Mental Health, a psychological state
of well-being, characterized by continuing personal growth, a sense of purpose
in life, self-acceptance, and positive relations with others. Some people
define mental health as the absence of mental illness, but many psychologists consider
this definition too narrow. Mental health can also refer to a field of study
encompassing both mental health and mental illness.
ELEMENTS OF MENTAL
HEALTH
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Psychologists have identified
a number of distinct dimensions of mental health. These include
self-acceptance, or self-esteem, characterized by a positive evaluation of
oneself and one’s past experiences; personal growth reflected in one’s sense of
continued psychological growth and development; a sense that one’s life has
purpose and meaning; positive relations with others; environmental mastery, the
capacity to manage effectively in the surrounding world; and autonomy, a sense
of self-determination and the ability to control one’s own life. Self-acceptance,
relations with others, environmental mastery, and autonomy usually improve as a
person ages and gains life experience. However, many people find that their
personal growth and sense of purpose in life begin to decline in midlife.
Some psychologists regard
mental health as the ability to maintain a balance between positive and
negative emotions, such as elation and sadness. In this view, a person who
displays emotional extremes in either direction is less well-adjusted. Other
psychologists emphasize the role of one’s environment in influencing
well-being. This perspective sees mental health reflected in a person’s overall
happiness with various domains of life, such as social relationships, work, and
community life.
FACTORS THAT
INFLUENCE MENTAL HEALTH
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A number of different
aspects of life can influence mental health. In a mid-1970s study of people
living in the United States, researchers identified critical areas that
influence one’s mental health. These areas are working life, family life, and
the social role that one occupies in the community. Negative experiences in
these areas, such as an unreasonable boss or a turbulent family life, can
reduce one’s overall sense of well-being.
Another important influence
on mental health is stress. In general, people experience stress when the
demands placed on them exceed the resources they have available to meet those
demands. Significant sources of stress include major life events, such as
divorce, death of a spouse, loss of a job, and illness in the family. These
events can overwhelm a person’s ability to cope and function effectively. In
addition, one source of stress may lead to another, as when financial hardship
follows job loss. People who experience unusually traumatic events, such as
rape and natural disasters, may develop post-traumatic stress disorder.
People may experience chronic
stress when confronted with a continuing set of demands that reduce their
ability to function. Examples of such demands include working long hours under
difficult circumstances and caring for a chronically ill relative. Economic
hardship, unemployment, and poverty can also produce chronic stress and
undermine mental health.
Some studies suggest that
genetic factors may partly determine one’s level of happiness and mental
health. People seem to display a characteristic level of well-being, with some
people usually feeling happy and others typically feeling sad or unhappy.
Researchers have found that although people’s moods change in response to both
positive and negative events, the effect wears off over time. For example,
people who win the lottery or receive an unexpected promotion may feel happier
at first, but over time they return to their former characteristic level of
mental health. Research suggests that one’s genetic background—that is, the
genes inherited from one’s parents—explains more than half of the differences
in people’s characteristic mood levels. Genes may also partly determine the
range of ups and downs that people feel, including whether people have large
mood swings or remain stable from day to day.
MAINTAINING MENTAL
HEALTH
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Yoga
Stretch
Yoga, meditation, and exercise can effectively reduce stress
and help to maintain one’s mental health.
The ability to cope with
adversity can be crucial for the mental health of the individual. Coping
means successfully dealing with problems that arise in life. People differ
substantially in the way they cope with adversity. Some people engage in emotion-focused
coping, a strategy that focuses on managing one’s emotions. Examples
of this coping strategy include distracting one’s attention from the problem,
denying the problem, venting one’s emotions, or sharing emotions with others. A
second form of coping, problem-focused coping, involves efforts to
reduce stress by solving the problem. People who use this strategy take active
steps to overcome the problem, such as seeing a counselor to repair a
relationship or looking for a new job in response to problems at work. They may
also seek advice from friends and family members.
Some people use coping
skills more effectively than others. However, research has shown that people
can learn new coping skills. For example, counselors can teach children how to
handle difficulties in school. Adults can be taught skills to cope with
stressful life events, such as job loss and divorce. Teaching people coping
skills before they encounter adversity, or early in the stages of a crisis,
appears an effective method of preventing poor mental health. Learning
effective coping strategies also directly improves mental health by improving
one’s sense of mastery and self-esteem.
Social support from friends
and family members also promotes good mental health. This support can take
several forms. Other people can offer concrete help in a crisis, such as
providing shelter to families victimized by a natural disaster or alerting an
unemployed person to a job opportunity. In addition, other people can provide
an important source of emotional support. Friends respond with concern,
empathy, and advice to a person facing difficulties or loss. They boost
confidence and self-esteem by offering reassurance and compliments. Self-help
groups provide support by enabling people with similar problems to share their
experiences and emotions. Conversely, research has shown that negative social
interactions, such as constant criticism and belittlement from other people,
can undermine mental health.
Other ways of maintaining
good mental health involve physical activities. For example, research has shown
that regular aerobic exercise helps to boost self-esteem, relieve depression,
and improve concentration. Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and
meditation, also help to combat the effects of stress.
