Unit 5 Mental and Physical Health Study Guide

INTRODUCTION TO HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY

• Health psychology examines how behaviors and mental processes relate to physical health and wellness.
• Addresses the impact of stress and how individuals cope with stress.

Stress

• Eustress: Positive stress that can motivate and enhance performance.
• Distress: Negative stress that can lead to anxiety and decreased performance.
• Traumatic vs. Daily Stressors:
  • Traumatic stressors are significant life events, while daily stressors are minor, everyday challenges.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

• Definition: Stressful or traumatic events occurring in childhood that may impact long-term health.

Effects of Stress

• Susceptibility to Disease: Stress can weaken the immune system, making individuals more vulnerable to illness.
• Physiological Issues:
  • Hypertension (high blood pressure)
  • Immune suppression
  • Headaches

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

• Alarm Reaction: Initial response to stress.
• Resistance Phase: Body adapts to stress, where the fight-flight-freeze mechanism is activated.
• Exhaustion Phase: Prolonged stress leading to decreased stress tolerance and health issues.

Coping with Stress

• Tend-and-Befriend Theory: A social response of seeking support in times of stress (often more prevalent in females).
• Problem-Focused Coping: Directly addressing the stressor causing anxiety.
• Emotion-Focused Coping: Managing emotional distress instead of the problem itself.

POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY

• Studies how positive experiences, traits, and institutions contribute to well-being.

Positive Subjective Experiences

• Gratitude: Recognition and appreciation of positive aspects in life, promoting subjective well-being.

Signature Strengths / Virtues

• Six Categories:
  1. Wisdom
  2. Courage
  3. Humanity
  4. Justice
  5. Temperance
  6. Transcendence

Posttraumatic Growth

• Psychological growth following traumatic experiences that enhances personal strength and resilience.

EXPLAINING AND CLASSIFYING PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS

• Definition and diagnosis are based on behaviors and mental processes considered disordered.

Factors Used to Identify Psychological Disorders

• Dysfunction: Maladaptive functioning in daily life.
• Perception of Distress: Significant emotional suffering experienced by the individual.
• Deviation from Social Norm: Behaviors that are markedly different from accepted societal standards.

Positive vs. Negative Consequences of Diagnosing Psychological Disorders

• Impacts of stigma, cultural norms, and the nature of the disorder.

Diagnostic Training and Tools

• American Psychiatric Association (APA): Establishes guidelines for diagnosis.
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM): A classification system for mental health disorders.
• World Health Organization (WHO): Provides an international classification of diseases (ICD).

Approaches to Diagnosis

• Eclectic Approach: Utilizing multiple psychological perspectives for understanding disorders.
• Behavioral Perspective: Focuses on learned behaviors causing maladaptive responses.
• Psychodynamic Perspective: Emphasizes unconscious processes and childhood experiences.
• Humanistic Perspective: Centers on personal growth and self-actualization.
• Cognitive Perspective: Examines maladaptive thoughts and beliefs.
• Biological Perspective: Looks into genetic and physiological factors.
• Sociocultural Perspective: Considers social and cultural influences on behavior.

Interaction Models

• Biopsychosocial Model: Integrates biological, psychological, and social factors.
• Diathesis-Stress Model: Describes how predispositions (diatheses) interact with stress to produce disorders.

SELECTION OF CATEGORIES OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS

• Overview of different categories, their symptoms, and possible causes.

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

• Key Disorders: AD/HD, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Causes: Focus on environmental, physiological, and genetic factors.

Schizophrenic Spectrum Disorders

• Characteristics: Can be acute or chronic; includes positive (delusions, hallucinations) and negative symptoms (flat affect).
• Causes: Can involve genetics and neurotransmitter imbalances.

Depressive Disorders

• Key Disorders: Major Depressive Disorder, Persistent Depressive Disorder
• Causes: Biological, social, and environmental elements.

Bipolar Disorders

• Key Disorders: Bipolar I and II
• Causes: Similar to depressive disorders, including cyclic mood changes.

Anxiety Disorders

• Disorders to Know: Phobias, Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
• Cultural Considerations: Include culture-bound syndromes like Ataque de nervios.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

• Disorders: Including OCD and Hoarding Disorder with similarities in their causes.

Dissociative Disorders

• Key Disorders: Dissociative Amnesia and Identity Disorder associated with trauma.

Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders

• Example: PTSD characterized by hypervigilance and flashbacks following traumatic experiences.

Feeding and Eating Disorders

• Key Disorders: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, with a mix of causes.

Personality Disorders

• Characteristics and Clusters: highlight deviance from cultural norms, stability, and impairment across clusters A, B, and C.

TREATMENT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS

• Overview of treatment types and ethical principles.

Treatment Types

• Psychotherapies: Varied approaches including psychodynamic, cognitive, and behavioral methods.
• Group Therapy vs. Individual Therapy: Group therapy provides support, while individual therapy focuses on personal growth.

Ethical Principles in Treatment

• Core Values: Nonmaleficence, Fidelity, Integrity, Respect for rights and dignity.

Techniques Used in Psychological Therapies

• Cognitive Restructuring: Changing negative thought patterns.
• Applied Behavior Analysis: Techniques like exposure therapy and token economies.

Effectiveness of Therapies and Medications

• Psychotropic Medications: Behavioral regulation through antidepressants, antianxiety medications, etc.
• Potential Side Effects: Importance of consideration in therapy decisions.

Surgical and Invasive Interventions

• Includes psychosurgery and modern techniques like Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS).