2: Mental Health and Stress - PowerPoint Presentation

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2: Mental Health and Stress

Your Health Today, 7th Edition

© 2019 McGraw-Hill Education. All rights reserved. Authorized only for instructor use in the

classroom.

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reproduction or further distribution permitted without the prior written consent of McGraw-Hill Education

.

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Positive Psychology and Character Strengths

In recent years, psychologists have become more interested in positive psychology

Focus on the positive emotions, characteristics, strengths, and conditions that create happiness

Six broad virtues that “enable human thriving”:

WisdomCourageHumanityJusticeTemperanceTranscendence

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Characteristics of Mentally Healthy People

Characteristics are numerous:Possess high self-esteem

: positive regard for oneself

Accept imperfections

Altruistic: unselfishly concerned for othersHave a sense of control over their livesDemonstrate social competence in relationships, and able to rely on othersNot overwhelmed by emotionsMaintain a positive outlook on life

Have a capacity for intimacy; no fear of commitment

Are creative, and appreciate creativity in others

Persevere and take on challengesTake reasonable risks in order to growBounce back from adversity

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The Self-Actualized Person

Self-actualization: the state attained when a person has reached his or her full potential

Proposed by Maslow as the level at which people achieve transcendence

Sense of well-being that comes from finding

purposeand meaning in life

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Figure 2.1

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.Physiological needs

(base)

Food and water; shelter; sleep; exercise; sex

Safety and securitySafe surroundings; protection by others;knows to avoid risksLove and belongingnessLoved; loving; connected

Self-esteem

As a person; as a doer; in relationships

Self-actualization (top)Realism; self-acceptance; autonomy

;

authenticity; capable of intimacy; creativity

Source:

Maslow, A. H., Frager, R. D., & Fadiman, J. (Eds.) (1987

).

Motivation and personality.

(3rd ed.) New York: Harper & Row.

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Optimism, Self-Efficacy, and Resilience

Optimism: a tendency to see problems as temporary and specific rather than permanent and general

Self-efficacy

: a general sense that you have some control over your life

Resilience: the ability to bounce back from adverse events

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Happiness and Positive Psychology

Happiness involves three components:Positive emotion and pleasure (savoring sensory experiences)Engagement (being deeply involved with family, work, romance, and hobbies)

Meaning (using personal strengths to serve some larger end)

Engagement and meaning are the most important in giving people satisfaction and happiness

Note: some people may have a happiness “set point” determined by genetics

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Figure 2.2

Happiness by the numbers.

About 40% of happiness is under our control

50% is due to our genes; 10% is due to circumstances

$75,000 is the annual income that makes people happiestMore doesn’t make people happier; less can make life difficultMore recent information uses $83,000 as a new benchmark; in data by state, Mississippi is the low at $65,850 and Hawaii the high at $122,175 (Business Insider, January 22, 2015)

Having 10 friends or regular contacts leads to the most happiness

Spending 6 to 7 hours each day socializing with friends and family leads to the most happiness

The happiest couples have 5 good interactions for every bad one

Ages of 33, 55, and the 70s: the happiest ages, according to research

Source:

Cassity, J. (2016).

Happiness by the numbers: 8 stats that could change your life.

Retrieved from http://my.happify.com/hd/happiness-by-the-numbers/.

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Emotional Intelligence (1 of 2)

Emotional intelligence: the understanding of emotional experience, self-awareness, and sensitivity to others

Daniel Goleman argued qualities such as self-awareness

,

self-discipline, persistence, and empathy are more important than IQLeads to more positive relationships, better academic performance, more adaptive decision-making skills, and greater mental health

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Emotional Intelligence (2 of 2)

People who are emotionally intelligent can:Recognize, name, and understand their emotions

Manage their emotions and control their moods

Motivate themselves

Recognize and respond to emotions in othersBe socially competent

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Bereavement and Healthy Grieving

Grieving is a natural response to loss, often expressed by sadness, loneliness, anger, and guiltSuch intense emotions can have a negative impact on healthBereavement typically involves four phases: numbness and shock; separation; disorganization; reorganization

Seeking support and keeping a journal can be part of the healing process

There is no right or wrong way to grieve and no specific timetable

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Facing Death

Kübler-Ross, in 1969, proposed stages people go through when in the process of dyingDenial and isolation

Anger

Bargaining

DepressionAcceptanceStages are not linear; people experience them in different orders or may revisit stagesMore modern approaches focus on ways to live with illness rather than prepare for death

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The Brain’s Role in Mental

Health and IllnessBrain is the central control station for human intelligence, feeling, and creativityBrain and nervous system mediate all behavior, both normal and abnormal

Since the 1980s, knowledge of the structure and function of the brain has increased dramatically

Advances in imaging technologies (CAT scans, PET scans, MRIs, fMRIs) have allowed for many new discoveries

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The Developing Brain

By the age of 6, 95% of the brain is formedJust before puberty, a growth spurt occurs in the frontal cortex

, where the “executive functions” of planning, organization, and rational thinking are controlled

The limbic system becomes more powerful, while the prefrontal cortex that controls impulses does not mature until the 20s

By the early to mid-20s, a more mature adult brain has developed

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Mental Illness and the Brain

Mental illnesses are diseases that affectthe brain

Mental disorders are caused by complex interactions

Biological factors, psychological processes, social influences, and cultural factors, especially during early childhood

Some have a genetic componentCognitive mental disorders can be caused by tumors,brain trauma, or strokeImbalances of neurotransmitters

seem to be particularly important in a variety of mental disorders

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Mental Disorders and Treatment

Mental disorder: a pattern of behavior associated with distress, disability, or significantly increased risk of suffering, death, pain, disability, or loss of freedomA mental disorder is qualitatively different from a psychological problem that can be considered normal, and it can be diagnosed from a set of symptoms

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Neurodevelopmental Disorders (1 of 2)

Group of conditions that often start before a child enters grade schoolInclude limitations of learning and difficulty with behavior control and social skills

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)

One of the most common childhood disorders

Causes remains unclear

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Neurodevelopmental Disorders (2 of 2)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)A group of developmental brain disorders that can cause social, communication and behavioral difficulties

Affects 1 in 68 children

Five times more common in boys than girls

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Mood Disorders

Also called depressive or affective disordersAmong the most common mental disorders around the worldAbout 16.1 million adults in the U.S. (6.7%) had at least one major depressive episode in 2015

Women experience episodes twice as often as men

Examples include:

Major depressive disorder (depression)Bipolar disorder (with manic episodes)

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Anxiety Disorders

Along with depression, anxiety disorders are the most common mental disordersPanic attack

: apprehension or intense fear, in no danger

Panic disorder

: recurrent unexpected panic attacksSpecific phobia: intense fear of a situation or object, invoking immediate anxietySocial phobia: intense fear of social or performance situationsGeneralized anxiety disorder: worry about routine matters

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

: persistent, intrusive thoughts, impulses, or images that cause intense anxiety or distress

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Addiction

Addiction: continued, compulsive behavior despite serious negative consequencesPhysiological dependence reduces sensitivity to substance’s effects

Withdrawal symptoms occur when substance use stops

Even without physiological dependence, psychological dependence can occur

Usually associated with substance use, but theconcept of addiction now extended to other areas of compulsive behaviors

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Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders

Psychotic disorders: characterized by delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech or behavior, and other signs that an individual has lost touch with reality

Schizophrenia has a strong genetic component

In most cases, symptoms of the disease can be controlled with medication

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Mental Disorders and Suicide (1 of 4)

Suicide is the second-leading cause of death among college studentsAccording to a 2016 assessment, about 11.2% of college-aged students seriously considered suicide, and 2.1% attempted to kill themselves

Women in the U.S. are more likely to attempt suicide, but men are four times more likely to succeed

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Mental Disorders and Suicide (2

of 4)What leads a person to suicide?

As many as 90% of those who commit suicide are suffering from a mental disorder, often depression

The symptom linking depression and suicide is a feeling of hopelessness

Depression and alcoholism may be involved in two-thirdsof suicidesSubstance abuse and depression can be lethal

Sometimes there is no apparent precipitating event or problem

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Mental Disorders and Suicide (3

of 4)Behavioral signs that may indicate a person is thinking about suicide:

Comments about death and threats of suicide

Increasing social withdrawal and isolation

Intensified moodinessIncrease in risk-taking behaviorsSudden improvement in mood accompanied by certain behaviors, such as giving away possessions

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Mental Disorders and Suicide (4

of 4)How to help:Danger of asking if someone is thinking about suicide (“planting the seed”) is a myth

Encourage the person to talk, asking direct questions

Encourage the person to get help through a suicide

hotlineor counselingDo not agree to keep the situation a secretDo not leave a suicidal person alone

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Self-Injury

Intentional injury to one’s own body, known sometimes as self-harm, self-mutilation, or self-injurious behaviorBehaviors include cutting, burning, scratching, branding, and head bangingIndividuals often have a history of physical and/or sexual abuse as well as coexisting problems such as substance abuse or an eating disorder

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Treatments for Mental Disorders

Psychotherapy (counseling)

Psychotherapy

: treatment based on the development of a positive interpersonal relationship between a client and a therapist

More than 250 different models existMedicationsAntipsychoticsAntidepressantsAnxiolytics (antianxiety)Use has increased dramatically in recent years, especially among children and adolescents

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What Is Stress?

Stress: a general state of the body, mind, and emotions when an environmental stressor has triggered the stress responseStressors: events or agents in the environment that can cause stress

When you appraise an event as positive, you experience

eustress

, or positive stressWhen you appraise it as negative, you experience distress

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The Stress Response

A stress response (or fight-or-flight response) is a series of physiological changes that occur in the body

All animals, including humans, have the ability to respond to emergencies they perceive as dangerous

The stress response is carried out by the

autonomic nervous systemSympathetic branch: initiates the stress responseParasympathetic branch: turns off the stress response and returns the body to normal

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The Relaxation Response

Homeostasis is a state of stability and balance in which body functions are maintained within a normal rangeRelaxation response:

a series of physiological changes that calm the body systems and return them to normal functioning

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Acute Stress and Chronic Stress

Your body can deal with short-term acute stress, as long as you recover afterwardsMany people live in a state of

chronic stress

, which is a stress response continuing without

resolutionChronic stress increases the likelihood of illnessProlonged or severe stress weakens nearly every system in the body

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The General Adaptation Syndrome

Hans Selye introduced the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)

to describe and explain the physiological changes observed in the stress response

The syndrome has three stages:

Alarm stageResistance stageExhaustion stage

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Figure 2.6

General Adaptation Syndrome.

Homeostasis is the state of stability and balance in which functions are maintained within a normal range. The body’s responses move furthest from homeostasis in the

alarm stage.

In the resistance stage, the body uses energy to cope with the continued stress but is unable to return to homeostasis. After prolonged exposure to stress, the body may either recover and return to homeostasis, or enter the exhaustion stage and fall away from homeostasis toward illness or even death.

Source:

Benson, H. (1993). The relaxation response. In D. P. Goleman & J. Gurin (Eds.),

Mind-body medicine: How to use your mind for better health.

Yonkers, NY: Consumer Reports Books: 233–257

.

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Physical Effects of Chronic

Stress (1 of 2)Stress plays a role in illness and disease in a

variety

of ways

Immune system can be suppressed by both brief and long-term stressorsIn the cardiovascular system, the stress response can cause various forms of heart diseaseIn the gastrointestinal system, common stomach ailments can be related to stress

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Physical Effects of Chronic

Stress (2 of 2)In terms of mental health, both acute and chronic stress can contribute to the development of psychological illnesses

Acute stress disorder

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Adjustment disorder

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Mediators of the Stress Response

Different people respond differently to stressorsReasons may include past experiences and a person’s overall level of wellness

Other critical areas include:

Personality factors

Habitual ways of thinkingInborn or acquired attitudes toward the demands of life

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Personality Factors (1 of 2)

Type A behavior pattern: impulsive, achievement oriented, and highly

competitive

Prime candidates for stress-related illnesses, and increased risk for a number of other diseases

Key culprit is hostility, an ongoing accumulation of irritation and angerType B behavior pattern: less drivenMore easygoing and less readily frustratedLess susceptible to coronary heart disease

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Personality Factors (2 of 2)

Recent additional personality types:Type C personalities: introverted and detail-oriented; may have trouble communicating, and appear cautious and reserved, with a tendency to please others

Type D personalities: not very expressive, and hold in negative emotions, with a tendency to experience anger, anxiety, and sadness while fearing negative judgments from others

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Cognitive Factors

Your outlook and beliefs about life affect how you deal with stressors in your lifePeople with a realistic attitude can take things in stride and reduce the frequency and intensity of the stress responseResilience allows stress-resistant people to focus on immediate issues and explain their struggles in positive and helpful ways

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Resilience and Hardiness

Resilience is a factor in the ability to handle stressStress-resistant people also seem to focus on immediate issues and explain their struggle in positive and helpful waysHardiness

: an affective style of coping with stress, characterized by a tendency to view life events as challenges rather than

threats

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Sources of Stress

Life events that require adjustment and adaptationDaily hassles, especially if they pile upCollege stress

Job pressures and

burnout

Money and financial worriesFamily and interpersonal stressTime pressure, overload, and technologyAngerTraumaSocietal pressures

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Healthy and Unhealthy Ways to Manage Stress

Unhealthy ways to manage stress include the use of tobacco, the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol, and the use of food to manage feelingsPositive but sedentary approaches, such as listening to music, should be balanced with more active stress management techniques

What works for one may not be helpful for another

Practice stress management on a regular basis

Some stressful events and situations are overwhelming—don’t hesitate to seek counseling

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Stress Reduction Strategies

Time managementImprove planning

Prioritize

Social support

The best way to develop a support system is to give support to othersHealthy lifestyleAdopt a nutritious dietExercise

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Relaxation Techniques

These include:Deep breathingProgressive relaxation

Visualization, or

guided imagery

Mindfulness-based meditationYogaT’ai chiBiofeedbackAffirmations

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Review

What is mental health?How do we respond to a loss?What is the brain’s role in mental health and illness?What are common mental disorders, and how are they treated?

What is stress?

How does stress affect health?

What are the main sources of stress and the main approaches to managing stress?