Define the following term:

1
Define the following term

• Mental health
• a general term that refers to the normal
  functioning of emotional and intellectual
  abilities.

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1. Identify seven characteristics of mental
health

• These are characteristics of a person who is
  mentally healthy
• Gets along with others
• Adapts to change
• Cares for self and others
• Gives and accepts love
• Deals with situations that cause stress,
  disappointment, and frustration
• Takes responsibility for decisions, feelings, and
  actions
• Controls and fulfills desires and impulses in an
  appropriate manner

3
Define the following terms

• Mental illness
• a disease that affects a persons ability to
  function at a normal level in the family, home,
  or community often produces inappropriate
  behavior.
• Situation response
• a temporary condition that may be caused by a
  crisis, temporary changes in the brain, side
  effects from medications, interactions among
  medications, or severe change in the environment.

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2. Identify four causes of mental illness

• The following may cause or worsen mental illness
  
• Physical factors such as
• Illness
• Disability
• Aging
• Substance abuse
• Chemical imbalance
• Environmental factors such as weak family
  relationships or traumatic childhood experiences
• Heredity or family influence
• Stress, including coping abilities

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Define the following term

• Fallacy
• a false belief.

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3. Distinguish between fact and fallacy
concerning mental illness

• REMEMBER
• People who are mentally ill cannot control their
  illness and choose to be well. Mental illness is
  a disease like any other physical illness.

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3. Distinguish between fact and fallacy
concerning mental illness

• REMEMBER
• Mental retardation and mental illness are not the
  same thing. One common point, however, is that
  residents with either condition will need
  emotional support in addition to care and
  treatment.

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4. Explain the connection between mental and
physical wellness

• REMEMBER
• Mentally healthy people can reduce stress and
  prevent some physical diseases. People with
  mental illness may experience more stress and
  therefore more illness.

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4. Explain the connection between mental and
physical wellness

• Think about this question
• What do you do to reduce or relieve stress in
  your life?

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Transparency 20-1 Good Communication with
Mentally Ill Residents

• Use simple, clear statements and normal tone of
  voice (not like speaking to children).
• Communicate respect and concern.
• Sit or stand at normal distance.
• Use posture that says youre listening (body
  language).
• Be honest and direct.
• Avoid arguments.
• Maintain eye contact.
• Listen carefully.

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5. List guidelines for communicating with
mentally ill residents

• Think about this question
• Good communication is important with every
  resident. Why do you think it might take a
  special effort to maintain good communication
  with a mentally ill resident?

12
Define the following term

• Defense mechanisms
• unconscious behaviors used to release tension or
  cope with stress.

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6. Identify and define common defense mechanisms

• The following are categories of defense
  mechanisms
• Denial
• Projection
• Displacement
• Rationalization
• Repression
• Regression

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6. Identify and define common defense mechanisms

• REMEMBER
• All people use defense mechanisms at some time,
  but mentally ill people tend to use them to a
  greater degree.

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Define the following term

• Anxiety
• uneasiness or fear, often about a situation or
  condition.
• Phobia
• an intense form of anxiety.
• Claustrophobia
• the fear of being in a confined space.

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Define the following term

• Panic disorder
• a disorder in which a person is terrified for no
  apparent reason.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• a disorder in which a person uses obsessive
  behavior to cope with anxiety.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• an anxiety-related disorder brought on by a
  traumatic experience.

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Define the following term

• Apathy
• lack of interest in activities.
• Major depression
• a serious mental illness which may cause mental,
  emotional, and physical pain and disability if
  untreated, it may result in suicide.

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Define the following term

• Bipolar disorder
• illness which causes a person to swing from deep
  depression to extreme activity also called manic
  depression.
• Schizophrenia
• brain disorder which affects a persons ability
  to think and communicate clearly.
• Paranoid schizophrenia
• a brain disorder that centers mainly on
  hallucinations and delusions.

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7. Describe the symptoms of anxiety, depression,
and schizophrenia

• REMEMBER
• Many signs of mental illness are simply extreme
  behaviors most people experience some of the
  time. Recognizing this might make it easier to
  understand mentally ill residents.

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Transparency 20-2 Mental Diagnosis 1
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Transparency 20-3 Mental Diagnosis 2
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Transparency 20-4 Mental Diagnosis 3
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Define the following term

• Psychotherapy
• a method of treating mental illness that involves
  talking about ones problems with mental health
  professionals.

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8. Explain how mental illness is treated

• Mental illness can be treated. Common treatments
  include the following
• Medication
• Psychotherapy
• Electroconvulsive (shock) treatmentgenerally
  used only when other treatments have not been
  successful
• Psychosurgery, a kind of brain surgery, may
  improve chronic mental disorders

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8. Explain how mental illness is treated

• REMEMBER
• Residents with mental illness have the right to
  participate in the planning of their care just as
  any other resident.
• Their private information must also be kept
  confidential, just as the information of any
  other resident.

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9. Explain your role in caring for residents who
are mentally ill

• The NAs role in caring for residents who are
  mentally ill includes the following
• Observe residents for changes. Document and
  report.
• Support the resident and family and friends.
• Encourage residents to do as much for themselves
  as possible.

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10. Identify important observations that should
be made and reported

• Report any of the following
• Changes in ability
• Positive or negative mood changes (withdrawal)
• Behavior changes
• Comments about hurting self or others (including
  jokes)
• Failure to take medication or medication errors
• Real or imagined physical symptoms
• Events, situations, or people that upset or
  excite residents

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Define the following term

• Substance abuse
• the use of legal or illegal drugs, cigarettes, or
  alcohol in a way that is harmful to the abuser or
  to others.

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Transparency 20-5 Signs of Substance Abuse

• Changes in personality, moodiness, strange
  behavior, disruption of routines
• Irritability
• Changes in physical appearance
• Smell of cigarettes, liquor, or other substances
• Reduced sense of smell
• Unexplained changes in vital signs
• Loss of appetite
• Inability to function normally
• Need for money
• Confusion/forgetfulness
• Blackouts or memory loss
• Frequent accidents
• Problems with family and friends

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11. List the signs of substance abuse

• REMEMBER
• Illegal drugs are not the only substances that
  are abused. Even over-the-counter medications can
  be abused if too many are taken.

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11. List the signs of substance abuse

• Think about this question
• What substances commonly found in the home could
  be abused?

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11. List the signs of substance abuse

• REMEMBER
• Residents who do not have doctors orders against
  drinking alcohol and who live in a facility where
  alcoholic beverages are allowed may drink alcohol
  if they wish to do so. NAs should not make
  judgments or gossip.

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Chapter Exam

• 1. A person who is mentally healthy
• (A) Cant adapt to change very easily
• (B) Is unlikely to care for him or herself
• (C) Has a hard time taking responsibility for
  decisions
• (D) Deals with stressful situations
• 2. Which if the following statements is a fallacy
  (a false belief) about mental illness?
• (A) People with mental illness can control their
  symptoms.
• (B) Mental illness is a disease like any physical
  illness.
• (C) Mentally healthy persons can control their
  emotions.
• (D) Mental illness affects a persons ability to
  function.

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Chapter Exam (contd.)

• 3. Mental illness can be made worse by
• (A) Eating a diet heavy on meat
• (B) A strong sense of self-respect
• (C) Strong family support
• (D) Substance abuse
• 4. One guideline for communicating with mentally
  ill residents is to
• (A) Talk to adults like they are children if they
  do not understand what is being said.
• (B) Maintain eye contact and listen closely.
• (C) Stand really close to the resident.
• (D) Argue with residents if what they are saying
  is not true.

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Chapter Exam (contd.)

• 5. Which of the following is true of defense
  mechanisms?
• (A) They are a type of mental illness.
• (B) Anyone who uses them is likely to become
  mentally ill at some point.
• (C) People who are mentally ill do not use them.
• (D) They help a person cope with stress.
• 6. Telling your co-worker Lets throw spitballs
  at our boss is an example of which kind of
  defense mechanism?
• (A) Displacement
• (B) Regression
• (C) Rationalization
• (D) Projection

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Chapter Exam (contd.)

• 7. A co-worker gets the promotion that you have
  wanted for a long time. When your friend asks you
  if youre upset, you say, No, not at all. This
  is an example of
• (A) Denial
• (B) Displacement
• (C) Regression
• (D) Projection
• 8. Signs of clinical depression include
• (A) Hair loss
• (B) Hyperactivity
• (C) Intense, sudden chest pain
• (D) Irritability

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Chapter Exam (contd.)

• 9. A ______ is an intense form of anxiety.
• (A) Phobia
• (B) Coping mechanism
• (C) Fallacy
• (D) Situation response
• 10. Which of the following is a good way to for a
  nursing assistant to care for a mentally ill
  resident?
• (A) Do everything for the resident.
• (B) Give the resident his or her medication.
• (C) Support the resident and his or her family
  and friends.
• (D) Encourage the resident to stop being mentally
  ill and just get better.

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Chapter Exam (contd.)

• 11. Which of the following statements about
  observing mentally ill residents is true?
• (A) An NA does not need to report a comment about
  suicide if it is a joke.
• (B) An NA needs to report changes in personality.
  
• (C) Withdrawal does not need to be reported.
• (D) An NA does not need to report an imagined
  physical symptom.
• 12. Which of the following is a common set of
  treatments for mental illness?
• (A) Electroconvulsive (shock) therapy and
  psychosurgery
• (B) Medication and psychotherapy
• (C) Psychotherapy and psychosurgery
• (D) Medication and Electroconvulsive (shock)
  therapy

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Chapter Exam (contd.)

• 13. A resident has been acting a little strangely
  lately. She gets upset very easily and her eyes
  are always red. She does not eat much, and
  sometimes you can smell alcohol on her breath,
  even in the morning. What should you do?
• (A) Confront the resident about what you have
  noticed.
• (B) Call Alcoholics Anonymous.
• (C) Report your observations to the nurse.
• (D) Tell the facilitys chaplain.