What is Health? What is Mental Health?What are Mental Health Problems Around the Globe?What are some types of mental disorders?Mental health promotion and protection.

  

   What is Health? What is Mental Health?What are Mental Health Problems Around the Globe?What are some types of mental disorders?Mental health promotion and protection.

                                           

                            What is Health?

Health is commonly known as physical fitness of a person.

According to World Health Organisation(WHO) "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

The enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.

The health of all peoples is fundamental to the attainment of peace and security and is dependent on the fullest co-operation of individuals and States.

The achievement of any State in the promotion and protection of health is of value to all.

Unequal development in different countries in the promotion of health and control of diseases, especially communicable disease, is a common danger.

Healthy development of the child is of basic importance; the ability to live harmoniously in a changing total environment is essential to such development.

The extension to all peoples of the benefits of medical, psychological and related knowledge is essential to the fullest attainment of health.

Informed opinion and active co-operation on the part of the public are of the utmost importance in the improvement of the health of the people.

Governments have a responsibility for the health of their peoples which can be fulfilled only by the provision of adequate health and social measures.

What is Mental Health?

Mental health is an integral and essential component of health. The WHO constitution states: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." An important implication of this definition is that mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities.

Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.

Mental health is fundamental to our collective and individual ability as humans to think, emote, interact with each other, earn a living and enjoy life. On this basis, the promotion, protection and restoration of mental health can be regarded as a vital concern of individuals, communities and societies throughout the world.

What are Mental Health Problems Around the Globe?

Mental health is a cross cutting issue in the modern world. Everyone hopes to maintain their sound mental health and they need to take care of it.

Sound mental health refers to ability to think, feel and react properly in your daily life. But if you go through a period of poor mental health, you might find difficult in thinking, feelings and reacting. It makes your perfect life in doomed situations. Mental health problems affect one in four people in any given year. They range from common problems such as depression and anxiety to rare problems such as schizophrenia and bio polar disorder.

What are some types of mental disorders?

- Anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and phobias.

- Depression, bipolar disorder, and other mood disorders.

- Eating disorders.

- Personality disorders.

- Post-traumatic stress disorder.

- Psychotic disorders, including schizophrenia.

What Causes Them?

What are the causes of Mental Health Problems ?

- domestic violence

- childhood abuse, trauma, or neglect.

- social isolation or loneliness.

- experiencing discrimination and stigma.

- social disadvantage, poverty or debt.

- bereavement (losing someone close to you)

- severe or long-term stress.

- having a long-term physical health condition.

- unemployment or losing your job.

Mental health promotion and protection

Mental health promotion involves actions that improve psychological well-being.  This may involve creating an environment that supports mental health.

An environment that respects and protects basic civil, political, socio-economic and cultural rights is fundamental to mental health. Without the security and freedom provided by these rights, it is difficult to maintain a high level of mental health.

National mental health policies should be concerned both with mental disorders and, with broader issues that promote mental health. Mental health promotion should be mainstreamed into governmental and nongovernmental policies and programmes. In addition to the health sector, it is essential to involve the education, labour, justice, transport, environment, housing, and welfare sectors.

Specific ways to promote mental health include:

early childhood interventions (e.g. providing a stable environment that is sensitive to children’s health and nutritional needs, with protection from threats, opportunities for early learning, and interactions that are responsive, emotionally supportive and developmentally stimulating);

support to children (e.g. life skills programmes, child and youth development programmes);

socio-economic empowerment of women (e.g. improving access to education and microcredit schemes);

social support for elderly populations (e.g. befriending initiatives, community and day centres for the aged);

programmes targeted at vulnerable people, including minorities, indigenous people, migrants and people affected by conflicts and disasters (e.g. psycho-social interventions after disasters);

mental health promotional activities in schools (e.g. programmes involving supportive ecological changes in schools);

mental health interventions at work (e.g. stress prevention programmes);

housing policies (e.g. housing improvement);

violence prevention programmes (e.g. reducing availability of alcohol and access to arms);

community development programmes (e.g. integrated rural development);

poverty reduction and social protection for the poor;

anti-discrimination laws and campaigns;

promotion of the rights, opportunities and care of individuals with mental disorders.

In recent years, there has been increasing acknowledgement of the important role mental health plays in achieving global development goals, as illustrated by the inclusion of mental health in the Sustainable Development Goals. Depression is one of the leading causes of disability. Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15-29-year-olds. People with severe mental health conditions die prematurely – as much as two decades early – due to preventable physical conditions. 

Despite progress in some countries, people with mental health conditions often experience severe human rights violations, discrimination, and stigma.

Many mental health conditions can be effectively treated at relatively low cost, yet the gap between people needing care and those with access to care remains substantial. Effective treatment coverage remains extremely low.