1. Mental Health and Mental Illness
Chapter 20

2. Learning Objectives Identify 7 characteristics of mental health
Identify 4 causes of mental illness
List guidelines for communicating with mentally ill residents
Identify and define common defense mechanisms
Describe the symptoms of anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia
Explain treatment and care of residents who are mentally ill
List signs of substance abuse

3. Mental Health 1. Gets along with others 2. Adapts to change
3. Cares for self and others
4. Gives and accepts love
5. Deals with situations that cause anxiety, disappointment, and frustration
6. Takes responsibility for decisions, feelings, and actions
7. Controls and fulfills desires and impulses appropriately

4. Signs/Symptoms Causes Mental Illness Confusion Disorientation
Agitation
Anxiety
Causes
Physical factors
Environmental factors
Heredity or family influence
Stress (including coping abilities)

5. FALLACY FACT FALLACY Fact or Fallacy?
People with mental illness can control their symptoms.
Mental illness and intellectual disability are NOT the same.
Being mentally ill reduces stress and prevents some physical diseases.
FALLACY
FACT
FALLACY

6. Communication Guidelines
Do NOT talk to adults as if they were children
Use simple, clear statements and a normal tone of voice
Communicate respect and concern
Sit or stand at a normal distance
Be honest and direct
Avoid arguments
Maintain eye contact
Listen closely

7. Defense Mechanisms Denial Projection Displacement Rationalization
Completely rejecting the thought or feeling
Projection
Seeing feelings in others that are really one’s own
Displacement
Transferring a strong negative feeling to a safer situation
Rationalization
Making excuses to justify a situation
Repression
Blocking unacceptable thoughts or painful feelings from the mind
Regression
Going back to an old, usually immature behavior

8. Symptoms of Anxiety, Depression & Schizophrenia
Phobia
Anxiety
Depression
Schizophrenia
Uneasiness or fear
Symptoms – sweating, dizziness, cold/clammy hands, racing heart, shakiness
Serious mental illness
Symptoms – apathy, sleeplessness, pain, difficulty concentrating, guilt, irritability, fatigue
Brain disorder that affects a person’s ability to think clearly and understand reality
Does NOT mean the person has a split personality
Anxiety-related
disorders
Panic disorder
Repeated episodes of intense fear that something bad will happen
OCD
Repeated thoughts or behaviors
PTSD
Caused by a traumatic experience

9. Treatment & Care Caring for residents with mental illness
Medication
Psychotherapy
Caring for residents with mental illness
Observe for changes
Ability
Positive or negative mood changes
Behavior changes
Comments about hurting themselves or others
Physical symptoms
Provoking events, situations or people
Support the resident, family and friends
Encourage independence

10. Substance Abuse
Repeated use of legal or illegal drugs, cigarettes, or alcohol in a way that is harmful to oneself or others
Signs
Change in physical appearance
Change in personality
Irritability
Substance odor on breath or clothes
Unexplained changes in vital signs
Loss of appetite
Need for money
Confusion or forgetfulness
Blackouts or memory loss
REPORT ANY OF THESE TO THE NURSE

11. Review Mental health Mental illness
Guidelines for communicating with mentally ill residents
Defense mechanisms
Symptoms of anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia
Treatment and care of mentally ill residents
Substance abuse