Concepts of stress
When an event is viewed as this, the individual focuses on potential for gain or growth, rather than risks.
What is a challenge?
Challenge produces stress even through the emotions associated with it are viewed as positive, and coping mechanisms must be called upon to face the new encounter.
An example could be a major change in occupation, but the individual uses the new opportunity to pursue a different career path.
This has been called the "emotional brain"
What is the limbic system?
The limbic system is a group of structures including the amygdala, hypothalamus, etc where several autonomic, endocrine, and somatic functions are controlled.
(page 29)
Antianxiety medications have this function on the CNS.
What is depressing certain CNS functions? Antianxiety medications potentiate GABA.
This can range from mild sedation to hypnosis to coma.
This side effect of antipsychotics can affect a patient's blood pressure.
What is orthostatic hypotension?
To treat, the patient should be taught to move slowly between positions.
This individual's characteristics placed them at the highest risk of having a high Recent Life Change Questionnaire score.
What is an unmarried young woman?
People who are unmarried, young, and female rate stress higher than those who are married, older, and male.
In this stage of the general adaptation syndrome, an individual overcomes a stressor.
What is resistance?
In the stage of resistance, the individual uses the physiological responses of the first stage (alarm stage) as a defense in the attempt to adapt to the stressor. If the adaptation occurs, the third stage is prevented to delayed.
This branch of the autonomic system plays a key role in fight-or-flight.
What is the sympathetic nervous system?
This risk increases when an antidepressant takes effect and the patient's mood improves.
What is risk for suicide? The patient may have increased energy to carry out a plan. Watch patients carefully as depression lifts. MONITOR patients use of medication, because these can be lethal in overdose.
This is the time period to determine if an antidepressant has been adequately trialed.
What is 4 weeks or more?
An individual's former school mate passed away. They attend the funeral and return to work the next day. No occupational or social functioning is significantly impaired. The nurse determines what about these behaviors.
There is no mental illness present since there is no significant change to occupational or social functioning.
In this stage of the general adaptation syndrome, an individual's adaptive energy is depleted.
What is the stage of exhaustion, where diseases may occur?
Without intervention for reversal, exhaustion, and in some cases, even death, ensues.
Decreased norepinephrine is seen in this disorder.
What is major depressive disorder?
These two classes of antidepressants are very dangerous when taken together.
What are MAOIs and SSRIs?
These foods should be avoided when taking an MAOI antidepressant.
What are aged foods such as aged cheese, red wines, smoked and processed meats, soy sauce, ripened foods like ripe avocados?
The patient tells the rehab nurse "I drink because it's the only way I can deal with my bad marriage and worse job" This is an example of what type of defense mechanism.
What is rationalization?
The person attempts to make excuses or formulate logical reasons to justify their unacceptable feelings or behaviors. (page 18)
This determines if an event is stressful.
What is an individual's cognitive appraisal of the situation?
Each individual evaluates the personal significance of the situation or event. An event from the internal or external environment occurs and the individual perceives it in a specific manner. The event "precipitates" a response, and the response is influenced by the individual's perception of the event.
What may be "stressful" for one person may not be evaluated as "stressful" in another person.
This category of neurotransmitters play a key role in regulating mood and cognition.
What are monoamines?
This includes norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, and histamine.
This side effect from mood stabilizers, can be bothersome to patients.
What is weight gain?
This is the best time to take a stimulant medication.
What is right after meals?
Stimulants can cause anorexia and weight loss. Give the medication right after meals.
This is the criteria for involuntary committment.
What is the client is a danger to others, gravely disabled and unable to meet basic needs, or suicidal?
This is how the nurse can help those dealing with stress.
What is assisting individuals with problem-solving strategies?
(Could include assessing the facts, formulating goals, studying the alternatives, etc). Page 8
This is where psychotropic medications exert their effect.
What is the neural synapse?
This potentially fatal blood disorder can result from antipsychotics.
What is agranulocystosis?
This dietary habit is needed to prevent lithium toxicity.
This medication is given for EPS symptoms that may occur with antipsychotics.
What is benztropine (Cogentin)?