Mental Health – Definitions and Introduction

 Mental health is a psychological state of well-being, characterized by continuing

personal growth, a sense of purpose in life, self-acceptance, and positive relations with
others.
 Mental health is a relative state of mind in which a person is able to cope with and
adjust to the recurrent stresses of everyday living in an acceptable way.
 Mental health is a state of psychological and emotional well-being that enables an
individual to work, love, relate to others effectively, and resolve conflicts.
 Mental health in a single word is “happiness”.

Some people define mental health as the absence of mental illness, but many psychologists
consider this definition too narrow. Mental health can also refer to a field of study
encompassing both mental health and mental illness.

Elements of Mental Health

Psychologists have identified a number of distinct dimensions of mental health. These

include self-acceptance, or self-esteem, characterized by a positive evaluation of oneself
and one’s past experiences; personal growth reflected in one’s sense of continued
psychological growth and development; a sense that one’s life has purpose and
meaning; positive relations with others; environmental mastery, the capacity to manage
effectively in the surrounding world; and autonomy, a sense of self-determination and the
ability to control one’s own life. Self-acceptance, relations with others, environmental
mastery, and autonomy usually improve as a person ages and gains life experience.
However, many people find that their personal growth and sense of purpose in life begin to
decline in midlife.

Some psychologists regard mental health as the ability to maintain a

balance between positive and negative emotions, such as elation and sadness. In this view,
a person who displays emotional extremes in either direction is less well-adjusted. Other
psychologists emphasize the role of one’s environment in influencing well-being. This
perspective sees mental health reflected in a person’s overall happiness with various
domains of life, such as social relationships, family, work, leisure, health and community
life.

Factors that influence Mental Health

A number of different aspects of life can influence mental health. In a mid-1970s study of
people living in the United States, researchers identified critical areas that influence one’s
mental health. These areas are working life, family life, and the social role that one
occupies in the community. Negative experiences in these areas, such as an unreasonable
boss or a turbulent family life, can reduce one’s overall sense of well-being and happiness.
Apart from these basic factors, todaygood health is also considered a vital element for
happiness and better mental health.

Another important influence on mental health is stress. In general, people experience

stress when the demands placed on them exceed the resources they have available to meet
those demands. Significant sources of stress include major life events, such as divorce,
death of a spouse, loss of a job, and illness in the family. These events can overwhelm a
person’s ability to cope and function effectively. In addition, one source of stress may lead
to another, as when financial hardship follows job loss. People who experience unusually
traumatic events, such as rape and natural disasters, may develop post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD)

Stress influences both mental health as well as physical health. People who experience a
high level of stress for a long time (called chronic stress) — and who cope poorly with this
stress—may become irritable, socially withdrawn, and emotionally unstable. They may also
have difficulty concentrating and solving problems. Some people under intense and
prolonged stress may start to suffer from extreme anxiety,depression, or other severe
emotional or psychological problems. Anxiety disorders caused by stress may include
generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
People who survive catastrophes sometimes develop an anxiety disorder called post-
traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They re-experience the traumatic event again and again
in dreams and in disturbing memories or flashbacks during the day. They often seem
emotionally numb and may be easily startled or angered.

People may also experience chronic stress when confronted with a continuing set of

demands that reduce their ability to function. Examples of such demands include working
long hours under difficult circumstances and caring for a chronically ill relative. Economic
hardship, unemployment, and poverty can also produce chronic stress and undermine
mental health.

Some studies suggest that genetic factors or genetics may partly determine one’s level of

happiness and mental health. People seem to display a characteristic level of well-being,
with some people usually feeling happy and others typically feeling sad or unhappy.
Researchers have found that although people’s moods change in response to both positive
and negative events, the effect wears off over time. For example, people who win the
lottery or receive an unexpected promotion may feel happier at first, but over time they
return to their former characteristic level of mental health. Research suggests that one’s
genetic background—that is, the genes inherited from one’s parents—explains more than
half of the differences in people’s characteristic mood levels. Genes may also partly
determine the range of ups and downs that people feel, including whether people have
large mood swings or remain stable from day to day.

Maintaining Mental Health

The ability to cope with adversity can be crucial for the mental health of the
individual. Coping means successfully dealing with problems that arise in life. People differ
substantially in the way they cope with adversity. Some people engage in emotion-focused
coping, a strategy that focuses on managing one’s emotions. Examples of this coping
strategy include distracting one’s attention from the problem, denying the problem,
venting one’s emotions, or sharing emotions with others. A second form of
coping, problem-focused coping, involves efforts to reduce stress by solving the problem.
People who use this strategy take active steps to overcome the problem, such as seeing a
counselor or a psychotherapist to repair a relationship or looking for a new job in response
to problems at work. They may also seek advice from friends and family members.

Some people use coping skills more effectively than others. However, research has shown
that people can learn new coping skills. For example, counselors can teach children how to
handle difficulties in school. Adults can be taught skills to cope with stressful life events,
such as job loss and divorce. Teaching people coping skills before they encounter
adversity, or early in the stages of a crisis, appears an effective method of preventing poor
mental health. Learning effective coping strategies also directly improves mental health by
improving one’s sense of mastery and self-esteem.

Social support from friends and family members also promotes good mental health. This
support can take several forms. Other people can offer concrete help in a crisis, such as
providing shelter to families victimized by a natural disaster or alerting an unemployed
person to a job opportunity. In addition, other people can provide an important source
ofemotional support. Friends respond with concern, empathy, and advice to a person
facing difficulties or loss. They boost confidence and self-esteem by offering reassurance
and compliments. Self-help groups provide support by enabling people with similar
problems to share their experiences and emotions. Conversely, research has shown that
negative social interactions, such as constant criticism and belittlement from other people,
can undermine mental health.

Other ways of maintaining good mental health involve physical activities. For example,
research has shown that regular aerobic exercise helps to boost self-esteem, relieve
 depression, and improve concentration. Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and
meditation, also help to combat the effects of stress.

As such, achieving mental health is about striking a balance in the social, physical,
spiritual, economic and mental aspects of our lives. Reaching a balance is a learning
process and it is ongoing. At times, we may tip the balance too much in one direction and
have to find our footing again. Our personal balance is highly individual, and our challenge
is to stay mentally healthy by finding and keeping that balance.

In conclusion and to summarize, positive mental health is about :

 Feeling in control
 Being able to make rational decisions
 Being in touch with our feelings
 Being able to form positive relationships
 Feeling good about ourselves
 Knowing how to look after ourselves

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