Mental health

 Mental health is the overall well-being of how a person thinks, behaves, and regulates the demands and changes of life. Mental well-being is a person’s sense of inner connectedness, and the ability to maintain balance and use their abilities in harmony with the universal values ​​of society. It involves basic cognitive and social skills. The ability to identify, express, and regulate one’s own emotions, as well as empathize with others. Mental well-being is about flexibility and the ability to cope with adverse life events and adjust to changing roles as well as the various functions of social living. It encompasses the harmonious relationship between body and mind/brain at different life stages.

It involves respect and care for oneself and other living beings; recognition of the connection between people; respect for the environment; and respect for the freedom of oneself and others. This concept incorporates reality and acknowledges that mentally healthy people can experience appropriate human emotions – including fear, anger, sadness, joy, and grief – while at the same time possessing sufficient resilience to restore a dynamic state of internal balance.

It is well known that positive mind-body functioning is a clear indicator of appropriate health status. Sometimes people experience a significant disruption in this mental functioning. Cultural norms and social expectations play a role in defining mental health and related disorders. There is no standard measure across cultures to determine when a behavior is normal or when it is disordered. What may be normal in one society may be a cause for concern in another.

A mental disorder is characterized by a significant disruption of a person's cognition, emotional control, and behavioral-social coordination. It is usually associated with distress or impairment in important areas of functioning. A mental disorder may be present when patterns or changes in thinking, feeling, or behavior cause distress or impair a person's ability to function.

Mental health

What is mental health?

The mind and mental health are inextricably linked. Mental health is the sum of our mind's internal behavior and emotions. Mental health is the health of a person's internal thoughts, feelings, emotions, and intellect.

Things on which mental health depends:

We call all the factors on which a person's mental health depends on the factors of mental health. The main factors of mental health are:

• The person's environment.

• Social status.

• Family status.

• Freedom of expression.

• Opportunities for mental recreation.

• The person's economic status.

• Friends and classmates.

• Adequate rest and sleep.

• The person's scope of responsibilities and duties.

Importance of mental health:

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is a healthy combination of three states of a person: physical, mental, and social. We can say that a person can never be healthy only by combining the physical and social states of a person. Rather, he must be mentally ill.
Keeping the mind healthy is as important as keeping the body healthy for a healthy and beautiful life. If a person has good mental health, he/she will:

• Can complete daily activities properly.

• Can face various challenges.

• Can live in harmony with family and society. Able to adapt naturally and properly.

• Can make quick and correct decisions on various issues.

• Becomes more productive and can play a greater role in the development of oneself and society.

What are the signs and symptoms of poor mental health?

Mental health takes a toll when someone decides to focus on “what’s wrong” instead of “what’s good and going well.” Many people may know the signs of physical illness like a heart attack or stroke but are unaware of poor mental health.

Some signs and symptoms include:

• Feeling constantly sad or down

• Diminished ability to concentrate

• Withdrawal from social connections and daily activities of life.

• Major changes in eating and sleeping habits

• Suicidal thoughts and feelings of loneliness

• Extreme overthinking and guilt

• Extreme mood swings

• Detaching from reality, paranoia hallucinations, or even delusions

• Inability to cope with everyday problems of life

• Difficulty relating to or understanding situations and people

• Substance abuse

• Changes in sex drive

• Excessive anger, hostility, or violence

• Major changes in eating and sleeping patterns

Ways to maintain good mental health

What we can do to maintain good mental health –

1) Take care of yourself:-

To get mental health and healthy emotions, it is necessary to take care of yourself. Expressing suppressed emotions reduces stress and complications. Set aside some time for yourself, listen to your mind, read books, and listen to music. Forget the past and future and try to live in the present.

2) Eat nutritious food:-

Scientists have found in various studies that a balanced and nutritious diet not only keeps our body but also our mind healthy. On the other hand, unhealthy fatty foods are seriously responsible for our depression. Foods rich in vitamin B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids help keep our brain's emotion-controlling hormones strong. Apart from this, fresh fruits and vegetables play a big role in our mental health. Regular consumption of nutritious food increases immunity, thus maintaining both physical and mental health.

3) Adequate sleep:-

Just as there is no alternative to adequate sleep to keep the body healthy, there is no alternative to sleep to keep the mind healthy. Because due to lack of adequate sleep, our mood becomes irritable, we feel tired, and our work motivation decreases. During sleep, our body repairs damaged cells and keeps our mind and mood strong. Therefore, adequate rest is essential to maintain healthy mental health.

4) Regular exercise:-

Physical exercise is very important for mental health. Exercise is very useful in relieving stress and depression. Exercise energizes the body, reduces fatigue and mental stress. Therefore, develop the habit of exercising regularly to keep the mind strong.

5) Doing hobbies:-

If you can do your hobbies, your mind is good, your confidence increases. Worries do not come to mind and suppressed emotions are also expressed. For example, gardening, cooking or sewing, learning something new, etc. As a result, the performance and efficiency of the brain will increase.

6) Believing in yourself:-

If you accept your weaknesses and believe in your own abilities, you will get the courage to move forward in life. None of us are perfect. Comparing yourself with others and thinking about your weaknesses is foolish. This increases inferiority, depression, and sadness. Accepting your weaknesses or trying to eliminate them will increase your self-confidence.

7) Be grateful:-

Make a list of what you have received throughout the day and express your gratitude for it. Do not worry about what you have not received, try to be happy with what you have received, this will create positivity in your mind.

8) Spend more time with your loved ones:-

Spending time with your loved ones keeps your mind healthy. If you keep yourself confined to your home, depression and anxiety will increase, which can lead to mental problems. Open up to your friends and family. A little laughter and a little hug are very useful for healing your mind.

Spending time with your loved

9) Be active:-

If you sit idle, various worries start to crowd your mind. So always be busy with work, then your mind will be good.

10) Forgiveness: – 

If you hold grudges against someone for a long time, it can lead to mental illness. So forgive, forgiveness can give you mental peace. Forgive and stay healthy.

The methods mentioned so far are in our hands, by adopting them we can stay mentally healthy. However, it is important to seek expert advice to cure important mental problems. Although physical damage is good, mental damage cannot be easily overcome. Some brutal incidents are happening around us every day, and the victims may experience various types of mental problems including extreme mental stress, fear, sadness, and depression. We should be by their side, and make arrangements for them to have a completely healthy life without looking down on them.

When should I seek help?

It's understandable to have a certain amount of anxiety and low mood when you have a physical illness. However, you should seek help when you:

• You have struggled with mental health before, or have been diagnosed with a mental illness before, and feel like you are getting sick again
• You feel worse than before
• The problem doesn't seem to be getting better over time
• You notice feelings that are affecting your relationships, work, interests, or daily life
• You feel like life isn't worth living, or that others would be better off without you.

How can I get help?

You can start by talking to someone you trust about how you are feeling. Sharing how you are feeling often can have a positive impact on your mental health.

If you need more support, talk to your general practitioner/GP, or the medical team supporting your physical illness. They will be able to advise you on what kind of support is available to you and help you access it.

There are lots of charities and organizations that support people living with physical illness. You can find out more about them at the end of this resource.

If you are already being looked after by a mental health team, you should also let them know if you have a physical illness. It will help them to know this so they can support you.

How can I help myself?

In addition to seeking help from a medical professional, there are some things you can do to help yourself:

Talk to others

Share your fears and concerns with those close to you. Talk to someone who has helped you in the past and is a good listener.

Talk to your doctor

Don't be afraid to ask your doctor or GP questions about your illness. If there are any aspects of the illness or its treatment that you are unsure about, they can help you understand them.

Eat well

Try to eat a balanced diet. Losing weight or eating unhealthy foods can be bad for your physical and mental health.

Exercise regularly

If possible, try to get some physical exercise regularly. This can be something as simple as going for a walk or doing ten minutes of light yoga.

Maintain balance

Try to find a balance between working out and resting.

Do something good for yourself (self-care)

Do something relaxing, and enjoyable during the day. This can be anything from talking to a friend on the phone to sitting in the garden and reading a book.

Avoid excessive drinking

Try not to drink too much alcohol, as this can harm your mental health in the long term.

Self-medicating

Some people use alcohol or drugs to cope with their physical or mental health problems. This is sometimes called 'self-medicating'. You may find it helpful in the short term, but over time it will make you feel worse. If you are using drugs or alcohol to cope with difficult feelings, talk to your doctor.

Get enough sleep

Try to follow a good sleep pattern. Read our information on good sleep for advice.

Get your health checked

If you have a physical or mental illness or are taking any medication, you will be referred to your GP or specialist for regular health checks. Make sure to go to these, and tell your GP or specialist if you have any new symptoms of a physical or mental health problem. This helps doctors to stop any problems you may have before they get worse.

How can I help someone else?

Friends and family are often the first to notice when someone's mental health problems are getting worse. If you notice this in someone you know:

• Encourage them to ask for help by gently explaining it to them.
• Explain that with help, they can get better.
• Explain that asking for help is not a sign of weakness.