Mental health continuum & factors that influence
Name the three states that occur on the mental health continuum
Mentally healthy, mental health problem and mental disorder
Name the two issue with ethical implications in the study of, and research into, mental health.
The use of the placebo and informed consent
Name the two social contributing factors
Specific environmental trigger
Stigma as a barrier for seeking help
Name a social evidence based intervention
Psychoeducation for friends, families and supporters.
Name a social protective factor for mental wellbeing
Support from family, friends and the community
Name the characteristics of a mentally healthy person
High level of functioning, high level of social wellbeing, high level of emotional wellbeing and a high level of resilience
Identify a similarity between stress and anxiety
Both involve the activation of the sympathetic nervous system
Both are influenced by biological, psychological and social factors
Both can lead to a mental disorder if unmanaged
Both are considered normal to experiences to a wide range of stimuli
Name the biological and psychological contributing factors
Biological - GABA dysfunction, role of the stress response & long-term potentiation
Psychological - Behavioural model: precipitation by classical conditioning & perpetuation by operant conditioning, Cognitive models: Catastrophic thinking & memory bias
Name the biological evidence based interventions
Benzodiazepines as short acting GABA agonists
Exercise
Breathing-retraining
Name the biological and psychological protective factors for mental wellbeing
Biological - Adequate sleep & diet
Psychological - Cognitive behavioural strategies
Explain the difference between internal and external factors with reference to an example fo each
Internal factors originate within the body (for example....) whereas external factors originate outside the body (for example.....)
Explain two differences between stress and anxiety
Stress involves eustress sand distress whereas anxiety only involves distress
The cause of stress is usually known whereas the cause of anxiety may not be known
Explain how memory bias contributes to a phobia
Memory bias refers to the distorting influences of present knowledge, beliefs and feelings due to the recollection of memories. In someone who has a phobia they are more likely to recall negative memories attached to the phobic stimulus rather than more positive or neutral memories. This selective memory can increase the avoidance behaviour and perpetuate the phobia.
Explain two ways exercise can promote relaxation for someone who has a phobia
Exercise may promote relaxation by providing a temporary time out or distraction from anxiety symptoms. It could help increase tolerance of fear and anxiety-related symptoms, metabolise stress hormones to meet the increased energy demands and return the body to normal functioning sooner and release endorphins which will help to experience a temporary positive state in wellbeing.
Explain what is meant by resilience
The ability to successfully cope with adversity, and to 'bounce back' and restore positive functioning
Explain the difference between being mentally healthy and having a mental health problem.
Mentally healthy is being in a generally positive state of mental wellbeing, having the ability to cope with and manage life’s challenges, working productively, striving to fulfil one’s goals and potential, and having a sense of connection to others and the community in general whereas a mental health problem is a mental health concern that interferes with functioning but is usually less severe and of a shorter duration than a mental disorder
Explain why the use of a placebo might be of concern in mental health research?
Researchers may intentionally withhold an effective treatment from people who genuinely need the treatment and are therefore they are allowed to remain unwell (the number or severity of the symptoms may increase) and may also suffer as a consequence - experiencing physical and or psychological harm.
Explain how GABA dysfunction contributes to a phobia
GABA dysfunction means there less GABA in the brain as there is not enough being produced released or received at the synapses in the brain. Therefore, when they are faced with the phobia stimulus, there is insufficient GABA to counterbalance the excitatory effect of Glutamate, increasing CNS arousal levels and contributing to the anxiety.
Explain how benzodiazepines promote relaxation for a person who has a phobia
A person could be prescribed a benzodiazepine agent by a medical doctor (or psychiatrist). They would take the prescribed dose about an hour before coming into contact with the phobic stimulus. The benzodiazepines would bind to the post synaptic GABA rector sites, allowing the GABA that is received to be amplified. This would allow the excitatory effect of glutamate to be counterbalanced, reducing CNS arousal levels and thereby reducing anxiety and promoting a state of relaxation.
Explain what cognitive behavioural strategies are and how they boost mental wellbeing and build resilience
A technique drawn from cognitive behavioural therapy to identify, assess and correct faulty patterns of thinking or problem behaviours that may be affecting mental health and wellbeing. These help people to find more positive an optimistic way to look at the world, which can help with their self-efficacy and as such assist with their ability to cope with adversity and restore motive functioning, unlimitedly assisting with their mental wellbeing.
As the VCE year progresses, Jan’s friends notice she has become increasingly irritable in the past 2 weeks, has lost a bit of weight and is having difficulty concentrating in class, but she is still going to school, working two jobs, and playing tennis. Jan’s friends think she has a mental health problem. Why would Jan’s friends think she has a mental health problem and not a mental disorder?
Duration of the symptoms - Symptoms have been present for a short period of time. In the past two weeks she has become increasingly irritable
Impact on functioning - Jan has minor impact to her functioning in that she is finding difficult concentrating in class but she is still going to school and work
Severity of symptoms - Jan is showing atypical thoughts feelings and behaviours in that she is irritable and losing weight and having difficulties in concentrating but they are not severe or distressing to her.
Explain why informed consent might be an issues with mental health research.
A wide range of mental disorders are associated with one or more impairments that can adversely affect the ability to provide informed consent; for example, impairments to attention, concentration, reasoning, judgment, short-term working memory, long-term memory, decision-making and other relevant cognitive functions. The presence of a mental disorder can therefore interfere with a person's capacity to give genuine consent as it may prevent them from fully understanding some or all of the details of what it is that are actually consenting to
Explain how the social contributing factors can precipitate and perpetuate a phobia
A specific environment trigger is a direct, negative and traumatic experience with a phobic stimulus and this encounter can be seen as the cause of the phobia, therefore predicates the phobia. Stigma is a mark of shame or disapproval based on a certain characteristic. The nature of a specific phobia and its symptoms mean that individuals with a phobia are particularly vulnerable to experiencing stigma due to the irrational nature of the fear being hard to understand and that a phobia is seen as not a serious mental disorder. This may decreases. person's willingness to tell family and friends, and seek treatment from a professional because they are worried they will be ridiculed, perpetuating the phobia
Explain how systematic desensitisation promotes relaxation for a person with a phobia
Firstly, they are taught a relaxation technique, such as a breathing technique, progressive muscle relaxation or visual imagery to reduce physiological arousal when faced with flying. They would then create a fear hierarchy. Listing the situations around the phobic stimulus that cause the least to the most fear. Thirdly, gradually pair items in the hierarchy with her relaxation technique by working upwards through items in the hierarchy, one 'step' at a time. They would not move up to the next step on the fear hierarchy until they were able to be completely relaxed at each step.
Explain how adequate diet and adequate sleep boost mental wellbeing and build resilience
Eating well is vital to good physical health and contributes to an overall healthier lifestyle and has a positive impact on our mental health, including how energetic we feel and our mood state. When we obtain adequate sleep we have improved affective, behavioural and cognitive functioning. We are more likely to have positive emotions, feel refreshed and energetic and can concentrate and make better decisions. Adequate sleep and adequate diet both can help us think, feel and do better as well as enhance our enjoyment of life in general as well as giving its the energy to perceive and try different coping strategies to assist with dealing with adversity and restoring positive functioning.