Chapter 1 Foundations of Psychiatric--Mental Health Nursing Flashcards
Mental Health
A state of emotional, psychological, & social wellness evidenced by satisfying relationships, effective behavior and coping, positive self-concept, & emotional stability
WHO Definition of Health & Impact on Emotional & Mental Well-Being
The World Health Organization defines health as: “A state of complete physical, mental, and social wellness.”
- Not just absence of disease or infirmity
Emphasizes health as a positive state of well-being
Fulfill life responsibilities
Function effectively in daily life
Satisfied w/ their interpersonal relationships & themselves
A person’s mental health is…
…a dynamic or ever-changing state
(T/F) True or False: A single universal definition of mental health exists.
FALSE: There are many influencing factors that make mental health a dynamic and ever-changing state, each person has a different view/interpretation of health makes determining a person’s mental health difficult
What is the significance of a person’s behavior in the terms of mental health?
A person’s behavior can help clue into a person’s mental health
- Each person has a different view/ interpretation of behavior based on their cultural values and belief which, can make the determination of mental health difficult
What generally serves as evidence for a person’s mental health?
Satisfying interpersonal relationships
Effective behavior & coping
Positive self-concept
Emotional Stability
What are the three categories of factors that influence a person’s mental health?
Individual (personal), interpersonal (relationship), & social determinants
Factors that Influence A Person’s Mental Health: Individual (Personal)
Biological Makeup
Autonomy & independence
Self-esteem
Capacity for growth
Vitality
Ability to find meaning in life
Emotional resilience (hardiness)
Sense of belonging
Reality Orientation
Coping/ Stress Management Abilities
Factors that Influence a Person’s Mental Health: Interpersonal/ Relationship
Effective Communication
Ability to help others
Intimacy
Balance of separateness & connectedness
Factors that Influence a Person’s Mental Health: Social Determinants
Nonmedical factors that influence health, such as a sense of community, access to adequate resources, intolerance of violence, support of diversity among people, mastery of environment, education, employment, income and social protection, & food security
Mental Illness
A clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual & is associated w/ present distress or disability or w/ a significantly increased risk of death, pain, disability, or an important loss of freedom
Mental illness includes…
…disorders that affect mood, behavior, and thinking, such as depression, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, and addictive disorders
Why are both concepts of mental illness and mental health difficult to precisely define?
People carry out roles in society:
- Those whose behavior is appropriate & adaptive are deemed “healthy”
- Those who fail to fulfill roles & carry out responsibilities or whose behavior is inappropriate are deemed “ill”
Culture of any society strongly influences its values & beliefs-> affects how society defines health & illness
What generally serves as evidence of mental illness?
Significant Distress
Impaired functioning
Dissatisfaction w/ self & relationships
Ineffective coping
Daily life can seem overwhelming or unbearable
Individuals may believe that their situation is hopeless
Factors that Influence A Person’s Mental Illness: Individual (Personal)
Biomedical makeup
Intolerable/unrealistic fears or worries
Inability to distinguish reality from fantasy
Intolerance of life’s uncertainties
Sense of disharmony in their life
Loss of meaning in one’s life
Factors that Influence a Person’s Mental Illness: Interpersonal/ Relationship
Ineffective communication
Excessive dependency on or withdrawal from relationships
No sense of belonging
Inadequate social support
Loss of emotional control
Factors that Influence a Person’s Mental Illness: Social Determinants
Lack of resources
Violence
Homelessness
Poverty
Unwarranted negative view of the world
Discrimination such as stigma, racism, classism, ageism, and sexism
Social/Cultural Influence on Mental Illness
Can result in isolation, feelings of alienation, & maladaptive, violent, or criminal behavior
This may support a diagnosis of a personality disorder but not necessarily a mental illness w/ symptoms amenable to treatment w/ medication
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-5-TR)
A taxonomy published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) that describes all mental disorders, outlining specific diagnostic criteria for each based on clinical experience & research
- ALL Mental Health clinicians who diagnose psychiatric disorders use this book
The three purposes of the DSM-5-TR
1) To provide a standardized nomenclature & language for all mental health professionals
2) To present defining characteristics or symptoms that differentiate specific diagnoses
3) To assist in identifying the underlying cause of disorders
The Clinical Significance of the Classification System
Allows the practitioner to identify all factors that relate to a person’s condition:
1) All major psychiatric disorders such as depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, & substance-related disorders
2) Medical conditions that are potentially relevant to understanding or managing the person’s mental disorder as well as medical conditions that might contribute to understanding the person
3) Psychosocial & environmental problems that may affect the diagnosis, treatment, & prognosis of mental disorders Included: Problems w/ primary support group, the social environment, education, occupation, housing, economics, access to health care, & legal system
Ancient Times Mental Health Treatment
People believed that any sickness indicated the displeasure of the gods-> punishment for sins & wrongdoing
Those w/mental illnesses were either seen as divine or demonic depending on their behavior
- Divine: Worshipped & adored
- Demonic: Ostracized, punished, sometimes burnt at the stake
Later, Aristotle attempted to relate mental health disorders w/physical disorders -> developed theory that amounts of blood, water, yellow & black bile in the body controlled these emotions
- These 4 substances/humors corresponded w/ happiness, anger, calmness, & sadness
- Imbalance of these was believed to cause mental illness-> restore balance via bloodletting, starving, & purging
Aristotle’s practices were continued until the 19th century
Early Christian Period Mental Health Treatments (1-1000 A.D.)
Mental ill were viewed as evil or possessed by demons and being punished for sin and wrongdoing
Priests would perform exorcisms to rid sufferers of evil spirits
- Treatment if exorcisms didn’t work: Incarcerated in dungeons, beaten, starved
Period of Enlightenment (1790s) Era Mental Health Treatment
Philippe Pinel & William Tuke formulated the concept of asylums
Evidence developed that “insanity” was an illness; creation of asylums as a safe refuge offering protection, shelter, nutrition, and warm clothing
- Response: State hospitals were created and care was mandated for mentally ill
->Confinement in state hospitals for long periods
Period was short-lived: <100 years later, issues were prevalent in asylums and state hospital
- Attendants were accused of abusing the residents
- Rural locations of hospitals were seen as isolating patients from their families
- Phrase “insane asylum” took on a negative connontation