Wk10 Relationship Between Physical And Mental Health

Question 1

What is stress?

Answer 1

How stressed are you?
Indictors of physiological stress
•Novel situations
•Unpredictable
•Uncontrollable
•Perceived control is a big predictor of stress
•Lack of control over a stressor results in the cognitive schema of helplessness

Question 2

Passive avoidance coping strategy

Answer 2

Temporarily blocks out anxiety

Question 3

Active distraction

Answer 3

Intentionally taking a break

Question 4

What are signs of stress?

Answer 4

Biochemical: alteration to endorphin levels
Physiological: high BP, rapid shallow breathing, digestive problems
Behavioural: sleep problems, increased alcohol intake, increased errors
Cognitive: poor concentration and memory
Emotional: mood swings, irritability

Question 5

What can stress lead to?

Answer 5

Risky health behaviours:
Over eating
RTAs
Drinking alcohol excessively
Smoking more
Too much or too little exercise
Impacts physical health

Question 6

Stress and GI health

Answer 6

• Relationship between stress and the GI system
• Stress and Bowel function
• A biopsychosocial approach is required for GI medicine

Question 7

Stress in pregnancy and DNA changes

Answer 7

Project storm ice - 280 pregnant women in 1980 in storm

• Differences in DNA methylation between young people depend on how the mothers appraised the storm
• Not clear whether this is due to how women perceived the stress or the actual severity of the stressful event.

Question 8

Placebo effect

Answer 8

Fake treatment that has no active ingredient yet report feeling better

Question 9

Nocedo effect

Answer 9

Develop symptoms not been exposed to a pathogen

Question 10

Physical manifestations of a mental illness

Answer 10

• The presentation of physical symptoms that are seen as symptoms that are part of a mental health condition.
• Varies across cultures
• In cultures where mental health is seen to have serious stigmatizing consequences physical presentation of symptoms is more common.
• Culture bound syndromes

Question 11

Vulnerability and resilience

Answer 11

• Majority of people are resilient
• Trauma and serious events occur to 50%
• Prevalence of PTSD is 10%
• Most people who experience a traumatic event recover. •“Dandelion” Children and “Orchid” Children

Question 12

What are implications for practice?

Answer 12

Consider how the patient and the illness might interact
Think about the relative contributions of social and psychological factors
Don’t simply treat the symptoms – think about the causes