Mental Health Flashcards
what is well-being?
capacity of each and all of us to feel, think and act in ways that enhance our ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face
- not about being always happy but being able to deal with challenges and still have quality of life and enjoy the good
- it is a positive sense of emotional and spiritual wellbeing that respects the importance of culture, equity, social justice, interconnections and personal dignity
- dif btw distress and crisis?
what are some red flags that someone is in distress vs in crisis? (9)
DISTRESS: can be discussed, not well, but not too too bad
IN CRISIS: some threat to safety (yourself, others, physical health like fainting) –> requires immediate response
- overwhelmed
- trouble coping
- disorganized/confused
- inconsistent
- disheveled, tired
- socially withdrawn –> isolating
- looks stressed/fearful/worried/sad
- angry outbursts
- a change in their behaviour
difference between mental health and mental illness?
- explain their continuum
MENTAL HEALTH –> we all have mental health
- ranges from optimal or poor (top down)
MENTAL ILLNESS: we don’t all have mental illness –> has to meet criteria for diagnosis
- ranges from serious mental illness to no symptoms of mental illness (left right)
- can have mental illness & optimal mental health –> spectrum of functionality
- or poor mental health without mental illness
what are 3 key points of her Shanon’s presentation?
- having symptoms doesn’t mean actually having a diagnosis
- no person is their diagnosis
- as a helper, we are not there to save but to support
is it wrong to say “i’m depressed, i feel bipolar, i am so OCD today”?
- incorrect saying as you don’t have the diagnosis
- we want to decrease stigma and encourage people to talk about mental health & illness but we need to stay sensitive and use terms correctly
how are mental illnesses diagnosed in Canada?
- guided by what?
- diagnosed by medical doctors or psychologies
- guided by Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) –> published by American Psychiatric Association
Name a few eating disorders
- anorexia nervosa
- bulimia nervosa
- binge eating disorder
- orthorexia, overexercising
- other specified feeding and eating disorders
- avoidant restrictive intake disorder (ARFID) –> picky eater, sensitive to shape, texture…
- unspecific feeding or eating disorder (UFED)
- rumination disorder
what are some reasons you might hesitate to intervene when you see a student in difficulty?
- think you will make it worse (in real life, really hard to make it worse. usually pretending we didn’t notice is making it worse)
- i will wait for them to bring it up –> we think it’s the most respectful thing to do –> but they might feel weird that you didn’t notice anything
- i will say the wrong thing, hurt their feelings and make them feel judged
what are 4 things to do during an intervention?
- provide safe space
- initiate contact
- express concern while actively listening
- roles and collaboration
what are 3 key aspects of providing and valuing a safe space?
- validate their need for support + show warmth while respecting boundaries + not there to save but to support (will alleviate your own stress/pressure you put on yourself)
what are 2 tips for the most powerful interventions?
- little to do with the person’s story/advice given –> don’t follow the details, follow the feelings (usually what the client makes you feel is how the client is feeling = transference)
- a lot to do with their leaving the interaction feeling seen, heard and connected
how do you initiate contact with the other? without offending them?
- ” i am concerned about changes I’ve seen in you”
- “This behaviour seems really different for you…”
- “can we talk about what is going on” “do you want to talk about it?”
*meet people where they are at to support them –> many nutrition consults, you will not even talk about nutrition…
how to actively listen to the other? (3)
- verbal and non-verbal behaviors
- open questions
- normalize, validate
how to take care of your mental health as a helper? (4)
- self-care
- mindfulness
- compassion
- support
what is self-care?
- setting boundaries
- asking for help
- spending time alone
- putting yourself first
- asking for what you need
- staying at home
- saying “no”
- forgiving yourself
- taking a step back
- journaling 5’ every morning
- exercise
- music
- baking
- shower, skincare
- find the little things and pepper them in your life
*if you stop doing it when you feel overwhelmed, you should make it a non-negotiable
what is mindfulness? (3)
being aware in a way that is:
- purposeful
- in the present moment
- non-judgmental –> be compassionate towards yourself
how to make sure you have the right support?
- 2 categories of supported ish
- friends and family
- professional
*ask for the support you need!
what is the professional compass?
- inner knowing –> follow your gut –> you are allowed to change the plan of the session
- if you make the wrong call –> own your mistake, client might react with their body language or straight up tell you
- also your order and liability, organizational expectation, systems perspective, your own compass
what are some benefits of nutrition interventions on mental health?
- reduced nutrition-related side effects of psychiatric medications
- better self-management of health conditions
- improved mental health and physical health
- enhanced social inclusion
- self-reliance
- food security
- a healthier body image
what 2 things that are kinda similar (one is a lived experience, the other one is a clinical disorder) can lead to unhealthy relationship with food, compromised nutritional status, various forms of disordered eating?
- 4 symptoms
- explain
Trauma! vs PTSD (clinical disorder)
- 1/3 of people with trauma will develop PTSD
SYMPTOMS:
1. intrusive thoughts such as flashbacks
2. avoidance
3. altered cognition and mood
4. altered arousal and reactivity; which can include anxiety symptoms and increased threat vigilance, as well as sleep difficulties
*food can become form of self-medication
*food addiction, or binge eating disorder can be associated with trauma
- bipolar disorder –> formally called (2) –> mental disorder that causes (5)
- how many types?
- moods range between what 2 forms
- manic-depressive illness OR manic depression –> causes unusual shifts in mood, shift in energy, activity levels, concentration and ability to carry out day-to-day tasks
- 3 types! all 3 involve clear change in mood, energy and activity levels
MANIC episodes - up, elated, irritable, energized behavior
- less severe manic periods = hypomanic episodes
DEPRESSIVE episodes: - down, sad, indifferent, hopeless
what are the 3 bipolar disorders? describe
BIPOLAR 1 disorder
- manic episodes that last >7 days OR so sever that needs hospital care
- depressive episodes typically lasting >2 weeks
- episodes of depression with mixed features (with manic symptoms) also possible
BIPOLAR 2 disoder:
- pattern of depressive episodes and hypomanic episodes, but not the full-blown mani episodes that are typical of bipolar 1 disorder
CYCLOTHYMIC disorder (cyclothymia):
- defined by periods of hypomanic symptoms + periods of depressive symptoms for >2 years
- BUT symptoms don’t meet diagnostic reqs for hypomanic episode and a depressive episode
- depression, also know as (2) –> interferes with what? (6 ish)
- what does NOT characterize this disorder?
- how often do these people experience symptoms?
- known as major depressive disorder OR clinical depression
- interferes with hoe people feel, think, and handle daily activities, such as sleeping, eating or working
- sadness does NOT characterize. can be a symptom
- nearly every day for at least 2 weeks
CLINICAL depression vs major depressive episode
clinical = constant
MAJOR depressive episode –> ie losing someone, grief
- symptoms won’t occur frequently
- might only happen to you once in your life
what are symptoms of depression? the 2 main ones?
MAIN ONES:
- loss of interest or pleasure in hobbits and activities
- decreased energy or fatigue –> tired all the time even if you sleep a lot
OTHERS
- persistent sad, anxious or empty mood
- feelings of hopelessness
- irritability
- feelings of guild, worthlessness, helplessness
- moving or talking more slowly
- difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions, sleeping
- appetite/weight changes
- thoughts of death, suicide or suicide attempts
- aches and pains –> depression goes through body
suicide vs suicide attempt vs suicide ideation
SUICIDE:
- death caused by self-directed injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of behaviour –> completed
SUICIDE ATTEMPT:
- non-fatal, self-directed, potentially injurious behavior with intent to die as a result of behavior –> suicide attempt might no result in injury
SUICIDE IDEATION:
- thinking about, considering or planning suicide
- can be passive: not intent of doing it but would like it to happen
- define personality disorders
- what is an example of personality disorder?
- represent an enduring pattern of inner experience and behavior that deviates markedly from expectations of individual’s culture
- these patterns tend to be fixed and consistent across situations and leads to distress or impairment
- borderline personality disorder
- define borderline personality disorder
- may experience episodes of (3) that can last how long?
- tend to view things in what way? –> leads to what?
- illness marked by an ongoing pattern of varying moods, self-image, and behavior –> symptoms often result in impulsive actions and problems in relationships
- may experience anger, depression and anxiety –> can last from a few hours to days
- view things in EXTREMES! all good or all bad (as clinician, don’t take it personally) –> their opinions of other people can also change quickly –> shifting feelings can lead to intense and unstable relationships
what are symptoms of borderline personality disorder? (3 main ones + others)
- pattern of intense and unstable relationships with family, friends, and loved ones, swinging from extreme closeness and love (idealization) to extreme dislike or anger (devaluation)
- distorted and unstable self-image or sense of self
- impulsive and often dangerous behaviors, such as spending sprees, unsafe sex, substance abuse, reckless driving, binge eating
OTHERS: - self-harming, recurring thoughts of suicidal behavior, intense and high changeable moods, chronic feelings of emptiness, anger problems, difficulty trsuting, feelings of dissociation, guilt, shame
- uneasy with how they feel with themselves –> unleash in relationships
impulsive behavior such as spending sprees and binge eating during a period of elevated moor or energy –> what type of disorder?
may be signs of mood disorder! not borderline personality disorder
is occasional anxiety an anxiety disorder?
- define anxiety diroser
no! occasional anxiety is an expected part of life –> might feel anxious when faced with problem at work, before exam, before making important decision
- anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear –> for a person with anxiety disorder, anxiety does not go away and can get worse over time. symptoms can interfere with daily activities like job performance, school work and relationships
what are 3 types of anxiety disorders? describe
GENERALIZED ANXIETY DISORDER:
- excessive anxiety or worry, most days for at least 6 months, about personal health, work, social interactions, everyday routine life circumstances
- fear and anxiety can cause significant problems in ares of life (social interactions, school, work)
PANIC DISORDER:
- recurrent unexpected panic attacks or panic attacks brought by a trigger (feared object OR situation)
- panic attacks are sudden periods of intense fear that come on quickly and reach their peak within minutes
PHOBIA-RELATED DISORDERS:
- intense fear of or aversion of specific objects or situations
- can be realistic to be anxious in some circumstances, fear of people with phobias is out of proportion to the actual danger caused by situation or object
what are symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder? (7)
- feeling restless, wound-up, on edge
- being easily fatigued
- having difficulty concentrating, mind going blank
- being irritable
- having muscle tension
- difficulty controlling feelings of worry
- having sleep problems: difficulty falling or staying asleep, restlessness, unsatisfying sleep
what are symptoms experienced during a panic attack (6)?
- heart palpitations, pounding heartbeat, accelerated heart rate
- sweating
- trembling, shaking
- sensations of shortness of breath, smothering, chocking
- feelings of impending doom
- feelings of being out of control
what are types of phobias and phobia-related disorders (4)
- specific phobias (or simple phobias)
- social anxiety disorder (previously called social phobia)
- agoraphobia (anxiety in public crowded space)
- separation anxiety disorder
- define autism spectrum disorder
- said to be a _________ disorder. why?
- developmental disorder that affects communication and behavior
- can be diagnosed at any age, but said to be a developmental disorder bc symptoms generally appear in first 2 years of life
*some are high-functioning!
symptoms of ASD?
- making little or inconsistent eye contact
- having difficulties with back and forth conversations
- often talking at length about favorite subject without noticing other are not interested
- having facial expressions, mvts or gestures that don’t match what you say
- unusual tone of voice: sing-song or flat and robot like
- trouble understanding another person’s point of view OR being unable to predict or understand people’s actions
- difficulty with multi-commands
- define psychotic disorders (also called what? ish)
- schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders
- defined by abnormalities in one or more of following 5 domains:
- delusions
- hallucinations
- disorganized thinking (speech)
- grossly disorganized or abnormal motor behavior (including catatonia)
- negative symptoms
what are 3 types of psychotic disorders? + describe
DELUSIONS
- fixed beliefs that are not amenable to change in light of conflicting evidence. may include variety of themes (persecutory, referential, somatic…)
HALLUCINATIONS:
- perception-like experiences that occur without external stimulus
- vivid and clear, with full force and impact of normal perceptions + NOT under voluntary control
- sensory modality but auditory hallucinations (voices perceived as distinct from individual’s own thoughts) most common in schizophrenia
DISORGANIZED THINKING
- formal thought disorder
- typically inferred from individual’s speech –> may switch from one topic to another
- answers to questions may be obliquely related or completely unrelated
what are 3 types of delusions?
- into what category of disorders does it fall into?
*psychotic disorders!
PERSECUTORY DELUSIONS:
- belief that one is going to be harmed, harassed and so forth by an individual, organization
- most common
REFERENTIAL DELUSIONS:
- belief that certain gestures, comments, environmental cues are directed at oneself
GRANDIOSE DELUSIONS:
- when individual believes that he or she has exceptional abilities, wealth or fame
