Psychological problems-Key concepts

• Jahoda believed that mental health was when we deviate from ideal mental health.
• What are characteristics of ideal mental health-Jahoda

  • Having high self esteem
  • Personal growth and self actualisation
  • Resisting stress
  • Autonomy(being independent/self reliant)
  • An accurate perception of reality
  • Mastery of the environment
• The Mental Health Continuum Model describes a spectrum of mental well-being.
• Healthy Point:

  • Normal mood fluctuations
• Reacting:

  • Common and reversible distress. Decreased social activity
• Injured:

  • Significant functional impairment avoidance of social situations, withdrawal
• ILL:

  • Clinical disorder ,severe and persistent functional impairment. Significant disturbances in thinking suicidal thoughts/intent/behaviour.
• One in ten British children have been clinically diagnosed with a mental disorder.
• one in 4 British adults report having being diagnosed with a mental health disorder
• 33 per cent of females report having being diagnosed with mental health problem compared to 19 per cent males
• The number of mental health problems tends to decline with age
• Women tend to be diagnosed with mental health problems than men
• People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender are particularly at risk of experiencing mental health problems
• Not all mental health problems are diagnosed and recorded
• The symptoms used to diagnose mental health problems change over time so someone diagnosed 30 years ago may not be diagnosed today
• Many trends rely on self report which may not be accurate
• What is the most widely used classification system for mental health issues?

  ICD(international classification of diseases)
• The ICD is currently on its 11th edition due to it constantly being updated and changed over the years.
• What are some changes that have taken place?

  Acknowledgement that anorexia nervosa is a mental health issue (1970s)

  The removal of homosexuality as a mental health disorder(1990s)
• Many mental health disorders have stayed the same since the 1950s.
• Depression and schizophrenia has stayed the same since 2012
• Since the 1956 mental health act there has been steady changes in society's attitudes towards mental health problems. The act itself removed some of the stigma around people seen as lunatics or insane by using the term mental disorder
• The mental health act 1956 also aimed to make sure that patients were treated with the same respect and rights as patients with physical illness as well as initiating the idea of community care.
• Before individuals are diagnosed with a mental health disorder they are likely to display behaviours which are bizarre or socially unacceptable. Because of this individuals can be stigmatized because they are not conforming to what society expects
• Stigma refers to any negative attitude, prejudice, or false belief associated with specific traits, circumstances, or health symptoms.
• After diagnosis there may be a label the person is judged by . As despite changing attitudes there are still some negative ideas associated with these label's which could mean individuals are stigmatized further.
• Individuals with mental health disorders can be discriminated against by. By being treated differently or been seen as abnormal because of their disorder
• For example by not being given the same rights or the same opportunities
• Individuals can be discriminated against before diagnosis on the basis that their behaviour may cause concern. For example if because a person is depressed and is withdrawn from society people may not include them in the same way as others because they don't known that their sick.
• What are the effects of mental health on the wider community?

  -Tax payers may need to contribute more

  -Funds may need to be stretched across different services

  -Patients may be discharged back to community when they feel better
• Since the 1959 mental health act society's attitudes towards mental health has changed. The act itself removed some of the stigmas around people been seen as insane or lunatic's by rather using the term mental health disorder.
• since the 1959 mental health act it has aimed to make sure that patients were treated with the same respect, rights as patients with physical illnesses as well as initiating the idea of community care
• Recent survey's have shown that the public have a better understanding of mental health problems, and are more tolerant of and less judgemental about people who experience them. This is the result of many high profile charitable campaigns.
• What is the difference between stigma and discrimination?

  stigma is a stereotype when you have a preconceived idea of someone. Discrimination is the attitude you have towards that person when knowing that stereotype about them
• Why might might it be difficult to investigate people's stigma towards mental health?


  they would lie as to not seem hateful
• many peoples problems are made worse by the stigma and discrimination they experience ; from media' society' employers and even friends and family.
• What are the effects of stigma's on individuals before diagnosis?


  It may stop people who are suffering from mental health issues from seeking help and support because they don't want to fall victim to such stigmas.
• What are the effects of stigma's on individuals after diagnosis?


  This may lead to changes in behaviours due to such assumptions.
• What are the effects of discrimination on people before and after diagnosis?

  before is that it can lead to people discriminating against them by acting on their thoughts by not giving a person with mental health issue the same rights. After diagnosis people may be excluded from things supposedly for normal people because of their mental health they would not be able to do it.
• What are the key statistics of schizophrenia?

  -it's prevalent in about 1% of the population

  -females and male are diagnosed equally

  -is only diagnosed in adults with men it's normally in their 20's and women 30's

  -it's diagnosed more in people of Caribbean or African origin than white people

  -leads to hospitalization in about 15% of cases , while 25% of patients fully recover from the disorder. 25% improved. 25% need further support and 10% dead