Friday, February 29, 2008

Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing [MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION]


Product Description


About this Title



Provides an international forum for the publication of original contributions that lead to the advancement of psychiatric and mental health nursing practices. Includes peer-reviewed papers which reflect developments in knowledge, attitudes, skills, and integration of these into practice.



Product Description


Provides an international forum for the publication of original contributions that lead to the advancement of psychiatric and mental health nursing practices. Includes peer-reviewed papers which reflect developments in knowledge, attitudes, skills, and integration of these into practice.



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Handbook of Clinical Sexuality for Mental Health Professionals (Kindle Edition)


Product Details

Format: Kindle Edition

File Size: 1910 KB

Print Length: 492 pages

Publisher: Taylor & Francis; 1 edition (March 20, 2007)

Sold by: Amazon Digital Services

Language: English


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Tips on Taking Care of Mental Health

Mental health issues affect nearly 15% of the population. This data can be alarming, considering that 2/3 of those diagnosed with mental disorder remains untreated. While mental disorders are sometimes caused by chemical imbalance in the brain, some of these are caused by the experiences that we need to deal with, such as death of a loved one or some other tragic or traumatic experience. Hence, the goal is to maintain a good or positive mental health, where one is able to take control of his life and able to cope with any and all situations that come his way. Here are some tips on taking care of mental health.



Always stay happy. This may sound vague, but there are many ways to stay happy. Remain positive and optimistic. Look at the bright side of life always.



So how do we stay happy? First, we must learn to balance our time. After a busy day or week, take time to relax. Do something pleasurable with your friends or family. It can be a hobby, sport or a simple activity. Aside from balancing our time, we must also manage time well. To minimize stress, make a schedule of the things you will do, and stick to it.








Be tolerant of others. All of us are different in many ways, so we must learn to accept each other�s ideas and opinion, even if it differs from our own. Learn to accept the weaknesses and shortcomings of others. Once we learn to accept, there is a lesser chance of conflict, which can be stressful and frustrating.



Spend time with your family and friends. Find time to talk to someone, even if you don�t make sense at all! What is important is the act of sharing your experiences, worries or problems with somebody. You must also learn to listen to their worries for them to feel better. In effect, not only have you helped yourself but you�ve helped your friend too.



Maintain a healthy lifestyle. You know the basics. Eat healthy food always. Exercise regularly. Sleep well. Avoid drugs and alcohol. Quit smoking. Avoid doing strenuous activities. Take time to rest.



Sadly, though, depression and other mental disorders affect children and the young. Parents have an important role in the child�s mental health. Parents must learn to communicate with their kids and at the same time listen to them. In their dealings, let the kid feel appreciated always. Acknowledge their strengths instead of focusing on their weaknesses.








Their coping abilities must also be developed. If they commit mistakes, explain so they will learn from them. Allow them to develop a sense of responsibility by letting them solve problems as well as make decisions. Teach them the importance of discipline and self-worth. Discipline them without making them feel unloved or unworthy.



Lastly, accept them for who they are. With acceptance comes love, respect, and everything else.



The key to taking care of mental health is being happy and in control of our lives. Once we know how to take control, we are able to cope with any and all situations that come our way. Being happy is not just a one-time event � it is a lifestyle. Stay positive always. Learn to find joy in the simple miracles of life. And be grateful for each wonderful day.


Understanding Single Parent Psychology and Mental Health

Extramarital pregnancy, divorce, and abandonment of one parent are some reasons why there are single parents. What most people don�t know is, these occurrences are life-changing as they can be traumatic for the single parent and the child, making them often misunderstood. That makes the study of a single parent�s psychology and mental health important.



Studies have reported that there are more child and adolescent problems for households with single parents rather than those with the �normal� set-up. While most single parents may disagree, it is understandable why the statistics say so.



For one, a single parent has limited time in his hands. Managing a household with another person is difficult in itself. What more if you have to do it alone. That�s why it is important for a single parent to make a daily or weekly schedule of his activities. That way, he can find time to do all the things that need to be done, including some time off for leisure and relaxation.








Also, a parent may have financial problems, as he is the only one earning for the family. He must learn to save his money by learning to set aside a portion of it as it comes. Also, he must learn to make a few sure investments.



Of course, if one becomes a single parent because of a divorce or death of the spouse, there are more problems that he needs to face. It is normal for him to feel sad or depressed, so allow him to have some time to grieve. Friends can help in the moving on process. This is also devastating for the child, so the parent must learn to show his support to the child instead of focusing on his grief alone. Parent and child can help each other to shorten grieving time.



Lastly, the single parent may feel alone and rejected. So he must learn to nurture himself. Eat and sleep well. Exercise on a regular basis, or engage in a sport that you like. Join a church group or association in your community.



To minimize incidence of child problems like school dropouts, early pregnancy and juvenile behavior, a single parent must learn to communicate well with his child. Spend more quality time with him. Engage in an activity that you both can enjoy. Regularly monitor his progress in school.



What resources are available for the single parent? He may join a group or organization of single parents like him. In this venue, members can share and discuss their common problems and experiences such as coping with divorce and raising kids. Educational activities like lectures by professionals and training seminars as well as other recreational activities are organized to help the single parent cope with his situation.








There are also websites which support single parents. Many parent resources can be found in the internet like chat rooms, forums, newsletters, articles and other forms of literature that they can share.



Knowing single parent psychology and mental health will make us understand single parents and their children better. Being a single parent is a challenging job. With limited time and finances, he has to cope with the challenge of raising a child as well. But with tolerance and understanding from people around him, the job will not be as difficult as it is already.


What Effects Does Nutrition Have On Mental Health

It has been an enduring belief that nutrition plays a significant role in the state of mental health of an individual. But is this true or not?



Recent as well as previous researches have proven that nutrition (or the lack of it) does have effects on how a person's brain functions, his moods and his behaviors.



Say for example, a person who has skipped a meal is observably weak, out of focus and irritable. This case worsens when extended to a certain period of time when the person becomes severely moody and indifferent to the demands of his environment thus showing decreased speed in reaction time.



These behaviors occur due to the lack of nutrition supply to the brain. The brain requires high energy and nutrient supply. It comprises, in fact, 20% to 30% of all the energy consumption of the body during rest periods. Thus, any change in diet or nutrition level of the body directly reflects in the mental functioning.



Chronic energy deprivation, such as the case of malnourished people, results to the eventual shutting down of the body by decreasing its activities and redirecting all its energy sources towards the systems that require higher energy supply. This results to altered levels of activities, changes in hormonal levels, lessened immune system efficiency and transport of nutrients and oxygen to certain body parts, all of which could directly or indirectly influence mental health. People with extremely low nutrition are more likely to become sad, depressed and emotional as compared with those who have adequate nutrition.








Newborn babies and fetuses are also susceptible to brain damage if they are subjected to lack of necessary nutrition. The type and degree of damage is dependent on the severity of malnutrition. Also, malnutrition among babies has proven to produce low level of intelligence, cognitive defects as well as functional abnormalities.



Protein, carbohydrates, lipids and vitamins all have individual effects on the brain. Lack of supply of these necessary nutrients result to alterations in the activities of the neurotransmitters, a chemical component in the brain that transmit one nerve impulse from one nerve cell to another. Malfunctioning of the transmitters could influence a person's mood, thinking and even sleep patterns. Additionally, deficient levels of nutrition may result to nerve cell damage that could disrupt cognitive and mental functions.



Neurotransmitters are partly made of amino acids, the building block of protein. Trytophan for example, makes up the neurotransmitter serotonin. If the required amino acid is lacking, the functions of the neurotransmitter could not be executed affecting the normal functioning of the brain. In case of deficient protein consumption and failure to supply the necessary amino acid to make serotonin, the body would experience low mood and perhaps, aggression. On the other hand, diseases that could cause the build up of certain amino acids could lead to brain damage thus affecting the mental health of an individual.








Mood regulation could also be associated with the sufficient intake of dietary fats. Some studies have yielded inconclusive results on the correlation between serotonin level and intake of omega-3 fatty acids, a certain type of fat found only in white fish to stress and symptoms of bipolar disorder (a mood disorder having the representations of both mania and depression).



Directly or indirectly, nutrition has an effect on mental health. Changes in the nutritional intake of a person could lead to alterations in the mental health and vice versa.


 
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