Lecture 1: Introduction To Behavioral Health Flashcards
What is behavioral health?
Behavioral health describes the connection between behaviors and the health and well-being of the body, mind and spirit. This would include how behaviors like eating habits, drinking or exercising impact physical or mental health.
It includes both mental health and substance use, encompassing a continuum of prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery support services.
What is the definition of mental illness/disorder?
A syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological or developmental processes underlying mental functioning.
Why is cultural context important in mental health assessment and treatment?
Cultural factors can influence symptom expressions and how the individual might seek help
What are important considerations when meeting a client/considering the whole person?
Understanding that diagnosis does NOT indicate functioning.
Understanding the implications for everyday functioning (for example):
1. What are the goals of treatment based on the clients’ assets and challenges?
2. How will we intervene to move our client along the path to more independent functioning/recovery?
What are some examples of “people first” language?
Woman with general anxiety disorder
Man with bipolar disorder
Individual with depression
What does NAMI stand for and what is it?
National Association for Mental Illness
A self-help organization that provides mutual support, public education, research, and advocacy for persons with severe mental illness.
What does SAMHSA stand for and what is it?
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
A federal agency that funds treatment programs and research for persons with all kinds of mental illness
What are some reasons for giving diagnosis for mental illness?
- Create a scientific basis for understanding health
- Establish a common language**
- Improve diagnostic reliability
- Develop more effective and valid treatments
- Target specific behaviors and disorders for research purposes
- Provide a coding system for payment**
What are three common theories of causes of mental illness?
- Biological/medical (chemicals in the brain, infections or inflammation, prenatal influences)
- Psychosocial (trauma, abuse, neglect)
- Environmental (poverty, societal expectations, environmental toxins)
What is the DSM and why was it developed?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses is a reference guide for health professionals working with clients it’s emotional and behavioral conditions.
The purpose of the DSM:
- Provides a common language among clinicians
- Ensures diagnosis is both accurate and consistent
- Establishes criteria that can. Be used in research on psychiatric disorders
- Serves as the basis for treatment indications by the FDA or and for clinical Practice Guidelines
- Serves as a mechanism for reporting to insurers for purposes of payment and to public health officials who need reliable data on trends in health
What is the difference between signs and symptoms? Provide an example of each.
SIGNS: Objective, observable, and measurable (e.g., fevers observing someone hearing voices)
SYMPTOMS: subjective, felt, and experiences (e.g., pain, fear)
What is the difference between ego-syntonic and ego-dystonic?
Ego-syntonic: Person considers their behavior to be normal; it causes impairment, but they are NOT DISTRESSED by the disorder
Ego-dystonic: IS DISTRESSED by their signs and symptoms
What are defense mechanisms?
Provide definitionsof 10 and label which are adaptive and which are maladaptive.
MALADAPTIVE
1. Repression: blocking awareness of painful memories
2. Regression: Revert to more childlike way of thinking and behaving to reduce psychological stress
3. Denial: Refuses to accept painful reality, pretending as if it doesn’t exist
4. Projection: Attributing to others feelings unacceptable to self
5. Displacement: Directing anger toward someone or onto another, less threatening (safer) substitute
6. Reaction formation: expressing an opposite feeling from what is actually felt and is considered undesirable.
ADAPTIVE
1. Identification: Taking on attributes and characteristics of someone admired
2. Sublimation: Redirecting unacceptable feelings or drives into acceptable channel
3. Reaction formation: expressing an opposite feeling from what is actually felt and is considered undesirable
What is OT’s perspective on mental illness and our contribution to the mental health team in the hospital or community?
- Person-first/whole person
- Meet individuals at their level and mirror their demeanor neutrally
- Maintain professional relationship
- Contribute our observations of the individual to the team
Is socially deviant behavior and/or conflicts between an individual and society considered mental illness?
No, UNLESS the deviance or conflict results from a dysfunction in the individuals mental functioning.
