Health 2 Flashcards
What is a mental illness?
A mental disorder that affects the functioning of the mind, causing changes in thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
What is good mental health?
It involves the mind and activities such as expressing feelings appropriately, thinking rationally, having an open mind
What is a mental disorder
A clinically diagnosed set of dysfunctional behavioural or physiological symptoms that cause severe ongoing distress, disability and/or a significant risk to the life of an individual
What is the mental health illness continuum?
Mental health is a continuum from normal healthy behaviour to severely maladjusted behaviour occurring during a mental disorder
How many Australians have experienced a mental disorder in the last 12 months
1 in 5
Who are more likely to experience a mental disorder
Younger people are more likely than older people
What is the prevalence of mental disorders?
It is greatest between 18 to 24 and then declines with age
How are mental illnesses diagnosed?
They are normally diagnosed by a psychologist or psychiatrist. A psychologist diagnoses and treats people with a wide range of illnesses usually during counselling and therapy. A psychiatrist is a qualified doctor who treats the more severe disorders using medication and therapy
What is the DSM?
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders provides a list of symptoms to help diagnose different disorders.
What are disadvantages of labelling mental health disorders?
It leads to prejudice and discrimination as our culture likes to reject people. They will find it difficult to find a job, denied housing and often falsely accused of crimes
Advantages of diagnosing mental disorders?
Disorders can be constantly treated and the diagnosis will be the same from hospital to hospital all over the world.
Define Psychopathology
The scientific study of mental, emotional, and behavioural disorders. It also refers to the disorders themselves
Define symptom
A sign exhibited by someone which allows a diagnosis
Define prevalence
How frequently occurring a disorder is in the community. Usually written as a percentage out of 100
Define Prognosis
That is the outcome? Can it be cured? Can it be treated? Will they have it forever?