Understanding Behavioral changes in Mental Distress.pdf
- 2. Friendly Reminders While waiting for others to come in, here are some rules and reminders to keep in mind 01 feel free to type your questions in the chat box 02 questions will be entertained at the live Q&A after the presentation 03 if you need to access the slides, send a mail to me after this webinar
- 3. ABOUT ME Adejorin Adetayo O. Graduate of the great University of Lagos, Nigeria with BSN-RN, RM Qualifications. Worked across various settings including Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria and currently works as a Registered Nurse in Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos, Nigeria. She has also obtained various certifications in mental health care including Psychological First Aider at John Hopkins University SAIS Online.
- 4. Warning signs of Mental Distress: Identifying Abnormal Behaviours. 1 Stress & Coping Responses. 2 Mental Distress, Signs & symptoms, Aetiology. 3 Behaviours associated with mental distress 4 Exacerbation of mental distress during COVID 19 pandemic 5 Suicide & Societal Perception 6. Case study 7. Coping with a loved one in distress 8. How to seek for professional help 9. Helping Sufferers & The role of therapy 10. Cognitive coping skills & positive coping 11. Conclusion 12. Refrences
- 5. O b j e c t i v e s This webinar intends to help; • Improve public understanding on the significance of mental health • Identify the causative factors of mental distress • Identify the behaviours associated with mental distress before a crisis. • Learn how to seek professional help for individuals in distress. • Create plan for maintaining mental wellness
- 6. • There are times life just doesn’t seem to worth the agony and pain it forces us to endure. Strong feelings of hopelessness seem to be a fleeting impulse, a lot of us suffer from psychological distress but we re still enduring . While some people don’t give in to these pressure, others do. Mental Distress is a vast topic that is real to everyone . If not affected directly, we all have a relative struggling with it. This webinar would break this phenomenon down and teach us how to help humanity,
- 7. Stress and Mental Distress Mr A and Mr B are both preparing for a art exhibition Mr A Mr B I am stressed
- 8. Mr A Mr B • Adores art, incredibly inventive and creative with his artwork. He anticipates every opportunity for him to show off his skills. He attends conferences and regularly visit his mentor. He sees art as fun and part of his way of life. • Was born in a family of artists. His grand dad was both a member of the Top Artist society of Ireland and a staff at Dublin National College of Art and Design. His father and brother are professional artists. They motivate him into becoming world-class renowned artiste. They occasionally assess and criticize his artistic creations. When it comes to showcasing his talents, Mr B is frequently overwhelmed. He frequently vomits several times before performance and falls ill after every art presentation
- 9. • For Mr A, who has happy recollections and a lot of self admiration toward his artworks, every art display is something to look forward to. • While for Mr B, he sees every presentation as a measure of is value as a individual, thus, developing anxiety towards it.
- 10. • This is due to the fact that every person is unique in their own way due to difference in background, culture, upbringing and other variables. • As a result, how something is perceived and interpreted is what gives it stress.
- 11. • Stressful situations could involve losing a job, caring for a sick relative, losing a loved one, unmet expectation. • Stressors have a major impact on mood, sense of wellbeing, behaviour and health. • Acute stress response in healthy individuals may be adaptive and typically do not pose a health burden. However, if threat is unremitting, particularly in older and unhealthy individuals, the long term effect could damage health ( Schneiderman, Ironson, & Seigel, 2008).
- 12. Coping Responses • Thoughts and actions used to deal with stressful situations • adaptive or maladaptive. • Adaptive coping help the person to deal with stress in an healthy way. E.g talking to someone, yoga, listening to music. • Maladaptive; these relieve stress temporarily , but also cause harm. It includes substance abuse, worrying, binge eating.
- 13. Coping strategy • Based on appraisal of perceived stress , humans adopt coping responses. • Various situations & Individual differences elicit different pattern of stress response. • Coping techniques used at the wake of a threatening situation. • These coping strategies include; .
- 14. • Denial, repression, rationalization, fantasy, projection, overcompensation, conversion, identification, regression, emotional insulation, reaction formation, ritualistic behaviour and negativism. • Exposure to intense and chronic stressors puts an individual at risk of mental distress or mental disorder
- 15. Mental Distress • Mental distress is a syndrome characterized by a clinically significant disturbance in cognition, emotional regulation or behaviour , accompanied by psychological, biological, or developmental processes dysfunction (Tesfaye, Bayray & Ahmed, 2020). • There are several possible explanations for the cause of mental distress in an individual.
- 16. Signs and Symptoms of mental distress • High levels of psychological distress could be indicative of impaired mental health and could reflect common mental disorders like depressive and anxiety disorders. Individuals could also have somatic symptoms such as fatigue, headache, sleeping problems, loss of appetite.
- 17. S & S • It could be occur in a previous mentally ill individual or a previously well individual. • Among undergraduates, symptoms such as impaired cognitive functioning, learning disability and poor academic performance could be evident ( Mboya et al., 2020).
- 18. Aetiology • Situational Crisis such as, work demands, adverse school experience, bullying, • Medical condition. • Neurological Disorders • Trauma. • Mental illness. • Marital and family problems; divorce, child rearing problems, social isolation, financial problems, debts.
- 19. Behaviours associated with mental distress • Manner in which an individual acts or functions • Society define behavioural norms
- 20. Normal behaviour • Capable of changing actions as situation requires • Has insight into the cause and effect of an action • Orientation of time, place and person. • His perception of reality is intact • His motivations are purposeful • Able to identify needs, major plans and immediate plans
- 21. Abnormal Behaviours • Marked personality change • Inability to cope with problems and daily activities • Strange/ grandiose ideas • Prolonged depression and apathy • Marked changes in eating and sleeping patterns
- 22. • Abuse of drugs or alcohol • Excessive anger, hostility and violent behaviour • Thinking or talking about suicide or harming self • Extreme mood swings – high or low
- 23. Exacerbation of mental; distress during COVID 19 pandemic
- 24. Suicide • Intentional taking of one’s life • Suicidal behaviour is broken down into four types • Suicidal threats, suicidal attempts, suicidal gestures and died by suicide. • Suicidal threats – take care of my family for me, I just cannot take this anymore. • Suicidal gestures is a really cry out for help to be rescued from suicide. It may include to call a friend, to talk about suicidal attempts- cutting my wrist.
- 25. Actions related to potential suicide • Behavioural signs- a thrifty person starts spending money than he earns. • No longer find joy in the things he loves. Lack of interest in work • Fear, tearfulness, blank facial expression, guilt, self- condemnation, hopelessness, disorders of eating and sleeping disorders, • Crisis: the point at which the usual decision making methods are no longer adequate. He is so overwhelmed and think of suicide as the only option.
- 26. A moment of silence for a friend of A moment of silence for a friend of A moment of silence for a friend of mine who passed on in medical mine who passed on in medical mine who passed on in medical school. school. school. Rest in Peace, Dear Friend. Rest in Peace, Dear Friend. Rest in Peace, Dear Friend.
- 27. suicide 52% motor vehicle accident, crashes and falls 23% medical causes 18% homicide 1% others 6% Monasterio et al., 2018 Global statistics of deaths related to mental illness
- 28. Myths of Suicide • People who talk about suicide do not commit suicide. ( 80% commit). • All suicidal individuals want to do die and there is nothing anyone can do about it ( Most people are indecisive). • Suicide is an impulse, there is no previous plan ( Carefully planned and thought about for weeks). • A person who attempted suicide and fail will not try it again (majority who commit have tried before). • Suicidal people are mentally ill ( not all suicidal individuals are mentally ill)
- 29. Coping with a loved one in Distress • Communicate and reassure that help is available • Understand what mental illness is to the individual • Nil stigmatization • Keep ends opened for a conversation • Do not leave an individual in distress alone at any time. • If behavioural and verbal symptom are evident, discuss the situation with a medical personnel.
- 30. • Seek help from a qualified health practitioner . Psychiatrist, psychologist, psychiatric nurses, social workers, mental health counsellors, general practitioners, family physician, family nurse practitioner, paediatric consultants.
- 31. The brain is the largest and most complex organ in the human body.
- 32. How to seek professional help • Varies across borders. • Ask for help with your mental health. Talk to relative or family about signs and symptoms you are experiencing. • In some countries , you can put a call through the mental health emergency team. • In Nigeria, depending on the signs and symptoms you are experiencing. You can visit a psychologist that would refer you to a mental health professional/ psychiatrist. • You would be assessed in the emergency department before admission.
- 33. In Crisis • In crisis situation, contact information of the nearest hospital. • Crisis lines • Police department ( U.S Police department). • Family Physician/ Family Nurse Practioner/ Child care provider • Contact Family members and friends.
- 34. Cognitive Coping skills • Task oriented coping. Assess situation. Understanding task is important, deep breaths before presentation. • Problem solving strategy : Assess problem, analyse problems, think of ways to deal or cope with it. • Emotion focused strategy: focus on the actual problem rather than the distress of the situation. • Mental health care. Yoga, Meditation, taking a walk, exercise, Reflection practices, Self care, Medical check.
- 35. Positive Coping • Start off with an optimistic outlook. • Adjust expectations to reality. • Taking one step at a time. Break a huge task into small parts and tackle it. • Smile when anxious • Learn from mistakes and success • Evaluation
- 36. There is no health without mental health
- 37. References • Monasterio, E., McKean, A., Sinhalege, V., Frampton, C., & Mulder, R. (2018). Sudden deaths in patients with seerious mental illness. The New Zealand Medical Journal, 131(1487), 70-79. • John Hopkins Medicine (2022). Brain Anatomy & how the brain works. The John Hopkins University • Tesfaye, K.R., Bayray, K.A., Ahmed, K.Y., (2020). Prevalence of mental distress and associated factors among samara university students, Northwest Ethiopia. Depression Research and Treatment. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/7836296
- 38. References • Schneiderman, N., Ironson, G., & Seigel, S.D., (2008). Stress and health: Psychological, behavioural, and biological determinants. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.1.102803.144141. • Mboya, I. B., John B., Kibopile, E.S., et al., (2020). Factors associated with mental distress among undergtraduates in northern tanzania. BMC Psychiatry 20 (28). https://doi.org/10.1186/s1288-020-2488-1
- 39. References • Viertio, S., Kiviruusu, O. , Piirtola , M ., et al ( 2021). Factors contributing to psychological distress in the working population, with a special reference to gender difference. BMC Public Health. 21, 611. https://doi.org?s12889-021-10560-y
- 40. Thank you for listening. adetayoadejorin@gmail.com