Mental health constitutes not only emotions and cognitions but also encompasses the entirety of a person’s experiences. It can be described as a state of psychological and emotional well-being, wherein a person is capable of using their mental resources to function optimally within their environment and strive towards subjective and psychological well-being. Defining mental health has historically been a difficult task.
Cultural differences, empirical variations, and clashing psychological theories make it a strenuous job to come up with one definition for the concept. WHO defines mental health as “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.” (WHO, 2022). The definition explains that mental health does not only encompass the absence of mental illnesses, rather it also includes the experience of positive emotions.
Further, a distinction can be made between good and poor mental health. What is important to note is that good mental health is not just the absence of disorders, there is more to good mental health. It is a state in which an individual is able to cope with daily stressors, work effectively, contribute to one’s society, maintain good relationships, etc. The individual has a sense of well-being. Further, poor mental health is a state in which an individual finds it difficult to work effectively, socialize, achieve goals and cope with different stressors. Poor mental health also includes diagnoses of mental disorders.
When we talk about mental health we need to talk about the stigma attached to it. Typically, South-East Asia has a wide gap between the mentally ill population and the efficient treatment available to them, due to internalized fear and shame associated with seeking as well as providing help. Furthermore, the public stigma perpetuates negative attitudes toward receiving treatment. Mental health is often overlooked, trivialized, or considered taboo, creating an unacceptable environment. Rather than turning to professionals, individuals turn to religious rituals, life coaches, or ancient remedies that may provide temporary relief but do not eliminate problems in the long run.
Further, awareness and acceptance regarding mental health will lead to people seeking professional help without being scared of the stigmas around mental health. Apart from this, educating people regarding mental health will also result in more understanding regarding when one needs to seek help in order to improve their health. When we experience painful things we think of getting rid of them. We face difficulty in accepting the condition of our mental health. Most healing comes from acceptance and it is very hard for us to do something constructive about our mental health till the time we do not accept it. Adding on, acceptance leads to change that is needed so that we can make comfort with something which is painful and difficult to bear. Life comes with a lot of losses big and small, in order for the loss to not become damaging,it requires acceptance and a period of grieving. Acceptance opens a gateway of love and healing and it enables us to be compassionate. We suffer more than we should because we take a toll on our mental health at the cost of what is socially desirable and self-desirable. Acceptance gives clarity, and opens a pathway to change.“What mental health needs is more sunlight more candour, more unashamed conversation”.
Just like our physical health our mental health also has ups and downs. It is about Wellness rather than illness. In this emerging world, we cannot deny the increasing importance of our mental health. To begin with, it plays a crucial role in our relationships. It impacts how we frequently deal with our family and friends. During COVID- 19 researchers stated how fear negatively impacts physical health. Just not that, if hypertension can cause heart attacks then emotional well-being can heal your physical health.Lastly even when we achieve our goals we do not feel content and the sole reason is the lack of importance to our mental health. Mental health holds relevance due to various reasons and a few of them are –
· Mental health and physical health are interlinked, both have an impact on each other.
· Mental health also impacts the relationships of an individual. It impacts interpersonal interactions and the quality of the relationships.
· Mental health is also important for productivity and work efficiency.
· Mental health also impacts the behaviors of an individual. Poor mental health can lead to unhealthy behaviors.
Looking at the importance mental health holds, the following are a few tips to nurture our mental health –
• Exercise and eat healthily,
• Do meditation,
• Focus on self-care,
• Engage in hobbies,
• Build good social relationships,
• Talk to your loved ones,
• Practice gratitude,
• Get proper sleep,
• Seek help from mental health workers whenever required.
Importance of Professional Counseling: A friend or family member may listen to you, but they aren’t professionally, technically qualified or experienced to offer you professional advice. If you wish you can contact us at MindTribe to receive help from our team of expert psychologists.
About MindTribe.in.
MindTribe Founder Dr. Prerna Kohli, India’s eminent psychologist, established the company to leverage the strength of the online to make counseling affordable and accessible to everyone. MindTribe provides counseling, workshops, support groups, forums, and eLearning.
About the Author.
Dr. Prerna Kohli, is an eminent psychologist, a published author, a four-time gold medalist, an awardee by the President of India for her contributions to Mental Health, and the founder of MindTribe.in. You can learn more about her by clicking here www.drprernakohli.in
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of MindTribe.in, the Founders, or management team.
Acknowledgement: All images used are open source and from Unsplash.