Mentally healthy or mentally ill ?

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Mentally healthy or mentally ill ?

Monday, 17 December 2018 | Dr Sona Kaushal Gupta

Are you mental? A friend asked me this innocently when I asked him to do something he disagreed to and did not want to do. We hear many of our friends casually ask this question when they do not agree to another’s view point. Let us not label anyone with such words which are so significant and have a deep meaning and deeper repercussions.

Stress, anxiety and depression are household words today. Every second person we meet says he or she is stressed or worried. Children, teens or adults all seem to be burdened with these conditions to some degree. No matter what issues they encounter —whether academic or relationship or their health or financial issues, if people are not able to resolve them effectively, they get stressed.

Mental health and well being is a big concern for everyone today and should be given a lot of attention. As our society grows, we are slowly beginning to destigmatise mental health and see it in the proper perspective.

Mental health should no longer be spoken in whispered tones today. We need to be aware of the pitfalls and the crevices and break away from the myths and stigma which surround our mental health issues.

Everyone has mental health, just like everyone has health. As the World Health Organisation (WHO) says, “There is no health without mental health.”

We need to go to the crux of the issue. Let us try to define and understand various terms related to our mental health and understand where we stand today.

The WHO declares that health is "A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity." This holistic definition of health very clearly incorporates our mental health also.

Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.

We realise that mental health is very important for all of us today. It is the foundation of our life, physical health and happiness.

It includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It not only affects how we think, feel, behave and act but also determines how we handle the problems which come our way, how we find rational solutions to them, whether we get stressed or cope well, how well we relate to others, and whether we are able to make good choices. Our mental health is important to us at every stage of our life, no matter where we are, from childhood and adolescence to adulthood and old age. Without doubt, we can say that good mental health leads to a good physical health.

When we were children no one ever told us or taught us how to think positively to be happy. It is only now that people have realised the importance and meaning of positive mental health.We need to learn ourselves first and then teach our children how to ‘accept’ the life changes and challenges that come our way and how to make healthy choices to be able to be happy.

Also how to work on ourselves when we are unhappy and be able to change our feelings to happiness again. Its all inner work we need to learn and do. This is the awareness about good mental health we all need to learn and spread.

Positive mental health is all about people being happy, which means that they realise their full potential and appreciate themselves for it. They should be able to make good choices and be happy about them, be in a mindful state –which means be focused and aware of the present moment. They should cope with the stressors and stresses of their life adaptively and also work productively.

They should make meaningful contributions to their lives and to society while also accepting and acknowledging their feelings and emotions when they are unhappy and working on themselves to come back to the stage of being happy again.

For a positive or good mental health, one needs to connect with others. Healthy happy relationships are very  vital for our mental well-being.Toxic people should be kept at bay, as far as possible.If we are not able to visit our friends or relatives more often, then connecting to them by phone or by messaging are other better ways. Staying positive is an important skill we all need to learn.

However it is easier said than done. It actually means being able to accept people and situations,being mindful and finding solutions to our problems. One also needs to remain physically active-exercise is an immense stress buster while helping others in whatever way we can is also important.

One needs to get enough sleep. At least seven hours of continuous regular sleep in the night is a must for our mental well being.We can add a catnap in the afternoon to this. Developing appropriate and adequate coping skills to beat our stress and adopting an attitude of gratitude or keeping a gratitude journal are also helpful.

One should get professional if needed. We should never hesitate to go to a doctor when we are distressed and not able to cope well. There should be no stigma attached to this.

What is a Mental Illness then?

A mental illness is a health problem that significantly affects how a person feels, thinks, behaves, and interacts with other people. It is diagnosed, according to standardised criteria by a medical health professional. The term mental disorder is also used to refer to these mental health problems.

A mental health problem also interferes with how a person thinks, feels, and behaves, but to a lesser extent than a mental illness.

Mental health problems are more common today and include the mental health problems that arise and can be experienced by us temporarily, as a result of the distress due to the stressors we face in our daily life.

For example, we feel sad or angry or frustrated or we all have days where we feel a bit down, or stressed out, or overwhelmed by something that’s happening in our lives.

Mental health problems are less severe than mental illnesses, but may develop into a mental illness if they are not dealt with effectively and timely. Timely counsellings and psychotherapy can help us prevent these problems turning chronic and into severe mental illnesses.

As I have stated earlier, an important aspect of good mental health is the ability to look at the problems or concerns realistically and logically and take timely professional help.

Good mental health isn’t about always feeling happy and confident 24 x 7 or ignoring the problems-but it’s about coping well with them and living happily despite the problems.

Surprisingly,despite all the medical facilities available, mental health problems appear to be increasing day by day—in intensity and severity. According to the WHO, depression will be one of the biggest health problems worldwide by the year 2020.

Lack of awareness about mental illness and its treatment options is a very big reason for this as well as the fear of stigma attached to it.

Types of mental illness

Mental illnesses are of different types and of different degrees of severity. Some of the major mental health illnesses are depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar mood disorder, personality disorders and eating disorders. The most common mental illnesses are anxiety and depressive disorders which are a pandemic now. We have to be aware and take care of ourselves and our near and dear ones.

While everyone experiences strong feelings of tension, fear, anger or sadness at times, which we call psychological problems or issues, a mental illness precipitates when these feelings become so acute, disturbing and overwhelming that people face them in all spheres of their life, be it at home office or in relationships and work.

As a result, they have great difficulty coping with day-to-day activities, such as work, enjoying leisure time, and maintaining relationships.

Mental illnesses can cause a great deal of suffering to those experiencing them, as well as to their near and dear ones and to the caretakers. Barriers to taking timely help and treatment for coping with mental illnesses  is the fear of stigma which is associated with the words ‘mental illness’. Let’s break these barriers—let us spread this message far and wide—loud and clear—that mental illness is as common as physical illness and is treatable and curable. Each one of us needs to be aware of this fact and educate others.

We can have poor mental health which means a mental or psychological problem,but no mental illness, similarly it’s entirely possible to have good mental health with a diagnosis of a mental illness.

That’s because many mental illnesses (like physical health problems) can often be episodic, meaning there are ‘episodes’ of ill health and times of better or good health.

Therefore awareness and timely treatment and counsellings can help us remain mentally healthy. With the right supports and tools, anyone can live a more happy, enriched and fulfilling life —and add meaning to their life, contribute to society and to their communities, and work towards their goals confidently.

Whether we live a bitter life or a better life-the choice is ours. Awareness, education, empathy and compassion are the tools which can save many people from falling into the pitfalls of mental health problems and illness.

(The author is a consultant psychologist and CBSE counsellor)  

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