Mental Health Flashcards
Defining mental health
Extreme differences or difficulties in the way a person thinks, observes the world and expresses feelings. These can either be brief or occur over a long time. They can cause difficulties in a persons ability to care for themselves, to have relationships, make decisions, work or have any leisure activity.
Facts and figures
1 in 6 adults in britain have severe mental health problems at any one time.
1 in 4 are treated by their GP or seek their own help.
About 2% have severe and enduring mental illness.
1 in 10 new mothers have post-natal depression
1 in 10 people will experience clinical depression at some point in their lives
3.4% of men and 8% of women are affected by phobias (agoraphobia most common)
1 in 200 develop mania in their lifetime
Mental illness is misunderstood
suffers face prejudice
Mental illness is not something that purely requires medical treatment
nor is it the persons fault that they have developed it
High risk factors for developing mental health issues in London
Unemployment and Social isolation. Population of 15-30yr olds (highest risk of psychosis) Variation in wealth and poverty Ill health and housing problems Many different ethnic groups
Categories of mental illness
Neurosis
Psychosis
Organic
Personality Disorders
Neurosis
A disorder in which anxiety or emotional symptoms are prominent.
The sufferer often has insight into their illness, or has potential to have insight
Main types: Pathological anxiety, Clinical depression, Phobias, Obsessions/Compulsions
Pathological Anxiety - definition
is a response to an event which is:
Disproportionate to the severity of stress normally expected.
Continues for an excessive period of time after the stressor has gone
Occurs in the absence of an external stressor
Pathological Anxiety - signs and symptoms
Persistent anxiety Disturbed sleeping pattern Tension leading to aches and pains Muscular tremor restlessness Dry mouth Autonomic over-activity (sweating, tachycardia, epigastric disturbances)
Clinical Depression two main types
Reactive
Endogenous
Reactive Clinical Depression - definition
Usually attributed to a specific event, such as bereavement, major life event or other traumatic/stressful experience.
Endogenous Clinical Depression - definition
The person may have frequent prolonged episodes, with no apparent cause.
Depression - signs and symptoms
Persistent low mood, reduced energy, pessimism
Sleep disturbance, poor concentration
Reduced appetite, weight loss
Reduced libido, loss of enjoyment
Feeling of worthlessness/guilt
General loss of normal function
Risk of self-harm or suicide in sever cases
Depression - treatment
Psychological treatments are often used in conjunction with anti-depressant medication
Phobias - definition
A persistent, abnormal fear of an object or situation (sometimes referred to as an irrational fear)
Agoraphobia
fear of crowds
Claustrophobia
fear of confined spaces
Pyrophobia
fear of fire
Phobias - signs and symptoms
Recurrent episodes of acute distress Mental confusion Sweating Palpitations Deep and rapid breathing, which may lead to hyperventilation
Obsession/Compulsion - definition
A desire to carry out repetitive actions (compulsion) in response to thoughts that constantly occupy the conscious mind (obsession)
Sufferer may have rituals that become part of everyday life
People with extreme cases of ‘obsessive compulsive disorder’ may spend hours washing or become unable to leave the house because of their need to perform rituals
Psychosis - Definition
A process in which the suffers experiences and reasoning do not reflect reality.
A person suffering from psychotic illness may lack insight into their illness and may appear to have lost touch with reality
Schizophrenia - definition
A severe mental disorder (or group of disorders) characterised by a disintegration of thought and perception process, contact with reality and emotional responsiveness.
May be acute or chronic and fluctuate in severity.
Affects 1% of the population
Onset: mid to late teens in men, slightly later in women
Cause is unclear
Schizophrenia - signs and symptoms
Involves disorders of thought and also include disorders of perception.
Delusions: Paranoid, Grandiose, Persecution
Hallucinations: Auditory, Tactile, Visual, Olfactory (smell), Taste.
Affective mood disorders - definition
Affective disorders can be unipolar (mania) or bipolar (manic depression), neurotic or psychotic, mild or severe.
