Mental Hygiene Techniques and Health

Health

• Defined by the WHO as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease.

Mental Hygiene

• A branch of psychiatry focusing on maintaining and restoring mental health, and preventing mental disorders through education, early treatment and public health measures.
• It aims to help people function at their full mental potential.

Mental Hygiene Techniques

• Transcend the environment: Mentally overcome factors you can't control, achieving success despite unfavorable conditions.
• Cultivate constructive acceptance: Graciously accept aspects of life that can't be changed, developing a positive mindset.
• Visualize the ideal self: Visualize success, picturing the best possible outcomes before an action.
• Positive affirmation: Use positive phrases ("I can do it") to boost motivation.
• Psychological counterpunching: Anticipate and preemptively address negative thoughts and emotions.
• Change your internal "computer chip": Our minds are programmable, and we can reprogram them to think certain thoughts.

Mental Health (WHO)

• Characterized by emotional, psychological, and social wellness, evident in satisfying relationships, effective behavior coping, a positive self-concept and emotional stability.

Factors Influencing Mental Health

• Inherited characteristics
• Nurturing childhood
• Life circumstances

Ways to Maintain Mental Health

• Good interpersonal communication: Effective exchange of information and understanding diverse perspectives.
• Ego defense mechanisms: Psychological barriers to anxiety and stressful situations, protecting self-esteem.
• Significant others/support: Strong social connections—family/friends—for emotional and mental support, a sense of belonging.
• Involvement in physical activities: Exercise, meditation etc promotes well-being and mind-body connection.

Characteristics of Mental Health

• Self-acceptance
• Stress tolerance
• Maintaining stability in relationships
• Sound judgment
• Responsibility for actions
• Optimism
• Recognizing limitations (strengths and weaknesses)
• Functioning effectively independently
• Distinguishing reality from imagination
• Developing potential talents fully
• Solving problems
• Managing impulses
• Communicating effectively

Mental Disorder/Mental Illness (APA)

• Clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome, resulting in distress, disability, or increased risk of suffering, pain, disability, or significant loss of freedom.

Characteristics of Mental Illness

• Feelings of inadequacy
• Poor self-concept
• Inability to cope
• Maladaptive behavior
• Difficulty in relationships
• Poor judgment
• Irresponsibility
• Pessimism
• Avoidance of problems
• Inability to perceive reality
• Lack of self-awareness

Psychiatry

• The science of curing or healing the psyche (mind).

Psychiatric Nursing

• The diagnosis and treatment of human responses to actual and/or potential mental health problems.
• A specialized field employing human behavior theories and purposeful self-use (as an art) to promote/maintain behavior that promotes integrated functioning.
• Helps individuals, families and communities promote wellness, manage mental illness and find meaning in these experiences.

Selected Nursing Interventions

• Active listening
• Anger management techniques
• Assertiveness training
• Behavior and body image management
• Caregiver support
• Enhancing communication
• Delusion management
• Management of eating disorders
• Grief work facilitation
• Hallucination management
• Impulse control training
• Milieu therapy
• Mood management
• Role enhancement
• Sleep enhancement
• Spiritual support
• Substance abuse treatment
• Suicide prevention
• Teaching

Additional psychiatric nursing Roles and Functions

• Promoting self-care and independence.
• Assisting with problem solving tasks of daily living
• Aiding communication
• Helping patients examine behaviours to consider alternatives and choices
• Administering prescribed medications
• Building a therapeutic environment
• Patient and family teaching
• Advocacy for patients and their families
• Teaching about the rights and responsibilities
• Sharing information about self-help groups
• Teaching principles of mental health
• Promoting mental health promotion in the community
• Providing crisis intervention, grief support, and coping strategies
• Helping patients find meaning in their experiences

DSM-5-TR

• A standardized, updated diagnostic manual, used for classification of mental disorders.
• Provides criteria and language for mental health professionals.
• Helps identify underlying causes of disorders and assists in identifying disorders.
• Officially recognized mental disorders identified by the American Psychiatric Association (APA)
• Aims to assist researchers, health professionals, insurance providers, and regulatory institutions in guiding mental health treatment.
• Offers standardized nomenclature and language for mental health professionals
• Aids in identifying underlying causes of mental disorders

Other Information

• Mental health problems in relation to other areas of nursing (e.g., obstetric, forensic, public health, industrial)
• Importance of psychiatric-mental health nursing skills in various nursing specialties(e.g., obstetric, forensic, public health)