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• Mental health


  A state of wellbeing in which every individual realises their own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to their community
• Mental illness


  A clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual and is associated with present distress, or disability, or with a significantly increased risk of suffering death, pain, disability or an important loss of freedom
• Importance and impact of mental health and mental illness in the community
• Mental health care delivery system


  The act of providing and maintaining psychological, physical and emotional health by means of diagnosis, treatment and prevention of mental illness
• Tiers in the health care system

  • Primary
  • Secondary
  • Tertiary
• Primary health care


  Serves as a patient's first point of contact with a health professional who can provide outpatient medical care
• Secondary health care


  Includes psychologists and psychiatrists. They provide the patient with services like assessment, counseling, and/or prescription drugs if needed
• Tertiary care


  Patient would be referred to institutions if the mental illness needs specialized care that is beyond the capability of the specialist
• Some health care systems put psychologists and psychiatrists under the category of primary care providers
• More severe mental health diagnoses would require more rehabilitation, which is within the scope of tertiary health care
• Importance of mental health services

  • It reduces the risk of chronic diseases related to stress, anxiety and substance abuse
  • It saves lives, while improving the outlook for people who may feel hopeless and lost
• The Philippines has recently passed its first Mental Health Act (Republic Act NO. 11036)
• Mental health remains poorly resourced - only 3-5% of the total health budget is spent on mental health, and 70% of this is spent on hospital care
• The majority of mental healthcare is provided in hospital settings and there are underdeveloped community mental health services
• The National Center for Mental Health was previously estimated to account for 67% of the available psychiatric beds nationally
• There are 1.08 mental health beds in general hospitals and 4.95 beds in psychiatric hospitals per 100,000 of the population
• There are only 2 tertiary care psychiatric hospitals: The National Center for Mental Health in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila (4200 beds) and the Mariveles Mental Hospital in Bataan, Luzon (500 beds)
• There are 12 major general hospitals associated with the National Center for Mental Health which are located throughout the country
• Overcrowding, poorly functioning units, staff shortages and funding constraints are ongoing problems, partly in peripheral areas
• There are no dedicated forensic beds, though some beds are located at the National Center for Mental Health
• Neurons


  The fundamental units of the brain and nervous system, the cell responsible for receiving sensory input from the external world, for sending motor commands to our muscles, and for transforming and relaying the electrical signals at every step in between
• Central Nervous System (CNS)

  Composed of the brain and the spinal cord
• Structures of the brain

  • Cerebrum
  • Cerebellum
  • Brain stem
  • Limbic system
• Cerebrum


  Divided into 2 hemispheres, all lobes and structures are found in both halves except for the pineal body, or gland which is located between the hemispheres
• Pineal body


  An endocrine gland that influences the activities of the pituitary gland, islet of Langerhans, parathyroid, adrenals and gonads
• Corpus callosum


  A pathway connecting the 2 hemispheres and coordinating their functions
• Left hemisphere


  Controls the right side of the body and is the center for logical reasoning and analytic functions such as reading, writing, and mathematical tasks
• Right hemisphere


  Controls the left side of the body and is the center for creative thinking, intuition, and artistic abilities
• Lobes of the cerebral hemispheres

  • Frontal
  • Parietal
  • Temporal
  • Occipital
• Functions of the frontal lobes

  • Organization of thought
  • Body movements
  • Memories
  • Emotions
  • Moral behavior
• Cerebellum


  The center for coordination of movements and postural adjustments
• Brain stem


  Includes the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata, and contains vital centers for respiration and cardiovascular function
• Midbrain


  Connects the pons and cerebellum with the cerebrum, and includes the reticular activating system and the extrapyramidal system
• Limbic system


  An area of the brain located above the brain stem that includes the thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala
• Thalamus


  Regulates activity, sensation, and emotion
• Hypothalamus


  Involved in temperature regulation, appetite control, endocrine function, sexual drive, and impulsive behavior associated with feelings of anger, rage or excitement
• Hippocampus and amygdala


  Involved in emotional arousal and memory
• Neurotransmitters


  Chemical substances released by neurons that aid in the transmission of information throughout the body
• Dopamine


  A neurotransmitter located primarily in the brain stem, involved in the control of complex movements, motivation, cognition, and regulation of emotional responses
• Norepinephrine and epinephrine


  Norepinephrine is the most prevalent neurotransmitter in the nervous system, plays a role in attention, learning and memory, sleep and wakefulness, and mood regulation. Epinephrine controls the fight or flight response in the peripheral nervous system.