PN 3003
PN3003 Mental Health Exam Study
Guide Graded A+ 2025-2026
Mental Health
State of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can
cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is
able to make a contribution to his or her community.
Defense Mechanisms
Occurs mainly in our unconscious mind. They are relatively involuntary patterns of
response which involve feelings, thoughts and behaviours.
Types:
- Denial
- Repression
- Projection
- Displacement
- Regression
- Rationalization
- Sublimation
- Reaction formation
- Compartmentalization
- Intellectualization
Coping Mechanism
Are conscious and purposeful patterns of behavior used to neutralize, deny, or
counteract anxiety. They are based on cognition.
Adaptive coping strategies:
- Situational assessment
- Coping strategies (to build/prepare for a positive outcome or a negative outcome).
Effective coping strategies (e.g., lower your expectations, ask others to help or
PN 3003
,PN 3003
assist you, take responsibility for the situation, engage in problem solving,
maintain emotionally supportive relationships).
Stress
- A condition resulting when a threat or challenge to our well-being requires us to
adjust or adapt to environment.
- Distress: negative; demanding exhaustive energy.
- Eustress: positive and motivating; can enhance sense of well-being.
- Acute: "fight or flight" response; episodic.
- Chronic: ongoing, continuous.
Anxiety
- A feeling of apprehension, uneasiness, or uncertainty occurring in response to real
or perceived threat from an unknown source; Automatic, unconscious biological
response.
- Normal: necessary for survival; provides energy to manage daily life, pursue
goals.
- Acute: short term.
- Chronic: experienced over long time; chronic fatigue, insomnia, poor
concentration, social/work impairment.
Involves four levels:
- Mild
- Moderate
- Severe
- Panic
Treatment
- Medications like antianxiety / anxiolytics (e.g., benzodiazepines).
- Psychotherapy e.g., cognitive-behavioural therapy which allows individuals to
replace negative thoughts and behaviours with more positive, productive thoughts.
PN 3003
, PN 3003
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- A disorder characterized by chronic excessive worry on most days, over period of
at least 6 months.
- Accompanied by three or more of the following symptoms: restlessness, fatigue,
concentration problems, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbance.
Complete S&S:
- Excessive worry, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, muscle tension, difficulty
falling/staying asleep, fatigue, AND possible somatic symptoms like chest pain,
hyperventilation, headaches, tremors, increased urinary, frequency, GI disturbances
Panic disorder
- An anxiety disorder marked by unpredictable minutes-long episodes of intense
dread in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking,
or other frightening sensations.
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
- A disorder where fear of interacting with others or being in social situations that
might lead to a negative evaluation is present.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
A disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal,
jumpy anxiety, numbness of feeling, and/or insomnia that lingers for four weeks or
more after a traumatic experience.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- An anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted recurrent, persistent, unwanted
thoughts or images CAUSING intense anxiety, and/or repetitive behaviour
(actions) engaged to REDUCE high level of anxiety.
- Invasive, inappropriate thoughts commonly related to sexuality, violence, illness,
death, contamination
- Severe interference with social, occupation function; Inability to finish tasks.
PN 3003
PN3003 Mental Health Exam Study
Guide Graded A+ 2025-2026
Mental Health
State of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can
cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is
able to make a contribution to his or her community.
Defense Mechanisms
Occurs mainly in our unconscious mind. They are relatively involuntary patterns of
response which involve feelings, thoughts and behaviours.
Types:
- Denial
- Repression
- Projection
- Displacement
- Regression
- Rationalization
- Sublimation
- Reaction formation
- Compartmentalization
- Intellectualization
Coping Mechanism
Are conscious and purposeful patterns of behavior used to neutralize, deny, or
counteract anxiety. They are based on cognition.
Adaptive coping strategies:
- Situational assessment
- Coping strategies (to build/prepare for a positive outcome or a negative outcome).
Effective coping strategies (e.g., lower your expectations, ask others to help or
PN 3003
,PN 3003
assist you, take responsibility for the situation, engage in problem solving,
maintain emotionally supportive relationships).
Stress
- A condition resulting when a threat or challenge to our well-being requires us to
adjust or adapt to environment.
- Distress: negative; demanding exhaustive energy.
- Eustress: positive and motivating; can enhance sense of well-being.
- Acute: "fight or flight" response; episodic.
- Chronic: ongoing, continuous.
Anxiety
- A feeling of apprehension, uneasiness, or uncertainty occurring in response to real
or perceived threat from an unknown source; Automatic, unconscious biological
response.
- Normal: necessary for survival; provides energy to manage daily life, pursue
goals.
- Acute: short term.
- Chronic: experienced over long time; chronic fatigue, insomnia, poor
concentration, social/work impairment.
Involves four levels:
- Mild
- Moderate
- Severe
- Panic
Treatment
- Medications like antianxiety / anxiolytics (e.g., benzodiazepines).
- Psychotherapy e.g., cognitive-behavioural therapy which allows individuals to
replace negative thoughts and behaviours with more positive, productive thoughts.
PN 3003
, PN 3003
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
- A disorder characterized by chronic excessive worry on most days, over period of
at least 6 months.
- Accompanied by three or more of the following symptoms: restlessness, fatigue,
concentration problems, irritability, muscle tension, and sleep disturbance.
Complete S&S:
- Excessive worry, anxiety, restlessness, irritability, muscle tension, difficulty
falling/staying asleep, fatigue, AND possible somatic symptoms like chest pain,
hyperventilation, headaches, tremors, increased urinary, frequency, GI disturbances
Panic disorder
- An anxiety disorder marked by unpredictable minutes-long episodes of intense
dread in which a person experiences terror and accompanying chest pain, choking,
or other frightening sensations.
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
- A disorder where fear of interacting with others or being in social situations that
might lead to a negative evaluation is present.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
A disorder characterized by haunting memories, nightmares, social withdrawal,
jumpy anxiety, numbness of feeling, and/or insomnia that lingers for four weeks or
more after a traumatic experience.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- An anxiety disorder characterized by unwanted recurrent, persistent, unwanted
thoughts or images CAUSING intense anxiety, and/or repetitive behaviour
(actions) engaged to REDUCE high level of anxiety.
- Invasive, inappropriate thoughts commonly related to sexuality, violence, illness,
death, contamination
- Severe interference with social, occupation function; Inability to finish tasks.
PN 3003
