Intro to Mental Health Flashcards
What is health?
Based on the WHO 2007 definition health is: A state of complete physical, mental and social-wellbeing and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity
What is positive mental health?
Positive mental health is a state that can increase general health and wellbeing, and resilience.
What is flourishing?
Flourishing as defined as a state where people experience positive emotions,
positive psychological functioning and positive social functioning, most of the
time. In more philosophical terms this means access to the pleasant life, the
engaged or good life and the meaningful life.
What can we do do achieve “Flourishing”
The development of attributes and social and personal levels that exhibit character strengths and virtues that are commonly agreed across different cultures
How could we define mental illness?
A condition or impairment and disorganisation of mental function for an individual.
What are the two main classification systems for mental disorders?
The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders 5th Ed (DSM-V) and the International Statistical Classification of diseases and related health problems (ICD-10-AM).
COME BACK TO THIS QUESTION: If nurses focus on mental illness and a persons diagnosis how may this influence the way we practice?
A diagnosis of mental illness is complex and can have a significant impact on the person receiving the diagnosis. If all of our nursing interventions are focused only on minimising the symptoms of mental illness then ……
Are there differences in how mental illness is viewed now compared to 20/50/100/1000 years ago?
And why do you think these changes have occured?
Early greek medical textbooks tended to view mental illness as a physiological illness with disease resulting from an imbalance in the humors. There was also the traditional view which was ‘Superstitious and magical’ and attritbuted any abnormal behaviour to supernatural. And also the christian era where mental lllness was viewed as the work of the devil. I think these changes have occured over time with the increasing acceptance of mental illness as pathology and research regarding this area was established. Leading to important scientific progress.
How do people want their loved ones to be treated?
Treated as a person. A unique, special, distinctive human being.
According to Peplau (1950) what should caring practices do?
Help people understand their difficulties and need for help, and whether or not a clear medical diagnosis is involved.
What are the 7 lets get real skills that are essential for students to know?
Working with service users Working with Maori Working with families/whanau Working with communities Challenging stigma + discrimination Law, policy and practice Professional and personal development
What are the 4 main theories that underpin psychological models?
Psychoanalytical theory, Behavioural theory, Cognitive psychology, and Humanistic psychology
What are Sociological models?
Models that dont seek to explain behaviour rather they examine the societal factors that influence behaviour.
What are the four main areas that mental health research and treatment has focused on?
Neurotransmitter disturbance, structural changes to the brain, endocrine or gland dysfunction and familial (genetic) transmission of mental illness.
What is the Biomedical model?
This model states that normal behaviour is a consequence of equilibrium within the body and abnormal behaviour results from physical pathology
