UNDERSTANDING DEPRESSION – depression is not a single condition and does not have a single cause – anxiety and depression are closely related and frequently intermixed SITUATIONS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO DEPRESSION – loss or failure – social isolation – unemployment or financial problems – unsafe environments PHYSICAL FACTORS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO DEPRESSION – lifestyle … Read more
UNDERSTANDING ANXIETY – anxiety is similar to fear – anxiety involves combinations of physical (restlessness) and mental (worry) symptoms SITUATIONS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ANXIETY – unsafe environments – conflicts with others – fear of losing relationships or supports PHYSICAL FACTORS THAT CAN CONTRIBUTE TO ANXIETY – caffeine, nicotine, and energy drinks – use of stimulants … Read more
THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO ANGER – early exposure to neglect or abuse – sensitivity to shame and humiliation – loss of inhibition due to drug and alcohol use LEARN TO THINK BEFORE YOU ACT – identify painful feelings and external triggers that lead to feeling angry – gradually learn to extend the pause before acting … Read more
UNDERSTANDING GRIEF – grief often comes in waves rather than progressing through stages – an initial period of painful preoccupation and withdrawal is common – grieving people may not be outwardly distressed DEALING WITH GRIEF – give yourself time – participation in the funeral can help by giving structure – expect feelings of guilt and … Read more
DRUG EFFECTS IN ADDICTION – tolerance leads to higher doses – craving (wanting) becomes easily triggered – satisfaction (liking) is reduced to relief from withdrawal DEALING WITH CRAVING – be aware of your efforts to bargain with yourself or rationalize use – identify inner warning signs – stress, sadness, loneliness, overconfidence – make a plan … Read more
HOW TO LISTEN – let the other person have their say without interruption – paraphrase back what was said to check your understanding – acknowledge criticism rather than making excuses HOW TO GIVE FEEDBACK – adjust your message to the other person’s point of view – talk about specific actions and suggest specific changes – … Read more
NEGATIVE BELIEFS– I am defective– I am a failure– I must always please others because I cannot make it on my own– I was wronged by someone and can never be happy again– I have made mistakes that can never be forgiven or overcome CHALLENGING BELIEFS THROUGH QUESTIONING– how and when did I develop this … Read more
DEALING WITH WORRY – worry is a way of trying to predict and prepare for future problems (‘what if’) – challenge your fears of the future to see if they are realistic or likely to happen DEALING WITH RUMINATION – rumination involves repeatedly replaying past events (‘I should have said’) – find closure from rumination … Read more
TYPES OF ATTENTION – focussed attention (studying) – limited capacity, easily fatigued – passive attention (watching video) – attention is grabbed by saliency – mind-wandering (‘day-dreaming’) – off-line or default mode USING ATTENTION – the goal is to be able to recognize and shift between different types of attention – people tend to feel less … Read more
SYMBOLIC HEALING (also known as Cultural Healing)− a model attempting to understand health practices across different cultures − assumes that cultural elements are always involved in health care− can be highly effective in traditional cultures− less effective in societies with rapid cultural change STEPS IN SYMBOLIC HEALING− patient and healer share a cultural model − … Read more
NEOLIBERAL POLICIES– deregulation of economy– privatization of public institutions– individuals are self-entrepreneurs IMPLICIT ASSUMPTIONS OF NEOLIBERALISM– productivity and success are the highest values– individual problems are due to failures of social adaptation– individuals must ‘optimize’ in order to achieve success ‘SOCIAL HEALTH’ UNDER NEOLIBERALISM– growing social inequality – growing social insecurity – social atomization, loneliness WHAT IS ‘MENTAL HEALTH’ UNDER NEOLIBERALISM?– shifting of social health … Read more