• Define the key terms and key abbreviations listed in this chapter. • Explain the difference between mental health and mental illness. • List the causes of mental health disorders. • Describe 5 anxiety disorders. • Explain the defense mechanisms used to relieve anxiety. • Describe bipolar disorder and depression. • Describe personality disorders. • Describe substance abuse and addiction. • Describe suicide and the persons at risk. • Describe the care required by persons with mental health disorders. • Explain how to promote PRIDE in the person, the family, and yourself. • A physical problem can have social, mental, and spiritual effects. • A mental health problem can have physical, social, and spiritual effects. • A social problem can have physical, mental, and spiritual effects. • Stress—is the response or change in the body caused by any emotional, physical, social, or economic factor. • Mental health—means that the person copes with and adjusts to everyday stresses in ways accepted by society. • Mental health disorder—is a disturbance in the ability to cope with or adjust to stress. Behavior and function are impaired. Mental illness and psychiatric disorder are other names. Causes of mental health disorders include: Some anxiety is normal. Persons with mental health disorders have higher levels of anxiety. Signs and symptoms depend on the degree of anxiety (Box 29-1). Defense mechanisms are unconscious reactions that block unpleasant or threatening feelings (Box 29-2). Some use of defense mechanisms is normal. In mental health disorders, they are used poorly. Some common anxiety disorders are: • Generalized anxiety disorder. The person has at least 6 months of extreme anxiety. He or she worries about health, money, or family problems, often for no reason. Getting through the day can be difficult. Worry can prevent the person from normal function. • Panic disorder. Panic is an intense and sudden feeling of fear, anxiety, terror, or dread. Signs and symptoms of anxiety are severe and usually last a few minutes (see Box 29-1). The person may also have chest pain, shortness of breath, numbness and tingling in the hands, and dizziness. The person may feel that he or she is having a heart attack, losing his or her mind, or on the verge of death. Attacks can occur at any time, even during sleep. A panic attack is when symptoms last longer than a few minutes. • Phobias. Phobia means an intense fear. The person has an intense fear of an object, situation, or activity that has little or no actual danger. The person avoids what is feared. When faced with the fear, the person has high anxiety and cannot function. Common phobias are fear of: • Being in an open, crowded, or public place (agoraphobia—agora means marketplace) • Water (aquaphobia—aqua means water) • Being in or trapped in an enclosed or narrow space (claustrophobia—claustro means closing) • The slightest uncleanliness (mysophobia—myso means anything that is disgusting) • Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The person may have both obsessive and compulsive behaviors. An obsession is a recurrent, unwanted thought, idea, or image. Compulsion is repeating an act over and over again (a ritual). The act may not make sense. Anxiety is great if the act is not done. Common rituals are hand washing, cleaning, counting things to a certain number, or touching things in a certain order. Such rituals can take over an hour every day. They are very distressing and affect daily life. • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). PTSD occurs after a terrifying event. PTSD can develop at any age. See Box 29-3 for signs and symptoms. PTSD can develop: • Hallucinations—seeing, hearing, smelling, or feeling something that is not real. A person may see animals, insects, or people that are not real. “Voices” are a common type of hallucination. “Voices” may comment on behavior or order the person to do things, warn of danger, or talk to other voices. • Delusions—false beliefs. For example, the person believes that a radio station is airing the person’s thoughts. Some people have delusions of grandeur—exaggerated beliefs about one’s importance, wealth, power, or talents. For example, a man believes he is Superman. Or a woman believes she is the Queen of England. Delusions of persecution are false beliefs that one is being mistreated, abused, or harassed. For example, a person believes that someone is “out to get” him or her. • Paranoia—a disorder (para) of the mind (noia). The person has false beliefs (delusions) and suspicion about a person or situation. For example, a person believes that others are cheating, harassing, poisoning, spying on, or plotting against him or her. • Thought disorders. The person has trouble organizing thoughts or connecting thoughts logically. Speech may be garbled and hard to understand. The person may suddenly stop speaking in the middle of a thought. Some persons make up words that have no meaning. • Movement disorders. These include:
Caring for Persons With Mental Health Disorders
Basic Concepts
Anxiety Disorders
Schizophrenia
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Caring for Persons With Mental Health Disorders
