Who Is This Course Suitable For?

The course is suitable for anyone who is helping people through difficult periods in their lives. For example -

• Social workers
• Counsellors
• Teachers
• Psychologists
• Trainee counsellors
• Volunteer counsellors
• Mental health workers
• Learning disability workers
• Support workers
• Health and well-being workers
• Stress management consultants
• Anger management consultants
• Human resources staff
• Law enforcement
• Managers
• Supervisors
• Advice workers
• Helpline counsellors
• Homelessness workers

Study this course for professional/career development, CPD or personal interest.

What Will You Learn in This Course?

With knowledge comes power - learning about mental health issues can help the development of strategies to effectively manage a range of mental health conditions. Learn about -

• The potential causes, nature, and treatment options to enable you to provide hope for the sufferers of mental health conditions.

• Varying viewpoints and develop a greater insight into issues that surround adult mental health.
• Different conditions, their causes, and practical treatment options. 
• Depression, anxiety, mental health issues and much more.

COURSE STRUCTURE AND CONTENT

There are 9 lessons in this course, which include the content shown below:

Lesson 1. Introduction To Mental Health Issues

• Introduction.
• Definition Of Abnormality - Social Constructs.
• Definition Of Abnormality - Statistical Infrequency.
• Definition Of Abnormality - Failing to Function Adequately.
• Labelling And Mental Health.
• So How Does This Relate to Mental Illness?
• Case Study – African Caribbean People and Schizophrenia.
• More On Stigmatisation and Labelling.
• Causes Of Mental Illness.
• Social And Environmental Factors.
• Physical Factors.
• Psychological Factors.
• Diathesis-Stress Model.
• Treatments For Mental Health Problems.

Lesson 2. Depression In Men and Women

• Introduction.
• Forms Of Depression.
• Determining Which Type of Depression.
• Triggers To Depression.
• Causes Of Depression.
• Risk Factors for Depression.
• Gender And Depression.
• Older People and Depression.
• Psychological Aspects of Long-Term Grief.
• Other Types of Depression.
• Treatment For Depression.

Lesson 3. Anxiety, Phobias and OCD

• Introduction.
• PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
• Treatments.

Lesson 4. Schizophrenia

• Introduction.
• Causes Of Schizophrenia.
• Symptoms Of Schizophrenia.
• Diagnosing Schizophrenia.
• Subtypes Of Schizophrenia.
• Treatment Of Schizophrenia.
• Management Of the Acute Syndrome.

Lesson 5. Antisocial Personality Disorders

• Personality Disorders.
• Antisocial Personality Disorder (Psychopathy).
• Causes Of Psychopathy.
• Treatment Of Psychopathy.

Lesson 6. Eating Disorders

• Introduction.
• Causes Of Eating Disorders.
• Anorexia Nervosa.
• Body Image And Self Esteem.
• Physical Symptoms of Anorexia Nervosa.
• Treatment For Anorexia.
• Bulimia Nervosa.
• Associated Behaviours.
• Physical Symptoms of Bulimia Nervosa.
• Treatment For Bulimia.
• Obesity.
• Psychological Complications.
• Treatment For Obesity.

Lesson 7. Dementias

• Introduction.
• Definition.
• Types Of Dementia.
• Causes Of Dementia.
• Dementia And Old Age.
• Alzheimer's Disease.
• Vascular Dementia.
• Care And Management of Dementia.

Lesson 8. Helping Yourself in Mental Health Issues

• Introduction.
• A Holistic Approach to Mental Health.
• Diet And Exercise.
• Imbalances In the Body.
• Psychological And Psychosocial Factors.
• The Role of Friends and Family - Social Support Networks.
• Self-Help Groups.
• Self-Control Techniques.

Lesson 9. Services For Mental Health Issues

•  Introduction.
• Counselling Approaches.
• Counsellor.
• Psychotherapist.
• Clinical Psychologist.
• Psychiatrist.
• Nurses And Professional Carers.
• Crisis Centres.
• Telephone And Online Counselling.
• Group Therapy.
• Complimentary Therapies.

COURSE AIMS

• Discuss the nature, scope and impact of mental health on adults of all ages. 
• Explain the different types of depression and the impact of gender on depression. 
• Explain the nature of anxiety and related conditions and consider possible responses that may be used for these conditions. 
• Explain the nature of schizophrenia and consider the responses that might be taken to such conditions. 
• Explain the scope and nature of antisocial personality disorders and consider the responses that might be taken to such conditions. 
• Explain the scope and nature of eating disorders in adults and consider the responses that might be taken to such conditions. 
• Explain the scope and nature of dementia in adults and consider the responses that might be taken to such conditions. 
• Identify a wide range of self-help options that can be facilitated for sufferers of mental health problems. 
• Identify mental health services and support options available for those with mental health issues. 

During the course, you will cover topics that will help you to better understand psychological health. For example -

Mental health issues often result from a combination of different factors. Some may be biological (e.g. affected by things such as genetics, physiology, diet, biochemistry). Others can be affected by a person's environment (e.g. the people that surround them, the things they do and the circumstances they are in).

Negative emotions can slowly undermine psychological health if they persist. People can feel so snowed under that the negative thoughts and feelings override more positive and adaptive ways of living. They can lead to poor behavioural choices like alcohol and drug abuse.

Clearly there is overlap between these factors. Someone who is struggling under the weight of negative emotions may drink excessive quantities of alcohol to dampen their feelings. This can cause them to develop physical problems, it could impede their quality of sleep, make them feel irritated, they could become angry, frustrated and begin to act aggressively.   

What is Depression?

Consider how depression differs to anxiety and other conditions that may result from excessive stress.

Depression

Various depressive disorders involve disturbances to positive moods. They can also cause periods of elation or mania as in bipolar disorders. Because the main symptom is fluctuation in emotions depressive disorders are often referred to as affective disorders. Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders, and many people experience depressive thoughts and feelings without necessarily warranting a diagnosis of depression.  

Anxiety

Anxiety disorders involve intense feelings of anxiety. They range from specific phobias which involve an irrational fear of particular objects, to social anxiety, panic disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorders and generalised anxiety. Sufferers usually make attempts to control their anxiety but often these do not work and cause further disruption. 

Stress Disorders

Stress related disorders such as post-traumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder are also types of anxiety disorder. They are associated with traumatic events and sustained by negative emotions associated with memories and flashbacks of those events. Grief is a normal reaction to the stress of losing someone or something significant. In a minority of people this grieving can become abnormally prolonged.   

Dissociative Disorders

Many life experiences and disorders cause the sufferer considerable pain or distress and as a result people often use defence mechanisms to cope. One of these is dissociation, which includes various attempts to distance oneself from these painful stressors. These can be good coping mechanisms, but if taken too far can contribute to dissociative disorders such as dissociative amnesia - where periods of time are 'forgotten', and dissociative fugue where a person wanders off and is unable to recall a period of time, and how they got where they are. 

There is also some suggestion that stressors such as difficult life events can cause or contribute to the onset of other disorders such as schizophrenia. Furthermore, negative emotions can impede coping mechanisms and contribute to problems in other conditions like dementia and anorexia.

As you can see, the impact of negative emotions is far-reaching and if left to continue, their presence can seriously undermine a person's well-being. Little wonder then that so much effort has gone into looking at ways to arrest these feelings and regain control over them.

What Are the Advantages of Studying Psychology with ACS Distance Education?

• You can start at any time to suit you.
• The courses are self-paced.
• You can study when and where suits you. They are flexible to fit in around you and your lifestyle.
• It is not just a course, it is a package of learning that includes – course notes, tutor feedback, self-assessment tests, research tasks and assignments.
• Our tutors are all experts in their field, with years of experience in psychology and counselling.
• They are also keen and enthusiastic about their subject and enjoy working with students to improve their knowledge and skills.
• Courses are also updated regularly to meet the demands of the changing needs for knowledge and to keep our courses up to date.

What Next?

DEVELOP YOUR KNOWLEDGE, AWARENESS AND SENSITIVITY

As you move through the course, you will increase your knowledge and understanding of mental health issues affecting adults.

On completing this course, you will have gained an intensive and extensive insight into difficulties people may experience in their mental health.

TAKE THIS COURSE TO -

• Learn more about conditions such as dementia, depression, anxiety and more mental health conditions, then why not enrol on this course.
• Provide a useful addition to your CV, or because you are interested in the topic.
• Increase your knowledge of mental health conditions and their signs and symptoms.

You can enrol today by clicking the “Enrol Now” button above.

Or

Click here to Contact a Psychology Tutor.

Or Request a Prospectus Here.