how to be mentally healthy

We all want to be healthy and enjoy a general well-being, but this is not possible if we are not mentally healthy. What are the main characteristics of mental health? How are mentally healthy people? What are the causes of mental illness? And what are their consequences? How to prevent mental disorders? How to detect them and how to treat them? In this article, we will deny certain myths and preconceptions about mental illness. In addition, we will give you the keys to improve your psychological well-being and that of your loved ones.

What is mental health?
According to the WHO, it is a "complete state of mental, physical and social well-being, not just the absence of disease or suffering". This is the main definition, which is most often cited when addressing this topic. It is short, explicit and reminds us that to be considered healthy it is necessary to take into account a large number of variables.

Usually, when we hear about health, we think of colds, skulls, and other more or less serious physical problems. Yet mental health is essential for us to be really good. Without it, it does not matter the good results of our blood tests.

It is impossible to separate our psychic state from our body. Both maintain a two-way relationship. The study of mental health is addressed by multiple professions and many models. At present, there is a great awareness of the urgency of considering health from a holistic point of view in order to improve our personal development.

One in four people develops at least one mental disorder in their lifetime. It is not necessary to alarm us. But if we want to live well, it is important that we learn about health, both physical and mental. Thus, we will be able to acquire basic knowledge and good habits to stay healthy. In this article, we will give you some methods that will allow you to be mentally healthier and take care of your loved ones.

Key features that define mental health Mental health affects us in all aspects of our lives: It allows us to interact appropriately with those around us, to build healthy emotional bonds, to have a good professional performance, to be able to achieve our goals. everyday tasks or simple actions like noticing a red light, greeting someone or blinking an eye.
Good mental health allows us to develop our maximum potential: Being mentally healthy is not limited to living without psychological suffering. It motivates us to challenge ourselves and to overcome them, to reach our goals, to develop our abilities and to face the daily adversities with vitality.

Being mentally healthy is necessary to be happy:
The summit of well-being is happiness. If we are well mentally, we will be happier and we can organize our priorities more harmoniously, be part of a group or give more importance to the good things in life.

Mental health is a dynamic process:
Throughout our lives, we go through different stages in different circumstances. Our mental health adapts to these. It may be that during adolescence we are more preoccupied than average for our physical, but now we are satisfied with ourselves. The values of society, the context, the idea of "happiness" and advances in techniques that improve our mental health are also evolving.
What we mean by mental health is partly cultural: who defines the "norm"? This can sometimes be very difficult to determine, as in the case of sexual disorders for example.

They behave well with others:
We have a strong gregarious impulse that drives us to seek the company of others. We wish to live in harmony with society. Mentally healthy people maintain strong relationships with others, value them and desire the best. To behave well is rewarding and adaptive.
Causes of poor mental health.

The risk factors that determine a person's poor mental health are multiple and heterogeneous. The complexity and diversity of mental problems make it very difficult to know their roots. Each has its own causes and peculiarities.

Some appear to be mainly due to brain damage or genetic predisposition, others are largely influenced by the socio-cultural context, others are related to the maladaptive associations of stimulations that the person has learned at some point in his life. life, etc.

In this field of study, new theories and innovations are continually occurring, bringing us ever closer to the truth. The combination of different models generates interesting new explanations that are oriented towards the prevention of mental disorders as well as possible interventions.

Despite the fact that there is some uncertainty, we can name the main risk factors, which are a mixture of environmental, social, family, economic and individual elements.

Family issues:
If the parents of a child are suffering from or have suffered from a mental illness, if there are abuses in the family or if the family unit is stable, the possibilities that the mental well-being of the child deteriorated increase considerably.

Isolation:
A pleasant social life is a good defense against poor mental health. Conditions of discrimination, such as bullying, can lead to serious problems such as eating problems, depression, or anxiety symptoms . How to avoid depression ?

Work Stress:
We continue to hear in the media the devastating effects of stress. Yet, there are many people who can not think of alternatives. Unemployment and partial work are other factors that weigh heavily on poor mental health.

Low social and economic level:
A difficult socio-economic condition reduces the protection of individuals and their ability to respond to mental problems. For example, undernutrition has serious health effects, both physical and mental.

Low adaptation to the environment:
The feeling of being disconnected from our environment is unpleasant for everyone. For example, all people who are not born in our digital society, lack of knowledge of technology can be a difficult obstacle to overcome.

Active substance use:
We have all heard about the consequences of drug use and the consequences of alcohol use on the brain. Mental health is one of the first affected by these consumptions.

War:
A war situation increases discrimination, tension, feelings of injustice and a range of factors that can destroy people's wellbeing.
All those exposed to these circumstances will not necessarily develop a mental disorder. And people who are well adapted to their environment are not mentally healthy either. It is still advisable to avoid these risk factors and to fight so that no one has to undergo types of situations that increase their vulnerability.

Consequences and effect of poor mental health
The fruits of poor mental health can be appreciated in many aspects of people's lives. All mental problems do not have the same impact, and only a few become serious disorders. Certain difficulties, such as a period of low self-esteem in an individual's life, can only have repercussions on his or her relationship and academic performance, and can be solved in a short time.

However, if this lack of well-being intensifies, it can become a physical problem, material, family or professional. Poor mental health has harmful psychological and economic effects for the person who suffers from it and increases the risk of suffering from a physical illness.

Thus, these problems often involve a large part of the knowledge circle of the affected person. We live in an interconnected society and sometimes the relatives of people who have poor mental health are the most affected by the situation.

Prevention of mental disorders, how to promote good mental health?
What is mental health is largely ignored by the public, as are the habits necessary to maintain and improve it.? The first thing to do is to make people aware that anyone can suffer from a mental disorder in their lifetime, and that it is not the end of the world .

The media sometimes convey stereotypes to the community that leads to the risk of exclusion. The image of the "crazy" is exiled while the reality is much more complicated than the clichés about mental disorders. However, they are the ones who have the keys to raising awareness and conveying the need to maintain mentally healthy habits, which they do from time to time.

On the other hand, politics is one of the keys to developing measures that integrate people who suffer from any mental problem. As citizens, permanently connected and with the freedom to express our opinion, we have the power to demand more attention on an issue as important as this one .

We can also act at the individual level and try to convince our relatives, friends and family, the importance of adopting habits and healthy measures, whether verbally or through social networks. If we wish to inform ourselves more, there are public organizations like the WHO which share preventive measures as well as an abundant bibliography on the subject. We must remember that it is necessary to rely on well-informed sources.

How to detect and treat a mental health problem?
Mental health problems can affect us throughout our lives. Lack of sleep, self-control problems, phobias, developmental disorders, mobbing, sudden mood swings, and other circumstances can make you feel bad.

If you are concerned about your mental health or if you have observed unusual behaviors in someone close to you, notice a surprising drop in his performance, talk about how he feels bad, mention strange ideas, inconsistent or extremely negative, it is possible that he suffers from a deterioration of his mental health. At first, the most appropriate is to keep calm. It's always easier said than done, but remember that mental health is malleable, and not all mental health issues are necessarily serious.

There are sufficiently heterogeneous criteria that make it possible to establish a diagnosis in these cases, which are generally rather complicated. The right people to make a diagnosis are the professionals. If we look for information on unreliable sites, such as we find a lot on the internet, perhaps we will draw hasty conclusions and worsen the situation.

In relation to the treatment, it depends considerably on the problem in question. There are different community services, specialized and professional centers that are suitable for different situations. Sometimes we can learn very useful strategies, change our habits, try a therapy, etc ... In other situations, psychological pharmacological treatments are a good alternative (only on the prescription of the psychiatrist). One can also opt for a combination of several solutions. Each case is unique.

Mental health: prejudices and false myths
Prejudice is an attitude (usually negative) towards a particular group, a person or an object based on a generalization that is made in a specific social context. People with mental health problems face different social barriers created by the misinformation and lack of empathy for others.

Stigma adds to the other difficulties inherent in their malaise and has a negative impact on their recovery. It increases their sense of incomprehension and shame. It can even cause a negation or aggravation of symptoms. This is why it is necessary to deny certain erroneous beliefs.

Mental problems are due to bad decisions made by the affected person: There are people who use moral causes (laziness, taste for vices, lack of will, etc ...) to explain the origin of mental disorders and other evil -be psychological. This is a totally false belief.

The mental problems are immutable:
It is true that there are diseases, such as dementia, which do not cure (for the moment). But there are others, such as eating disorders, addictions to active substances or stress disorders in general, which can be significantly improved. There are more and more effective treatments and adequate support options.
People who suffer from mental problems are dangerous: In truth, only 3% of people who suffer from a mental disorder act violently. Their personal situation causes them more fear, despair and discomfort than aggression.

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Finally, it is important to stress that volunteering in the field of mental health is very beneficial, whether it is for people who are suffering or for the volunteers who help them. We must be aware that anyone can develop a problem of this type at some point in their life. Prevention and treatment are essential in these cases. Will you motivate yourself to promote healthy habits?.

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Citation
How to look after your mental health → Mentalhealth.org
Mental Health Treatment → Thebluediamondgallery.com
Mental health → Medicalnewstoday.com
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