Chapter Two Psychosocial Health

		Psychosocial Health
	Overview Slide Presentation	Psychosocial health is very important to our appreciation of life and so contributes greatly to our quality of life. Chapter 2 discusses the intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual qualities of health that make up the very heart of how we perceive all that we experience. This chapter also discusses important issues such as depression and suicide, helping you to understand when to get help or how to recognize when friends need help.
	Learning Objectives	Define psychosocial health in terms of its mental, emotional, social, and spiritual components, and identify the basic elements shared by psychosocially healthy people. Identify the internal and external factors influencing psychosocial health, and consider how each may affect you. Define the positive steps you can take to enhance your psychosocial health. Define the dimension of spirituality and the role that it plays in health and wellness. Discuss the mind-body connection and how emotions (including optimism and happiness) influence health status. Identify and describe common psychosocial problems of adulthood, and explain their causes, methods of prevention, and available treatments. Define the warning signs of suicide and actions that can be taken to help a suicidal individual. Identify the different types of mental health professionals, popular types of therapy, and strategies for selecting a good therapist.
	Lecture Outline	Defining Psychosocial Health It encompasses the mental, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of health. There are several basic elements shared by psychosocially healthy people. They feel good about themselves. They feel comfortable with other people. They control tension and anxiety. They are able to meet the demands of life. They curb hate and guilt. They maintain a positive outlook. They enrich the lives of others. They cherish the things that make them smile. They value diversity . They appreciate and respect nature Mental Health describes the "thinking" part of psychosocial health. This includes the ability to reason, interpret, and remember from a unique perspective. One can intellectually sort through information, attach meaning, and make decisions. Mentally healthy persons thinks rationally with fairly accurate perceptions of events. Emotional Health refers to the "feeling" or subjective part of psychosocial health. Emotions are intensified feelings or complex patterns of feelings that we experience. Richard Lazarus identified four types of emotions: Emotions resulting from loss, harm, or threats. Emotions resulting from benefits. Borderline emotions, such as hope and compassion. More complex emotions, such as grief, bewilderment, and curiosity. Emotionally healthy people are able to respond in a stable and appropriate manner to upsetting events. Social Health refers to our interactions with others and our ability to adapt to social situations. There are two factors that are important to social health. Presence of social bonds or social linkages. Presence of key social supports, expressive or tangible. Socially healthy people have a wide range of social interactions with family, friends, acquaintances, and individuals with whom they may only occasionally come into contact. They are able to: listen. express themselves. form healthy relationships. act in socially acceptable and responsible ways. find a best fit for themselves in society. Factors Influencing Psychosocial Health External influences are those factors that we do not control, such as who raised us. The family influences include family upbringing. Healthy, nurturing families produce more well-adjusted adults. Dysfunctional families may produce confused adults who have a harder time adapting to life. Influences of the greater environment include safety, access to health services and programs, and socioeconomic status. Internal factors include hereditary traits, hormonal functioning, physical health status, physical fitness, and other selected elements of mental and emotional health. Self-efficacy refers to a person's belief about whether he or she can successfully engage in and execute a specific behavior. Learned helplessness is a response to continued failure where people give up and fail to take action to help themselves. Personality is not static; it changes as we move through our lives. The following traits appear to be found in psychosocially healthy people: Extroversion Agreeableness Emotional stability Openness to experience Conscientiousness Enhancing Psychosocial Health. Self-esteem refers to one's sense of self-respect or self-confidence. It is how much one likes oneself and values one's own personal worth as an individual. Self-esteem can be improved in several ways: Support groups Completing required tasks Forming realistic expectations Taking/Making time for you Maintaining physical health Examining problems and seeking help Getting adequate sleep can improve psychosocial health. There are several methods to conquer sleeplessness: Establish a consistent sleep schedule. Evaluate your sleep environment and change anything that could keep you awake. Exercise Regularly. Limit caffeine and alcohol. A void eating a heavy meal at bedtime. If unable to get to sleep in 30 minutes, get up and do something else for awhile. If you nap, do so only during the afternoon, when you are especially sleepy. Establish a relaxing nighttime ritual that puts you in the mood to sleep. Spiritual Health Spiritual health refers to the possession of a belief in some unifying force that gives purpose or meaning to life or to a sense of belonging to a scheme of existence greater than merely personal. Dr. Lee-Smith defines spiritual health as: the quality of existence in which one is at peace with self and in good stead with the environment. a sense of empowerment and personal control that includes feeling heard and valued, feeling in control over one's responses. a sense of connectedness to one's deepest self, to other people, and to all regarded as good. a sense of meaning and purpose- giving a sense of mission, finding meaning and wisdom in here-and-now difficulties, enjoying the process of growth, and having a vision of one's potential. enjoying the process of growth and having a vision of one's potential. having hope: having positive expectations. Spirituality addresses four main themes: Interconnectedness -to self, others and a larger meaning or purpose. Practice of mindfulness -the ability to be fully present in the moment Spirituality as a part of daily life, articulating your purpose in life, feeling joy, love, peace, and fulfillment. It includes faith, hope and love. Faith is the belief that helps us realize our purpose in life. Hope is the belief that allows us to look confidently and courageously into the future. Love involves accepting, affirming, and respecting self and others and living in harmony with our community. Spirituality is a factor in well-being when four basic needs are satisfied: The need for having. The need for relating. The need for being. The need for transcendence. Mind-Body Connection. Subjective well-being (SWB) is that uplifting feeling of inner peace and wonder called happiness which is defined by three central components: Satisfaction with present life. Relative presence of positive emotions. Relative absence of negative emotions. People with SWB are typically resilient, are able to look on the positive side, get back on track quickly and do not despair as deeply over setbacks. Maintaining an optimistic mindset, including expression of emotions and using laughter, is linked to improved immune function. Stressed out people with a strong sense of humor become less depressed. Students who use humor as a coping mechanism are in better moods. Senior citizens with a sense of humor are more likely to recover from depression. Laughter has been shown to increase T-cell function in the immune system, protecting us from illness or helping us to recover faster. Telling a joke, particularly one that involves a shared experience increases social cohesion. Common Psychosocial Problems Depression - Depression strikes millions of Americans each year, with less than half receiving treatment. It is normal to feel blue or depressed in response to experiences such as the loss of something or someone of great value, divorce etc. Major depressive disorder is a form of chronic mood disorder that involves extreme and persistent sadness, despair, and hopelessness. Other symptoms include: significant weight loss or weight gain. inability to find joy in pleasure-giving activities. preoccupied with failures, over concern with what others think. diminished or increased appetite. fatigue and loss of energy, slow reactions. sleep too much or too little, insomnia. loss of sex drive or interest in close interactions with others. withdrawal from friends and family. feeling agitated, hopeless, or worthless. recurring thoughts that life isn't worth living, thoughts of death or suicide. difficulty concentrating. Facts and fallacies of depression. True depression is not a natural reaction to crisis and loss. People will not snap out of depression by using a little willpower. Frequent crying is not a hallmark of depression. Depression is not "all in the mind." It is not true that only in-depth psychotherapy can cure clinical depression. Two-thirds of all people suffering from depression are women. Biological theory states hormonal fluctuation in women as the reason. Women may be under more stress than men. There are several different types of therapy used to treat depression. Cognitive therapy aims to help patients look at life rationally. Interpersonal therapy helps correct relationship problems. Antidepressant drugs relieve symptoms in nearly 80% of chronic depressives. There are many types of antidepressants available, care should be taken to fully explore the need for their use and their potential side effects before accepting a prescription. Be sure to ask your physician about the medication. Electroconvulsive therapy is a lesser-used form of treatment. Seasonal affective disorder is a type of depression known as the winter blues. It is associated with reduced exposure to sunlight. It is treated with light therapy, stress management, sleep restriction, medication, and psychotherapy. Anxiety disorders - Anxiety disorders affect between 20 and 30 million people. They are plagued by persistent feelings of threat and anxiety about everyday problems of living. They include: Generalized Anxiety Disorder involves excessive worry and anxiety that interferes with normal living. Phobias are deep persistent fears of objects, activities, or situations. Panic Attacks are sudden onsets of disabling terror. Post-traumatic stress disorders affect people after they experience severe traumas. Schizophrenia - Schizophrenia is characterized by the alteration of senses; the inability to sort out incoming stimuli and to make appropriate responses; an altered sense of self; and radical changes in emotions, movements, and behaviors. Victims of this disease may not be able to function in society . It is treatable, but not curable. Treatments include hospitalization, medication, and supportive therapy. Suicide: Giving Up On Life Suicide is the third leading cause of death in 15-24 year-olds, accounting for almost 20% of all suicides. There are several common warning signs of suicide intent (p.46, text). Take action if someone you know threatens suicide (p.47, text). Seeking Professional Help (see Tables 2.2 and 2.3). There are several types of mental health professionals. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who spends up to 12 years studying psychosocial health and disease. A psychiatrist is able to write prescriptions. A psychoanalyst is a psychologist or psychiatrist trained in psychoanalysis. This of therapy helps people remember early traumas to unblock personal growth. A psychologist usually is a Ph.D. trained in various types of therapy, including behavior and insight therapy. A clinical/psychiatric social worker has a master's degree and at least 2 years of experience in a clinical setting. A counselor often has a master's degree in counseling, etc. The counselor often specializes in one type of counseling such as family, marital, relationship, children, etc. A psychiatric nurse specialist is certified by the American Nursing Association in adult, child, or adolescent psychiatric nursing. What to expect in therapy: Explain needs, learn fees, and expect to spend an hour during your first visit. The first session includes a personal history and problem identification. Be open and honest in order for them to help. Do not expect to be told how to behave. If you don't feel comfortable with the therapist, have the courage to say so.
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