mental health

Practice outcome
1. Use basic mental health skills to reduce the distress associated with mental health problems an help promote recovery
Objectives;
Recognise signs of distress
Communicate in a sensitive, non – judgemental person centred manner
Facilitate engagement with appropriate service and or support

Mental health is not just the absence of mental disorder. It is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community. (WHO, 2007)
The psychological state of someone who is functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioural adjustment (http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=mental+health)
The world health organisation definition of mental health defines it in a positive attitude towards health. The other definition uses a more negative approach towards mental health by using words such as ‘satisfactory’.

A delusion is a belief held with strong conviction despite superior evidence to the contrary
A hallucination is a perception in the absence of apparent stimulus that has qualities of real perception. Hallucinations are vivid, substantial, and located in external objective space
A delusion is a belied and a hallucination is a perception.
What do you notice about Zariah and Tony that indicate that they are distressed?
Academic
Non attendance – Zariah is calling in sick at work some days and when she does this she is just sitting in her bed watching television or sleeping
Consistent failure to complete tasks to deadlines – Tony is falling behind with his work at university and is at risk of not completing his course
Poor academic quality of work submitted – Zariah is concerned about the quality of her work and study, she has also struggled with feelings of worthlessness and shame because she feels she cannot maintain her standards, and is not coping at work.
Marked changes in concentration – Zariah Is finding it difficult to concentrate at work due to her feeling tired
Neglect of personal responsibilities – As mentioned above Zariah is calling In sick at work and Tony has fallen behind with his work and is at risk of not completing his course.
Physical
complaints of sleep problems, or falling asleep in unexpected circumstances – Zariah is often calling in sick at work and when she does this she will sits in her bed watching television or sleeping, she has also started having difficulty sleeping and her husband will hear he cry at night.
Emotional and psychological
Being tearful – Zariah’s husband has said she he often hears her crying at night. Tony also becomes very tearful.
Appearing confused – Tony has been saying that he will not answer his phone to his parents as if he does it will activate a deadly chip in his brain that has been planted their by aliens. He then becomes very tearful and looks frightened, then after a few moments he accuses his parents of conspiring with aliens to infiltrate his thoughts.
Irritability – Zariah used to be friendly and approachable at work; however she is now often irritable.
Displaying agitation/displaying speech patterns that seem pressured, racing or confused – Tony’s friends have noticed for a while that he has been whispering to himself in an agitated voice even when there is no one nearby.
Sustained low mood - Zariah used to be friendly and approachable at work; however she is now often irritable and not her usual self. She has also started having difficulty sleeping and her husband often hears her crying at night. At weekends she does not want to meet her friends or go out with her husband.
Frequent expressions of negativity – Zariah has always been a high achiever and has been concerned about her quality of work and study. She sets herself high standards and gets upset when she can’t achieve them. She has feelings of worthlessness and shame because she can’t maintain her standards and is not coping.
Behavioral
Avoidance of tasks – Zariah is calling in sick at work some days and Tony is falling behind with his work at university
Withdrawing socially or verbally – Zariah used to be friendly and approachable at work, but is now often irritable and withdrawn. At weekends she doesn’t want to meet her friends or go out with her husband. increases in impulsive behavior – Tony’s friends have noticed that he is often whispering to himself in an agitated voice, he will not answer his mobile phone to his parents as he says that if he does it will activate a deadly chip in his brain that has been planted their by aliens. He then becomes very tearful and looks frightened. After a few moments he accuses his parents of conspiring with aliens to infiltrate his thoughts.
Using the strategies to promote hope and supporting the development of motivation. How can you respond to Tony’s and Zariah’s distress?
Academic
Non attendance – Zariah is calling in sick at work some days and when she does this she is just sitting in her bed watching television or sleeping
Consistent failure to complete tasks to deadlines – Tony is falling behind with his work at university and is at risk of not completing his course
Poor academic quality of work submitted – Zariah is concerned about the quality of her work and study, she has also struggled with feelings of worthlessness and shame because she feels she cannot maintain her standards, and is not coping at work.
Marked changes in concentration – Zariah Is finding it difficult to concentrate at work due to her feeling tired
Neglect of personal responsibilities – As mentioned above Zariah is calling in sick at work and Tony has fallen behind with his work and is at risk of not completing his course.
Using strategies to promote hope and supporting the development of motivation. How can you respond to Zariah and Tony’s distress?
Identify the sources of stress in Zariah’s and Tony’s life - Stress management starts with identifying the sources of stress in an individual’s life. True sources of stress aren’t always obvious, and it’s all too easy to overlook an individual’s own stress-inducing thoughts, feelings, and behaviours. An individual may know that their constantly worried about work deadlines. But maybe it’s their procrastination, rather than the actual job demands, that leads to deadline stress
Let them know how to avoid unnecessary stress
Learn how to say “no”
Avoid people who stress you out.
Take control of your environment
Avoid hot-button topics
Pare down your to-do list
Alter their situation build a relationship with them to let them express their feelings rather than bottle them up try and help them manage their time better
Health promotion of a healthy lifestyle
Ensure they make time for fun and relaxation
Try and make them focus on the positives