Mental Health U4 AOS 2 

Defining Mental Health and Disorder  ➔ Normal sleep patterns 

Disorder​: A set of symptoms that interfere  ➔ Few sleep difficulties 
with daily functioning.  ➔ Physically well 
- Symptoms are reasonably consistent  ➔ Good level of energy 
between patients but origins/causes may  ➔ Physically and socially active 
differ. 
- The origins and clinical severity may vary.  ➔ Good cognitive functioning  
Disease​: A condition with a known cause,  ➔ Good level of concentration 
predictable course and standard protocols  Ethics in Study of mental health 
for treatment.  Informed Consent​: Requires participants to 
Mental Health Continuum  be fully aware of the purpose of the 
Mentally Healthy​: State of emotional and  research and what is expected of them 
social wellbeing in which an individual is able  during the experiment.  
to realise their own abilities, can cope with  Placebo treatments​: Informed consent can 
normal stress, concentrate on tasks and  not be fully obtained when using placebos. 
contribute to their community.  They can work for a while but can cause the 
Mental Health Problems:​ People with mental  illness to get worse.  
health problems are impacted by some   
stressors but are still able to bounce back   
and function normally.    
Mental Disorder​: A set of symptoms and  The Four P’s 
behaviours that interfere and prohibit  Predisposing Risk Factors​: Factors that 
regular functioning and require treatment to 
increase susceptibility to mental 
recover.  
disorders. Takes into account what a 
Factors Influencing Mental health 
 
patient is born with. Examples include 
  inherited traits, environmental exposures 
before birth, chronic social stressors, 
FACTORS  Internal  External 
brain chemistry and ongoing medical 
Predisposing  - Genetics  - Nutrition  conditions.  
- Personality  Precipitating Risk Factors​: Factors that 
increase susceptibility and contribute to 
Precipitating  - Hormone  - Life events 
Imbalance  recurrence of a mental disorder. Eg/ 
Majorly stressful life events, being the 
Perpetuating  - Immune  - Stressors  victim of abuse and long-term use of 
system  - Social 
some medication.  
- Biochemical  situation/iso
processes  lation  Perpetuating Risk Factors​: Factors that 
increase duration and inhibit recovery of 
Protective  - Genetics  - Social  a mental disorder. Eg/ Substance usage, 
- Immune  support 
system  - Treatment 
social isolation, relationship difficulties, 
- Personality  medical conditions, poverty, weakened 
 
immune system and self-harm.  
Characteristics of a Mentally Healthy  Protective Factors​: Factors that protect 
person  from initial onset and prevent recurrence 
Include:  of a mental disorder. Eg/Good diet, 
➔ Normal mood fluctuations  maintained fitness and physical health, 
➔ Calm state of mind  good sleep patterns, ability to recognise 
➔ Good sense of humour  early onset of a disorder, social support, 
➔ Performs well at school or work  etc.  
 Mental Health U4 AOS 2 
  Loss of Significant Relationship​: Separation 
  from a partner, the breakdown of a family 
  relationship, or death of a loved one can 
Biological Risk Factors  contribute to an individual experiencing 
Genetic Vulnerability​: Results from genetic  anxiety and/or depression.  
mutations in individuals that can cause  Stigma Stopping treatment​: Stereotypes of 
proteins to be created that function  mental disorder patients can lead to suffers 
differently from how they should. People  to avoid treatment for fear of being 
with imbalances of particular  associated with that stereotype. Also to 
neurotransmitters will be more likely to  avoid being perceived as weak.  
develop a disorder.    
Poor Response to Medication​: Some people  Cumulative Risk​: Involves the accumulation 
don’t respond as well to particular  of risks, including biological, psychological 
medication/antidepressants due to  and social ones. The more risks 
abnormal levels of neurotransmitters.   accumulated, the higher the cumulative risk 
Poor Sleep​: Sleep problems are associated  and, therefore, the higher risk of developing 
with mental health issues such as depression,  a mental disorder.  
anxiety, bipolar disorder and ADHD.    
Substance Abuse​: Addictive substances   
interfere with electrochemical   
neurotransmission. Prolonged exposure can  Specific Phobia as an Anxiety Disorder 
permanently affect the way the brain   
functions.   Specific Phobia​: I​ s a persistent, irrational 
  and intense fear of a particular object or 
Psychological Risk Factors  event. Fear is normal as long as it is a 
Rumination​: Obsessive thinking about  rational response to an actual harmful 
negative aspects of a past, present or future  situation.  
situation. It can affect mental health if the  Four​ main types of phobia: 
person is unable to break the cycle of  ➔ Animal phobias 
ruminating about the negative aspects of  ➔ Natural environment phobias (eg. 
life. Is associated with anxiety.   heights, storms, water, dark, etc.) 
Impaired Reasoning and Memory​:  ➔ Situation phobias (eg. 
Associated with dementia, depression,  claustrophobia, elevators, flying, 
schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. Causes  dentist, tunnels,etc) 
depend on the type of disorder and the  ➔ Blood-injury phobias (eg. fear of 
particular region of the brain that is  surgeries, fear of seeing blood).  
impaired.    
Stress​: Stress causes the release of cortisol  Continuum for Specific Phobia 
as part of the F/F/F response. Prolonged  Healthy​: Normal Healthy functioning; no 
exposure of cortisol can lead the mental  treatment required.  
health issues.   Reacting​: Common and reversible distress; 
Poor Self-Efficacy​: Poor general coping  Some professional psychotherapy needed 
strategies and perception of ability to  ➔ Nervous, irritable, anxious 
control the events that happen. Poor  ➔ Moderate stress 
self-efficacy can lead to anxiety/depression.   ➔ Sleep trouble 
  ➔ Decreased social activity 
Social Risk Factors  Injured​: Significant functional impairment; 
Disorganised Attachment​: Individuals find it  Profession psychotherapy needed.  
difficult to share their feelings or relate to  ➔ Anxiety and irrational fear 
others.   ➔ High stress 
➔ Memory bias 
 Mental Health U4 AOS 2 
➔ Avoidance behaviours   
➔ Social avoidance or withdrawal   
Disorder​: Significant mental disorder. Severe  Contributing Social Factors 
and functional impairment; Professional  Environmental Triggers​: Direct exposure to a 
psychotherapy and possible medication  traumatic event eg/ being attacked by a 
needed.  dog. Could be indirect eg/ watching 
➔ Excessive anxiety and fear  someone else be attacked, or hearing about 
➔ Extreme stress  it.  
➔ Social Isolation/Avoidance  Parental Modelling​: Child can pick up 
Biopsychosocial approach to Specific  parents’ fear by watching negative 
Phobia  consequences arise from the stimulus that 
  causes their fear.  
Contributing Biological factors   
Fight/Flight/Freeze response​: Instant burst  Stigma​: There is stigma around seeking 
of energy provided by hormones such as  treatment because patients don’t want to be 
adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol being  associated with a negative stereotype or be 
released into the bloodstream. Hippocampus  perceived as weak. 
and Amygdala play role in that amygdala is   
activated at the same time that a memory is  Evidence-Based interventions 
encoded by the hippocampus, which leads to   
that memory being associated with a  Anti-Anxiety medication 
negative emotion. LTP then works to  Low levels of GABA contribute to 
strengthen this connection every time it is  development of a mental disorder. 
thought about.   Anti-anxiety medication can mimic the 
GABA and Glutamate​: GABA is inhibitory  inhibitory effects of GABA and have been 
while Glutamate is excitatory. GABA works to  reasonably successful. Includes 
inhibit the F/F/F response, so too much  benzodiazepines.  
used, will decrease GABA. This will lead to the   
Glutamate being more abundant and  Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) 
increases agitation and anxiety and can  Focuses on replacing negative, dysfunctional 
contribute to the develop of a phobia.   thoughts towards a stimulus causing a 
Genetics​: A genetic vulnerability resulting  mental problem with positive, realistic 
from a family member having a mental  thoughts.  
problem can increases likelihood, but not   
certain to develop a disorder.  Systematic desensitisation 
  A process of treating a phobia by 
Contributing Psychological Factors  introducing stimuli that are more and more 
Conditioning​: Phobias can be acquired  fear-provoking while invoking relaxation.  
through classical conditioning, and then   
perpetuated through operant conditioning.   Psychoeducation 
Cognitive Bias: refers to a systematic error is  Involves educating the sufferer of the mental 
thinking that affects the decisions and  disorder and their family to better 
judgments that people make. Can include  understand the condition and treatment 
➔ Memory Bias​: A memory is encoded  options. The information helps to dispel any 
inaccurately and influenced by the  myths surrounding the disorder.  
person’s distorted thinking.    
➔ Catastrophic Thinking​: Ruminates or   
obsessively thinks about a perceived   
threat. Overestimation of threat   
becomes an irrational fear.   Health Psychology:​ T ​ he Study of the role 
  of biological, psychological and social 
 Mental Health U4 AOS 2 
factors and their influence on physical   
health.  
Stages of the Transtheoretical Model of 
Biological Protective Factors  Behaviour Change: 
Adequate Sleep​: Resilience improves when  1) Pre-Contemplation​: The person may 
an individual has enough sleep because they  deny that they have a health-related 
are able to deal with adversity and  problem that may endanger their 
challenges more effectively. Chronic sleep  wellbeing or they may feel helpless 
deprivation can create negative thinking and  to change.  
emotional vulnerability. A lack of sleep is  2) Contemplation​: The person 
known to be linked to the development of  understands there is a problem or 
anxiety and depression. Also, worrying about  wants to change their behaviours, 
poor sleep can create a vicious cycle  but has not yet decided to take 
because the you worry that you can’t sleep,  action.  
the more you won’t be able to.   3) Preparation​: The person has 
decided to change their behaviours 
Adequate Diet​: A good diet is essential as it 
and is making plans to do so; they 
not only provides us with energy to be able 
may also be taking the initial steps to 
to live an active lifestyle and promote 
change.  
healthy development but it is great for our 
4) Action​: The person begins 
brains as well. With a healthy lifestyle comes 
behavioural changes, and requires 
fitness and feeling better about yourself 
behaviour-control skills to fulfill their 
which helps us overcome challenges.  
plan of action through commitment 
Psychological Protective Factors  of effort and energy.  
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)​: CBT  5) Maintenance​: The person has 
involves cognitive behavioural strategies  successfully avoided relapse and 
that are psychological techniques used to  controlled the target behaviour for 
help maintain or improve mental health. This  at least six months. Some people 
is used in phobias (graduated exposure) and  may still relapse into former 
can also be used to help with other mental  behaviours at various times, but they 
health problems. An example is meditation.   restore change efforts 
6) (Termination)​: The change in the 
Social Protective Factors  behaviour is entrenched such that 
Social Support​:​ r​ efers to the network of  the problem behaviour will not 
family, friends, neighbours and community  return. The new behaviour has 
members that are available during difficult  become an automatic habit.   
times to provide emotional, physical and  ( *Termination Not on Study design) 
financial assistance.  
People know they have social support 
experience a greater sense of identity and 
meaning in their lives resulting in greater 
physiological wellbeing.  
 

Transtheoretical Model of Behaviour 

Change:​ a
​ llows psychologists to understand 
how people change and to develop different 
intervention strategies at various stages.