Mental Health Exam 1 Complete Study Guide
Mental Health Exam 1
2. Safety Needs – security, protection, and freedom from
fear/anxiousness/chaos, law, order and limitations.
3. Belonging & Love Needs – The need for love, affection,
intimate relationships and belonging will see to overcome
feelings of loneliness and alienation. (Having a Family and
a Home is very important).
4. Esteem Needs – If this need is met, we feel confident,
valued and valuable. If this need is NOT met, we feel
inferior, worthless and helpless.
5. Self-Actualization – What we strive to become as humans.
Fulfillment of this need brings inner piece and contentment
with ones self.
Describe the role of neurotransmitters: dopamine, serotonin, and
norepinephrine, GABA
Dopamine: controls emotional responses, the brain’s reward
and pleasure centers, stimulates heart and increases blood flow
to organs. (Haloperidol = dopamine blocker). Cocaine allows
more of dopamine to stay active for longer = increased HR, etc.
o EPS is the result of Dopamine blockers (Dopamine
needs to get through for proper brain functioning!)
o Disorders with HIGH levels: Schizophrenia, Mania
o Disorders with LOW levels: Depression, Parkinson’s Disease
Serotonin: Regulates mood, arousal, attention, behavior, and
body temperature. Most anti-depressants increase Serotonin
production. Muscle Relaxants block serotonin production.
Serotonin release by platelets play important role in
homeostasis.
o High levels of Serotonin S/Sx: causes restlessness,
shivering, diarrhea, muscle rigidity, fever and seizures.
o Disorders with HIGH levels: Anxiety
o Disorders with LOW levels: Depression
Norepinephrine: Regulate mood. A deficiency can cause
Depression and excess can cause Mania.
o Disorders with HIGH levels: Mania, Anxiety, Schizophrenia
o Disorders with LOW levels: Depression
GABA: inhibitory neurotransmitter that regulates excitability and
helps treat anxiety by helping you “chill out”. Anti-Anxiety Meds
help increase the effectiveness of GABA by making the receptors
more responsive.
o Disorders with HIGH levels: Reduction of Anxiety
o Disorders with LOW levels: Mania, Anxiety, Schizophrenia
Describe the phases of the nurse-client relationship, and what
occurs during each phase (Hildegard Peplau)
1. Orientation Phase: first time the nurse & patient meet, interact
according to their own backgrounds/standards/values/beliefs,