Simply Mental Health - Awareness

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What is mental health?


 Mental health is a measure of well-being and the health of the mind. Someone with a healthy mind is better able to cope with everyday stressors such as sadness and disappointment. They can recognize their own strengths and capabilities, and as a result are able to set life goals and pursue ambitions. They can give back to the world by making valuable contributions to the communities they are apart of. Mental health is a positive mind set that enables enjoyment and fulfilment in everyday life.

The components of mental well-being.




Components of mental wellbeing include, absence of negative emotions, such as obsessive thoughts that may cause anxiety and depression. Instead having positive feelings and emotions such as excitement, enthusiasm and calmness that leads to feelings of contentment in life and positive self esteem. Feeling in control of every day stressors and being able to cope with resilience and social support. Being able to manage negative moods and feelings, solve and overcome problems. Mental wellbeing also includes being physically healthy by eating a good balanced diet, getting exercise and having a positive body image. There is also a social aspect, where positive mental health allows for close and supportive relationships with others along with spiritual and cultural wellbeing.



What is meant by 'mental ill health'?


Mental ill health includes inability to cope with everyday stressors due to abnormal thinking, feelings and behaviours. This negatively impacts their wellbeing and daily life activities. It can cause distress and disability, as well as putting their own or others safety at risk.


Risk factors associated with developing mental health problems.


Things that increase the likelihood of developing a mental health problem include biological, psychological and social factors. For example, social issues such as financial, economic pressure, lack of social support or living in a negative environment can make individuals prone to developing mental illness, such as anxiety or depression. Biological factors could include gender, genetics or chemical imbalances within the brain. Psychological factors may be lack of emotional resilience or personality type

The impact of mental ill health.


Mental illness can impact individuals in a variety of ways. They can experience withdrawn behaviours which can result in poor performance in home life, work or school. Their motivation and interest in activities may also decline and they may experience reduced energy levels. Their social lives and relationships will be affected if they are not making the effort to socialise or they cause difficulty with loved ones, they can also struggle with financial problems. They may experience mood swings, and have a reduced ability to think clearly and make decisions. They might struggle to live a health lifestyle, and not eat, sleep or exercise properly and may neglect themselves. Depending on the type and severity of the illness, the individual may experience delusions and hallucinations making it difficult for them to engage in daily life. Furthermore, they may suffer with addictions or negative behaviours making them subject to discrimination.
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Mental illness in the real world.


Social and cultural attitudes towards mental illness have become more positive, particularly since the change of community based care. However, stereotyping and discrimination can still be problematic. For example, individuals can often feel misunderstood by family, friends, and even health professionals who do not take them seriously. Stigma and discrimination associated with different disorders, such as violence and unreliability may prevent people seeking help for their symptoms as they do not want to be labelled or stigmatised. This can negatively impact their chances of recovery and will make them feel alone. Stigma and discrimination can cause isolation as they may be excluded from daily activities. Furthermore, they may struggle to sustain relationships with friends who may dissociate themselves and they will find it hard to make new friends. Discrimination within the workplace may also prevent individuals being able to keep or find work.

Negative attitudes towards individuals with mental illness can significantly impact their outcomes. For example, they may be stereotyped as lazy or incompetent and that they are to blame for their illness. This can leave the individual feeling unworthy and judged by others. This can make them feel isolated and it may reduce them seeking heal and actively pursuing recovery, it may even worsen their condition.


What to do if you think you are suffering from mental illness.


The first step to getting better is acknowledging that you have a problem. So, if you found yourself reading the above and thinking that is sounds familiar, then you should acknowledge why and figure out if there is any underlying issues. 

The next step from there is making a visit to your GP. Many people put this step off out of fear of feeling silly and not being taken seriously. But, your GP has experiences it all and knows exactly what to do to help you. They can signpost you to the most appropriate services and get you started on the road to recovery. 

Self help is also a key part of getting better. There are many things that you can do, like taking time to practice self care and reduce stress (see blog on stress for more information, https://simplyhealthphd.blogspot.com/2019/07/simply-mental-health-stress.html). There are also many online and community forms of support such as forums and group therapy that you can attend. These are valuable forms of support as they can offer comfort and advice in a social setting. 

Mental health is not something to be embarrassed about and speaking about it, raising awareness and seeking help and support is the best thing we can do to make sure everyone is getting the advice and support they need to live a happy and fulfilled life. If you know anyone who might be struggling, you can help by offering to listen to them and encouraging them to talk about what's on their mind. Always advise them to seek immediate help from a health care professional if you are worries that they are in danger of hurting themselves or others. 
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