common phd

PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH

I. Psychological Health

A. Psychology is the study of the thinking or mental (cognitive) processes that influence human behavior

B. Psychological health involves the ability to deal effectively with the psychological challenges of life.

C. Many people maintain positive degrees of psychological health throughout their lives.

D. Ask students: “What are the characteristics of psychologically healthy people?”

II. The Basics of Psychological Health

A. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that nerves release to transmit information between nerve cells.

B. Emotions are ways of communicating moods to others. Basic emotions often are referred to as feelings.

C. Altering neurotransmitter levels in the brain can profoundly affect behaviors, thoughts, and feelings.

D. Personality Development 1. Personality is a set of distinct thoughts and behaviors that characterize the way

one responds to situations.

2. Biological Influences a. Heredity is the transmission of biological information, coded within

genes, from parents to offspring.

b. Temperament is the predictable way one responds to the environment. c. Although much of a person’s temperament is inborn, one can change it

to some extent.

d. Ask students to describe their basic temperaments. For example, are they shy or outgoing?

3. Social and Cultural Influences a. Interactions with parents and others influence one’s psychological

development.

b. Displaying the appropriate emotional responses in a particular social situation is a characteristic of a psychologically healthy adult.

E. Theories of Personality Development 1. Sigmund Freud’s Framework of Personality

a. Freud described how the unconscious mind influences behavior. b. Defense mechanisms are ways of thinking and behaving that reduce or

eliminate anxious or guilty feelings.

c. People commonly employ defense mechanisms such as denial or projection.

d. Review common defense mechanisms. e. Society establishes moral values, rules for good and bad behavior that

prevent people from gratifying their desires.

2. Erik Erikson’s Psychosocial Stages of Development a. Erikson emphasized the role of social influences in shaping

personality.

b. An individual progresses through eight psychosocial stages during his or her lifetime.

c. Each stage has major social crises or conflicts that need to be resolved or managed if one is to achieve a sense of psychological well-being.

3. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Human Needs a. According to Maslow, people behave in response to their values rather

than their unconscious drives.

b. Maslow’s concepts form a hierarchy of five human needs from the most basic biological requirements for survival to the one most

essential for psychological fulfillment and self-actualization.

c. To become self-actualized, one must meet each supportive level of need in the hierarchy.

III. Adjustment and Growth

A. Psychologically healthy individuals can meet the demands of a constantly changing environment.

B. Adjustment is adapting to change.

C. Psychological adjustment occurs when an individual learns that certain responses meet these demands more effectively than others.

D. Psychological growth occurs when a person discovers that certain adjustment strategies enhance one’s sense of freedom and control over oneself and the environment.

E. Aggression is a way of responding to demands and conflicts that injures other people physically or psychologically.

F. Assertiveness is a way of responding to social situations by maintaining one’s rights without harming others or interfering with their rights.

G. Compromise is a way of resolving interpersonal conflicts constructively. (Have students review Managing Your Health: Resolving Interpersonal Conflicts Constructively)

1. Ask students to give examples of recent arguments they’ve had with a family member or friend.

2. Ask students: “Did you resolve the conflict constructively? Why or why not?” 3. Also ask students: “Why is compromise often the best course of action to

resolve a conflict?”

H. Psychological growth fosters the development of autonomyand independent functioning.

I. Self-Esteem 1. A key component of personality that influences one’s thoughts, actions, and

feelings.

2. It also involves the feeling that one is worthy and useful. 3. Positive self-esteem is associated with a high degree of autonomy, self-

confidence, self-respect, and self-satisfaction.

4. Refer students to the self-esteem assessment activity in the student workbook.

J. Improving Your Psychological Health 1. People often can improve their psychological health by improving the other

components of health.

IV. Understanding Psychological (Mental) Illness

A. The ability to express appropriate emotions is a characteristic of a mentally healthy person.

B. The key features that distinguish normal emotional responses from abnormal ones are the intensity and duration of the responses.

C. Mentally ill individuals experience abnormal feelings, thoughts, and behaviors that persist, interfere with daily living, and hinder psychological adjustment and growth.

D. Psychotic individuals experience disorganized thoughts and unrealistic perceptions that result in strange behavior, social isolation, delusions, and hallucinations.

E. The Impact of Psychological Illness 1. About one in ten adult Americans reported experiencing “frequent mental

distress” for 14 or more days during the previous 30 days.

2. Alcohol dependence and depression are the most common psychological disturbances among Americans.

3. Depression and alcohol dependence are among the most common psychological disturbances.

4. Although many mental illnesses are treatable, fewer than 50% of Americans seek treatment.

5. The most significant barrier to treatment is cost.

F. What Causes Psychological Disorders? 1. It is not possible to determine a single cause for each case of psychological

illness.

2. Psychological disorders often are the result of alterations in the normal chemical and physical environment of the brain.

3. Certain mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia and most major mood disorders, tend to occur within families.

4. Additionally, environmental conditions and personal experiences often influence or trigger abnormal psychological responses.

G. Treating Psychological Disorders 1. Many people with mental illness respond well to treatment. 2. Treatment often includes psychological counseling by qualified individuals,

group therapy, and special medications that correct abnormal brain chemistry.

V. Common Psychological Disorders

A. Anxiety Disorders 1. Nearly 30% of Americans suffer from anxiety disorders at some time in their

lives

2. Generalized Anxiety Disorder a. The condition is characterized by uncontrollable chronic worrying,

anxiousness, and nervousness.

b. People affected with this disorder have unrealistic concerns or fears about their jobs, children, or minor situations that they must face.

c. Treatment usually includes antianxiety and antidepressant medications as well as cognitive behavioral therapy.

3. Phobias a. Ask students to define phobia. Ask them to describe their phobias. Are

they afraid of flying, heights, or certain animals?

b. A phobia is an intense and irrational fear of a situation or object. c. Since phobias are so common, could there be a benefit from certain

phobias?

d. For example, a healthy fear of snakes, spiders, or high places could be beneficial for survival.

e. Treatment includes behavioral therapy and medications to control irrational feelings and reduce anxiety.

4. Panic Disorder a. This disorder is characterized by panic attacks, which are

unpredictable episodes of extreme anxiety and loss of emotional

control.

b. It typically occurs in reaction to anxiety-provoking situations. c. Affected persons may confuse symptoms with having a heart attack. d. Ask students if they would like to discuss a personal experience in

which they suffered a panic attack. How did they feel during the

attack?

e. Therapists often combine cognitive behavioral therapy and medications to treat panic disorders.

5. Trauma –and Stressor-Related Disorders 6. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

a. Individuals who survive extraordinary life events such as a sexual assault, natural disaster, or wartime combat may develop PTSD.

b. Some people who endured less life-threatening situations, such as a serious auto accident, also may develop the condition.

c. Treatment of PTSD includes antianxiety medication and counseling that encourages survivors to talk about the traumatic events with

others.

7. Acute Stress Disorder a. Characterized by severe anxiety, disassociation and other symptoms

that occur with 1 month of exposure to a traumatic stressor.

b. May experience decreased emotional responsiveness, feelings of guilt, and feeling detached from their body.

c. Cause distress or impairment in social, occupational or other important areas of function that inhibit usual life task.

8. Adjustment Disorders a. Characterized by a group of symptoms including feeling sad and physical

symptoms such as skipping heart beats, twitching, or nervousness.

b. Symptoms typically occur when someone is having difficulty coping with life events (e.g. death of a loved one, worries about money, major illness,

etc.)

c. Symptoms are typically temporary and don’t meet clinical criteria for diagnosis.

9. Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder a. An obsession is a persistent, inappropriate, and repetitive thought or

impulse that creates anxiety.

b. Obsessions are often related to feelings of self-doubt or fears. c. A compulsion is the behavior that usually follows the obsessive

thoughts or impulses.

d. A compulsion usually reduces the obsessed person’s anxiety. e. Treatment includes medication and psychological counseling. In most

cases, the longer the obsessive-compulsive behavior pattern has been

in place, the more difficult the disorder is to treat.

B. Neurodevelopmental Disorders

1. ADHD a. Behaviors that interfere with a person’s relationships, school, or job

performance and well-being. The affected person typically acts without

thinking about the negative consequences of his or her behavior.

b.Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common impulse

control.

c. ADHD is characterized by short attention span and/or hyperactivity and impulsivity as well as difficulty focusing and maintaining attention on

tasks.

d.Affects about 4.4% of American adults, the majority of them men.

2. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) a. Encompasses autistic disorders, including Asperger’s disorder,

childhood disintegrative disorder, and pervasive developmental disorder.

b.Characterized by difficulty communicating, inappropriate conversational

responses, and misreading nonverbal interactions.

c. Between 2000 and 2008, about 1 in 88 children were diagnosed with ASD.

C. Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders

1. Substance Use Disorder a. Included 10 classes of drugs, including alcohol, caffeine, cannabis,

inhalants, opioids, sedatives, hypnotics, and stimulants.

b. People with lower levels of self-control, which may reflect impairments in one’s brain inhibitory mechanisms, may be

predisposed to substance use disorders.

c. Patterns are often seen across generations of families. 2. Problem Gambling

a. An estimated 1% of American adults are problem gamblers. b. Problem gambling involves compulsive and excessive gambling at the

expense of family, jobs, and relationships.

D. Mood Disorders

1. Major Depressive Disorder a. Affects about 16% of American adults. b. Characterized by persistent and profound feelings of sadness,

hopelessness, and worthlessness.

c. Depressed people often report fatigue, loss of interest in usual interests and activities, inability to concentrate on tasks, and appetite and sleep

disturbances.

d. An estimated 1% to 7% of people diagnosed with depression commit suicide.

e. Depression is chronic, but treatable. f. Treatment usually involves a combination of talk therapy and

antidepressant medications.

2. Bipolar Disorder a. characterized by unusual shifts in mood, energy and physical activity

levels, and ability to carry out daily tasks.

b. A person with bipolar disorder typically experiences distinct episodes of intense positive and negative emotional states.

c. During each phase of bipolar disorder, the mood of the affected person gradually reaches an extreme level, and the affected person may not be

able to function normally.

d. See Table 2-07 3. Seasonal Affective Disorder

a. People become depressed around mid to late fall, when periods of daylight decrease.

b. Symptoms include depression, tiredness, and weight gain. c. Light therapy is an effective form of treatment.

E. Feeding and Eating Disorders

1. Eating disorders are persistent, abnormal eating patterns that can threaten a person’s health and well-being.

2. Anorexia Nervosa a. A severe psychological disturbance in which an individual refuses to

eat enough food to maintain a healthy body weight

3. Bulimia Nervosa a. Craving for food that is difficult to satisfy. b. Typically eat excessive amounts of food at one time because they are

depressed or anxious rather than hungry. Some maintain normal body

weight because after bingeing, they purge by fasting, practicing self--

induced vomiting, taking laxatives and diuretics, or exercising

excessively

4. Binge Eating Disorder a. About one-third of overweight people engage in episodes of binge

eating that rarely are followed up with purging or heavy exercise.

5. Other Disordered Eating Conditions a. Athletes involved in sports that emphasize leanness and low body

weights have an increased risk of developing eating disorders.

b. As many as 62% of female athletes and 33% of male athletes suffer from eating disorders.

c. Female athlete triad: a condition characterized by low energy intake, menstrual cycle abnormalities, and bone mineral irregularities, such as

osteopenia (low bone density).

d. Muscle dysmorphia: Characterized by a dissatisfaction with body size and hours spent lifting weight to achieve desired results.

E. Schizophrenia 1. Schizophrenia does not mean “split” or “multiple” personalities: it is a type of

psychosis where an individual experiences extremely disorganized thought

processes, including hallucinations and delusions.

2. Often display strange behavior and inappropriate emotions. Usually develops during adolescence and young adulthood.

VI. Suicide

A. Suicide is not a mental illness, but it often is the consequence of substance abuse or a severe mental disorder such as depression.

B. In 2009 about 1.5% of deaths were attributed to suicide. Suicide was the third leading cause of death for Americans between 18 and 24 years of age. Males are almost four

times more likely to kill themselves than females.

C. Although women are more likely to attempt suicide, men are more likely to complete the act of killing themselves.

D. Preventing Suicide 1. Most suicide victims suffered from a major depressive illness that may have

included some sort of substance abuse.

2. Most suicidal persons demonstrate suicide ideation: thinking about, considering, and planning for suicide.

3. To prevent suicides, one should be aware of the risk factors: previous suicide attempts, family history of suicide, being abused as a child, loss (relational,

work, or financial), illness, and feeling socially isolated.

4. People who are contemplating suicide often communicate their intentions to others. Suicidal comments should always be taken seriously.

5. One should take such discussions seriously and obtain immediate psychological help for the suicidal person.

VII. Across the Life Span: Psychological Health

A. School-age children who live in dysfunctional families are likely to suffer from depression and school anxiety.

B. Parents and teachers need to recognize the symptoms of childhood depression and obtain counseling for affected children.

C. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder is a common childhood behavioral disorder, affecting about 11% of American school-age children, mostly boys.

D. The teenage years often are filled with turmoil and conflict. Certain forms of mental illness, including major depression and eating disorders, are likely to develop during this

period.

E. Sleep disturbances and depression commonly affect elderly persons.

F. Ask students why depression and suicide are so prevalent among the elderly.