Psychosocial Wellness

Psychosocial wellness tries to explain the way we think, feel, communicate, behave and how we find purpose in life. What are our driving forces to think and feel? Are we driven chemically, genetically, environmentally or by our cumulative experiences growing up? How can our psychosocial wellness help us or hurt us?

Agenda

Define psychosocial wellness What are the statistics? Healthy People 2010 Self-Awareness – Understanding Your Needs Psychologically Hardy Psychological Disorders Treatment & Prevention

Psychosocial Wellness

Emotional wellness Intellectual wellness Spiritual wellness Interpersonal and social wellness

Psychological Disorders “In one year 44 million American Adults are

limited in their ability to participate fully in life because of diagnosed mental disorders”

Nearly a fourth of American adults are affected by mental disorders each year.

Now 20 % of American children are afflicted – what will happen to them as adults?

We will briefly look at some of the more common conditions we see in the United States each year.

Risk Factors for Psychosocial Disorders(i.e. Addictions: Drug Use, Violence, Eating Disorders, Sexual Crimes)

Your Personality1. Low self-esteem2. External focus of control3. Passivity4. Post-traumatic stress

disorder

Your Environment

1. Access2. Abusive home3. Peer norms4. Life events

/oppression

Your Biology1. Early exposure2. ADD/Learning

disabilities3. Neurotransmitter

imbalance4. Genetic

predisposition

Creating a Healthy Psychosocial Dimension1. The Individual – 5 levels Mental, Physical, Emotional, Social, Moral

2. The Environment (Society) Hetero-, Homo-, Politics, Economics, Religion,

Culture

3. Genetics – enzymes, genes

Characteristics of Psychological Wellness

Realism – knowing what you can change and what you can’t – adapting to the world around you and adopting new ideas as evidence presents itself

Acceptance – having a positive self-concept (self-image) and high self-esteem

Creativity – people who seem to see more and open to new experiences, not fearing the unknown, minimize the fear of failure or the fear of success

Autonomy – being inner-directed, expressing yourself with your own genuine feelings, being spontaneous, real, authentic, regardless of disapproval or rejection by your peers

Intimacy – exposing feelings and thoughts to others – accepting the risks and satisfaction of being open to others in a caring, sensitive way

Meeting Life’s Challenges Developing an adult identity

Developing intimacy Developing values and purpose Developing a positive self-concept Meeting challenges to self-esteem Being less defensive – try to be proactive instead of

reactive Being optimistic Maintaining honest communication Dealing with loneliness Dealing with your anger and anger in others (Cognitive

distortion – pattern of thinking that makes events seem worse than they are)

How do you feel?

Depressed Normal Bliss

Unhappy Euphoric

Bottom line…We have needs! We want to be happy We want to feel good We want to be successful We want to be loved We want to feel

motivated We want to have energy We want friends We want to be

recognized

We want to be relaxed We want to feel “high” –

stimulated We want to relieve

depression We want to be less

inhibited We want to try

something new, take risks – be adventurous

We want to discover the meaning of life

What are your options? Positive Behaviors:

1. Exercise

2. Eat right

3. Plan a vacation

4. Visit friends

5. Go to the movies/theatre

6. Take a bubble bath

7. Go to school

8. Travel the world

9. Visit the Spas in Chile

10. Change your profession

11. Change your environment

Negative Behaviors:1. Smoking2. Getting drunk3. Having sex w/ anyone4. Violence5. Being isolated6. Excessive risks7. Compulsive Gambling8. Compulsive Shopping9. Starving (anorexia)10. Binge eating11. Workaholic12. Compulsive exerciser

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Abraham Maslow’s 1960’s Hierarchy of Needs

– listed here in order of decreasing urgency Physiological needs Safety and security Love and belongingness Self-esteem Self-actualization When you have reached self-actualization is

when you have achieved your true potential

If your needs are not being met…

You will self-medicate!

Drugs are immediate!

Everything else takes time. Such as exercise, relaxing to music, calming effects of candles, sex.

There are approximately 280 million Americans in the U.S.Who is at risk for becoming an alcoholic?

1. 1 in 10 Americans

2. 1 in 4 if one parent is an alcoholic

3. 1 in 2 if dad or grandfather

Addictions: Drugs, Violence, Eating Disorders, Obsessive Behaviors (gambling, shopping, cleaning)

They are agents of change.

1. They change the way you think (mental).

2. They change the way you feel (emotional).

By default – you will behave differently.

Are you at risk for any of the following behaviors?

Drug use Alcoholism or workaholism Anorexia or Bulimia Compulsive gambling or shopping Being Violent/Hostile/Vindictive Suffering from stress due to trauma Suffering from loss (life, home, health)

If your answer is YES… Good! You are only human! As humans we are

vulnerable. If you do not believe you are vulnerable – you may just be that person that learns the hard way. Perception of vulnerability and susceptibility is a means of self-preservation. This realization hopefully can keep you on the “look-out”. Primary prevention strategies puts this concept to use. We cannot possibly know our future but we can know ourselves. Awareness of our behaviors can help us predict and plan our future. Looking at our family and surroundings can also give us a sense of our strengths and weaknesses. Adapt, adapt, adapt to the many stages of your life. This is your “salvation”.

Successful Treatment for Drug Use, Abuse and Misuse

1. The Individual – 5 levels Mental, Physical, Emotional, Social, Moral

2. The Environment (Society) Hetero-, Homo-, Politics, Economics,

Religion, Culture

3. Genetics – enzymes, genes

Do you send people to jail if they drink alcohol or if they smoke tobacco or use marijuana?

Why do we put people in jail?

Reasons we have sent people to jail Threat to others

Threat to themselves

Violent behaviors Theft Economic loss Unhealthy behavior Ethical or moral

issue Cultural/ethnic

concerns

State or Federal offense

Deviation from societal norms – behavior not accepted by society

Safety concerns Fears of the

degradation of the western civilization

Religious concerns

What is an addiction versus a habit? Addiction

An unhealthy continued involvement with a mood-altering object or activity that creates harmful consequences. Signs of an addiction are (1) obsession/compulsion (2) loss of control (3) negative consequences (4) denial (5) escalation (6) tolerance (7) withdrawal symptoms.

HabitA healthy continued involvement with an object or

activity that contributes to your growth in all six dimensions of wellness.

Signs of Work Addiction

Time urgency Need to control Perfectionism Difficulty with

relationships Work binges Difficulty relaxing and

having fun

Irritability Memory loss due to

preoccupation with work

Low self-esteem Health problems

Receptor Site Theory

The Receptor Site Theory answers the question as to how chemicals are utilized by the body. The cells in your body maintain your existence. Cells utilize nutrients, oxygen, hormones and neurotransmitters to provide for your life sustaining functions (i.e. energy, repair, communication). The analogy of the “lock and key” describes how receptors only allow certain nutrients, drugs, hormones, neurotransmitters, etc. to enter the cell.

Main Effects of Drug UseDepending on your drug of choice: Stimulant, Depressant,

Hallucinogenic (Your personality has a lot to do with this) The “positive” effect that your are looking for from the drug

(the high, the low, the gone, the flow, the here, the there, the happy, the sad).

Once you develop a tolerance, the body will need more for the same effect. This contributes to the escalating need for more drug, more often, more time spent using, more money and obviously more energy spent involved with this addicting habit.

An addiction takes time from your schedule. Addictions leave less time for work, school, travel, reading, learning, meeting new people, going to parties, conferences, leisure activities.

Side Effects of Drugs Chronic diseases (CVD, Cancer, COPD) Mood instability Nausea, Vomiting, Coughing More colds, flu, absent from work, school Lower GPA in school Family problems, divorce, violence, rape Accelerates the aging process Eventually will lose independent living We do not use drugs for these reasons – but

these can be consequences for some people

Categories of Drugs

1. Prescription Drugs

2. Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs

3. Recreational Drugs

4. Illicit (illegal) drugs

5. Herbal preparation

6. Commercial preparations

Anxiety Disorders Fear that is out of proportion – anxiety is another

word for fear – especially when there is no definite threat

1. Simple phobia or specific phobia – fear of heights

2. Social phobia – fear of humiliation or embarrassment

3. Panic disorder

4. Generalized anxiety disorder

5. Obsessive – Compulsive Disorder

6. Post-traumatic Stress Disorder

Panic Disorders(Panic Attack)Excessive flow of excitatory signals reaching the surface (cortex) of the brain. Signs/symptoms similar to heart attack. Rapid heart rate, breathing, chest tightness, feeling of impending doom, hot flashes.

Generalized Anxiety Disorders(GAD)People with GAD often seem restless, unable to

concentrate, and fatigued from lack of sleep. Anxiety refers to unfocused worry or excessive concern. People with GAD express this anxiety or concern more consistently and intensely than in most people.

Obsessive-Compulsive DisorderClassified as an anxiety disorder. OCD appears to

arise from a genetic predisposition (neurotransmitter – serotonin).

Obsessive – intrusive, recurrent, inappropriate thoughts, impulses, or images

Compulsive – repetitive behavior, such as counting, checking doors or handwashing in response to obsessive thoughts – behaviors that are unreasonable

Mood Disorders

Emotional disturbances that are intense and persistent enough to affect normal functioning

Depression Suicide

Signs/Symptoms of Depression

Sadness/hopelessness Loss of pleasure Poor appetite/weight loss Insomnia/disturbed sleep Restless or fatigue Feelings of worthlessness and guilt Trouble concentrating/making decisions Thoughts of death or suicide Or s/s can be opposite of these listed

Depression(bipolar, unipolar, seasonal)

Bipolar – manic depression – periods of mania (highly excited, easily distracted, and very confident) followed by periods of depression (lack motivation, withdraw from interpersonal involvement, harbor negative feelings of self-worth, and may even consider suicide)

Unipolar disorder – far more common – two main forms – exogenous, secondary or reactive depression and endogenous or primary depressionWhen exogenous and endogenous occur together an individual can be incapacitating enough to be classified as major depression

Seasonal affective disorder – seasonal depression with lack of sunlight

Suicide

Death becomes a solution for a suicidal person who is dealing with despair, depression, inability to cope, overwhelmed with a range of destructive emotions, including anxiety, anger, loss of self-esteem, hopelessness and loneliness.

Schizophrenia

Problem with the reticular formation of the brain. Personality deterioration – disabling illness – delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, immobility, negativism, dysfunction in work, social, self-care

Techniques for Managing Psychosocial Disorders Talk therapy (psychologist, psychiatrist,

counselor) Medications Social support Healthy Lifestyle (exercise, good nutrition,

rest, stress management, time management) Cognitive techniques Relaxation techniques

Is a pill dissolving in your stomach more effective than a healing thought dissolving in your mind?