Mental Illness

							Mental Illness
  Psychology
        What is Mental Health?
Look at the criteria on page 91
 Mentally healthy people generally observe and
  understand what is going on around them
 They judge their own reactions and capabilities
  realistically
 They are aware of their own motives and feelings
  and can control their behaviour
 They may sometimes act without thinking about
  consequences, but they can restrain their impulses
  when necessary
 While they may not always behave as society
  expects, they do so deliberately and with reason
 They appreciate their own worth and feel accepted
  by others in their lives
 They are capable of forming close and satisfying
  relationships with others and of being sensitive to
  others’ needs as well as their own
      Mental Health & Stress
       can negatively and positively
 Stress
 impact mental health

         circumstances create
 Difficult
 physical and psychological responses
                Hans Selye
   Born in Austria, 1907; studied
    and lived in Canada after the
    1930s

   Exposed lab animals to
    various stimuli – their
    responses were similar and
    he termed it “stress”
           Hans Selye & GAS
   The G.A.S. (general adaptation syndrome)
    is the process under which the body
    confronts "stress"

G.    1 – Alarm Stage: recognition of the existence
      of a threat; production of hormones, such as
      adrenaline, to prepare for fight or flight

A.    2 – Adaptation & Resistance to Stress
      Stage: physiological changes stabilize.

S.    3 – Exhaustion Stage: decrease in hormones,
      immune system function
              Eustress
 Negative situations create stress,
  however, positive stressful situations
  create what is called “eustress”
Examples:
o Competition in a sporting event

o Doing something difficult that you
  enjoy
Write down 10 things that
cause you stress (negative).
          Causes of stress
 Personal  relationships
 Job stress

 Catastrophic events

 Several minor difficulties

 Conflicting choices
         Coping
 P.95
Mental Health        Mental Illness
 Mentalillness = disorderly
 functioning of the mind


Cause by:
 Stress
 Genetics
 disease
    Categories of Mental Illness
 Anxiety Disorders: arising from
  prolonged stress. Examples: Phobias,
  OCD
 Mood Disorders: long lasting mood
  problems. Examples: Depression, Bipolar
  affective disorder
 Schizophrenic Disorders: distortion of
  reality, social withdrawal, disturbances of
  thought and emotions.
 Personality Disorders
 Substance-Related Disorders: harmful
  use of substances, such as drugs.