MH Review

Definition of Mental Health: Refers to cognitive, emotional, and social well-being.
When Does It Become a Disorder?: Mental health becomes a disorder when emotional, psychological, or behavioral patterns cause significant distress or impair functioning.
Impact of Stress: Stress influences overall health, requiring self-care practices to manage stress and maintain mental health.
Resilience: The ability to cope with and recover from stress and adversity.

Neurotransmitters: Chemicals in the brain that transmit signals between neurons.
- Dopamine: Associated with pleasure, satisfaction, and motivation.
- Serotonin: Regulates mood, happiness, sleep, and other bodily functions.
- Norepinephrine: Involved in arousal, attention, and stress responses (fight or flight).
Damaged Brain Function: Imbalances or damage can result in mental health issues.

Purpose: These facilities focus on the treatment of mental health and substance use disorders.

Depression: Common mood disorder characterized by persistent feelings of sadness and loss.
Anxiety Disorders: Includes Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
- Panic Attacks: Sudden feelings of terror or impending doom. Importance of safety measures during attacks.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Develops after experiencing traumatic events.
Suicide Risks: High risk associated with depression and mood disorders.
Mood Disorders: Most common psychiatric disorders associated with suicide rates.

Bipolar 1: Characterized by manic episodes including:
- Inflated self-esteem and grandiosity.
- Decreased need for sleep.
- Rapid, pressured speech.
Other Disorders with Mania: Can be confused with schizophrenia, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), adolescent conduct disorder, and substance abuse disorder.
Bipolar 2: Involves episodes of major depression and hypomania without full-blown mania.

Medications: Lithium, antipsychotics, and neuroleptics.
- Effective therapeutic range for Lithium is between 0.8-1.2 mEq/L.

Cluster A: Odd, eccentric behaviors.
- Paranoid: Distrust and suspicion.
- Schizoid: Detachment from social relationships.
- Schizotypal: Odd beliefs and behaviors.
Cluster B: Dramatic, emotional, or erratic.
- Antisocial: Disregard for others' rights.
- Borderline: Emotionally unstable, fears of abandonment.
- Histrionic: Attention-seeking behaviors.
- Narcissistic: Grandiosity, need for admiration.
Cluster C: Anxious or fearful.
- Avoidant: Social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy.
- Dependent: Excessive need for support.
- Obsessive-Compulsive: Preoccupation with order and perfection.

Overview: Chronic and severe mental health disorder; not curable but manageable with early intervention.
Symptoms: Cognitive, positive (hallucinations), and negative (lack of emotion).
- Positive Symptoms: Disorganized behavior patterns, hallucinations, disorganized speech.
- Negative Symptoms: Lack of emotional expression, poverty of speech (Alogia), lack of pleasure (Anhedonia), lack of motivation (Avolition).
- Cognitive Impairment: Difficulty with concentration, working memory, and decision-making.

Increased risk of depression, anxiety, substance abuse, high-risk behaviors, and suicide.

Extrapyramidal Symptoms (EPS): Include akathisia (restlessness), dystonia (muscle spasms), Parkinsonism (shuffling gait), tardive dyskinesia (involuntary movements).
Serious Condition: Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) leads to hyperthermia, autonomic dysregulation, altered mental status, muscle rigidity.
Serotonin Syndrome: Caused by excess serotonin; symptoms include hypertension, tachycardia, altered mental state, muscle twitching, agitation and resolves typically within 24-72 hours.

Beneficiaries: Individuals with severe mental disorders can benefit from structured therapeutic environments.
Therapeutic Activities: Focused on social interaction, communication skills, and behavioral modification.

Alcohol Withdrawal: CIWA score of 8 indicates the need for treatment.
Opioid Addiction: Treatment includes Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) with medications such as methadone, which mitigates withdrawal symptoms and cravings for opioid users.