Mental Health Review Flashcards
What is mental health?
mental health is a state of well-being in which the individual realises his/her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to contribute to his/her community
What is a mental health disorder?
results in significant changes in a person’s thinking, emotional state and behavior, and ability to function in social and occupation settings
meets defined diagnostic criteria
What is a mental health problem?
broad term that includes mental health disorders and less severe mental health symptoms that do not meet diagnostic criteria but may disrupt personal, social, and occupational functioning
expressed and experienced uniquely by individuals
Differentiate voluntary and involuntary status.
voluntary: person requires care that can be provided in a mental health centre, and that person consents to the admission
involuntary: a person needs hospitalization for a mental health disorder but it is not possible for them to be admitted voluntarily
What is the involuntary admission criteria?
- a person with a mental health disorder who needs inpatient care
- not being fully capable of making an admission or treatment decision
- likely to harm self or others or suffer substantial mental or physical deterioration
What is the difference between a physical and mental health diagnosis?
physical health: objective
-ex: signs and sx, labs, diagnostic tests, history
mental health: subjective
-clinicians impression of the patients thoughts and feelings
-symptoms are cross-referenced to the DSM
What are some of the components of a psychiatric interview?
patient demographics
chief complaint
history of presenting illness
past psychiatric/substance use/legal history
medical history
family psychiatric history
social history
medication history
risk assessment (suicide, homicide)
differential diagnosis
impression
treatment plan
What is a mental status exam?
observations of patient
-throughout the clinical psychiatric interview
questions about patients thoughts, beliefs, perceptions, and cognitions
creates a picture of the patient
What is the analogue in psychiatry to the physical exam in physical medicine?
mental status exam
What is an example of a suicide risk assessment tool?
Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale
What are the benefits of the Columbia Protocol?
simple (done in a few moments)
efficient (can identify at risk patients)
effective (has shown to help prevent suicide)
evidence based (validated questions)
universal (suitable for all)
free
How was the nomenclature of psychotropic drugs first determined?
based on indication the medications were first discovered for
What is the main issue with the current psychotropic nomenclature?
flawed and misleading
-many drugs have multiple MOAs and are used to manage symptoms of various conditions
-differences exist between drugs within current classifications
-dose related differences in MOA
What are the limitations of the current psychotropic nomenclature?
outdated
does not support clinical decision making
inconsistent with other areas of medicine
may confuse patients & exacerbate non-adherence
negatively contributes to stigma
What is the role of medication in mental health & substance use care?
they do not cure sx but they can significantly improve sx
they can reduce the risk of relapse
they are only 1 component of mental health care
non-pharm is incredibly important for treatment
