Mental Health Quiz

World Mental Health Day is observed every year on which date?

• 7 April
• 21 June
• 10 October
• 1 December

Answer: 10 October. World Mental Health Day falls on 10 October and has been marked since 1992. 7 April is World Health Day and 1 December is World AIDS Day.

In therapy, what does the abbreviation CBT stand for?

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
• Clinical Brain Treatment
• Counselling-Based Therapy
• Controlled Breathing Technique

Answer: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy helps people spot unhelpful thought patterns and change how they think and act. It is one of the best-researched talking therapies for anxiety and depression.

SSRI antidepressants mainly work by increasing the availability of which brain chemical?

• Insulin
• Serotonin
• Adrenaline
• Melatonin

Answer: Serotonin. SSRI stands for selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor: the drug slows the reabsorption of serotonin, a neurotransmitter linked to mood, so more of it stays active between nerve cells.

What does PTSD stand for?

• Persistent Tension and Sleep Disorder
• Primary Thought Stress Disease
• Panic-Triggered Sensory Disorder
• Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Answer: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder can follow a frightening or life-threatening event, bringing flashbacks, nightmares, avoidance and feeling constantly on edge.

Which hormone, released by the adrenal glands, is often called the body's main stress hormone?

• Oxytocin
• Thyroxine
• Cortisol
• Estrogen

Answer: Cortisol. Cortisol helps the body respond to stress by releasing stored sugar into the blood for quick energy. Stress that stays high for long periods keeps cortisol up, which can disturb sleep, mood and immunity.

Which of these is NOT a typical symptom of depression?

• Losing interest in things you used to enjoy
• Days of unusually high energy with little need for sleep
• Changes in sleep or appetite
• Persistent feelings of worthlessness

Answer: Days of unusually high energy with little need for sleep. Days of high energy with little need for sleep describe mania or hypomania, seen in bipolar disorder. Loss of interest, sleep or appetite changes and worthlessness are classic signs of depression.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression most commonly linked to what?

• Shorter days and less daylight in autumn and winter
• Eating too much sugar
• Hot and humid summers
• Moving to a new school or job

Answer: Shorter days and less daylight in autumn and winter. SAD usually starts in autumn or winter, when there is less sunlight, and lifts in spring. Light therapy with a special bright lamp is one common treatment.

In obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), the repetitive actions a person feels driven to perform are called what?

• Obsessions
• Phobias
• Delusions
• Compulsions

Answer: Compulsions. Obsessions are the unwanted, intrusive thoughts; compulsions are the repeated behaviours, like checking or washing, done to relieve the anxiety those thoughts cause.

A person who can no longer feel pleasure from activities they once enjoyed is experiencing what?

• Insomnia
• Euphoria
• Anhedonia
• Amnesia

Answer: Anhedonia. Anhedonia, from the Greek for 'without pleasure', is a core symptom of depression. Euphoria is the opposite: an intense feeling of happiness.

Which condition, once known as 'manic depression', involves episodes of depression and episodes of mania?

• Bipolar disorder
• Schizophrenia
• Generalised anxiety disorder
• Autism

Answer: Bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder brings shifts between low, depressive episodes and high, manic or hypomanic ones. With treatment, many people manage it well.

Which mood stabiliser needs regular blood tests because the gap between a helpful dose and a toxic dose is small?

• Paracetamol
• Lithium
• Vitamin D
• Caffeine

Answer: Lithium. Lithium has a narrow therapeutic range, so nurses and doctors check its blood levels regularly. Dehydration and some other medicines can push levels into the toxic range.

Involuntary, repetitive movements of the lips, tongue and face after long-term use of older antipsychotic drugs are known as what?

• Narcolepsy
• Ataxia
• Tardive dyskinesia
• Catatonia

Answer: Tardive dyskinesia. Tardive ('late-appearing') dyskinesia is a side effect of long-term antipsychotic use. Mental health nurses watch for early signs because it can become permanent.

In therapeutic communication, which response is usually considered NON-therapeutic?

• "Tell me more about that."
• "You seem upset today."
• Sitting quietly and listening
• "Why did you do that?"

Answer: "Why did you do that?". "Why" questions can sound judgemental and push a person to defend themselves. Open prompts, reflecting feelings and attentive silence keep the conversation going.

In its ICD-11 classification, how does the World Health Organization describe 'burn-out'?

• As an occupational phenomenon, not a medical condition
• As a type of personality disorder
• As a form of bipolar disorder
• As a contagious illness

Answer: As an occupational phenomenon, not a medical condition. The WHO treats burn-out as a work-related syndrome caused by long-term job stress that has not been handled well. It is listed under factors affecting health, not as an illness, and applies only to the workplace.

What is the toll-free number of Tele MANAS, India's national tele-mental health helpline?

• 112
• 14416
• 1098
• 108

Answer: 14416. Tele MANAS, run by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, answers on 14416 in many Indian languages. 112 is the emergency number, 1098 is Childline and 108 is the ambulance service.