Unit 17 - Mental Health by Izzy Garcia Fox

Concepts

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:51:33 UTC

a stigma is when someone looks at you in a different way because of your mental illness (negatively). discrimination is when someone is actually treating you a different way because of your mental health illness (negatively). both of these are going to negative impact someone with a mental health condition and may prevent them getting the help they need. mental health can be positive and negative, having a mental illness however, can only be described as that if been diagnosed by a professional

The Biological Model

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:53:16 UTC

The biological model is about the presumption that psychological abnormalities has a physical cause e.g an illness. these abnormal behaviours are caused by your DNA and hormonal factors, biochemical and neurological factors.

the genetic abnormality may be linked to genetics, schizophrenia, bipolar and depression have been linked to a genetic explanation. the first degree relative of someone with schizophrenia have a 10% chance of developing the disorder, the general populations average percentage is 1%.

abnormal behaviour can happen if the brain has been damaged in some way. Neurotransmitters are potentially the reason behind why people have psychological disorders as they're imbalanced in the nervous system. very high amounts of dopamine have been linked with schizophrenia and very low levels with depression.

The Coginitive Model

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:53:26 UTC

The cognitive model describes how people perspectives and outlooks influence their lives. a mental disorder is thought to be created by error in thinking and their dysfunctional response to negative stimuli. irrational beliefs is the key to all mental disorders, said by Albert ellis. a schema is a cognitive framework that helps organise and interpret information. its like a shortcut to help interpret all the information we learn in our lifetime. if you have a negative self-schema then you're interpreting all information about yourself in a bad way. this can be developed in childhood, which some depressed people have. this could be from rejection from children in school, parent rejection, or teacher criticism. negative schemas can lead to systematic cognitive biases in thinking. this means, for example, making large conclusions regarding self worth based on one small piece of feedback that was negative.

The Behaviourist Model

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:53:36 UTC

This is focusing on the behaviour of somebody to explain their psychological problems. its claimed that abnormal behaviour is learnt through experience. the behaviour can then be maintained by their environment. classical conditioning is the explanation of phobias, all behaviour is learnt through stimulus-response associations. operant conditioning is a method of learning that suggests we learn from consequences of our actions e.g. rewarding or punishing. with operant conditioning there is positive and negative reinforcement. positive is with anxiety and depression you may get the concerns and attention of someone else making that behaviour be repeated. the aim of negative reinforcement is for the individual to learn that avoiding a situation with reduce negative feelings, for example for a person with a drug addiction, the removal of the withdrawal symptoms negatively reinforces the abnormal behaviour.

The Psychodynamic Model

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:53:50 UTC

The psychodynamic model is based on the idea that psychological illness are from repressed emotions and the thoughts from experiences from the past (usually childhood). because of the repression of emotions, you start to display alternative behaviour. the experiences and circumstances from our childhood are what shape our personality and have a large influence in our adult lives, states the psychodynamic theory. this events will remain in the back of our mind, in our unconscious and could cause problems in our adult life. for example, a child who is abused and abandoned by a parent very early on in life will have no recollection of this but will have trouble forming relationships in adult life.

Causes

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:53:58 UTC

One cause for psychosis could be severe stress and trauma, or PTSD. These can trigger a psychotic break

Isolation and lack of control of this (and other aspects of life) can be a trigger for psychosis

Anxiety and sleep disturbance is also another fault in day to day living which can cause psychosis as lack of sleep can alter the chemicals in a healthy brain.

Effects

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:54:02 UTC

an effect or lifestyle impact of psychosis is being locked away from family and friends because of being in an institution. this can lead to other mental health effects such as depression if locked away for a long period of time.

there are many negative connotations and stigmas around psychosis which can upset people with the condition as they don't want to be seen in a bad way because of their diagnosis.

another effect is lowered self-esteem, this is hand in hand which not accepting help for the condition and may feel like they are a 'lost hope'.

Signs/Symptoms

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:54:08 UTC

a few signs of psychosis can be isolating yourself from others therefore making a new reality for yourself in your mind. this can then lead to memory loss, when trying to remember what happened in your day you can't quite piece it all together in a timely fashion, creating a sense of time loss and confusion. in one of these episodes you may experience overzealous, which is having too much energy and acting sporadically. another symptom may be having hallucinations (hearing and seeing things which aren't there).

P2- Treatments

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:54:13 UTC

there are a few treatments for psychosis. an early on treatment is called Early intervention, which can prevent the amount ofttimes someone who is experiencing psychosis is suffering. another treatment which professionals suggest is drawing and writing things down, this can help in many ways to try to understand why they are hallucinating for e.g. another resort is antipsychotic medication, these can reduce the symptoms of psychosis. there are different types of antipsychotic drugs for example, 'first generation antipsychotic drugs'- these block the way your brain uses neurotransmitters, especially dopamine. another type is 'second generation antipsychotic drugs'- these block the dopamine and serotonin receptors, but unlike the first generation they activate different serotonin and dopamine receptors; blocking some and activating others.

Causes

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:54:24 UTC

a cause for bipolar could be genetic and chemical factors, such as having family history with bipolar disorder. another cause could be going through an extremely stressful experience which is overwhelming can trigger an episode. another cause could be having a significant childhood trauma which is too much for a Childs mind to get through and with no therapy could alter the brain chemistry.

Effects

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:54:28 UTC

a few effects could be feeling low moods which effects eating, sleeping, studying, working, cleanliness; there is a 'knock on effect' for having low moods, as bipolar was formerly called manic depression. however you could also experience high moods like hypomania, this then creates a very different atmosphere in your day to day rational thinking causing simple daily tasks to not get done as it changes thinking and behaviour. another effect could be having suicidal thoughts, this is an effect of having bipolar disorder, when having those low moods if could feel like the world is ending and they don't want to be alive.

Signs/Symptoms

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:54:43 UTC

a few signs and symptoms for bipolar disorder are feeling sad, hopeless and somewhat irritable, having a huge lack of energy to normal. anther symptom is having difficulty concentrating and remembering things, this can become frustrating. also on the opposite side of this, is having manic/ erratic behaviour which could be seem as impulsive, this could include racing thoughts and speech, and talking over people.

P2- Treatments

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:54:49 UTC

a few treatments of bipolar disorder could be medicine to prevent manic episodes as these can last as long as 3-6 months, they're also known as mood stabilisers which, if you take everyday long term, could really help. there is also psychological treatments such as counselling or therapy which could help you deal with the low moods/ depression, and with the relationships of those around you who you care about. there is also lifestyle advice which could be seem as a treatment, for e.g. regular exercise, planning activities you enjoy, how to take care of yourself to become more empowered, and advice on how to get better sleep.

Causes

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:56:15 UTC

a cause of anxiety and depression could be experiencing a traumatic event which could be, but not limited to sexual or physical abuse or a death of a loved one. another cause could be having a serious medical diagnosis for e.g. cancer, a chronic condition or a stroke. a different cause could be menopause in women, this can lead to hormonal changes which could possibly cause depression.

Effects

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:56:19 UTC

an effect of anxiety and depression could be sleeping too much or too little often which could be quite isolating. eating too much or too little is another effect which could cause another health condition such as obesity or anorexia. another effect is having trouble remembering details, making decisions or concentrating.

Signs/Symptoms

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:56:28 UTC

there are different types of symptoms, psychological or physical. a few psychological signs could be having a low mood constantly, feeling tearful often and having suicidal thoughts frequently. a few physical symptoms could be continuous lack of energy, disturbed sleep and changes in appetite. some social symptoms could be avoiding going out and seeing friends, effecting work life and study life, this could because eye contact is difficult and speaking to people publicly. this could also effect hobbies as no motivation to do the things you enjoy

P2- Treatments

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:56:33 UTC

some treatments could be counselling as many people find talking about it helps. medication is also a treatment for anxiety or depression but it does come with its own side effects, for example getting worse before getting better. another treatments could be cognitive therapy, behavioural therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, dialectical behavioural therapy, interpersonal therapy, psychodynamic therapy. cognitive therapy is talking about how to control your emotions with your thoughts; trying to identify your negative thinking patterns and learn how to turn these negative thoughts into positive thoughts. ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) is another treatment for depression, it is a patient undergoing anaesthesia and having electric shock to induce a seizure- it is supposedly helpful for the rewiring of the brain chemicals to have better moods.

Language Used

o10290 — 2024-01-31 12:57:10 UTC

to use language correctly avoid using terms such as - "psycho, lunatic, nutter, unhinged, mentally ill" calling individuals these names will detrimentally effect their mental health. people with mental health issues go through unseen struggles everyday of their life, calling them names or even using names derived from their mental health illness on other people can still effect them, internalising and overanalysing it and feel worse about themselves.

Causes

o10290 — 2024-02-05 09:37:46 UTC

there are many causes for eating disorders, such as having other mental health conditions which could be effecting decision making, perhaps being in a depressive episode. also having dysfunctional family dynamics creating a low atmosphere in the house hold constantly therefore eating or not eating could be your way of control, since you feel like your lacking control in other areas of your life. another cause could be societal pressure and beauty standards to look a certain way, especially for adolescents and young adults, this could be too overwhelming and it takes over their control o=to eat properly

Effects

o10290 — 2024-02-05 09:37:52 UTC

an effect of having an eating disorder could be being extremely tired all the time from having a lack of nutrition or surplus. this could lead to lack of motivation to do daily tasks which need to be done such as, specifically eating but also cleanliness of the body and the home, going to work, studying, going out and having fun with friends and family. another effect of this could be having long term damage to the body and the process of gaining/ losing weight literally for the rest of your life. this is also very damaging for the mind and could cause low moods also, because gaining/ losing weight is a very long process for someone who has an eating disorder, and just in general, so if they suddenly think they don't want to be this way or look this way anymore its an extremely long process to come out of.

Signs/Symptoms

o10290 — 2024-02-05 09:38:02 UTC

the main signs/symptoms could be worrying about your weight and body shape/size frequently and therefore avoiding socialising when you know food will be involved. as well as then eating very little, feeling faint and dizzy due to lack of food. throwing up the food you just ate or taking laxatives. a few physical symptoms could be feeling cold all the time and tired, feeling tingling and numbness in arms and legs due to poor circulation. feeling your heart racing, fainting or feeling faint. another main symptoms could be delayed signs of puberty in adolescence and not getting your period.

P2- Treatments

o10290 — 2024-02-05 09:38:11 UTC

treatment will depend on what type of eating disorder you have, e.g. bulimia, anorexia, binge-eating, ect. form anorexia for example, treatment will be cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). this will help you cope with your feelings, understand the effects of starving, and needing nutrition, and making healthy food choices. specialist supportive clinical management (SSCM) is also another type of treatment for eating disorders, this involves speaking to a therapist who will help you understand your eating disorder, the problems its causing you, and how to help. its a 20 week programme in which the therapist will set you a target weight and help you get there. a treatment for binge-eating disorder is also CBT but also, medicine such as antidepressants in combination with the CBT.

Causes

o10290 — 2024-02-05 09:38:34 UTC

there is no pin point cause for post natal depression, it is different for each person. a cause could be a history of mental illness (depression) earlier on in life, or during the pregnancy. having no close family or friends to support you during the pregnancy or after baby is born could also be a cause. recent bereavement could also be a cause especially for the father of the baby or a close relative passing away. having a difficult relationship with your partner is also troubling for the mother. having physical or psychological trauma, such as domestic violence, having a pregnancy from a sexual assault could also be a massive cause for post natal depression, feeling as if the baby will remind you of the trauma you had to go through.

Effects

o10290 — 2024-02-05 09:38:39 UTC

some effects of post natal depression could effect your physical health, psychological health, relationship with your baby and your partner and partaking in risky behaviours. the mother - child relationship will be effected from this, including a lack of breastfeeding, bonding and emotional relationship. this could cause serious effects for the mother and the child if not treated. theoretically there is no maternal role when having post natal depression, the mother feels little to no connection to the child. the language, motor, sleep, social, emotional and behavioural development and physical health of the child is effected. the other will most likely feel guilty, knowing this feeling isn't right, and what they're supposed to feel, feeding into the depression and going into a downwards spiral.

Signs/Symptoms

o10290 — 2024-02-05 09:38:48 UTC

post natal depression can start any time in the first year of the birth of their child. some symptoms can include feeling low moods and sadness constantly, lack of enjoyment when interacting with the baby and loss of interest in the wider world. finding it difficult to look at yourself and the baby and withdrawing contact from other people is another sign. having frightening thought of hurting your baby is a major sign of post natal depression. a lot of women do not realise they have the type of depression as it can develop gradually.

P2- Treatments

o10290 — 2024-02-05 09:39:00 UTC

there are many self help treatments for woman and men with post natal depression which include talking to friends and family about how your feeling, trying to understand why, and what they can do to help and what you can do to help yourself. making sure your dedicating time in your day for things you like doing for example, reading, cleaning, cooking, taking a walk, going to the gym, ect. ensuring your getting sleep at night, and napping during the day; partner looking after baby or a friend, child minder, family, ect. exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet will also help. just trying to get back into a normal routine. talking therapy alongside these above could also help (CBT). this will be recommended by your GP. if none of the above seems to work for you ten you might get prescribed antidepressants. your doctor will make sure its safe to take these whilst breastfeeding too.