Mental health consists of our emotional, psychological, and socio-economic well-being. Our thoughts, feelings, and actions are affected by it. It determines how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
The importance of Mental health is visible at every stage of life, starting from childhood to adolescence and right through adulthood.
There are indicators that measure living conditions like housing and employment but they fail to measure what people think and feel about their lives and the quality of their relationships.
How people view their emotions and rate their resilience, whether they are being able to realize their potential, or what is their overall satisfaction with life – i.e., their “well-being.”
Well-being, in general, includes judgments of life satisfaction and feelings ranging from depression to joy. Mental health problems can alter the thinking, mood, behavior and the overall well-being of people over the span of their lives.
– Genetic / Hereditary factors, such as brain chemistry and genes.
– Experiences in life, such as trauma or abuse.
– Family history of mental health problems.
– Alcohol / Drug dependency.
– Realize their full potential.
– Cope with the stresses of life.
– Work productively.
– Make meaningful contributions to their communities.
– Getting professional help if needed.
– Connecting with others.
– Staying positive.
– Getting physically active.
– Helping others.
– Getting enough sleep.
– Developing coping skills.
Mental Health does not mean the absence of disease alone; it is in essence a valuable resource which allows people to realize aspirations, satisfy needs and at the same time be able to cope with the environment in order to live a long, happy, productive, and fruitful life.
Mental health enables socio-economic and personal development which is fundamental to mental well-being.
Mental Health promotion consists of the process of enabling people to exercise increased control over their lives and improve their overall health.
Environmental and social resources of mental health often include: peaceful environment, safe housing, economic security and a stable ecosystem.
Individual resources for mental health can include: physical activity, healthful diet, social ties, resiliency, positive emotions, and autonomy.
Mental Health promotion activities are aimed at strengthening such individual, environmental and social resources that may ultimately improve overall well-being.
There can be devastating consequences of long-term Mental Illness on the human body and spirit. An inability to deal with daily life pressures can lead to issues with our job, relationships, and our overall health. Whether we realize it or not, our mental capacity to deal with life can negatively impact others as well.
1. In-person therapy
2. Community
3. Physical health
4. Intellectual health
Committing to being a lifelong learner and exercising one’s mind regularly is a valuable part of one’s mental health process. Like all aspects of mental health, intellectual health requires balance, learning of new skills and acquiring new knowledge that will open doors of opportunities, improving one’s life significantly.
5. Environmental Health
6. Boundaries
7. Self-Care
Our Mental Health and well-being is in our own hands, we must take the necessary steps to ensure that it is in a good condition so as to help us achieve our basic aim of living a happy, productive and satisfying life.
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