Spencer A Rathus Jeffrey S Nevid Chapter 2

Spencer A. Rathus Jeffrey S. Nevid Chapter 2 Psychological Health Vicki L Boye, Ph. D • Concordia University – Nebraska

Chapter 2 Psychological Health • Please write down a comprehensive description of the first part of this chapter (before psychological disorders). • Include name and date. • Turn in at the end of class.

Chapter 2 Psychological Health Learning Outcomes: • Describe the elements of psychological health • Explain what is meant by the mind-body connection • Discuss the contribution of spiritual health to psychological health • Discuss psychological disorders, focusing on anxiety and depression • Describe ways of treating psychological disorders

Psychological Health “Soundness of Mind” Characterized by the absence of significant psychological problems and by the ability to function effectively in meeting life demands and to derive satisfaction from work social, relationships, and leisure pursuits Elements include: needs and goals self-esteem, self-confidence, self-assertiveness ego identity, optimism, happiness

Needs: What do you need to feel fulfilled? Needs are the wellsprings of motivation. Psychologically healthy people set challenging but attainable goals

Self-esteem § Core component of psychological health Psychologically healthy people value themselves and consider themselves worthy of success; yet they recognize their deficits and limitations. § Plays critical role in the healthful choices. Eliminating unhealthy habits enhances self-esteem § A part of our self-concept the totality of perceptions we have about the physical, psychological, spiritual, intellectual, an social parts of our being

The Ideal Self • Our concept of what we ought to be • The greater the differences between your perception of your actual self and your ideal self on important traits, the lower your self-esteem is likely to be.

Psychologically Healthy People Have Self-Confidence : Confidence in your ability to accomplish tasks is a strong predictor of positive health outcomes. Self-Assertiveness: Expression of a person’s genuine feelings and beliefs, while respecting the rights and feelings of others; an active, rather than a passive, approach to life Ego Identity: A firm sense of who they are, what they stand for, and where they are headed in life

Psychologically Healthy People Have Optimism: Belief that their prospects are bright and the future holds promise, even in difficult times Happiness: Happiness is not so much a function of what you have as what you make of it. It is less likely to be found in the pursuit of material things as in finding meaningful work, investing in family and community life, and developing strong spiritual and personal values.

Mind-Body Connection • Nervous system gives rise to one’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors • Thoughts and feelings affect the health of the body…. . The health of the body affects one’s psychological health. • Nervous system includes brain, spinal cord and neural pathways: • Neurons • Neurotransmitters • Imbalances linked to variety of psychological disorders.

Mind-Body Connection Hormones and genes influence physical and psychological functioning. • Excesses and deficiencies in hormone levels linked to both physical and psychological disorders • thyroid hormones Excess – anxiety & restlessness Deficiencies – sluggishness, weight gain • Genetic factors contribute to both physical and psychological traits and disorders • Sociability, emotional stability, feelings of happiness • Anxiety, addictive, mood disorders, and schizophrenia

The Spiritual Dimension Spiritual Health Connectedness with a higher order or a purpose beyond oneself Psychologically healthy people see each day as an opportunity for expression of inner purpose For some, meaning takes on spiritual quality, connecting themselves to something larger Religious commitment linked to personal happiness Social networking and connectedness Linked to less depression, more life satisfaction, longevity?

Psychological Disorders Psychological disorder: An abnormal behavior pattern associated with significant personal distress, impaired functioning, or disturbed thinking, perceptions, or emotions. -Also called mental disorder or mental illness About half of all adults develop a diagnosable psychological or mental disorder at some point in their lives, with 3 out of 10 affected in a given year.

Types of Psychological Disorders • Anxiety Disorders Category of psychological disorders involving excessive or inappropriate anxiety reactions • Mood Disorders Disturbances of mood that affect the individual’s ability to function effectively, are unduly prolonged or severe, or are out of keeping with the events the person has encountered • Schizophrenia An enduring type of psychotic disorder involving disturbances in thought processes, perception, emotion, and behavior

Anxiety Disorders Anxiety: Emotional state characterized by body arousal, feelings of nervousness or tension, or a sense of apprehension about the future Phobia: An excessive or irrational fear Panic Disorder: Characterized by episodes of sheer terror (panic attacks), and by the resultant fear of it occurring again Generalized – Anxiety Disorder: Characterized by high levels of anxiety not limited to particular situations and by general feelings of worry and dread Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD): Characterized by obsessions (thoughts or images) and/or compulsions (repetitive behaviors person feels compelled to do)

Mood Disorders • Depression: Prolonged feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness along with periods of sadness • May also be associated with inability to make decisions and concentrate, as well as some physical symptoms • Women are more likely then men to be depressed • Linked to lower-than normal levels of serotonin • View life through “Blue-Colored glasses” • Depression and Suicide • Who is at risk? • Signs

Who is at Risk of Committing Suicide?

• Bipolar Disorder: A type of mood disorder characterized by mood swings between severe depression and mania (extremely inflated mood and excitability). Schizophrenia: Psychotic disorder – involves break from reality hallucinations: perceptual distortions delusions: false, unshakable beliefs Loosening of associations

Treating Psychological Disorders Psychological Therapies: a verbal form of therapy, or “talk therapy” based on the application of psychological principles and techniques. • Psychoanalysis (Sigmund Freud) Helps people achieve insight into unconscious processes and conflicts – roots of psychological problems • Behavior Therapy: Focus on directly changing problem behaviors systematic desensitization real-life exposure to fearful situations

Psychological Therapies (cont) • Cognitive Therapy Focus on helping people thoughts and attitudes that can lead to disorders. Ellis’s Rational-emotive behavior therapy (REBT) Beck’s Cognitive Therapy • Eclectic Therapy • Group, Family, and Couple Therapy

Biomedical Therapies • Psychotropic Drugs used to treat psychological or mental disorders antidepressants, antianxiety agents, stimulants, antipsychotic drugs • Electro-convulsive therapy (ETC) Form of therapy for severe depression involving the administration of brief pulses of electricity to the patient’s brain