Psychological Health & Wellbeing Revision

Summary Booklet

• Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders and is intrinsic to overall health and wellbeing.
• The World Health Organisation (WHO) states ‘Mental health is a state of wellbeing in which an individual
realises his or her or their own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and
is able to contribute to his or her or their community.’
• This topic covers the following:
 How culture can influence mental health
 How mental health can be influenced both positively and negatively by the biopsychosocial model
 Importance of sleep and mental health
 Stress, Depression and Anxiety > symptoms, treatments, and stigma

Introduction to Psychological Health and Wellbeing

 Risk factors are anything that may increase the likelihood of developing a mental illness. Below are the most
commonly identified.

Child Family School Community

Genetic influences Family disharmony or Bullying Socio-economic

break up disadvantage
Low IQ and learning Inconsistent discipline Discrimination Homelessness
difficulties styles
Specific development Parent/s with mental Breakdown or lack of Disaster, war, accidents,
delay illnesses and/or substance positive friendships or other overwhelming
abuse events
Communication Physical, sexual and/or Peer pressure Discrimination
difficulties emotional abuse/neglect
Physical Illness Parental criminality or Poor pupil to teacher Other significant life
alcoholism relationships events
Low-self esteem Death and loss Lack of access to support
services

 Protective factors are anything that may decrease the likelihood of developing a mental illness. Below are the most
commonly identified.

Child Family School Community

 Secure attachment
experience
Good communication
skills
Having a belief in control
Positive attitude
Experiences of success
and achievement
Capability to reflect
Family harmony and
stability
Supportive parenting
Strong family values
Affection
Clear, constant discipline
Support for education
Positive school climate Wider support network
that enhances belonging
and connectedness
Clear policies on Good housing
behaviour and bullying
‘Open door’ policies for High standard of living
children who raise
problems
A whole school approach Opportunities for valued
to promoting good mental social roles
health
Range of sport/leisure
activities

Biopsychosocial Model of Mental Health and Illness

• Biological: presumes that abnormality is best understood

as illnesses or diseases and as such, all treatments are
based on medical therapies i.e., drugs and ECT.
• Psychological: whilst much of the factors are universal
across all humans, it questions how, why, and when
dysfunction occurs, and proposes that individual
differences cause the development of mental illness.
• Social: examines the abnormalities of the outcome of an
individual’s living environment that creates problems,
examples being racism, poverty, dysfunctional institutions,
and poor family communication.

Mental Illness - Culture and History

• The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5) describes mental disorders as ‘syndromes characterised by
clinically significant disturbances in an individual’s cognition, emotional regulation, or behaviour that
reflects a dysfunction in psychological, biological or developmental processes underlying mental
functioning.’
• Usually associated with significant distress or disability in social, occupational, or other important activities.
• Expectable or culturally approved response to a common stressor such as death of a loved one is not a mental
disorder.
• Major problem with DSM-V mental disorder definitions is that they are culturally constructed, meaning they
do not consider cultural differences in behaviours and practices.
• In many cultures, the examples pictured would be seen as ‘abnormal’, however there are many other cultures
globally that make modifications to their body for traditional or religious purposes.
• Clinicians need to understand the cultural background of their patients including attitudes and belief systems.
 • Important to acknowledge that culture plays a significant role in mental health e.g., whether people seek help,
how they describe their symptoms, if mental illness is culturally accepted and how much stigma they attach to
the illness.
• Significant advancements in science, research and cultural development have resulted in increased acceptance
and treatment of mental illness.
• In ancient times it was believed that psychological distress was caused by demons, these exorcisms were
common. Another treatment was trephination, which was a procedure involving drilling holes into the skull.
• Middle of 19th century saw push for more humane asylums for mentally ill as psychology advanced.

What is Mental Illness?

• Characterised by behaviours, thoughts and emotions that significantly impair work, study, or social
functioning.
• Important to know that mental illness does not mean incapacity to live a functional life.
• Mental illness does not respect boundaries of race, ethnicity, socio-economic
status, or geography. Anyone is susceptible to developing a mental illness.
• Professionals around the world use the DSM-V (Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual of the American Psychiatric Associations Manual 5th edition) to
diagnose mental illness.
• The DSM-V outlines the main diagnoses and related characteristics and
statistics relating to all types of mental illness.
• Diagnosis can only be made by a qualified health professional.
• People need to have the following to be considered mentally unhealthy:
• Maladaptive behaviour
• Everyday behaviour is impaired or affected i.e., drugs and alcohol consumed
in excess
• Deviance from normal
• Clients social and cultural context, as well as developmental stage.
• Personal distress
• Frequent diagnosis made on basis of report of great personal stress.

Depression

 An extended experience of negative emotions, thoughts, behaviours and functioning for at least two weeks.
 One of the most common mental health disorders.
Biological
 Whilst no one is sure how depression develops, change in the brain chemistry is likely.
 Reduced levels of serotonin (associated with feeling content).
 Common amongst families, thought to be hereditary.
 Overuse of substances such as alcohol and drugs are associated with higher vulnerability to depression.
Psychological
• Women more likely to be diagnosed with depression than men – vulnerable at beginning of adolescents,
childbirth, and menopause.
 • Men appear to be more vulnerable at retirement, during long periods of unemployment and following
separation from a partner.
• Research shows people who develop depression have personality types which include less flexibility, strongly
emotional and worriers.
Social
• People without supportive social networks are more vulnerable to depression.
• In some cultures, depression is considered ‘shameful’, and stigma of mental illness is very apparent.
• Several social factors can exacerbate or cause depression, such as natural disasters, COVID19, family death
and conflict etc.

Treatments for Depression

Biological
Anti-depressant medication
 Several different types of anti-depressants.
 Most common ones in Australia are Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) – these help to enhance
the function the function of nerve cells in the brain that regulate emotions.
Advantages
 Can allow people to function day to day far more effectively.
 Used in conjunction with psychological therapy > typically more successful in reducing mental illness.
 Readily available in Australia.
Disadvantages
 May have negative side effects.
 Can become addictive (benzodiazepines in particular).
 May take several trials of different medications to find the right one, as well as the right dosage.
 Can take a long time to work i.e., more than two weeks.
Electric shock therapy (also known as electroconvulsive therapy - ECT)
 Involves passing a carefully controlled electric current through the brain which affects the brains activity with
the aim of reducing severe depressive symptoms.
 Modern day ECT is very safe however has risk factor of reducing memory, so is only used when absolutely
necessary.
Advantages
 Modern day ECT very safe – delivered by trained health professionals.
 Can be very effective in treating severe mental illness.
Disadvantages
  Is an intrusive procedure – requires a general anaesthetic
 Can cause memory problems due to changes in brain.
 May not work for everyone.

Psychological
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
 Structured psychological treatment which recognises the way we think (cognition), and act (behaviour) affects
the way we feel.
 Involves a professional therapist to identify thought and behaviour patterns that make someone more likely to
be clinically depressed.
 One of the most effective treatments of depression and is useful for all age groups.
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
 Focuses on problems with personal relationships and the impact they can have on developing depression.
 IPT helps to recognise patterns in relationships that make people more vulnerable to depression, and by
identifying patterns can help client improve on these relationships, hence, reduce symptoms of depression.
Advantages
 Evidence for longer, more extended success
 Can use strategies again if symptoms resurface
 Applicable to all age groups and demographics, men, and women.
Disadvantages
 Sometimes difficult to change thought process for severe depression and/or anxiety.
 Can be very confronting being diagnosed.
 Can be very expensive.

Social

Support groups and services

 Belonging to a recognised support group for depression seen to have positive results.
 Hearing and talking to other who know what client is going through promotes feelings of belonging and not
being alone.
 Can do this both in person and online.

Anxiety
Many different types of anxiety disorders, however all of them have the experience of strong and/or frequent anxiety
or fear.
Different anxiety disorders include:
 Phobias
 Panic disorder
 Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
 Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
 Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD)
 Social phobia

Biological
 Flight or fight response much more active.
 Some research suggests that there are genetic markers for vulnerability to anxiety disorders.
 Evidence to also support it is genetic.
Psychological
 Anxious people often have interpretation bias where they perceive information form others as negative
towards themselves.
 Often memory is impaired due to inattention to task and worry about other aspects.
 Considers an individual’s past experiences, personality style, attitudes and beliefs and stress management
skills.
 Women more likely to be diagnosed with anxiety disorders than men.
Social
 Anxiety disorders can develop from a traumatic event based a person’s social, socio economic, political,
religious, or cultural affiliation.
 Examples include:
o War
o Abuse
o Poverty
o COVID19

Treatment for Anxiety

Biological
Anti-anxiety medication

 Most common type are benzodiazepines – type of tranquillizers and/or sleeping pills (depends on type).
 Promote relaxation and reduces muscle tension.
 Should only be used for short amount of time as they become addictive.
 Should also be used in conjunction with other treatments, not as only treatment for anxiety.
Anti-depressant medication

 Some types of anti-depressants effective for anxiety, even if client is not experiencing depression symptoms.
 Correct the imbalance of chemical messages between nerve cells and the brain.

Psychological
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)

 Structured psychological treatment which recognises the way we think (cognition), and act (behaviour) affects
the way we feel.
 Involves a professional therapist to identify thought and behaviour patterns that make someone more likely to
be anxious.
 By making client more aware of the thoughts and behaviours, client can start to make changes to thoughts,
which will in turn improve coping skills.
  One of the most effective treatments of depression and is useful for all age groups.
Social
Support groups and services

 Belonging to a recognised support group for anxiety seen to have positive results.
 Hearing and talking to other who know what client is going through promotes feelings of belonging and not
being alone.
 Can do this both in person and online.

Stigma of Mental Health

 There is still great stigma in society towards mental illness in general, largely because people misunderstand
what it is.
 There is no evidence to suggest there is a link between mental illness and violence, and this notion should not
be used to reinforce stigma and discrimination against people.
 Significant amount of stigma regarding gender expectations in society, especially in men's health.
 Statistics from 2017-2012 show that on average, approximately six men will take their own lives in Australia
every day.
 Leading cause of death in Australian men aged between 15-44. More than double the national road toll.
 More recent advertising campaigns targeting men and boys. ‘Movember’ one of the most internationally
recognised.

Sleep

 Getting enough sleep is very important to ensure positive mental health.

 Sleep deprivation has a negative effect on psychological state, and people with existing mental health disorder
are more likely to have insomnia or other sleep disorders.
 About 40-50% of people with insomnia (inability to get to sleep and/or stay asleep) also have a mental health
disorder.
 If you are not getting the recommended 8-10 hours’ sleep per night as year 12 students and think you can
survive on 7 hours or less as a teenager, it’s time to consider the research that suggests that sleeping is
essential.
Circadian Rhythms

 Human’s level of alertness at lowest in early hours of the morning and peak in the late afternoon.
 However, does depend on factors such as sleep debt, sunlight, shift work and interest level in tasks called
zeitgebers.
 Circadian rhythms are controlled by areas in the
brain.
 The most obvious zeitgeber is daylight. When
daylight hits your eyes, cells in the retinas signal
your brain.
 Other zeitgebers are sleep, social contact, and
even regular mealtimes.
 The sleep/wake cycle is controlled by the
suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), which is a small
cluster of nerve cells located in the hypothalamus
in the brain.
 SCN is a ‘biological clock’ that keeps track of
time of day. Light is the main external cue that
syncs this clock.
  There are receptors in the back of the retinas of our eyes that detect the level of light.
 Converted into an electrical impulse that travels from the retina to the SCN, which responds to changes in
light.
 SCN sends messages to brain and body that help them adapt to whether it is day or night.
 SCN controls the sleep/wake cycle by sending messages to the pineal gland in the brain which adjust
melatonin levels.
 Melatonin: hormone that tells the body whether it should be awake or asleep.
 Melatonin levels are at their highest at night and at their lowest during the day.
 Light inhibits the secretion of melatonin.

Sleep Stages

 Sleep is made up of 5 stages, each with different characteristics.

 The first four stages are generalised as non-REM sleep, and the fifth stage is REM sleep.
 Humans have around 4-6 sleep cycles each night, and each cycle last around 90-110 minutes.
 The first sleep cycle, humans only get approximately 10 minutes of REM sleep. This then increases to 30-60
minutes by the last cycle.
  Most of us go through the above process 4-6 times a night.
 Humans get most of their restorative sleep (SWS) in the first sleep cycle, and most of their dreaming sleep in
the last sleep cycle as REM increases.
 Measuring Sleep – Science Inquiry Skills
Sleep is objectively measured using various methods:
• Electroencephalograph (EEG) which measures brain wave patterns during sleep.
• Electrooculogram (EOG) which measures eye movement during sleep.
• Electromyogram (EMG) which measures the activity of muscles during sleep.

Sleep Needs – Age

Theories of Sleep

Repair and Restoration

 Sleep repairs and restores basic body functions and strengthen your immune system. Substantial cell repair
and protein synthesis occurs during sleep.
 Research from several universities and technology institutions through experiments with mice show that
signals in the brain that modulate the sleep/wake state also act as a ‘switch’ that turns the immune system off
and on.
 Therefore, during periods of sleep, the immune system strengthens, which is why when you are sick, your
body needs and wants to sleep when it would not be typical.
Clean-up Theory

 Similar to repair and restoration theory, research from 2013 shows that the brain uses periods of sleep to flush
waste and toxins from the body.
 The brain has two functional states: awake and alert, or asleep and ‘cleaning up.’
 This clean up works like a waste disposal system, clearing out waste products that brain cells generate.
 The 2013 research also suggests that issues with clearing out brain waste might be a factor in the development
of certain brain disorders such as Dementia, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer's.
Evolutionary Theory

 This theory hypothesises that one reason for sleep is to conserve energy with periods of inactivity.
 All animals (including humans) have adapted over time to sleep during periods of time when being awake is
dangerous.
 Humans are most productive during the day, and able to rest at night. In prehistoric times, it was harder to get
food, so by sleeping for some of the day (i.e., naps) humans could conserve energy.
 Predatory animals such as lions and bears can sleep 12-15 hours a day to lack of threats, whereas other
animals with many predators can only sleep in short bursts.

Information Consolidation Theory

 REM sleep plays a vital role in memory retention and consolidation, removal of unwanted information and
storge of important data from memory.
 Sleep ensures the consolidation and sorting of important information into short and long term memory. This
takes place during slow wave sleep (SWS – deep sleep).
 Several researchers have concluded that a lack of sleep has a serious impact on the ability to recall and
remember information.

Sleep Deprivation and Debt

 Accumulation of the difference between the amount of sleep that a person needs to function at an optimal
level and the amount they actually have.
 E.g., if a person needs 8 hours each night but only gets 7, they have a sleep debt of 1 hour.
 Our desire to sleep during the day increases the more sleep debt we have.
 However, sleep debt does not continue to build up over a lifetime.
 Sleep deprivation is when a person does not get the required amount of sleep to function at the optimal level.
 Common symptoms include increased daytime sleepiness, irritability, hand tremors, slower reaction time,
poorer memory and microsleeps.
 In today’s society, the average individual is getting just over 6 hours sleep.
 Consistent reduction of recommended sleep can increase the risk of cancer, infection, obesity, cardiovascular
disease, and diabetes in adults.
 Partial: occurs when people don’t get enough sleep most days of the week.
 Continuous: when people don’t sleep at all for a period of time. Often used in training exercises for the army.
 Research on continuous sleep deprivation shows that on the second night of deprivation, people fall asleep but
deny it. On the third day they become tense apathetic, irritable, have mood swings and microsleeps and may
experience hallucinations. By the fourth day people are showing paranoia.
Factors that contribute to sleep deprivation

Social
 Co-sleeping and parenting choices - bed sharing, room sharing, sleeping with a baby or pet.
 Media use – social media, web surfing, TV, gaming. Excessive usage leads to insomnia and depression.
 Extracurricular activities – sport, social lives, clubs, part time work.
 Homework time – adolescence that spend more than 5 hours on homework per week are more likely not to
meet minimum sleep guidelines. Coupled with the exposure to light from devices.
 School schedule – Consideration to the different age groups sleep needs is not taken into consideration with
school/work starting times. Majority of students at school at 8:30am and adults at work by 9:00am.
 Shift work – work that falls outside the hours of 6:00am and 7:00pm. Includes industries such as nursing,
medicine, factory work, vintage, hospitality etc. 1 in 5 shift workers develop shift work disorder, where they
are far more likely to develop insomnia and other negative health issues.
 Jet lag - The suprachiasmatic nucleus recognises the time of day to be different from what external cues tell
us. Due to travelling through several time zones. On average, it takes one day of adjustment for every hour of
time zone change i.e., 5 hour time difference = 5 days for circadian rhythm to adjust.

Personal
 Personal choices – driven by voluntary choices i.e., choose to stay up later to watch TV.
 Sleep disorders – insomnia, sleep apnoea and narcolepsy. All reduce sleep quality and quantity.
 Medical or health problems – pain, anxiety disorders, substance misuse, depression, obesity, and
schizophrenia.
 Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome – when a person’s sleep is delayed by two hours or more of what is
considered acceptable. Causes difficulty in being able to wake up at desired time. Approximately 7-16% of
young people report difficulty with DSPS.
 Stress – heightened state of physiological arousal. The National Sleep Foundation has found that 43% of
people aged between 13-64 have reported lying awake at night due to stress at least once in the past month.

Sleep Hygiene
A series of sleep habits that can improve your ability to fall and stay asleep. Very important to maintain overall health
and wellbeing.
 Keep a consistent sleep schedule. Get up at the same time each day, give or take half an hour.
 Set a bedtime early enough for you to get at least 8-10 hours’ sleep.
 Don’t go to bed unless you are sleepy.
 If you don’t fall asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed. Do an activity without a lot of light (don’t go on your
phone!)
 Establish a bedtime routine i.e., devices away at 9:30pm, brush teeth, water, read book, lights off at 10:00pm.
 Use your bed only for sleep and sex.
 Avoid sleeping other places that are not your bed i.e., an armchair.
 Make your room quiet and relaxing. Keep the room at a comfortable, cool temperature.
 Limit exposure to bright light in the evenings.
 Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime.
 Don’t eat a large meal before bedtime. If you are hungry, eat a light healthy snack.
 Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.
 Avoid consuming caffeine in the afternoon or evening.
 Avoid consuming alcohol before bedtime.
 Reduce your fluid intake before bedtime.

Sleep Disorders

Insomnia

 Sleep disorder which causes a reduction in quality and amount of sleep, making sufferers unable to
function at their optimal level.
  Symptoms include daytime fatigue, impaired concentration, irritability, and mood swings
 Some people most commonly suffer from insomnia that involves not being able to fall asleep at night, and
others have difficulty staying asleep throughout the night. There are some who wake up very early in the
morning and can’t go back to sleep.
 Some insomnia sufferers have a combination of the above.

Sleep Apnoea

 Sleep disorder in which a person stops breathing periodically for a few moments whilst they are asleep.
 Can occur hundreds of times per night. Mild form results in snoring, whereas severe form results in cessation
of breathing
 Defense mechanism > body to arouse > restore breathing
 Most common in overweight men around 40 years old, however can affect other people, such as those who
have an underdeveloped or receding jaw including children) and smokers

Treatments for sleep apnoea include:

 Oral mouthguards to keep airways open.
 CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine – oxygen mask worn during sleep - most common
therapy used.
 In extreme cases, surgery to correct the jaw placement of upper and/or lower jaw.
 Losing weight
 Quitting smoking
 Avoiding depressants i.e., alcohol and drowsy medication

Narcolepsy

 Sleep disorder in which people experience irresistible and unpredictable daytime attacks of sleepiness,
lasting 5 – 30 minutes.
 Sufferers can also experience a loss in muscle tension which adds to sleepiness called cataplexy.
 Attacks most frequently occur when sufferer is in a heightened state of arousal such as laughing or angry >
goes straight into REM sleep
 Very dangerous as these attacks can occur at work or whilst driving.
 Cause not known however evidence suggests it may be genetic.
 Problem is in hypothalamus of brain.

Parasomnias
 Include a range of sleep ‘phenomena's’ including sleep walking, sleep talking, nightmares and night
terrors.
 Very common in children due to more hours of sleep
 Night terrors and sleepwalking occur during SWS
 Sleep talking and nightmares occur during REM
 Typically reduce with age however can reoccur following periods of stress

Fatigue

 Fatigue: sleepiness which causes someone to have more chance of falling asleep and have impaired
performance on a task.
 Symptoms include excessive yawning, sore heavy eyes, blurred vision and microsleeps.
 Fatigue is a major factor in the increase in the road toll.
  Can cause people to fall asleep or have slowed reaction time on the road. Most common in long distance truck
drivers however can affect everyone.
 Most likely time to have an accident in the early hours of the morning (most sleepy) and early afternoon
between 1:00pm and 4:00pm.
 Government bodies have taken measures to reduce accidents caused by fatigue, such as rumble strips and rest
areas on the side of roads.
 Advertisements about microsleeps make people more aware of signs of fatigue.
 Microsleep: a brief, unintended loss of attention which most often occurs when a tired person is performing a
monotonous task, such as driving.
 Ways to reduce the impact of fatigue include getting enough sleep the night before, arranging overnight
accommodation, avoiding alcohol and medications which induce drowsiness and taking 15 minute breaks
every two hours.
 Shift work is a common example of something that can affect people’s sleep/wake circadian rhythm.
 People who have constantly different shift times are most affected.
 Typically suffer from poor sleep quality and reduced night alertness and are more likely to have accidents on
the road or in the workplace.

Ways to minimise negative impact of shift work

 Change shifts as infrequently as possible
 Use bright lights to wake themselves up
 Wearing dark glasses to bed to block sunlight
 Taking melatonin supplements (long term affects not known)
 Taking short naps
 Drink caffeinated drinks (but not too much)
 During the day, sleep in dark, quiet environment

Stress
Stress is a normal physiological and psychological response people develop in response to things that happen in
our everyday lives.

 Eustress: Type of stress that is positive, helpful, and motivating e.g., professional athletes being nervous but
focusing on the goal. Eustress demonstrates that stress is not always a bad experience.
 Distress: Negative kind of stress which leads individuals to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and symptomatic i.e.,
headaches, irritability, insomnia, and stomach upsets.
 Acute stress: caused by daily demands and pressure. Can be intense but appears and disappears over a short
space of time.
 Chronic stress: Body’s response to a persistent or long term stressor which we typically have no control over.
Not as intense but much longer lasting, leading to the depletion of body’s natural resources. Leads to
increased risk of physical and mental health issues.

Flight or fight response

 When we are stressed, the flight or fight response is triggered.

 More recent research has also revealed that if there is no hope in defeating or escaping the stressor, our
parasympathetic nervous system causes us to be unable to move, called ‘Fright’ or ‘Freeze.’
 Our bodies response to stress is controlled by the autonomic nervous system.
 Comprised of two divisions: sympathetic and parasympathetic
Sympathetic nervous system

 Activates the body in response to a threat, hence activates the flight or fight response.
 Useful in the short term to allow us to get things done, stay alert and motivated and possibly save our lives.
 Also responsible for eustress (good stress).
  Not healthy for the body to be in this high state of stress for long periods of time.
Parasympathetic nervous system

 Slows down the body's functioning to normal levels after the threat has passed.
 Maintains energy levels and supports everyday needs of body.

General Adaptation Syndrome

 Too much negative stress in everyday life can have serious effects on our health.
 Long term health effects of distress and chronic stress include an increased risk of anxiety, depression,
digestive problems, headaches, pain, heart attack, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep problems, weight gain
and memory problems.
 Selye (1976) developed the term ‘General Adaptation Syndrome’ to describe how the body deals with stress
over an extended period.

Three main sections to GAS:

1. ALARM: release of adrenaline and flight or fight response.
Body releases cortisol and epinephrine (stress hormones).
2. RESISTANCE: Parasympathetic nervous system tries to
conserve body’s energy. Physiological responses remain
slightly elevated.
3. EXHAUSTION: Body can no longer sustain heightened
level of arousal. Body’s ability to repair tissue and fight off
diseases is reduced, therefore more prone to illness.

 Most jobs and occupations at time can be demanding,

although some are more demanding than others. Jobs containing various unpleasant elements e.g., constant
exposure to loud noises, constant harassment, threats of physical violence, perpetual frustration, or varying
shift workers are more demanding, therefore more stressful.
 Can lead to burnout, which is a general sense of physical and emotional exhaustion in relation to their job.
Linked to the exhaustion phase of General Adaptation Syndrome.
Coping Strategies for Stress

 Set of tools and strategies that can be used to avoid or reduce burnout, distress, acute and chronic
stress.
 Can be both positive or negative i.e., increase or decrease mental wellbeing.
Two options:
 Active approach: target stressor and do something about it. More likely to lead to positive outcomes.
 Avoidant approach: avoid or escape threatening thoughts and emotions. Does not lead to positive outcomes.

 Time management: Process of organising and managing your time. Taking control of your time and energy.
 Listen to calming music - Music has a profound effect on both body and mind. Listening to calming music
can quickly help us to enter a physiological state of calmness.
 Create a safe, peaceful space - We all need a safe and quiet space we can go to when we are stressed, either
at work, home, or school. This place is where we turn to whenever we need to take time out to reduce our
stress levels.

 Meditation - A momentary reset during the day such as watching our breath, even for just one minute, can
have a big impact on our stress.
 Exercise - Provides an outlet and release of physical stress by releasing the build-up of muscle tension that
occurs when we are stressed. Does not have to be an intense cardio or weights workout; simply going for a
walk can help. Yoga and Pilates also beneficial.
 Journaling - Allows you to manage emotions in several ways, such as being an emotional outlet, brainstorm
solutions and cultivate more positive feelings.
 Worry list - Similar to journaling, writing down the worries of the day and tomorrow can help calm the body
down. Particularly useful before bed to aid sleep, as a tool to reduce stress and not be tempted to be on your
phone.
 Positive Thinking - Being an optimist involves specific ways of perceiving problems – ways that maximise
our power in a situation and keep you in touch with your options. Helps with feelings of empowerment and
reducing negative stress.

Resilience
 Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or significant
sources of stress — such as family and relationship problems, serious health problems or workplace
and financial stressors. It means "bouncing back" from difficult experiences.

Factors affecting resilience – Biopsychosocial Model

Methods - Science Inquiry Skills
Sleep and Fatigue

Stress and Arousal

Ethics
Sleep and Stress
 Important for psychologists to be aware that people who have sleep disorders or are stressed need to be treated
as potentially vulnerable groups.
 Important when getting informed consent and voluntary participation in sleep/stress trials.
 Researchers must minimise harm and remain alert to any distress that participants may experience.

Mental Illness
 There is a duty of care and ethical code for professionals working with people who have a mental illness to
protect their rights and dignities.
 Diagnosis of mental illness is far from straightforward and adequate evidence needs to be compiled before a
diagnosis should be made. Diagnosis of a mental illness can be both helpful and harmful.
 Diagnosis is fraught with difficulty, so too is treatment and what is most effective for patients
 There are laws in place to protect people with a mental illness, this may mean involuntary admission to a
psychiatric ward if people are considered a danger to themselves or others, however most psychiatric wards in
Australia have a majority of patients that are there on a voluntary basis.