When we say “Mental Health”, we mean the well-being of our mind or mental functions. Then the question comes what is “Mind” or what are the “Mental Functions”? Is “Mind” equivalent to “Brain”? How does it work? What do you mean by “Positive Mental Health”? How does one get “Mental Illnesses”? How to prevent them? We will discuss about these things and try to find out answers to these questions.
The World Health Organization defines “Mental Health” as “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope up with normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to contribute to the community.”
“Mental Health” is a concept based on following factors
- Subjective well-being – When one finds oneself at ease in a good or positive mood (emotional state), reasonable thinking abilities and an appropriate behavior
- Self-efficacy – It is one’s ability to execute behavior to produce specific performance attainment. It helps to cope with a given situation, meet the challenges and react appropriately in the failures.
- Autonomy – It is the ability of a person to make one’s own decisions. This also helps to extract job satisfaction.
- Competence – It is a set of demonstrable characteristics and skills that enable and improve efficiency and performance.
- Intergenerational dependence – It is dependency due to genetically inherited characteristics occurring across the generations. The ability of a person to think, feel and act like previous generations.
- Self-actualization – It is the complete realization of one’s intellectual and emotional potential. It is also associated with awareness of the surrounding and motivating oneself for the aspirations.
“Mental Functions” comprises of mainly thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Thoughts are mainly expressed in the form of words i.e. verbal language and sometimes through non-verbal behavior while emotions are expressed in the form of verbal as well as non-verbal behaviors like body language, facial expressions, and psychomotor activities.
When one talks about “Positive Mental Health”, it means having positive, constructive, innovative, meaningful, productive, creative and “Good” thoughts leading to appropriate and positive behaviors along with positive emotions. Such a person is in general well-adjusted and without any conflict leading to a productive life. This is a desirable situation for everybody. So, the significance of “Positive Mental Health” is for following things:
- Productivity – It adds to the growth factor, helps in getting innovative ideas, motivation, and sense of competition resulting in healthy work atmosphere and enhancing the outcome.
- Work efficiency – It increases the work efficiency due to increased concentration, skillful actions and better application of brain and logic.
- Surrounding environment – It keeps a healthier environment by promoting social bonding, healthy interactions and providing helping hands to others.
- Acquirement of knowledge and skills – It helps in effective learning, to manage the issues effectively, predict the outcome, growth, and success.
- Physical illnesses – It can help in preventing many lifestyle illnesses and help in speedy recovery too. Will power can reduce suffering and enhance the longevity.
- Quality of life – It can have an impact on the quality of life; healthier the mind better the quality of life.
Now the question comes how to become mentally healthy or to achieve “Positive Mental Health”? Mental health of an individual is dependent on many factors like genetic propensity, environmental factors, and lifestyles. There are some things which are not in our hands like genetic inheritance. But we can make the environmental changes to some extent, lifestyle modifications and certain medications to keep ourselves healthy.
Some tips to become mentally healthy includes
- Socially active – One can connect with others, develop a social network, and spend time with friends and family, build up relationships.
- Physical exercises – Regular exercise in the form of cardiac, sports or Yoga can help in promoting mental health.
- Learning – Take on new challenges, keep learning something new.
- Kindness – Be kind to others, smile, say kind words, and be helpful.
- Gratitude – Be thankful to others, God for going the day well.
- Sleep – Adequate sleep is must. Bedtime routine should be there. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, TV and mobile before sleep.
- Mindfulness – Practice mindfulness. Remain in present, pay attention to thoughts, feelings, and body.
- Nutrition – Eat healthy, nutritious food. Drink plenty of water.
- Changes – Be flexible to changes. Keep positive attitude towards the things happening around.
- Emotions – Be calm. Keep control over the emotions whatever be the situation.