Unit 4 AOS2 Flashcards
Wellbeing
The individual is mentally, physically, socially healthy and secure.
Mental Wellbeing
Individuals’ psychological state and their ability to think, process information and regulate emotions.
Ways of considering mental wellbeing
- Levels of functioning.
- Resilience.
- Social Wellbeing.
- Emotional wellbeing.
Levels of functioning.
The degree to which individuals can complete day-to-day tasks independently and effectively.
High levels of functioning.
- Carry out basic tasks.
- Productive.
- Set goals.
- Independent.
- Adapt to change.
Low levels of functioning.
- Struggle to carry out daily tasks.
- Feelings lethargic; unproductive.
- Lack of direction.
- Unable to cope with change.
Resilience.
Ability to cope and manage change/uncertainty.
Respond effectively to stressors, overcome them and adapt to them.
High levels of resilience
- Seek solutions to problems.
- Appropriate coping strategies.
- Flexible in changing environments.
- Optimistic + hope.
Low levels of resilience
- Enduring feelings of being overwhelmed by problems.
- Unhealthy coping strategies.
- Unable to adapt to change.
- Lack of optimism + hope.
Social well-being.
Form and maintain meaningful bonds with others and adapt to social situations.
High levels of social well-being.
- Strong support network.
- Form + maintain meaningful relationships.
- Effectively communicate with others.
Low levels of social well-being.
- Isolated/lack of support.
- Difficulty forming relationships.
- Struggle to communicate effectively.
Emotional well-being.
Appropriately control and express emotions in an adaptive way, and understand the emotions of others.
High levels of emotional well-being.
- Aware of own and other’s emotional state.
- Experience a wide range of emotions.
- Appropriately express emotions.
Low levels of emotional health and well-being.
- Unable to understand emotions.
- Unable to experience certain emotions.
- Inappropriately express emotions.
Social-Emotional wellbeing framework (SEWB)
Includes all elements of being and well-being for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.
- Multidimensional (different components).
- Holistic (Considers the whole person).
-conceptions of health as holistic, interdependent, and interconnected domains of social, emotional and cultural wellbeing of the whole community.
The SEWB dimensions.
- Connection to body.
- Connection to mind and emotions.
- Connection to family and kinship.
- Connection to community.
- Connection to culture.
- Connection to country.
- Connection to spirituality and ancestors.
Connection to the body.
Connecting to the physical body and health to participate fully in all aspects of life.
eg. Good nutrition.
Connection to mind and emotion.
Effectively manage thoughts and feelings.
eg. Self-esteem.
Connection to family and kinship.
Connection to immediate and wider family group/community.
eg. Quality time.
Connection to community.
Connection to wider social systems; support and connect.
eg. Community services.
Connection to culture.
Identity, values and tradition which connect between the past, present and future. –> behaviour and beliefs.
eg. Speak the local language.
Connection to country.
Traditional lands of a particular language or culture; spiritually and emotionally (geographic).
eg. Only taking what one needs from the land.
Connection to spirituality and ancestors.
Connecting all things, beliefs and behaviours to guide knowledge.
Ancestors are connected with the creation of spirits and the country. (guide and protect families).
The determinants (SEWB)
- Social.
- Historical.
- Political.
Social determinants.
Circumstances people grow, live and work, and the systems put in place to deal with illness.
eg. Unemployment.
Historical determinants.
The ongoing influence of events, policies and trauma on groups of people.
eg. Colonisation.
Political determinants.
Shape the process of distributing resources and power to individuals and communities and create or reinforce social + health inequalities.
eg. Unresolved issues of land.
Mental well-being as a continuum
An individual’s psychological state and the ability to think, process information and regulate emotions.
- Tracks fluctuating mental well-being.
- It is constantly changing
- Not-fixed.
- Can shift.
High levels of mental health (continuum)
- Function Independently.
- Cope with everyday demands
- Excessive level of distress and dysfunction.
- Ability to cope with stress, sadness and anger.
Medium levels of mental health (continuum)
—> less severe and more temporary.
- Not functioning at an optimal level.
- Moderate impact on mental wellbeing.
- Amplified emotions and high levels of stress.
- Difficulty concentrating.
- Irrational thought patterns.
Low levels of mental health (continuum)
- High levels of distress.
- Unable to independently complete tasks and demands of environments.
- Impacted for an extended period of time.
- May be diagnosed; treated through psychotherapy or medication.
Factors influencing mental health.
Internal and External.
Internal factors.
Factors that arise from within the individual.
Biological. eg. stress response, thought patterns and genetic predisposition.
External factors.
Factors that arise from outside of an individual (the environment).
Social. eg. Loss of relationships, level of education.
Stress
Psychological and physiological experience that occurs when an individual encounters something of significance that demands their attention/efforts to cope.
- Response to stressors.
- Natural response; sympathetic.
Anxiety
The psychological and physiological response involves feelings of worry and apprehension about a perceived threat.
- Undefined stressor.
- Apprehension.
- Futuristic thinking/perceived threat.
Phobia
- Diagnosable anxiety disorder that is categorised by excessive and disproportionate fear when encountering or anticipating the encounter of a particular stimulus.
- Specific trigger/stimulus (defined).
- Irrational.
- Intense fear.
Biopsychosocial
- Biological.
- Psychological.
- Social.
Biological - Protective
- Adequate diet.
- Adequate hydration.
- Adequate sleep.
Adequate diet - Biological.
Unprocessed foods high in nutrients reduce the risk of mental health disorders.
Food is a zeitgeber–>Sleep promotion.
Gut-brain axis:
- Healthy microbiota supported by a high diversity of nutrients.
- Reduces stress.
- Serotonin neurochemicals are more balanced.
Nutrients are used to produce neurochemicals.
Improves physical health.
Adequate hydration. - Biological.
60% of the body is made of water, particularly in the blood that transports nutrients and oxygen.
- Water is required to make and transport neurochemicals.
Adequate sleep - Biological.
Good quality of sleep.
- NREM sleep is required to replenish muscles and tissues.
- REM sleep is required to replenish the mind.
Insufficient sleep can reduce concentration, affecting mood and increasing risk-taking behaviour.
Psychological - Protective.
- Cognitive behavioural therapy.
- Attention.
- Acceptance.
- Meditation.
Cognitive behavioural therapy - Psychological -
Identification and challenge of negative thoughts lead to more positive behaviours and vice versa.
Behaviour –> Thoughts –> Feelings
<———————————————-
LTP becomes more strengthened.
Attention - Psychological
Focused on thoughts/feelings/sensations in the present moment.
Acceptance - Psychological
Experiencing the above without judgment.
Meditation.
Reduce activity of the amygdala(fear and emotion) and increase activity in the prefrontal cortex (decision making).
Social - Protective.
- Authentic.
- Energising.
- Support; assistance.
Authentic - Social
- Comfortable relationships.
- Honest conversation and feedback to reduce stress.
- Uses legitimate and effective advice
Energising - Social
- Focus on creating a positive environment.
Biopsycholoigcal approach to phobia.
Biological - physical factors in the body leading to the development of aphobia.
Psychological - thoughts + mental processes leading to phobia development.
Social - Development of phobia through interaction with others.
Biological (Phobia)
- GABA dysfunction.
- Long-Term Potentiaton.
GABA dysfunction - Biological.
Predisposing.
Insufficient neural transmission of GABA (inhibitory), to be activated more quickly, due to fear response, leading to phobia development.
It is Biological and predisposing.
GABA initially decreases arousal, but in GABA dysfunction arousal is heightened as it is absent.
Over activation of neural pathways, causing anxiety and a stress response.
Long-Term Potentiation - Biological.
Predisposing.
- The strengthening of neural synapses.
- A more readily trigger activation of neural signals; fear.
In phobia; it improves the thought pathway that links the stimulus with fear.
Psychological (Phobia)
- Classical Conditioning.
- Operant Conditioning.
- Cognitive Biases (Memory bias and catastrophic thinking).
Classical Conditioning - Psychological.
Precipitation.
Phobias can be learned through classical conditioning, with repeated association with phobia stimulus to produce a fear response.
eg.
NS (Magpie) –> no response.
UCS(Swooping) –> UCR(fear).
NS(magpie) is repeatedly associated with UCS(Swooping) –> UCR(fear).
CS(Magpie) –> CR(Fear).
Operant conditioning - Psychological.
Perpetuation.
Maintaining fear by avoidance behaviours –> negative reinforcement (something unpleasant is removed).
Over time the reinforcement strengthens/maintains the phobic response, making it more likely to be repeated.
Cognitive Bias - Psychological.
Think/process information in a certain way, causing errors in judgements and thoughts. This contributes to phobias because you deem it as harmful, dangerous or scary.
2 types:
Memory
Catastrophic
Memory Bias - Psychological.
- Inaccurate/exaggerated memory.
- Traumatic events; impacting present cognitions about related stimuli.
- Past thinking.
- Worse than what it was in some way.
Catastrophic Thinking - Psychological.
- Futuristic thinking.
- Negative thinking about what might happen.
Social (Phobia).
- Specific environmental triggers.
- Stigma around seeking treatment.
Specific environmental triggers - Social.
Some stimuli/experiences in a person’s environment that promote an extreme stress response:
- Direct confrontation –> exposure.
- Observing another person –> someone else is scared.
- Learning about a traumatic stimulus or event.
The stigma around seeking treatment - Social.
- Sense of shame about getting professional help for phobia.
- Way we perceive expectations.
Interventions for phobia - Biological.
- Benzodiazepines.
- Relaxation treatment.
Benzodiazepines - Biological.
GABA agonists (same molecular shape).
Binds to a receptor to enhance the effect of existing GABA molecules.
Enables GABA through the fluid in the synaptic gap.
Thereby allowing GABA to have its inhibitory effects. By making the neuron less likely to fire, the over-excitation of neurons that causes anxiety is reduced, providing a temporary relief of the stress response
Relaxation techniques - Biological.
Engages parasympathetic nervous system to counter stress response.
Breathing retaining:
- Control breathing; slow down.
Cause:
- Hyperventilation when fearful. (decreases CO2).
- Imbalance in CO2/O2 in blood, therefore causing a feeling of anxiety (heightened arousal).
Solution:
- Breathing sleepy and slowly.
- Restarting CO2/O2 balance.
- Decreases arousal.
interventions for phobia - Psychological.
- Cognitive behavioural therpay.
- Systematic desensitisation.
Cognitive behavioural therapy - Psychological.
- Replace unhealthy thoughts with healthier ones.
- Notice and challenge thoughts and behaviours.
Thoughts:
- Memory Bias.
- Catastrophic Bias.
- Embarrassment –> stigma.
- Extreme fear.
Behaviours:
- Avoidance behaviours.
- Seek help.
Systematic Desensitisation.
Deliberate exposure over time.
The process:
1. Learn relaxation techniques (such as breathing retraining)
2. Development of a fear hierarchy, ranking anxiety-inducing experiences related to the patient’s phobia from easiest to confront, to most difficult to confront
3. A gradual step-by-step exposure to each item on the hierarchy, beginning with the least anxiety-inducing stimulus, paired with practice of the learned relaxation techniques
4. Continuation of this systematic exposure until the most fear-inducing stimulus can be faced without producing the phobic response.
Interventions for phobia - Social.
- Psychoeducation for families and supporters.
Psychoeducation for families and supporters. - social
Teachers families and supporters about ways to manage and deal with a person’s phobia. As well as overall knowledge about the nature of the phobia/mental health disorder.
2 teachings:
- Challenging unrealistic or anxious thoughts.
- Not encouraging avoidant behaviours.
Risk factors
- Predisposing.
- Precipitating.
- Perpetuating.
Predisposing
Pre-existing increases the chance of a mental health disorder.
- GABA dysfunction.
Precipitating
Trigger.
- Classical Conditioning, LTP, Specific environmental triggers.
Perpetuating
Maintains the problem/illness.
- Operant and Stigma.
Cultural determinants
- Cultural Continuity.
- Self-determination.
Cultural Continuity.
- Carry on historical traditions of cultures.
- Can be disrupted or destroyed if cultural practices are not allowed to continue.
Self-determination.
- Right of people to shape their own lives.
