Emotional and Spiritual Well-Being Notes

Chapter 2: Emotional and Spiritual Well-Being

Ice Breaker

• Chris attended an all-night Mardi Gras party to determine if having fun makes him happy.
• He also volunteered to help a family build a house to assess if doing good enhances his happiness.
  • Discussion Questions:
  • Which brings you more happiness: doing good or having fun?
  • Can you combine both aspects?
  • Provide real-world examples of this combination.

Learning Objectives

• After this chapter, you should be able to:
  • 2.1 Identify components of emotional health.
  • 2.2 Discuss the role of positive psychology in enhancing quality of life.
  • 2.3 Review how sleep affects health.
  • 2.4 Describe factors, symptoms, and treatments for depressive disorders.
  • 2.5 Summarize four anxiety disorder categories.
  • 2.6 Outline patterns of suicide in Americans.
  • 2.7 List treatment options for mental disorders.

Emotional and Mental Well-Being

• Key Concepts of Emotional and Psychological Health:
  • Well-being
  • Subjective well-being
  • Psychological well-being
  • Emotional well-being
  • Life satisfaction
  • Happiness

Characteristics of Psychologically Healthy Individuals

• Psychologically healthy individuals often exhibit:
  • Self-value and strive for happiness.
  • Ability to maintain close interpersonal relationships.
  • Acceptance of life’s limitations and possibilities.
  • A sense of meaning and purpose that justifies effort in living.

Distinctions Between Emotional and Mental Health

• Emotional Health:
  • Involves the determination to be healthy.
  • Characterized by flexibility and adaptability.
• Mental Health:
  • Capability to function and fulfill responsibilities.
  • Ability to form relationships with others.
  • Realistic perception of the motivations behind others' actions.

Positive Psychology

• Definition:
  • Scientific study of ordinary human strengths and virtues.
• Positive Psychiatry:
  • Focuses on promoting psychosocial development in individuals susceptible to mental or physical illness.
• Goals of Positive Psychology:
  • Identify aspects of life that lead to happiness and fulfillment.
  • Develop self-compassion.
  • Enhance emotional intelligence.
  • Understand the roots of happiness and manage daily needs.
  • Cultivate optimism and mood management.

Spiritual Health

• Definition:
  • The ability to identify one’s life purpose and experience fulfillment through achieving potential.
• Spirituality:
  • A holistic connection to oneself and to something beyond oneself, fostering a sense of purpose.
  • Acts as a guiding principle in life decisions.
• Importance of Spiritual Health:
  • Influences physical health and promotes well-being.
  • Encourages gratitude and forgiveness, allowing individuals to let go of negativity.

The Role of Sleep in Health

• Key Functions of Sleep:
  • Promotes memory retention and cognitive function.
  • Does not regulate metabolism; chronic deprivation can lead to weight gain due to hormonal imbalances.
  • Enhances safety by reducing daytime sleepiness and accidents.
  • Impacts mood and overall quality of life.
  • Impairs immune function, leading to increased susceptibility to illness.

Understanding Mental Health

• Definition of Mental Disorder:
  • Diagnosable disorders that interfere with daily activities such as dressing, eating, or working.
  • Approximately 1 in 4 U.S. adults will experience a mental illness at some point.
• Concerns on College Campuses:
  • Increased awareness of mental health issues due to stressors like academic pressure, financial stress, relationship issues, etc.

Depressive Disorders

• Prevalence:
  • Depression is the most common mental ailment, affecting about 1 in 5 college students, especially in terms of academic performance.
  • Key contributing factors include stress, inadequate sleep, and academic pressures.
• Major Depressive Disorder Characteristics:
  • Persistent sadness or emptiness.
  • Loss of interest in enjoyable activities.
  • Sleep disturbances (insomnia or hypersomnia).
  • Difficulty concentrating, indecisiveness, and thoughts of death or suicide.
• Treatment Approaches:
  • Medication, healthy behaviors, exercise, psychotherapy, and complementary approaches.

Anxiety Disorders

• Categories of Anxiety Disorders:
  • Phobias and panic attacks.
  • Chronic distress and persistent disturbing thoughts.
  • Specific Disorders:
  • Phobias: Intense irrational fears.
  • Panic Disorder: Recurring panic attacks.
  • Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Excessive worry affecting daily functioning, typically beginning in the 20s.

Additional Common Mental Disorders

• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD):
  • Characterized by obsessions and/or compulsions impairing functioning.
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD):
  • Involves difficulty controlling emotions and sustaining attention.
• Autism Spectrum Disorder:
  • A neurodevelopmental disorder leading to social and communication impairments.

Self-Injury and Suicide

• Self-Injury:
  • Includes behaviors such as cutting, burning, or hitting oneself; aims to relieve emotional distress.
• Risk Factors:
  • Impulsivity, prior suicidal behaviors, and emotional arousal.
• Self-Care Strategies:
  • Healthy eating, exercise, and seeking support through resources.

Summary

• Key concepts learned in this chapter include:
  • Components of emotional health.
  • Positive psychology’s role in quality of life.
  • Relationship between sleep and health.
  • Key factors and treatment for depressive disorders.
  • Four anxiety disorder categories.
  • Patterns of suicide attempts and completions in Americans.
  • Treatment options available for mental disorders.