The Definition Of Mental Health
This could be defined as a sense of feeling good. When a person is in good mental health, it enables him to set goals and achieve them using available resources. Mental health also equips him with the ability to resist stresses that arise in daily life without affecting his well-being. He becomes a productive and useful member of his community, besides enriching his own life.
Negatively stated, mental wellness is the absence of mental illness or dysfunction. People who do not show unusual behavior that can be called mental disorders are presumed to be mentally healthy. For instance someone who obsesses about things can be mentally healthy but when that obsession is accompanied by constant compulsion to do something about the obsession, he can be considered to be mentally unwell with a disorder called OCD or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.
Positively stated, mental wellness is that part of the person’s personality which enriches his mental wellness irrespective of any mental disorder that can be diagnosed. Such a state means that the person can live life happily, with the psychological as well as the emotional aspects in perfect balance within him. He can respond well to circumstances as well as cope with whatever the fates have in store for him.
The World Health Organization suggests that it is not possible to come up with a catch all definition for mental health due to the diversity of cultures across the globe. An action considered normal behavior in one culture might be called as eccentric in another. Cannibalism for instance, considered as a good religious practice in remote tribal cultures, will be considered as over the top and uncivilized in most parts of the world.
Different problems manifest themselves due to abnormalities in mental health. Some persons with mental illnesses show aggressive patterns of behavior while some others tend to withdraw and show little interest in social interactions. Each type of illness presents different behavior and symptoms. It is therefore necessary to offer different diagnoses and treatment for different mental disorders, entirely based on individual cases.
There are so many triggers and causes that tend to have a bearing on mental health. It could just be genetic, it could be the way you were brought up or in the environment you live, it could be due to illnesses or biological and it could also be due to drugs or some traumatic event.
So how do you try and attain or achieve a state of mental health? The main thing is to be balanced and to try and cope with what is around you. What is vital is a sense of resilience so that you don’t get too affected by all the negativity around or any trauma that might be your lot. Having good friends, warm and strong family ties and a support group usually helps towards achieving this goal.
