Mental Health – What Is It And How To Help?

Mental health is defined as cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. It is about people’s thinking, feeling, and behavioral patterns. The phrase “mental health” is also used in the absence of a mental disorder.

Mental health can affect daily routines, relationships, and even physical health. However, these factors can also affect one’s mental health. Safeguarding our mental health guarantees our ability to enjoy life. It involves balancing daily activities, responsibilities and working on achieving psychological resilience.

Anxiety, depression, and stress can affect our daily routine. Though the term mental health is commonly used, many psychological ailments diagnosed by doctors have physical roots. This article examines the definition of mental health, most common disorders, early signs, and ways to help treat them.

What Is Mental Health?

The WHO defines Mental Health as:

“A state of well-being in which an individual realizes his/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.”

The WHO also further stresses that mental health is not just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities. Having perfect mental health is about consistently looking after one’s wellness and happiness and avoiding active conditions.

There is also an emphasis that maintaining and restoring one’s mental health is crucial in functioning adequately throughout the world’s different communities and societies. In the United States, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMH) estimates 1 in 5 adults to experience mental health issues annually.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), about 11.2 million adults in the U.S. experienced severe psychological conditions in 2017.

Risk Factors For Mental Health Conditions

In the United States and most of the developed world, one of the leading causes of disability is mental disorders. Anyone can have mental health disorders regardless of age, sex/gender, income, or ethnicity. Factors like social and financial status, biology, and lifestyle choices can affect mental health.

Many people with existing mental health disorders have more than one condition at the same time. It is important to note that there needs to be a delicate balance of several personal and worldly factors to contribute to disorders.

The following factors have a high chance of contributing to one’s mental health disruption.

Continuous Social And Economic Pressure

Having limited finances or belonging to a marginalized social group can increase the risk of mental health disorders. A 2015 study of 903 Iranian families revealed many socioeconomic causes of mental health conditions like poverty and living on the outskirts of large cities.

There are also differences in the availability and quality of mental health treatment for several modifiable (temporary) and non-modifiable (permanent) factors. Modifiable factors include education,  housing, level of social involvement, occupation, and whether or not work is available. Non-modifiable factors include age, ethnicity, and gender.

The study categorizes gender as both a modifiable and non-modifiable factor. The study found that being female increased the risk of having a low mental health status by 3.96 times along with people with a “weak economic status.”

Biological Factors

The National Institute of Mental Health suggests that genetics and family history can increase the risk of mental health conditions. However, other factors contribute to their development too. Having genes linked with mental health disorders like depression or schizophrenia does not guarantee its development.

Similarly, people with no genetic predisposition can have mental health illnesses and issues too. Mental health conditions like anxiety, depression, and stress may develop due to physical ailments like cancer, chronic pain, and diabetes.

Common Mental Health Disorders

The most commonly occurring mental illnesses are anxiety, mood, and schizophrenia disorders.

Early Signs

There is no physical test that can determine whether a person is mentally ill. However, there are a few signs that can signify a mental health disorder:

• Avoid activities that they would usually enjoy.
• Being confused.
• Being unable to complete daily tasks, such as getting to work or cooking a meal.
• Displaying negative emotions.
• Eating too much or too little.
• Experiencing delusions.
• Feeling hopeless.
• Having consistently low energy.
• Having persistent thoughts or memories that reappear regularly.
• Hearing voices.
• Sleeping too much or too little.
• Thinking of causing physical harm to themselves or others.
• Using mood-altering substances, including alcohol and nicotine, more frequently.
• Withdrawing from friends, family, and colleagues.

Treatment

There are many ways to help people manage their mental health issues. Treatment is highly customized, and what works for one may not work for another. People living with chronic mental disorders may choose different options at different points of life.

The person affected needs to work closely with a doctor who can help identify their needs and determine suitable treatment.

Various treatments can include:

Psychotherapy, Or Talking Therapies

This type of treatment uses psychology to treat mental illness. Techniques like dialectical behavior therapy, exposure therapy, and cognitive-behavioral therapy are examples of psychological approaches used. These methods are used by psychotherapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists.

It can help people figure out the root of their issues and develop healthy coping mechanisms that support their routine and reduce the chances of self-isolation and harm.

Medication

Prescribed medications, like antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anxiolytic drugs, help some people. Though they cannot cure mental illness and disorders, some medications can relieve symptoms, and people get back into society and a routine while working on their mental health.

Some medications boost serotonin, and others boost overall levels of these chemicals and prevent their degradation.

Self Help

A person struggling with mental health challenges will need to change their lifestyle to become completely well. This can include changes in alcohol intake, sleep cycle, nutrition, and relationships. They might need to take time away from work and resolve relationship issues weighing on them.

People who have anxiety and depression benefit from relaxation techniques like deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness. Whether through self-help groups or close friends and family, having a support network can also be essential to recovery from mental illness.