Unit 4

• Mental health


  A state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community (WHO)
• Characteristics of a mentally healthy person

  • Realistic
  • Accepting
  • Autonomous
  • Authentic
  • Capable of intimacy
  • Creative
  • Good self-esteem
  • Purpose for living
  • Optimistic
  • Comfortable being alone
• Mental illness


  A diagnosable illness that affects a person's thinking, emotional state, and behavior, and disrupts a person's ability to work and carryout other daily activities and engage in satisfying personal relationships
• Mental distress


  Common, caused by a problem or event, usually not severe, usually short lasting, professional help not usually needed but can be useful, diagnosis not needed
• Mental disorder

  Less common, often with high severity, usually long lasting, professional help usually needed, needs to be diagnosed
• Biopsychosocial model


  • Integrates the psychological (psycho) and the environmental (social) into the traditional biomedical (bio) model of health
• What happens inside the brain when it gets sick

  1. A specific part of the brain that needs to be working on a specific task is not working well

  2. A specific part of the brain that needs to be working on a specific task is working in the wrong way

  3. The neurochemical messengers that help different parts of the brain communicate are not working properly
• Cognitive-behavioral model


  Cognitive distortions (distorted/irrational thoughts) lead to maladaptive behaviors
• Diathesis-stress model


  Mental and physical disorders develop from a genetic or biological predisposition for that illness (diathesis) combined with stressful conditions that play a precipitating or facilitating role
• The DOH estimates that at least 3.6 million Filipinos are facing mental health issues during the pandemic, including depression, substance use disorders such as alcohol use disorder, and mood disorders like bipolar disorder (USAID Renew Health Project 2021)
• Common mental health problems among Filipino adolescents

  • Depression
  • Anxiety and anxiety disorders
  • Suicide
• Sadness vs depression


  Sadness is a normal human emotion, depression is a serious mental health condition
• Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) vs suicide

  NSSI is the deliberate, self-inflicted destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent, suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death
• The Philippine Mental Health Law (RA 11036) promotes mental wellness
• Mental health professionals


  • Psychiatrists
  • Psychologists
  • Psychiatric social workers
• Allied mental health professionals

  • Psychometricians
  • Guidance counselors
  • Psychiatric nurses
• Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) vs. Suicide
• Promotion of Mental Wellness
• Philippine Mental Health Law (RA 11036)
• Where to seek professional help: Mental Health Professionals

  • Psychometricians
  • Guidance Counselors
  • Psychiatric Nurses
  • Social Worker
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Life Coach
• UST Counseling and Career Center
• Mental Health Crisis/Suicide Hotlines
• Coping


  The thoughts and behaviors used to manage the internal and external demands of situations that are appraised as stressful
• Coping Strategies/Skills


  • Problem-focused coping
  • Emotion-focused coping
• Coping Styles


  • Approach (confrontative, vigilant)
  • Avoidant (minimizing)
• Mental Hygiene


  The science of maintaining mental health and preventing the development of psychosis, neurosis, or other mental disorders
• Approaches of Mental Hygiene

  • The Preventive Approach
  • The Therapeutic Approach
  • The Curative Approach
• Self-Care


  The practice of activities that a mature person initiates and performs, within a time frame, to promote and maintain personal well-being, healthy functioning, and continuing development throughout life
• Self-Love Languages


  • Words of Affirmation
  • Acts of Service
  • Receiving Gifts
  • Quality Time
  • Physical Touch
• Things to remember
• Developing a Daily Mental Hygiene Regimen

  • Emotional and Cognitive Check-in
  • Lifestyle Changes and Mindfulness Strategies
  • Conflict Resolution and Management
  • Digital Detox: Disconnect Online & Re-connect Offline
• Resilience


  The process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats or significant sources of stress
• Resilience


  The tendency or ability to spring back, and thus the ability of a body to recover its normal size and shape after being pushed or pulled out of shape, and therefore figuratively any ability to recover to normality after a disturbance
• Resilience


  Resilience is not a trait that people either have or do not have. It involves behaviors, thoughts and actions that can be learned and developed in anyone
• Resilience


  Resilience is a stable trajectory of healthy functioning after a highly adverse event
• Resilience


  Resilience as a process to harness resources to sustain well-being
• Determinants of Resiliency


  • Genetics & DNA
  • Survival & Adaptation
  • Developmental Processes
  • Personality
  • Coping Mechanisms
  • Parenting Styles
  • The Filipino Spirit
• Coping vs. Resilience


  • Ability to control emotions
  • Ability to perceive reality
  • Ability to think rationally
  • Ability to problem solve
  • Culturally defined
  • The ability to bounce back
  • The positive capacity to cope with stress
  • Provides resistance to negative events
• Resilience Factors


  • Connectedness
  • Social environments
  • Physical environments
  • Sense of inner wisdom
  • Spiritual life that is lived out
  • Family
• Protective Factors


  • Acceptance
  • Caring & Supportive Relationships
  • Self-Awareness
  • Creativity & Flexibility
  • Safe and Positive Space
  • Sense of Coherence
  • Emotion Regulation Skills
  • Spirituality