cognitive restructuring : CBT technique that may be used to help the individual identify their cognitive biases and other distorted ways of thinking, refute them, and then modify them so that they are adaptive and reasonable

2. Behaviour activation : CBT technique to help an individual identify and schedule activities that promote enjoyment or reduce stress; also called activity scheduling

Define mindfulness meditation

and individuals focused attention on their breathing

What social factors help maintain mental health

Support from family, friends and community — social support generally refers to the assistance, care or empathy provided by people to each other

Define culture

Generally refers to the way of life of a particular group society or community that sets it apart from other groups, communities and societies

Explain what 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 health

Define cultural continuity

The preservation of all thing to do with culture over time and the sense of history, identity and belonging it provides

Define self determination

The human right to freely determine or control one’s political status and freely pursue one’s cultural, social and economic development