Rward Compare Contrast Mental Health Theories 040719 PDF

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Mental health theories compared and contrast module 2...

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Running Head: THEORIES IN MENTAL HEALTH

Theories in Mental Health Rebecca D. Ward Rasmussen College

Author Note This paper is being submitted on April 7, 2019 for Karla Stallings NUR 2488 mental health nursing.

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THEORIES IN MENTAL HEALTH Abstract Theories and models of psychology were established, considered, and put into mainstream thinking beginning in the 1800s. Theorists are people who develop principles or ideas of an area or subject. Mental health theorists have over time developed different models and theories about our developmental and behavior process. The theories and models provide structure for developmental processes and clarification for our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. From theorists prospective, if the powerful and complex mind could be understood, it can also be treated with these theories and models. I’m going to compare and contrast the theories of Erik Erikson and Sigmund Freud. Freud Theory Freud was considered the “father of psychiatry.” He believed that the vast majority of mental disorders were due to unresolved issues that originated in childhood. His theory of levels of conscious, is described as conscious state which includes all the material a person is of aware of like their thoughts, feelings, fantasies, and memories. Next is the preconscious, just below the surface of awareness that can be retrieved easily. Lastly, the unconscious, which is repressed memories, passions, trauma too difficult to deal with. His theory that talk therapy is a way to talk out repressed emotions, which had the potential to heal the wounds causing mental illness. (Varacarolis 2017). His theory also consisted of three personality structures that include ID, where at birth the source of all drives, instincts, reflexes, needs, genetic inheritance, operates according to pleasure principle, and only the need that counts are its own. Next is ego, differentiators subjective experiences, memory, images, and objective reality which, follows the reality principle for example, “you have to delay gratification for right now” (Varcarolis 2017).

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THEORIES IN MENTAL HEALTH Lastly, the superego, that represents the moral component of the conscience “should and should nots” internalized from parents which we also seek perfection in life decisions and goals. Erikson Theory As mentioned above, psychoanalytic theory was developed by Freud originally. Erik Erikson was highly influenced by Freud’s psychosexual stages of development. According to Erikson‘s theory, life is organized in eight stages from birth to death. Which include the following: Stage one is infancy birth to 18 months (Trust vs. Mistrust). Stage two is early childhood 18 months to 3 years (Autonomy vs. Shame). Stage three is play age 3 to 5 years (Initiative vs. Guilt). Stage four is school age 6 to 12 years (Industry vs. Inferiority). Stage five is 12 to 18 (Identity vs. Role Confusion). Stage six is young adulthood 18 to 35 years (Intimacy vs. Isolation). Stage seven is Middle adulthood 35 to 55 years (Generativity vs. Self-Absorption). Stage eight is late adulthood 55 to death (Integrity vs. Despair). Erikson believed that each stage builds on the ones experienced before. If a person is successful during their last stages, then the feeling that they have contributed to the world will lead to them being more active in home and local community. If a person is not successful, they will feel unproductive and isolated from the world. There are some limitations to this psychodynamic approach. The psychodynamic theories can be considered as to be falsifiable and unscientific due to generalization. Comparing and Contrasting Freud and Erikson’s Theories Freud and Erikson’s theories are both pertaining to development. They believe that a person’s personality develops in a series of predetermined stages, both focusing on the

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THEORIES IN MENTAL HEALTH importance of early experiences. However, Freud’s theory is based on psychosexual aspects and Erikson’s is psychosocial (Cherry, 2017). According to the article Erik Erikson's Stages of Psychosocial Development “Like Freud and many others, Erik Erikson maintained that personality develops in a predetermined order, and builds upon each previous stage. This is called the epigenetic principle.”(McLeod, 2018) If the development was missed in that stage it makes it difficult to move forward to the next stage. Application to Nursing Freud’s theory is implicated into nursing practice because it suggests that a person’s personality is determined by their childhood experiences. When considering conscious and unconscious influenced, it can help a nurse determine the root cause of certain behaviors and actions. According to Freud’s theory, being an attentive and active listener is the focus on nursing care (Halter, 2017). Erikson’s theory can be implicated into nursing practice by assessing certain patients by their age and determining if they are meeting the certain developmental skills associated with that stage. Knowing what developmental structure needs attention can help a nurse determine what interventions to use that will be the most effective in quality care to the patient (Halter, 2017). Conclusion By keeping an open mind and understanding that we have different needs as individuals and using different strategies to help our patients learn their own needs will make the difference when trying to provide best possible care as a nurse. There are many theories that suggest why a person behaves the way they do, whether it be from past experiences that aren’t quite

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THEORIES IN MENTAL HEALTH remembered or from lack of development. They provide structure to help healthcare professionals understand a person’s development progress more thoroughly.

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THEORIES IN MENTAL HEALTH References: Cherry, K. (2017, November 15). How do Erikson's and Freud's theories compare? Retrieved from https://www.verywellmind.com/freud-and-erikson-compared-2795959 Erikson's Psychosocial Stages of Development. (2018). Retrieved from https://www.simplypsychology.org/Erik-Erikson.html Halter, M. J. (2017, February 3). Relevant theories and therapies for nursing practice. Retrieved from https://nursekey.com/relevant-theories-and-therapies-for-nursing-practice/ Varcarolis, E. M. (2017). Essentials of psychiatric mental health nursing: A communication approach to evidence-based care. St. Louis, MO: Elsevier...