1. Psychological Health
Chapter Three

2. Defining Psychological Health
Psychological Health (Mental Health) is a level of psychological well-being, or the absence of mental illness
Encompasses the mental, emotional, spiritual dimensions
Psychological Health…
Is the presence of wellness- which includes all six dimensions of wellness
Encourages us to fulfill our own potential-
Psychological health is not..
The same as psychological normality- Being “normal” for any parameter just means that you are average; Not falling into a category labeled as average does not mean that you do not possess psychological health
Conforming to social norms- conforming to social norms is not always psychologically healthy; there is a need to challenge and question the world around you and failing to do so means that you are not fulfilling your potential as a thinking, questioning human being
Having the need to seek help for personal problems- If a person seeks help for personal problems, this does not signify a lack of psychological health; In fact is psychologically healthy to recognize and seek help when problems arise; Not seeking help for personal problems does not prove you are psychologically healthy any more than seeking help proves you are mentally ill.
Peoples appearance – A persons appearance does not in any way show whether a person is psychologically healthy or not.

3. Defining Psychological (Mental) Health
You are not psychologically healthy because:
you are normal (average)
you conform to social norms
you never seek help for personal problems
appear to be OK

4. Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
Abraham Maslow (psychologist) believed that people are motivated to achieve certain needs; some needs are more important than others.
When one need is filled, people seek to fulfill the next need
To understand human motivation, Maslow studied individuals that he believed to be successful.
Instead of focusing on psychopathology and what goes wrong with people, Maslow (1943) formulated a more positive account of human behaviour with focused on what goes right. He was interested in human potential, and how we fulfill that potential.
Psychologist Abraham Maslow (1943, 1954) stated that human motivation is based on people seeking fulfillment and change through personal growth. Self-actualized people as those who were fulfilled and doing all they were capable of.
Abraham Maslow authored a book called “Toward a Psychology of Being” where he described the presence of a hierarchy of needs as the following (listed in order of decreasing urgency); He based his findings on people that he perceived as being successful.
Physiological Needs- having food and water, shelter, sleep, exercise and sex
Safety and security- having safe surroundings, protection by others, & knowing to avoid risks
Love and Belongingness – being loved, loving and connected
Self-esteem- having self-esteem as a person, as a doer and in relationships
Self-actualization –Realism, Acceptance, Autonomy, authenticity, Intimacy, Creativity,

5. Maslow Developed a Hierarchy of Needs

6. Self-Actualization (A Closer Look)
Maslow concluded that visibly successful people achieved self-actualization, & that they share the following qualities:
Realism
Acceptance
Self-image
Self-esteem
Autonomy
Authenticity
Intimacy
Creativity
In Maslow’s opinion Self-Actualized describes a person who has obtained their highest level of growth. Who determines what one persons highest level of growth?
Conclusions: based on a study of very successful people that have lived their lives to their fullest. They have achieved self-actualization and that they share the following qualities:
Realism – realistic people are able to deal with the world as it is and not demand that it be otherwise; knowing what you can change and what you cannot; accepting evidence that contradicts what they want to believe and if it is important evidence they modify their beliefs.
Acceptance – being able to accept themselves and others. Self acceptance means having a positive self-concept (self-image) or having high self-esteem; having a positive mental image of themselves and positive feelings about who they are and what they are capable of and what roles they play.
Autonomy – being able to direct yourself and acting independently of their social environment and finding guidance from within; not being afraid to be yourself; acting b/c you choose to and not because you are pressured, sometimes called being authentic or being true to oneself
Intimacy – being capable of physical and emotional intimacy and being able to expose feelings and thoughts to others.
Creativity – being creative and having an ongoing appreciation for what goes on around them; they do not fear what is unknown to them and are willing to see and learn more about the world around them.

7. Psychological Disorders

8. Nerve Cell Communication
Neurotransmitters such as serotonin and norepinephrine alter the overall responsiveness of the brain and are responsible for mood, level of attentiveness and other psychological states
Many psychological disorders are related to problems with neurotransmitters and their receptors and drug treatments frequently target them.

9. The Nervous System and Psychiatric Disorders
A dysfunctional interaction between neurotransmitters and their receptors is thought to affect some psychiatric disorders.
Serotonin and norepinephrine alter the overall responsiveness of the brain and are responsible for mood, level of attentiveness and other psychological states.
Antidepressants work by targeting key neurotransmitters in the brain

10. Psychological Disorders
Mood or Anxiety disorders
Usually the result of many factors
Genetic differences (we all process information differently)
Learning and life events
Anxiety
Fear that is not a response to any definite threat
Anxiety is another word for fear, esp. a feeling of fear that is not in response to any definite threat

11. Anxiety Disorders Simple Phobia Social phobia
Persistent and excessive fear of a specific object, activity or situation
Social phobia
Fear of humiliation or embarrassment while being observed by others

12. Anxiety Disorders Panic disorders Sudden unexpected surges in anxiety
Rapid and strong heart beat
Shortness of breath
Loss of physical equilibrium
Feeling of losing mental control
Can lead to agoraphobia
Anxiety is another word for fear, esp. a feeling of fear that is not in response to any definite threat

13. Anxiety Disorders Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Excessive worry about future events
Worries take over rational thought
Obsessive-Compulsive disorder (OCD)
Obsessions = recurrent, unwanted thoughts
Compulsions = repetitive, difficult-to- resist actions
Post-Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD)
Reaction to a severely traumatic event

14. Mood Disorders Depression Most common mood disorder
Affects young and older adults
Takes the form of:
Feeling sad and hopeless
Loss of pleasure
Poor appetite, weight loss
Insomnia
Restlessness
Thoughts of worthlessness
Trouble concentrating
Thoughts of death or suicide

15. Warning Signs of Suicide
Talk: expressing the ‘wish’ to be dead, saying they are a burden, or trapped
Behavior: Acting recklessly, social withdrawal/isolation, increased use of alcohol/drugs
Mood: Depression, rage, irritability, anxiety

16. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
Facts About Suicide
Strongest risk factor for suicide is depression
In the US, suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for young people ages 15-24
Males take their own lives nearly 4X the rate of women
Firearms are the most common method of suicide by men. Poisoning is most common for women.
The rate of suicide is highest in middle aged white men.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:

17. Mood Disorders Mania and Bipolar Disorder
Restlessness
Having abundant energy
Requiring little sleep
Talking nonstop
Many people swing between manic and depressive states = bipolar disorder
Gender differences exist when considering psychological disorders, but why?
Reporting bias
Difference in hormones
Women emphasize the relationships in their lives and may use them to determine their own self-esteem and when one/more deteriorates this can lead to greater rates of depression, etc.
Gender roles place women in less autonomous situations

18. Treating Depression Depends on severity and persons risk of suicide
Natural Methods
Diet, exercise, know how to manage stress
Antidepressants
Prescribed for Anxiety, PTSD, OCD, eating disorders, etc.
Prozac, paxil
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT)
Last resort for severe depression
Mild seizure is produced
3-4 treatments/wk. for ~ 4 wks.
The most common antidepressant’s include:
Prozac, paxil
Prescribed for anxiety, PTSD, OCD, eating disorders, etc.
They work by increasing the level of serotonin available for the postsynaptic cell (neuron)
in the modulation of anger, aggression, body temperature, mood, sleep, human sexuality, appetite, and metabolism, as well as stimulating vomiting
ECT apparently works similar to antidepressants

19. Treating Depression

20. Psychological Disorders
Schizophrenia
General characteristics
Disorganized thoughts
Inappropriate emotions
Delusions
Auditory hallucinations
Deteriorating social and work function
Uncertain causes
A mood disorder is the term given for a group of diagnoses in the DSM IV TR classification system where a disturbance in the person's emotional mood is hypothesised to be the main underlying feature

21. Models of Human Nature and Therapeutic Change
Several Perspectives can be applied to psychological disorders each with a distinct view of human nature

22. Models of Human Nature and Therapeutic Change
Biological
Emphasis is on the influence of the brain
Therapy = Pharmacological
Behavioral
Emphasis on behavior/actions of people
Behaviorists analyze behavior in terms of stimulus, response and reinforcement
Exposure therapy
Four Different perspectives can be applied to human problems such as psychological disorders
Biological
pharmacological therapy - shows that drugs can make anxiety and other disorders better or worse
Emphasizes that the activity of the mind depends entirely on the brain
Behavioral
Emphasis is on the behavior or actions of people
Behaviorists analyze behavior in terms of stimulus, response and reinforcement; What are the stimuli that reinforce maladaptive behavior and then try to alter the reinforcements
Practice exposure by deliberately and repeatedly enter the feared situation and remain in it until their fear begins to subside
Cognitive
emphasis is on the effect of ideas on behavior and feeling. This model states that behavior results from complicated attitudes, expectations and motives rather than reinforcements
Ex. recurring false ideas produce feelings such as anxiety and depression; A student that is afraid to speak in front of the class might think that when she begins to speak, she will say something stupid and then the class/teacher will lose respect for her or laugh at her, she will get a bad grade and her classmates will avoid her
Psychodynamic
Thoughts

23. Models of Human Nature and Therapeutic Change
3. Cognitive
Emphasis is on the effect of ideas on behaviors and feelings
This model states that behavior results from attitudes and expectations rather than reinforcements
Therapy tries to expose and identify false ideas that produce anxiety and depression