Psychiatry Intro

Question 1

Difference b/w a mental health disorder and a mental health problem?

Answer 1

Mental health disorder: changes in affect, behaviour, and cognition that impairs functioning; meets diagnostic criteria (e.g. depression, anxiety, insomnia, etc.)

Mental health problem: umbrella term that includes both mental health disorder; also includes non-diagnostic, less srs sx’s (e.g. stressed, tired, anxious, worried, etc.)

Question 2

Which gender is more likely to successfully commit suicide? Why?

Answer 2

Males > use more lethal avenues of killing themselves

Question 3

Who was responsible for the first systematic classifications of mental disorders?

Answer 3

Emil Kraepelin (German psychiatrist, 1856-1926)

Question 4

What kind of model is used to describe mental disorders today?

Answer 4

Bio-psycho-social model

Question 5

What is the cognitive triangle?

Answer 5

It’s the idea that emotions, behaviours, and thoughts (affect, behaviour, cognition - ABC) all affect one another

Question 6

T or F: Mental illness is described similarly across cultures.

Answer 6

F

Ea. culture has a unique perspective on mental health, and impacts the way ppl describe their sx’s

Question 7

What’re the criteria needed for someone to be voluntarily admitted to a mental health centre (under the MHSA)? (EXAM)

Answer 7

1. The person req’s care that can be given in a mental health centre
2. the person consent to the admission

Question 8

What’re the criteria needed for someone to be involuntarily admitted to a mental health centre (under the MHSA)? (EXAM)

Answer 8

1. person suffers from a mental disorder and req’s inpatient care
2. not fully capable of making an admission or tx decision
3. likely to harm self or others or suffer sig mental/physical deterioration

Question 9

How are psychiatric conditions classified/diagnosed currently?

Answer 9

By using a syndrome-based classification sys whereby a group of symptoms that occur together are determined to represent an overall psychiatric condition

(e.g. symptoms x, y, and z = schizophrenia)

Question 10

Name of handbook used to diagnose mental disorders (current edition):

Answer 10

DSM-5

Question 11

What’s a pro of the DSM?

Answer 11

It standardizes criteria of mental illnesses, therefore making diagnoses and treatments more consistent

Question 12

What’re two cons of the DSM?

Answer 12

It oversimplifies human behaviour

It is largely based on expert opinion

Question 13

The clinical psychiatric interview is also known as a “_____”

Answer 13

conversation with a purpose
(the aim is to collect information about the revealed (behaviour, intentions, prospects) as well as concealed (emotions, drives, conflicts) aspects of the interviewee’s world)

Question 14

This psychiatric exam is analogous to the physical exam in physical medicine.

Answer 14

Mental status exam

Question 15

What is assessed in a mental status exam?

Answer 15

1. general observations (includes behaviours)
2. thinking
3. emotion
4. cognition

Question 16

Difference between mood and affect?

Answer 16

mood: inner feeling of emotion
affect: external expression of emotional responsiveness

Question 17

What’s the Columbia Protocol?

Answer 17

A suicide risk assessment

aka: Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS)

Question 18

T or F: Asking a depressed person about suicide may put the idea in their heads.

Answer 18

F

Question 19

T or F: If asked, suicidal ppl will generally be honest about their intentions.

Answer 19

T

Question 20

What’s the name of a simple, evidence-based, effective, universal, and free suicide risk assessment?

Answer 20

The Columbia Protocol (aka: Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS))

Question 21

Why is the current psychotropic nomenclature misleading?

Answer 21

Because these drugs have multiple MOAs and indications (e.g. antipsychotics can be used for depression, anxiety, etc.)

Question 22

Define stigma.

Answer 22

mark/sign of disgrace which distinguishes s.o from the rest of society and diminishes their worth as a person

i.e. When ppl have negative thoughts about a certain thing (e.g. mental illness)