Mental Health Test Flashcards
Panic Attack Triggers
Traumatic events, stress, or stimulants such as caffeine or nicotine
Panic Attacks
Panic Attack - a feeling of intense fear, for no reason
Panic Attacks will often create mental and physiological conditions.
Mind - the person can experience feelings of doom or a loss of control
Body - the person could have a racing heartbeat, sweating, nausea, body shakes, or chest pains
Panic Disorders
A Panic Disorder occurs when a person experiences repeated Panic Attacks over a period of time
Panic Disorders can be an issue if they prevent promote avoidance of people or places
Can increase the chances of Depression and Anxiety
Treatments for Panic Disorders
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Medications
Definition of OCD
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder occurs when someone has unwanted thoughts or feelings (obsessions) that can manifest into repetitive actions (compulsions)
Most Obsessions mainly deal with areas where the individual has limited control
eg. Cleanliness, Orderly or Symmetrical Displays, Loss of Personal Control
The Obsessions can create heightened levels of anxiety
The Compulsions act as stress-relievers from the Obsessions
OCD Treatment
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
This therapy usually employs Exposure Therapy where the patient is exposed to triggers of obsessions in order to reduce the amount of anxiety to those triggers
Definition of Psychotic Disorders
Where someone loses contact with reality
Episodes of psychosis involve changes in thought, personality, and behaviour
Psychosis can be mental (e.g. genetically inherited),
physiological (e.g. head injuries),
or chemically induced
(e.g. drugs such as marijuana, LSD, cocaine, amphetamines)
Schizophrenia
A person who experiences psychotic episodes for six months or more is often deemed to be schizophrenic
Symptoms:
- Hallucinations
(e.g. seeing, hearing, or smelling things that are not there)
- Delusions
(e.g. belief in false logic like believing you are an historical figure like Napoleon)
- Catatonia
(e.g. exhibiting little to no movement, or excessive and purposeless movement)
- Thought Disorders
(e.g. exhibiting disorganized speech or writing)
Therapy for Psychotic Disorders
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy can help people experiencing psychotic episodes feel less distressed by these episodes
Antipsychotic medications, also known as neuroleptics, can help treat the frequency and/or severity of psychotic episodes
Mental Disorder/Illness Definition
A Mental Disorder or a Mental Illness is a pattern of dysregulation of mood, thought, and/or behaviour
Many times mental disorders or mental illness will cause suffering or an inability to function in normal life
Anxiety
Anxiety is when a person experiences excessive fear or worry that may interfere with everyday tasks
These can range from specific phobias to PTSD
For teenagers,
social anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders
Mood Disorders
Mood Disorders usually manifest when one experiences intense or prolonged periods of sadness or despair
Clinical Depression
Clinical Depression is usually characterized by:
- Disinterest in things
- Weight loss or gain
- Psychomotor disruption (slowing down of thoughts and/or movements)
- Fatigue
- Excessive guilt
- Difficulties concentrating
- Recurrent thoughts of death
Mental Health Definition
a) A person realizes his or her own abilities
b) A person can cope with the normal stresses of life
c) A person can work productively and contribute to their community
Factors to Mental Health
One factor is Social Inclusion
Peer groups can create a network of safety and understanding.
Examples: School, clubs, teams
Another factor is Freedom from Discrimination and Violence
Discrimination can create a lesser self-concept
Violence can create unnecessary stress and changes to behaviour
eg.PTSD
A third factor is Access to Economic Resources
Poverty and Economic Hardship can create stresses that can affect judgment and behaviour
What does DSM stand for?
Mental Disorders and Mental Illness are updated through the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM), about 150 illnesses listed
What is the translation of Schizophrenia?
“split of the mind”
Mental Health
20% of Canadians experience a mental health problem
People aged 15-25 experience the higher rates of Depression and Anxiety
Half of this age group do not seek counselling
Left untreated, Mental Health Problems can develop into Mental Disorders or Syndromes
Example: Antisocial Disorder
