What is mental health?

Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which every

individual realizes 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.

A group of smiling young women, LesothoWHO/P. Virot

The positive dimension of mental health is stressed in WHO's

definition of health as contained in its constitution: "Health is a state
of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity."

This fact file highlights the important aspects of mental health and
disorders. The images include pictures drawn by children who
participated in the WHO Global School Contest of Mental Health in
2001.

Importance of mental health?

Patients struggling with mental health often have a more difficult time
managing their overall health. Mental health refers to a person’s
emotional, psychological and social well-being. It impacts how one
thinks, feels and acts. Because of the broad scope and impact of
mental health, at Landmark we refer to mental health as “behavioral
health.” And it’s a strong part of our care model.

We consider the behavioral health needs of each of our patients. In

fact, all of our home-based providers are educated in treating
behavioral health issues and we also have specialty providers that
include psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses, technicians and social
workers.

Our behavioral health care is driven by patient need. It may include

help managing any of the following conditions or situations:

Depression

Anxiety, Stress, Memory Loss, Alzheimer’s Disease

Mood Disorders, including seasonal affective disorder

Living or Service Needs and beyond

How to develop good mental health?

1. Value yourself:

Treat yourself with kindness and respect, and avoid self-criticism.

Make time for your hobbies and favorite projects, or broaden your
horizons. Do a daily crossword puzzle, plant a garden, take dance
lessons, learn to play an instrument or become fluent in another
language.

2. Take care of your body:

Taking care of yourself physically can improve your mental health. Be

sure to:

Eat nutritious meals

Avoid cigarettes -- see Tobacco Cessation Help

Drink plenty of water

Exercise, which helps decrease depression and anxiety and improve

moods

Get enough sleep. Researchers believe that lack of sleep contributes

to a high rate of depression in college students. See Sleep.

3. Surround yourself with good people:

People with strong family or social connections are generally healthier

than those who lack a support network. Make plans with supportive
family members and friends, or seek out activities where you can meet
new people, such as a club, class or support group.

4. Give yourself:

Volunteer your time and energy to help someone else. You'll feel good
about doing something tangible to help someone in need — and it's a
great way to meet new people. See Fun and Cheap Things to do in Ann
Arbor for ideas.

5. Learn how to deal with stress:

Like it or not, stress is a part of life. Practice good coping skills: Try
One-Minute Stress Strategies, do Tai Chi, exercise, take a nature walk,
play with your pet or try journal writing as a stress reducer. Also,
remember to smile and see the humor in life. Research shows that
laughter can boost your immune system, ease pain, relax your body
and reduce stress.

Opinion about mental health?

Negative stereotypes and stigmatizing attitudes against mentally ill
persons have powerful historical roots in many cultures. The common
perception of these persons, who are unable to defend their rights, is
that they are dangerous, violent and unpredictable (Arboreda-Florez &
Sartorius, 2008). This paper presents a preliminary investigation
regarding the public perceptions and attitudes about mental illness
using an adapted version of the Opinions about Mental Illness Scale
(Cohen & Struening, 1962). The participants were 150 university
students and the following five attitudinal dimensions were
investigated: authoritarianism (the opinion that people with a mental
illness cannot be held accountable for their acts and they should be
controlled by society), benevolence (an attitude that could be placed
between tolerance and pity/compassion), mental hygiene ideology (the
opinion that mental illness is similar to other illnesses and it should be
treated adequately by specialists), social restrictiveness (the opinion
that mentally ill persons should be restricted in some social domains),
and interpersonal aetiology (the belief that the real cause of a mental
illness are the problematic interpersonal relations). The implications
for the implementation of anti-stigma programs are discussed.