Introductions Name Where you’re from Major/minor One goal you have for yourself this term

Psychosocial Health Tuesday, September 30, 2010

What is Psychosocial Health? Psychosocial health encompasses the mental, emotional, social, and spiritual dimensions of what it means to be healthy. Psychosocial health is the result of complex interaction between a person’s history and his or her thoughts about and interpretations of the past and what the past means to the present.

What is Psychosocial Health? Psychosocially healthy people Feel good about themselves Feel comfortable with other people Control tension and anxiety Are able to meet the demands of life Curb hate and guilt Maintain a positive outlook Value diversity Appreciate and respect nature Enrich the lives of others

Characteristics of Psychosocially Healthy People

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Factors Influencing Psychosocial Health The Family Dysfunctional families Children raised in dysfunctional families may have a harder time adapting to life and run an increased risk of psychosocial problems. The Macro Environment Drugs, neighborhood, crime, threats to safety, injury, school failure, unemployment, financial problems, and natural disasters also play a role in increased risk of psychosocial problems.

Factors Influencing Psychosocial Health Self-Efficacy and Self-Esteem Self-Efficacy Belief in one’s ability to perform a task successfully Self-Esteem Sense of self-respect or self-worth

Build Your Self-Esteem

Inge Missmahl Kabul, Afghanistan 60% of the population suffering from depressive symptoms and traumatic experiences Ongoing violence, poverty, and insecurity for 30 years http://www.ted.com/talks/inge_missmahl_brings_peace_to_the_minds_of_afghanistan.html "Psychological therapy is virtually unknown in Afghanistan. Until recently there were only 28 psychologists and psychiatrists in the country for roughly 30 million people.“ -Martin Gerner, Qantara.de

The MindBody Connection At the core of the mind—body connection is the study of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), or how the brain and behavior affect the body’s immune system. Happiness and Health Happiness and health have a profound effect on the body. Neurotransmitters function more efficiently in happy people. Does Laughter Enhance Health? Stressed people become less depressed with humor. Students who use humor as a coping mechanism experience positive mood.

The Mind Body Connection Subjective Well-Being (SWB) Uplifting feeling of inner peace Overall “feel-good” state Three Components of SWB Satisfaction with present life Relative presence of positive emotions Relative absence of negative emotions

The Mind Body Connection Using Positive Psychology to Enhance Happiness Develop gratitude. Use capitalization. Know when to say when. Grow a signature strength.

Happy Brains Video

Enhance Your Happiness Use Positive Psychology Develop gratitude Use capitalization Know when to say when Grow a signature strength Courage Wisdom Humanity Hope Etc.

When Psychosocial Health Deteriorates Abusive relationships, stress, anxiety, loneliness, financial upheavals, and other traumatic events Chemical imbalances, drug interactions, trauma, neurological disruptions, and other physical problems Mental illnesses Disorders that disrupt thinking, feeling, moods, and behaviors and that impair daily functioning

When Psychosocial Health Deteriorates 57.7 million U.S adults suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in any given year 6% suffer from a serious mental illness Mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the United States and Canada for people aged 15-44 Nearly 45% of those with any mental disorder meet criteria for two or more disorders at the same time

Mental Health Threats to College Students Today’s college students face increasing threats from difficulties in relationships, anxiety, depression, sexual assaults, pressures to take drugs, and other social and environmental problems 18.2% of students had been diagnosed with depression at some time in their lives American College Health Association survey

Mental Health Concerns

Mood Disorders Chronic mood disorders Disorders that affect how you feel Persistent sadness Feelings of euphoria Depression Bipolar disorder Seasonal affective disorder 10% of Americans aged 18 or older suffer from a mood disorder The median age of onset of a mood disorder is 30

Mood Disorders Depression disorders “Common cold” of psychological disturbances Approximately 14.8 million American adults, or about 7 percent of the U.S population Leading cause of disability in the U.S for people aged 15 to 44 Combination of symptoms that interfere with work, study, sleep, eating, relationships, and enjoyment of life Major depressive disorder Severe depression that entails chronic mood disorder, physical effects such as sleep disturbance and exhaustion, and mental effects such as the inability to concentrate

Causes of Depressive Disorders Interaction between biology, learned behavioral responses, cognitive factors, environment, and situational triggers and stressors. Some types of depression appear to have a genetic component People who have: Low self-esteem Who consistently view themselves and the world with pessimism Who are readily overwhelmed by stress Can also be triggered by a serious loss, difficult relationships, financial problems, and pressure to get good grades or succeed in athletics

Causes Changes in the body’s physical health can be accompanied by mental changes Stroke Heart attack Parkinson’s disease Chronic pain Type 2 diabetes Certain medications Alcohol Hormonal disorders

Women and Men Women are twice as likely as men to experience depression Hormonal changes Menstrual cycle Pregnancy Miscarriage Postpartum period Premenopause Multiple stressors and responsibilities Women’s coping strategies make them more vulnerable to depression

Women and Men 6 million men in the United States are currently in treatment for depression Masked by alcohol, drug abuse, or working long hours Irritated, angry, discouraged vs. hopeless and helpless Associated with a higher risk of death by heart disease More likely to act on suicidal feelings than women and are more successful at suicide Suicide rates among depressed men are four times those of women