AtrendynurseMental health is the level of psychological well-being or an absence of mental illness. It is the state of someone who is “functioning at a satisfactory level of emotional and behavioral adjustment”.
Sleep disturbances are a common complaint that can be associated with a variety of emotional or physical disorders or that can occur as a primary symptom. Transient sleep disturbances can be a normal part of life, sometimes associated with an identifiable psychosocial stressor.
Abuse of substances may be chronic or acute and may include the use or abuse of alcohol, licit (prescription or over-the-counter) drugs, and illicit drugs. The first two care plans in this section are concerned with acute or short-term treatment plans for the client who is withdrawing from alcohol or another substance.
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder “characterized by a refusal to maintain a minimally normal body weight” (i.e., the client weighs approximately 15% or more below ideal body weight), an intense fear of becoming obese, a distortion of body image, and amenorrhea (in
postmenarchal women).
Dissociative disorders are described in the DSM-IV-TR (APA, 2000) as having the essential feature of a “disruption in the usually integrated functions of consciousness, memory, identity or perception”.
Paranoid behavior is characterized by lack of trust, suspicion, grandiose or persecutory delusions, and hostility. A number of psychiatric disorders may include paranoid behavior, for example, paranoid schizophrenia, delusional disorder, depression, dementia, sensory or sleep deprivation, and substance use.
Somatization disorder is characterized by a pattern of recurring, multiple physical complaints that results in seeking treatment or significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning (APA, 2000).
Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension or dread that develops when the self or self-concept is threatened. It is distinct from fear, which is a response to an identifiable, external threat. It is thought to be essential for human survival.
Depression is an affective state characterized by feelings of sadness, guilt, and low self-esteem. It may be a chronic condition or an acute episode, often related to loss. This loss may or may not be recent and may be observable to others or perceived only by the client, such as disillusionment or loss of a dream.
Delusions are false beliefs that are misperceptions or are not based in reality.
Hallucinations are perceptions of an external stimulus without a source in the external world.
Schizophrenia is a disorder that involves characteristic psychotic symptoms (e.g., delusions, hallucinations, and disturbances in mood and thought) and impairment in the individual’s level of functioning in major life areas.
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