Types of Mental Health/Psychology
Clinical Psychology.
*Note: Stressors are something that causes stress in your life.
True or False: Stress is inherently bad.
False. Stress is a motivator, sometimes necessary for survival, and can help us make decisions and/or keep deadlines. It is all about balance.
True or False: When someone has depression they also have anxiety.
True (usually). However, anxiety looks different in each person.
Name one thing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says is way we should address our mental illnesses or improve mental health?
Spending time with family, journal, prayer/meditation, seek professional help, take time away from technology/social media, have a day of rest (Sabbath), etc.
What type of psychological practice did Freud use?
Psychoanalysis
True or False: Writing in a journal has been proven in peer-reviewed research to reduce anxiety.
True.
What is the survival mode of stress called?
"Fight or Flight". It is the Sympathetic Nervous System telling your body to use the adrenaline hormone to make quick decisions and fast reaction times.
Name 3 of the symptoms of clinical depression?
- Feelings of despair and hopelessness
- Feeling detached from life/people around you
- Excessive fatigue and loss of energy
- Crying spells for no reason
- Inability to concentrate
- Changes in eating or sleeping patterns
- Ideations (thoughts) of suicide
- Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
- General feelings of constant sadness
How effective is medication at treating depression/anxiety, generally?
(In a percent out of 100)
About 50%. Medications are a great catalyst to help get someone to a point where they can make some changes. It is a resource that many people need and should be assessed by clinical psychologists or psychiatrists. However, it is important to know that for those not suffering from severe generalized depression and anxiety, a placebo is often as effective as medications.
Besides depression and anxiety, name 3 other types of mental illnesses.
Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, General Mood Disorder, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Personality Disorders (Antisocial, Borderline, Dependent, etc.), ADHD, Addictions (alcoholism, drug abuse, etc.) Dementia/Alzheimers Disease, Eating Disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, phobias, learning disabilities, etc.
Name some stressors that can positively impact your health/mood?
Riding a rollercoaster, playing a soccer game, opening Christmas presents, seeing a friend you haven't seen in a long time, feeling love (kissing, wedding, dancing, etc.).
True or False: Most stressors are out of your control?
False. Differentiating between what is controllable and not is one of the best ways to combat anxiety. Most stressors in someone's life can be resolved by actively doing something about it or reframing your thinking.
What is the #1 best way to combat mild to moderate depression?
Exercise! Specifically, reaching a high VO2 max 4+ times a week.
What are the 3 very common reasons why people don't seek help for their mental health issues?
1. Stigma
2. Don't want to "burden" others or make it a big deal
3. Don't know where to turn for help or what help to seek
What is the most commonly used theoretical practice in the USA today for clinical counseling/treatments?
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
What can bring about the most immediate boost to your immune system?
Laughing. By laughing for just a few minutes, you can boost your immune system for the next 1 or more hours and also helps with long term immune boosts because it initiates immune cell production! It is bringing in oxygen rich air, stimulates organ use, releases "happy" hormones, decreases stress hormones, increases circulation to help relax muscles, and ultimately improves your mood so thinking is generally more positive.
What is the biological term for the chemical messengers that either block or accept hormones/chemicals that affect our moods?
Neurotransmitters.
About how many Americans will have 1 or more clinical mental illness(es) at least once in their life?
Over 50% or every 1 in 2. That is probably a gross under estimation because mental illness is under reported, especially in men.
What is a unique resource that The Church has available to use for addressing Mental Health concerns?
LDS Family Services- They act as a link between counselors, doctors, social workers, etc. They can point you in the right direction based on your needs.
Name the most common mental illness among men in the USA?
Addictions. This stems from depression, but men under report mental illnesses. Addictions are more easily observed.
What is the term believing that you are able to accomplish a task?
Bonus if you can explain what it means or how to use it.
Self-efficacy. When you simply believe you can do something you are much more likely to actually do it and do it successfully. A way you can increase your self-efficacy is by making a plan of action to complete the task and listing out all possible setbacks, then identifying how you would overcome these if they came along.
Women are 4x more likely to attempt suicide but men are over 3.5x more likely to die from suicide.
What population (race, age, gender) commits the most suicides in the USA?
White males 65+. Teenagers have high suicide rates but are not the most prevalent population. Suicides are the 2nd leading cause of death between 15-24. Accidents are #1.
Name one cognitive distortion (common faulty thinking errors humans commit) that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy highlights.
Catastrophizing, all or nothing thinking, mental filtering (only focus on negative), personalization, jumping to conclusions, Minimizing and Maximizing, Labeling, Overgeneralizations, etc.