MENTAL HYGIENE

- Ankita Telwane.
MENTAL HYGIENE
Developing, maintain and promoting necessary behavioral, emotional and social skills
to sustain good, effective and efficient mental health.

In simpler words mental hygiene is about keeping your mind clean.

TRAVEL OF CONCEPT OF MENTAL HEALTH and MENTAL ILLNESS

It was believed that mental illness was caused by demonic possession, witchcraft, or
an angry god. For example, in medieval times, abnormal behaviors were viewed as a
sign that a person was possessed by demons. If someone was considered to be
possessed, there were several forms of treatment to release spirits from the individual.
Eg

EXORCISM: often conducted by priests or other religious figures: Incantations and

prayers were said over the person’s body, and she may have been given some
medicinal drinks

TREPHINING: A small hole was made in the afflicted individual’s skull to release spirits
from the body.

EXECUTION OR IMPRISONMENT of people with psychological disorders

From the late 1400s to the late 1600s, a common belief perpetuated by some religious
organizations was that some people made pacts with the devil and committed horrible
acts, such as eating babies. These people were considered to be witches and were tried
and condemned by courts—they were often burned at the stake. Worldwide, it is
estimated that tens of thousands of mentally ill people were killed after being accused
of being witches or under the influence of witchcraft

By the 18th century, people who were considered odd and unusual were placed in
asylums. Often these people were kept in windowless dungeons, beaten, chained to
their beds, and had little to no contact with caregivers.

In the late 1700s, a French physician, Philippe Pinel, argued for more humane treatment
of the mentally ill. He suggested that they be unchained and talked to.

In the mid-19th century, William Sweetser was the first to coin the term mental hygiene,
In the 19th century, Dorothea Dix led reform efforts for mental health care in the United
States. She investigated how those who are mentally ill and poor were cared for.
Dorothea Dix (1802–1887) was an important figure in the development of the "mental
hygiene" movement.

Marie Jahoda described six major, fundamental categories that can be used to categorize
mentally healthy individuals. These include: a positive attitude towards the self, personal
growth, integration, autonomy, a true perception of reality, and environmental mastery,
which include adaptability and healthy interpersonal relationships

Starting in 1954 and gaining popularity in the 1960s, antipsychotic medications were
introduced.
Dualism and monism are the two central schools of thought on the mind–body problem in
the Western tradition. Dualism is found in both Eastern and Western traditions (in
the Sankhya and Yoga schools of Hindu philosophy as well as Plato)

Plato
In the dialogue Laws, a distinction is made between two types of madness (mainesthai):
madness due to illnesses (nosos) and madness due to other causes, such as an aggressive
and troublesome character.

The Laws proposes, tentatively, a system of legislation with the express purpose of

eradicating ‘diseases of the soul’ in the ideal city. The whole proposed social structure of the
city serves to promote the psychic health of its citizens, making them reasonable, self-
controlled and emotionally stable right from the birth.

The human soul is tripartite, composed of reason (logos), spirit (thymos) and appetite
(epithymia), spirit being the principle of aggression and honour-pursuit, while the appetite
craves the pleasures of food, drink and sex
Mind in Hindu philosophy
Dualism
Substance Dualism is a common feature of several orthodox Hindu schools including the Sāṅkhya, Nyāya, Yoga and Dvaita
Vedanta. In these schools a clear difference is drawn between matter and a non-material soul.

When one tries to understand the concept of mind and mental illness from ancient Hindu knowledge - Rig Veda and Yajur
Veda, it suggests that mention of prayer through mantras (rhymes) can lead to formation of noble thoughts in the mind
which help in the prevention of mental pain (depression). The Rig Veda, also discusses about the speed of mind, curiosity
for methods of mental happiness, prayers for mental happiness, methods of increasing intelligence and power of mind in
healing.

Different Vedas also provide detailed descriptions of preservation of will power, emotions, inspiration, and consciousness.
The text also describes emotional states like grief, envy, pleasure, hostility, attachment, laziness, etc., There is also a
description of Unmada (psychosis) as a deluded state of mind.
The Upanishads provide descriptions of theories of perception, thought, consciousness, and memory. There is a
description of prakriti, which can be considered as equivalent of personality in modern psychiatry. The Upnishads describe
the different states of mind: waking state, dreaming state, deep sleep state, and Samadhi. The psychopathology of the
mind was understood in terms of their trigunas and tridosas.
The Bhagavad Gita provides a description of emotions and cognitive deviations. The Bhagwad Gita also gives beautiful
description for gaining mastery over the vacillating mind and also describes the consequences of failure to attain such
mastery.

चञ्चलं हि मन: कृ ष्ण प्रमाथि बलवद्दृढम् |

तस्याहं निग्रहं मन्ये वायोरिव सुदुष्करम् || 34||  

The mind is very restless, turbulent, strong and obstinate, O Krishna. It appears to me
that it is more difficult to control than the wind.
 
 
श्रीभगवानुवाच |
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम् |
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च गृह्यते || 35||  

Lord Krishna said: O mighty-armed son of Kunti, what you say is correct; the mind is
indeed very difficult to restrain. But by practice and detachment, it can be controlled.
 
Important aspects of Hinduism :-
emphasis on spirituality,
philosophies of introspection,
idealism, 
Karma,
Dharma,
considering all life as sacred

The concept of mental health and hygiene is not new, even AYURVEDA (the science of
Indian medicine) has mentioned about ways to maintain and sustain good mental health.

• Right food (aahar)

• Right routine (aachar)
• Right recreation (vihara)
• Right thinking (vichara)
Jainism and Buddhism:-

The ultimate objective is denial of the body and purification of the soul, as a necessary
step to win the soul's release from matter.
Simple Rules To Maintain Mental Hygiene:-

1. A good DIET is must for good mental health

2. Regular EXERCISE can boost your self esteem and

can help you concentrate, sleep and feel better

3. Enjoy OWN COMPANY, doing an activity you love

can help to get your mind at peace

4. NEVER hesitate to ask for help

5. Take a BREAK from routine if required, sometimes

a change of place can be good for mental health

6. Get enough SLEEP

7. EMBRACE your flaws, those are the part of you which can be modified. REMEMBER you
are a process!

8. OBSERVE your thoughts, if a negative thought comes up counter it with a POSITIVE

affirmation

9. TALK about your feelings when you feel troubled

10. MEDITATION to calm and relax your mind

• What if we inculcate the habit of mental hygiene since childhood??

A child is always taught to brush his teeth twice a day, take bath twice a day, wash his
hands before having meals, washing hands after using toilet and many more things…..
We all have also done that since our childhood as a part of our routine and we are still
doing that… aren’t we??

What are we trying to do by doing this things?? By making this things as our habits??

We are trying maintain HYGIENE FOR GOOD HEALTH!!

Simple??

Then what if we train our younger ones at very young age to maintain mental hygiene
as equally as we teach them to maintain physical hygiene???
How to teach younger ones (school going champs) to maintain and develop habits about
mental hygiene:-
PARENTS and TEACHER play a very crucial role in better mental development of a child.

What a teacher can do?

• A teacher himself should be emotionally stable
• Love for children
• He should possess democratic attitude
• Consistency in his behavior

Role of schools:-
• Pupil centered education
• Checking unhealthy competition
• Balanced curriculum
• Freedom of expression
• Provision of education, vocational and personal guidance
• Sex education
• Medical examination
Role of parents:-

• Sympathetic and affectionate attitude

• No over protection or under protection

• No too much of anxiety

• Building self confidence

• Meeting legitimate needs

• Providing guidance

• Free environment

• Openness to children’s views

How to help younger ones to develop habit of maintaining mental hygiene??

• Should help them to express their feelings and views freely, by helping them by creating
free and comfortable environment. (verbally, written form, drawing, doodling would also
help.)
• Should teach them to identify and regulate their emotions.
• Should teach them to channelize their negative energy, in arts, sports, exercise or
whatever the child likes.
• Giving rewards, praising them for good activities.
• Help them to maintain habits of exercise, basic meditation techniques, yoga.
• Mental health programs:-

Example:-

1. Positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS)

• Every child can learn proper behavior.

• Stepping in early can prevent more serious behavior problems.
• Each child is different and schools need to provide many kinds of behavior support.
• How schools teach behavior should be based on research and science.
• Following a child’s behavioral progress is important.
• Schools must gather and use data to make decisions about behavior problems.
How PBIS Works
PBIS sets up three tiers of support for students and staff in a school.
Tier 1 is a school wide. Kids learn basic behavior expectations, like to be respectful and kind. School staff
regularly recognize and praise kids for good behavior. They may also use small rewards, like tokens or prizes, to
encourage kids.

Tier 2 provides an extra layer of support for kids who continue to struggle with behavior. Kids get a set of
evidence-based interventions and instruction. For example, some kids may interrupt class because
they struggle with social interaction. A Tier 2 strategy might be a “social skills club” to help these kids learn how
to get along with peers.

Tier 3 is the most intensive level. It’s for kids who need individualized supports and services because of
behavior issues.
2. FRIENDS PROGRAM:-

The FRIENDS Programs are a series of Resilience programs. The programs aim to increase

social and emotional skills, promote resilience, and preventing anxiety and depression
across the lifespan.

Specific Goals
• Increasing participant's ability to recognize and regulate one's own emotions, thoughts
and behaviors
• Building participant's skills in taking the perspective of and empathizing with others
• Improving competencies of establishing and maintaining healthy and rewarding
relationships
• Enhancing participant's resilience to not only overcome adversity but also to take
advantage of positive future challenges
• Developing skills to prevent and treat mental health concerns
Overall the content is as follows:

F = Feelings

R = Remember to Relax, Have Quiet time

I = I can try my best (Inner Helpful Thoughts)

E = Explore solutions and Coping Step Plans

N = Now reward yourself

D = Do it every day

S = Smile! Stay calm, and talk to support teams