Mental Health Flashcards
Action stage
during this stage the individual has made distinct behaviour change for less than six months p. 462
Adequate diet
a diet in which a person is provided with the nutrients and energy required to function healthily and effectively p. 455
Adequate sleep
having enough and the right type of uninterrupted REM and NREM sleep in order to function healthily and effectively p. 455
Adversity
the experience of a difficult or distressing situation p. 454
Affect
the expression of emotions p. 319
Anxiety
a psychological and physiological response that involves feelings of worry and apprehension p. 424
Benzodiazepines
a type of short-acting anti-anxiety medication that works to reduce anxiety p. 438
Biological protective factors
factors that increase resilience by supporting healthy physiological functioning p. 455
Biological risk factors
factors relating to the body that increase the risk of developing a mental health disorder p. 391
Breathing retraining
a method used to teach someone breathing control techniques that they can apply when facing their phobic stimulus p. 439
Catastrophes that disrupt whole communities
largescale events or upheavals that affect an interconnected population p. 104
Catastrophic thinking
a kind of cognitive bias in which a stimulus or event is predicted to be far worse than it is likely to be in reality p. 433
Cognitive and behavioural strategies
the techniques of cognitive behavioural therapy used to promote an individual?s psychological resilience p. 456
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
a form of psychotherapy which encourages individuals to substitute unhealthy cognitions and behaviours with more healthy ones. p. 344, 441
Cognitive bias
a predisposition to think about and process information in a certain way p. 433
Contemplation stage
during this stage the individual is aware that their behaviour is problematic or unhealthy and is considering taking action within the next six months, but has no active commitment to do so p. 462
Cumulative risk
the significantly increased risk of developing a mental health disorder that occurs when an individual has multiple risk factors present in their lives at the same time p. 412
Disorganised attachment
the inconsistent behaviour displayed by an infant towards their main caregiver when they are not provided with consistent and adequate support p. 407
Emotional wellbeing
the ability for an individual to appropriately control and express their own emotions in an adaptive way, as well as understand the emotions of others p. 367
External factors
factors which arise from the environment of an individual and contribute to their mental health p. 360
Functioning
the way in which an individual approaches everyday demands and operates within their environment p. 366
GABA dysfunction
an insufficient neural transmission or reception of GABA in the body p. 431
Genetic vulnerability
a person?s genetic predisposition that increases their susceptibility to developing a mental health disorder p. 392
High levels of functioning
the ability for an individual to approach day-to-day tasks independently and effectively meet everyday demands p. 366
Impaired reasoning and memory
cognitive biases that limit a person?s ability to think about an event in a rational, constructive way and to remember it accurately p. 400
Internal factors
factors which arise from within the individual and contribute to their mental health p. 360
Maintenance stage
during this stage the individual has made distinct behaviour change for more than six months and is working to prevent relapse p. 462
Memory bias
a form of cognitive bias caused by inaccuracy or exaggeration in the recall of an event p. 433
Mental health
the current state of a person?s psychological wellbeing and functioning p. 358
Mental health continuum
a tool used to track progression of mental health which constantly fluctuates over time, progressing from mentally healthy, to mental health problems, to mental health disorders p. 358
Mental health disorder
a psychological state characterised by the presence of a severe disturbance and sense of distress which significantly impacts an individual?s ability to function independently p. 359
Mental health problem
a psychological state that is temporarily hindered by the presence of a disturbance to normal functioning, which has negative, but not severe impacts on everyday functioning p. 359
Mentally healthy
a psychological state that allows an individual to function independently and effectively within their environment, display resilience and have high social and emotional wellbeing p. 359
Perpetuating risk factor
a risk factor that inhibits a person?s ability to recover from a mental health disorder p. 387, 433
Poor response to medication
when medication is not effective due to genetic factors p. 392
Poor sleep
inadequate sleep quality or quantity p. 393
Pre-contemplation stage
during this stage the individual is unaware that their behaviour is problematic or unhealthy and has no intention to change their behaviour in the next six months p. 462
Precipitating risk factor
a risk factor that increases the susceptibility to and contributes to the occurrence of developing a mental health disorder p. 387, 432
Predisposing risk factor
a risk factor that increases an individual?s susceptibility to developing a mental health disorder p. 387
Preparation stage
during this stage the individual has begun to take an active commitment towards changing their behaviour within the next 30 days p. 462
Protective factor
a factor that prevents the occurrence or re-occurrence of mental health disorders p. 388, 455
Psychoeducation
teaching individuals to better understand mental disorders and how to deal with and treat them p. 443
Psychological protective factors
factors that promote resilience by supporting a person?s mental and cognitive functioning p. 456
Psychological risk factors
factors relating to cognitive and affective functioning that increase the risk of developing a mental health disorder p. 399
Relapse
a setback involving the return to a problem behaviour p. 462
Resilience
the ability to adapt to the environment and cope when stressors arise in order to return to a functioning state p. 368, 454
Rumination
repeatedly focusing on negative psychological thoughts and experiences p. 400
Self-efficacy
a person?s confidence in their ability to complete tasks and meet goals p. 401
Social protective factors
factors that increase resilience by providing social support p. 456
Social risk factors
factors relating to an individual?s interaction with their external environment and other people that increase the risk of developing a mental health disorder p. 406
Social support
the provision of assistance and care from family, friends, or the community p. 456
Social wellbeing
the ability for an individual to form bonds with others and maintain positive relationships p. 367
Specific environmental triggers
stimuli or experiences in a person?s environment that prompt an extreme stress response p. 433
Specific phobia
a type of anxiety disorder that is categorised by excessive and disproportionate fear when encountering a particular stimulus p. 425
Stigma
a mark of shame or disgrace experienced by an individual for a characteristic that distinguishes them from others p. 408
Stigma around seeking treatment
the sense of shame a person might feel about getting professional help p. 434
Substance use
use of either legal or illegal drugs p. 393
Systematic desensitisation
a therapy technique used to overcome phobia involving a patient being exposed incrementally to increasingly anxiety-inducing stimuli, combined with the use of relaxation techniques. p. 441
The biopsychosocial model
a framework for approaching mental health that suggests that biological, psychological and social factors all interact and contribute to the development of mental illness p. 391
The Four P model
a framework to understand the impact of different factors on the development and progression of a mental health disorder p. 386
Transtheoretical model of behaviour change
a model which assesses an individual?s readiness to change by looking at the different stages an individual may progress through as they move towards healthier behaviour p. 461
Wellbeing
a state in which an individual is mentally, physically, and socially healthy and secure p. 367
