Mental Health and Stress

Transcription

1 Mental Health and Stress

2 Learning Objectives Ø Define mental health and discuss the characteristics of mentally healthy and selfactualized people Ø Describe the various mental disorders and appropriate treatments for each Ø Discuss various forms of stress, stress response and chronic stress Ø Describe key stressors and various strategies to manage stress and relax

3 Positive Psychology and Character Strengths Focus on positive emotions, characteristics, strengths, and conditions that create happiness Six virtues that enable human thriving Ø Wisdom Ø Courage Ø Humanity Ø Justice Ø Temperance Ø Transcendence

4 Characteristics of Mentally Healthy People

5 Ø Possess high selfesteem Ø Accept imperfections in themselves and others Ø Altruistic Ø Have a sense of control over their lives Ø Demonstrate social competence in relationships Ø Able to rely on others Ø Not overwhelmed by emotions

6 Ø Try to maintain a positive outlook on life Ø Capable of intimacy; no fear of commitment Ø Show creativity Ø Persevere and take on challenges Ø Take reasonable risks in order to grow Ø Can bounce back from adversity

7 The Self- Actualized Person Self-actualization: the state attained when a person has reached his or her full potential

8 Happiness Happiness involves three components: Ø Engagement* (depth of involvement with family, work, romance, and hobbies) Ø Meaning* (using personal strengths to serve some larger end) Ø Positive emotion and pleasure (savoring sensory experiences)

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10 Bereavement and Healthy Grieving Grieving is a natural response to loss and is often expressed by a multitude of intense emotional feelings Ø Numbness and shock Ø Separation Ø Disorganization Ø Reorganization

11 Mental Disorders Disorders recognized by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5)/ published by American Psychiatric Association Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions that affect the mood, thinking and behavior

12 Mental Illness and the Brain Diseases that affect the brain and cause distress and impaired functioning for the individual Cognitive disorders are caused by a pathology of the brain and are rare (Alzheimer disease) Mental disorders are more commonly caused by complex interactions of biological, psychological, social, and cultural factors Some have a genetic component (schizophrenia, bipolar and depression)

13 Neurotransmitters Norepinephrine/ main neurotransmitter used by the sympathetic nervous system Active during stress response/ fight or flight situations Increase in anxiety, restlessness, blood pressure, heart rate Dopamine/ secreted by neurons in the midbrain/ positive feelings of reward and pleasure, motor control, motivation Restless legs syndrome, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), addiction and Parkinson s disease

14 Serotonin/ central nervous system/associated with emotions and mood Low levels related to depression, managing anger and concentartion GABA/main inhibitory neurotransmitter of the CNS Promotes relaxation and inhibits excitation Low levels cause restlessness, poor verbal memory, night sweats and short temper

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16 Mood Disorders Ø Known as depressive or affective disorders Ø Among the most common mental disorders around the world Ø More than 20 million adults in the United States suffer from a depressive illness, affecting more women than men Ø Examples include: Ø Major depressive disorder (one or more episodes of depression lasting over two weeks) Ø Dysthymia: chronic depression Ø Bipolar disorder (manic episodes)

17 Warning Signs of Depression Ø Feeling of sadness or emptiness Ø Loss of interest or pleasure Ø Fatigue Ø Feeling of worthlessness Ø Reduced ability to concentrate

18 Treatments for Depression Ø Psychotherapy Ø Medication (antidepressants) Ø Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)/ electroshock therapy Changes in the brain chemistry that can quickly reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses Ø Exercise

19 Bipolar Disorder Manic episodes that may alternate with depressive episodes Manic episode: an abnormally elevated irritable mood during a specific period of time Strong evidence of a genetic component for this disorder Medication, Psychotherapy

20 Anxiety Disorders Very common (affect more than 40 million Americans 18 and older)

21 Panic attack: apprehension or intense fear in the absence of danger Panic disorder: recurrent unexpected panic attacks Specific phobia: intense fear of a situation or object, invoking immediate anxiety Social phobia: intense fear of social or performance situations

22 Generalized anxiety disorder: worry about routine matters Obsessivecompulsive disorder: persistent, intrusive thoughts, impulses, or images that cause intense anxiety or distress Treatments Ø Psychotherapy Ø Medication: Anxiolytics (antianxiety)

23 Addiction Dependence on a substance or a behavior

24 Signs of Addiction Ø Continued, compulsive behavior despite serious negative consequences Ø Physiological dependence reduces sensitivity to substance s effects (needing more all the time) Ø Withdrawal symptoms occur when substance use stops Ø Even without physiological dependence, psychological dependence can occur

25 Treatment: Psychotherapy and self-help groups

26 Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders Ø Delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech or behavior, and other signs that an individual has lost touch with reality Ø Strong genetic component Ø Problems in the brain development Ø In most cases, symptoms of the disease can be controlled with medication (Antipsychotics)

27 Mental Disorders and Suicide National Suicide Prevention Helpline:

28 What Is Stress?

29 Stress: the general state of the body, mind, and emotions when an environmental stressor has triggered the stress response Stressors: events or agents in the environment that can cause stress Ø When you appraise an event as positive, you experience eustress, or positive stress Ø When you appraise it as negative, you experience distress

30 Sources of Stress Ø Life events Ø Daily hassles v College stress v Job pressure v Money and financial worries Ø Family and interpersonal stress Ø Time pressure, overload, and technology Ø Anger Ø Trauma Ø Societal issues

31 The Stress Response A stress response (fight-or-flight response) is a series of physiological changes that occur in the body All animals, including humans, have the ability to respond to emergencies they perceive as dangerous The autonomic nervous Sympathetic branch: initiates stress response Parasympathetic branch: turns off stress response and returns the body to normal

32 The Stress Response: Changes in the Body

33 Acute Stress and Chronic Stress Your body can deal with short-term acute stress, as long as you recover afterwards Ø When stress is constant, it becomes damaging to the body Ø Many people live in a state of chronic stress, which is a stress response continuing without a relaxation and increases the likelihood of illness or disease

34 Physical Effects of Chronic Stress Stress plays a role in illness and disease in a variety of ways Ø Immune system Both brief and long-term stressors decrease immune function Ø Cardiovascular system Long-term stress response can cause various forms of heart disease

35 Gastrointestinal system Common forms of stomach ailments can be related to stress Mental health Forms of acute and chronic stress can contribute to the development of psychological illnesses Ø Acute stress disorder Ø Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Ø Adjustment disorder

36 Stress Reduction Strategies Ø Time management Ø Social support Ø A healthy lifestyle Ø Relaxation techniques v v v v v Deep breathing Progressive relaxation Visualization (guided imagery) Mindfulness-based meditation Yoga

37 Personality Types Type A behavior pattern Ø Impulsive, achievement oriented, and highly competitive Ø Prime candidates for stressrelated illnesses, and increased risk for a number of other diseases Type B behavior pattern Ø More easygoing and less readily frustrated Ø Less susceptible to coronary heart disease

38 Type C personality types: introverted, detail-oriented, reserved people Candidates for severe stress Type D personality types: not very expressive, and hold in negative emotions Candidates for severe stress