Psychological Approaches to Common Mental Health Problems Flashcards
What are some common mental health disorders?
Affective and Anxiety disorders - Major depressive disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, phobic anxiety disorders, OCD.
Substance misuse disorders - alcohol, tobacco, opioids, benzodiazepines, stimulants.
Disorders of reactions to stress - Post traumatic stress disorder.
What is the HEAT target for Scotland regarding access to psychological therapies?
18 weeks max waiting time
What are some features of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)?
Working through how your thoughts relate to your feelings.
Focus on the here and now
Short term treatment good for depression, anxiety, phobias, OCD, PTSD.
Problem focused, goal orientated.
Can be individual, group, self-help book or computer programme.
Assess if thoughts are unrealistic/unhelpful
Homework set to challenge these unhealthy thought processes - graded exposure, response prevention.
What are some features of Behavioural Activation Theory and Rationale?
Focuses on avoided activities of depression as guide for activity scheduling, functional analysis of cognitive processes.
Focus on what predicts and maintains an unhelpful response by various reinforcers.
Client taught to analyse unintended consequences of their way of responding.
What are some examples of behavioural activation avoidance in depression?
Social withdrawal - not answering telephone, avoiding friends.
Non-social avoidance - not taking on challenging tasks, sitting around the house, spending excessive time in bed.
Avoidance by distraction - watching rubbish on TV, gambling, comfort eating, excessive exercise.
Emotional avoidance - use of alcohol or other substances.
Cognitive avoidance - not thinking about relationship problems, not making decisions about future, not taking opportunities, not being serious about work or studies.
What are some features of Interpersonal Psychotherapy (IPT)?
12-16week course focused on the present.
Reflection on interpersonal events and how they affect you.
No formal homework but client can use skills beyond sessions ending.
What is motivational interviewing?
Technique of asking a patient questions that promotes behaviour change. More effective than advice giving.
What are the principles of motivational interviewing?
Express empathy
Avoid argument
Support self-efficacy - patient set agenda, generates what they might consider changing.
What are the stages of change?
Pre-contemplation Contemplation Planning Action Maintenance
What is stigma?
A social construction that devalues people due to a distinguishing characteristic or mark.
What is discrimination?
The actual behaviour towards another group that involves excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to other groups.
What is prejudice?
A prejudgment. An assumption made about someone or something before having adequate knowledge to be able to do so with guaranteed accuracy.
What are some features of stigma?
Attitudes develop in early childhood.
Stable over many years
Influenced by personal experience.
More common in older males with less education.
Tolerance depends on closeness of interaction.
Little change in attitudes over the last 50yrs.
What are 2 key questions you can ask someone when screening for depression?
During the last month have you often been bothered by feeling down, depressed or hopeless?
During the last month have you been bothered by having little interest or pleasure in doing things.
What I the DSM IV/V criteria for diagnosing depression?
Symptoms present nearly everyday for at least 2 weeks. 5 out of 9 criteria are required.
Need at least 1 of these 2:
Depressed mood
Loss of interest or pleasure.
Then need criteria present from second list:
Significant change in weight or appetite.
Sleep difficulties
Fatigue
Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt.
Reduced concentration or indecisiveness.
Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide.
