Mental Hygiene Quiz

Mental Health & Hygiene

• Mental hygiene involves measures to reduce mental illness through prevention and early treatment, promoting mental health. (Singh and Tiwari—1971)

Concepts of Mental Hygiene

• Prevention:
  • Identify causes of maladjustment to eliminate them.
  • Develop methods to resolve inner conflicts, anxieties, tension, and emotional disturbances.

Preservation

• Activities that preserve mental health:
  • Develop the individual’s inner potential
  • Achieve emotional maturity and stability
  • Attain personal and social security and adequacy
  • Promote healthy relationships and group interaction

Curative Measures

• Curative measures:
  • Provide knowledge regarding mental illnesses and disorders.
  • Suggest various therapies for their treatment.
  • Suggest rehabilitation and readjustment methods for mentally ill people.

Balanced Development of Personality

• Balanced development of one's self and environment is key to adjustment, preventing maladjustment and unhappiness.
• The ability to lead a fulfilling and happy life is directly related to good mental health and avoiding unnecessary anxieties, conflicts, and frustrations.

Mental Health

• Adjustment of human beings to the world and to each other leads to effectiveness and happiness. (Karl Menninger—1947)

Concepts of Mental Health

• Positive Attitude Towards Self: Objective understanding and acceptance of strengths and limitations leads to a strong sense of identity and security in the environment.
• Growth, Development, and Self-Actualization: Successfully completing developmental tasks and adapting to the environment leads to a fulfilling philosophy of life and a manageable level of anxiety.
• Autonomy: Performing independently and accepting responsibility for outcomes is key.
• Perception of Reality: Accurate perception of the environment, empathy, and consideration for others' needs are crucial.
• Environmental Mastery: Achieving a satisfactory role in society, love, and acceptance are important components.

Characteristics of a Mentally Healthy Person

• Ability to make adjustments
• Sense of personal worth and importance
• Problem-solving through effort and independent decision-making.
• Sense of personal security and understanding of others' problems.
• Sense of responsibility
• Ability to give and accept love
• Living in reality rather than fantasy
• Emotional maturity that allows tolerance of frustration and disappointments
• A developed philosophy of life that gives meaning and purpose
• Balanced life of work, rest, and recreation.

Warning Signs of Poor Mental Health

• Younger Children: Changes in school performance, excessive worrying or anxiety, hyperactivity, persistent nightmares, persistent disobedience or aggressive behaviour, frequent temper tantrums.
• Older Children and Adolescents: Abuse of drugs or alcohol, inability to cope with daily problems, changes in sleep or eating habits, excessive physical complaints, defying authority, skipping school, stealing or damaging property, intense fear of gaining weight, long-lasting negative moods, thoughts of death, and frequent outbursts of anger in children.
• Adults: Confused thinking, extreme mood swings (highs and lows), social withdrawal, dramatic changes in eating/sleeping habits, strong feelings of anger, delusions or hallucinations, growing inability to cope, thoughts of suicide, denial of obvious problems, abuse of drugs or alcohol.

Models of Mental Illness Causation

• Medical Model: Focuses on physical causes of mental illness.
• Biopsychosocial Model: Attributable to biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors:
  • Biological Factors: Anatomical or physiological issues related to the brain
  • Psychological Processes: Inner conflicts or psychological events
  • Sociocultural Context: Factors like gender, age, physical or social circumstances, cultural values, and historical eras.
• Diathesis-Stress Approach: Genetics, early learning, biological processes, stress levels contribute to psychological disorders.

Diagnosing Psychological Disorders

• ICD-10: International Classification of Diseases, 10th version
• DSM-V: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th version.

Description of Psychological Disorders

• Anxiety Disorders: Distress and persistent anxiety, potentially maladaptive behaviors to reduce it.
• Somatoform Disorders: Somatic symptoms (bodily) without a clear physical explanation.
• Conversion Disorders: Anxiety converted to physical symptoms with no neurological basis.
• Dissociative Disorders: Conscious awareness separated from previous memories, thoughts, and feelings.
• Mood Disorders: Characterized by emotional extremes, not caused by drugs or medical conditions (Depression, Mania).
• Personality Disorders: Enduring, maladaptive patterns of behaviour that impair social functioning.
• Schizophrenia: Disorganized thinking, disturbed perceptions, inappropriate emotions, and actions.

Prevention Strategies

• Primary Prevention: Prevent occurrence of mental disorders. Prepare people for stable personalities, educate communities (especially pregnant women and mothers). Identify at-risk groups.
• Secondary Prevention: Quick identification & intervention for crisis related behaviors. Help in crisis or stress management.
• Tertiary Prevention: Provide rehabilitative services, follow-ups, family support, occupational training, and recreational activities after mental disorders.

Promoting Positive Mental Health

• Training programs for teachers, police, and social service agencies.
• Community mental health centers.
• Public awareness campaigns focusing on mental health maintenance, stable personality development, stress tolerance education, and avoiding drugs and alcohol.
• Education of families, emotional adjustment in children, and counselling centers.