1. Introduction to Psychology and Mental Health

2. What comes to your mind when you hear the word ‘psychology’?
human mind
feelings and emotions
brain
behaviours
psychologist
psychiatrist
counsellor
mental health
internal conflicts
therapy
helping others
Criminal Minds
tricks

3. Psychology is…. The study of the mind and behaviour
Psychology explores all aspects of the human experience - from the functions of the brain to the actions of nations, from child development to care for the aged. 
It is the “understanding of behaviour.”
- American Psychological Association

4. Early Thinkers Hippocrates (460-377 BC)
Noted that people with brain injuries acted differently from others
Concluded the brain was the source of
pleasures, joys, pains, and sorrows

5. Early Thinkers John Locke (1643-1704)
“The mind receives information from the senses and turns this information into complex ideas in the brain and then draws certain conclusions.”

6. Major Branches of Modern Psychology
Focus
developmental
human growth and development (e.g., child development)
social
social interactions (e.g., social comparison)
personality
individual differences in thoughts, feelings, and behavior
(e.g., introvert vs. extrovert)
*abnormal/clinical
assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders
cognitive
mental processes (e.g., motivation, attention, problem-solving and decision-making)
bio
how brain and neurotransmitters influence human behaviour, thoughts, and feelings
cross-cultural
how cultural factors influence human behavior (e.g., perception of beauty across cultures)
forensic
evaluating the mental competence of criminal suspects and/or working directly in the court system

7. Group Activity

8. Myths about Mental Illness
Myth #1: Mental illnesses aren’t real illnesses.
Fact:
Mental illnesses create distress. They don’t go away on their own and are real health problems with effective treatments. 

9. Myths about Mental Illness
Myth #2: Mental illnesses will never affect me.
Fact:
As many as one in five Canadians will experience a mental illness at some point in their life.

10. Myths about Mental Illness
Myth #3: People with mental illnesses are violent and dangerous.
Facts:
95-97% of all violent crimes are committed by people WITHOUT mental illnesses.
more likely to be the VICTIMS of violent crime

11. Myths about Mental Illness
Myth #4: Bad parenting causes mental illnesses.
Fact:
No one factor can cause mental illnesses. (combination of genetics, environment, and life experiences)

12. Myths about Mental Illness
Myth #5: Poor and uneducated people are the most likely to develop mental illnesses.
Fact:
Mental illnesses affect people of ALL social backgrounds.

13. Myths about Mental Illness
Myth #6: People with mental illnesses are weak and can’t handle stress.
Facts:
Stress impacts everyone’s well-being.
Some people with mental illness are actually better at managing stress.

14. Myths about Mental Illness
Myth #7: Children and teenagers can’t have a mental illness like depression. Those are adult problems.
Facts:
Many times mental illness symptoms will start to appear in later childhood/early adolescence.
About 1/10 children/teenagers in Canada suffer from a mental illness.

15. Myths about Mental Illness
Myth #8: There is no hope for people with mental health problems.
Fact:
People with mental health problems get better and many recover completely by treatments.

16. Key Terms
Stigma: a mark of disgrace that sets a person apart (stereotyped group) Stigmatization: a process of labelling negative characteristics to a person/group to feel unaccepted, devalued, and isolated from larger society

17. Video
While you watch the video, write down the challenges Becca faces in her life. juzyGrf0

18. Discussion Questions
How does stigma affect people with mental illness?
Are there any groups of people who face more discrimination than others based on their mental health status? Why?
How can we challenge stigma around mental illness?