Unit I: Mental Health

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence
of disease or infirmity.

Wellness is a state of mind as well as a physical state.

• Is the physical state of good health as well as the mental ability to enjoy and appreciate
being healthy and fit.

• Wellness is not just the state of being free of disease symptoms. A person can achieve a
state of wellness and be riddled with disease if the symptoms are controlled and balance
is maintained.

• Wellness is a state of balance between health and fitness physically, mentally, emotionally
and spiritually.

Health Triangle

Lifestyle Factors
Self-Esteem
Symptoms of Low Self-Esteem:

• Self Critical

• Depression

• Fear of adversity

• Over analyze why they are the way they are

 • Opposition with authority figures

• Tire easily

• Trouble making and or/keeping friends

• Refuse to take risks

• Difficulty forming trust

• May lack empathy and compassion for others

Improving Self Esteem:

• Respect yourself & others

• Maintain your health

• Say supportive things to yourself

• Take responsibility for own actions and choices

• Develop clear goals

• Appreciate good things

• Develop reputation for being a reliable person.

Stress & Stressors

Types of Stress:

Distress: Negative stress; not knowing how to deal with stress

Eustress: Positive stress; can help one achieve their goals.

Stressor: Anything that stimulates a stress response (people, objects, places, and/or events).

Body Response:

Hypothalamus: Nerve center of the brain is excited by stress → Some nerves activate pituitary
glands that secrete hormones that stimulate the adrenal glands → Adrenal glands then produce
and secrete a hormone called adrenaline.

Physical Reactions:

• Heart rate speeds up

• Breathing Quickens

• Saliva and mucus dry up

 • Increased perspiration

• Become more susceptible to illness and accidents

• Muscle tension

• Suspended digestion

• Pupils dilate

• Insomnia

• Increase urination

• Can’t think clearly

Defense Mechanisms
Defense Mechanisms are how people react to others particularly in stressful situations

• Compensation: Emphasizing personal strengths in one area. Shifting focus from failure in
another area.

• Denial: Refusing to accept an obvious situation. Trying to avoid emotional pain.

• Displacement: Taking out one’s anger/frustration on a person/object that is not the cause
of the offense.

• Identification: Associating with people/groups that are of higher status in order to

increase your own status

• Intellectualization: Describing painful/emotional events in academic/philosophical terms

• Projection: Casting feelings you have onto another person. Blaming another person for
the feelings you have.

• Rationalization: Making logical excuses for illogical behavior.

• Reaction Formation: Replacing feelings that are socially unacceptable with emotions
that are acceptable.

• Regression: Reverting to child-like behavior to get the attention you got when you were
younger; or to get your way.

• Repression: Unconsciously forgetting information that is too painful to recall.

Unit II: Human Body

Eating Disorders
Anorexia:

History:

• First became known as “anorexia mirabilis”

• Strongly associated to Catholicism

• Later became “anorexia nervosa

• Why? Women wanted to disassociated themselves from sexuality

• Fecundity: The capability to have offspring

• Asexuality: Not sexual, sexless.

Characteristics:
 • Low calorie intake

• Obsession with exercising

• Unnatural interest in food

• Misses three consecutive periods

• Distorted body image

• Intense fear of gaining weight

• Denies the seriousness of low body weight.

Physical Symptoms:

• Weight loss

• Constipation

• Hormonal changes

• Lanugo (Fine hair on the torso)

• Hair loss

• Numbness of hands or feet

• Heart/Kidney failure

• Muscle Cramps

• Leukopenia (White blood cell count drops)

• Death

Bulimia:

History:

• First known as “bulimarexia”

• Satiety: the state of having enough, being satisfied, full.

Bulimia Types:

• Binging: Eating large amounts of calories at once.

• Purging: Vomiting or using laxatives

Characteristics:

• May follow a restrictive diet after purging

 • Acting secretive

• Excessive exercising

Purging Type:

• Self induced vomiting or use of laxatives

Non Purging Type:

• Fasting

• Excessive exercising

Physical Symptoms:

• Metabolic acidosis (increased acid levels in blood)

• Dehydration

• Kidney damage

• Irregular heartbeat

• Tooth decay

• Damaged stomach, esophagus, and mouth

• Death

Profile of Average Person with an Eating Disorder

• Good student

• Eager to please people

• Hardworking

• Avoids conflict

• Seeks approval

• May feel stressed/anxious with new situations

• Perfectionist

• Athlete

Treatment:

• Psychological Therapy

• Medication to decrease anxiety

 • Behavioral Therapy

Medical Assistance:

• Treat symptoms

• Nutrition counseling

• Family & individual therapy