Mental Health Defined
- Mental health is a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her own community (World Health Organisation).
- The definition of ‘mental health problems’ covers a very wide spectrum, from the worries and grief we all experience as part of everyday life to the most bleak, suicidal depression or complete loss of touch with everyday reality.
- Good mental health means being generally able to think, feel and react in the ways that you need and want to live your life. But if you go through a period of poor mental health you might find the ways you're frequently thinking, feeling or reacting become difficult, or even impossible, to cope with. This can feel just as bad as a physical illness, or even worse. (MIND)
- Being mentally healthy is also about having the strength to overcome the difficulties and challenges we can all face at times in our lives – to have confidence and self-esteem, to be able to make decisions and to believe in ourselves. (Rethink Mental Illness)
- There are many issues that impact on our mental health including our physical health, our social situation, our living environment and/or genetic factors. This makes us all at risk of developing a mental health problem at any time during our lives. Most people who experience them do recover or learn to manage their mental health problem and still lead meaningful and fulfilled lives. (Gofal, 2019)
- An individual's mental health doesn’t always stay the same. It can change as circumstances change and as you move through different stages of your life. (Mental Health Foundation)