Mental Health and How to Maintain It

Mental health is cognitive, behavioral and emotional well-being. It is all about
how people think, feel and behave. Mental disorder can affect daily living,
relationship and physical health.

Mental health is not what we would want it to be. Finding it difficult to manage how we think, feel, act with respect to daily stresses could be a sign of poor mental health.


What is Good Mental Health?

Good mental health is a ability to fulfill a number of key function and activities
like ability to feel, express and manage a range of positive and negative emotions, the ability to form and maintain good relationships with others and society.


What are the Components of Mental Health?

• Physical health -  Physical activity can improve your health and reduce the risk of developing several diseases. It improves your quality of life. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, proper sleep and cutting down smoking, alcohol and drug use are vital to physical health and mental well-being.

• Intellectual health - Intellectual health is an ability to think critically, question his surroundings, pay attention to current events and develop creative ways to adapt to unexpected obstacles. Being open to new ideas and experiences can improve skills and understanding.

• Environmental health - Environmental health is a public health concerned with all aspects of the natural and built environment affecting human health. It depends on the environment for energy and the materials needed to sustain life, such as clean air, drinking water and nutritious food.

• Vocational health - Vocational health is a gaining personal satisfaction and enrichment from one’s work. It plays a role in promoting both physical and mental health when work is fully adapted to human goals, capacities and limitations.

• Social health - Social health is ability to interact and form meaningful relationships with others. It also relates to how comfortably we can adapt in social situations. The heart and blood pressure of people with healthy relationships respond better to stress. It increases happiness including sense of belonging and concern for others.

• Emotional health - Emotional health is an important part of overall health. People who are emotionally healthy are in control of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. They are able to cope up with life’s challenges. It very important to maintain one’s emotion, now-a-days people are suffering from severe difficulties in managing their emotions and behaviors.

• Spiritual health - Spiritual health creates a balance between physical, psychological and social aspects of human life. It organizes the values of relationships and purpose of our lives. Our actions become more consistent with our beliefs and values.

How Mental Health is Affected?

Mental health is affected when u feel betrayed, being social isolation, loneliness,
experiencing discrimination and stigma, social disadvantage, poverty, debt, losing
someone close to you, severe sufferings, long term stress, having physical
problem, bad health condition, unemployment, losing current job and breaking
one’s trust.

Mental illness affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps to determine how we handle stress, relate others and make healthy choices. Mental health is
important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through
adulthood.


What is Mental Illness?

Mental illness is otherwise known as mental health disorders which is wide range
of mental health condition. It affects your mood, thinking and behavior.


What are the problems faced by Mental Illness?

Problems faced by mental illness are significant tiredness, low energy, lack of
sleep, withdrawal from friends and activities, depression, irritability, anxiety,
extreme mood changes of highs and lows, excessive fears, being worried and
extreme feelings of guilt.


How to Maintain Mental Health?

•  Express your feelings
•  Deal with troubles
•  Be active
•  Take a break
•  Value yourself
•  Meditation
•  Relax your mind
•  Deal with stress
•  Eat well
•  Do your hobbies
•  Ask help when you are needy
•  Keep in touch with surroundings
•  Drink sensibly
•  Avoid self criticism

Written By - Reshma Madhini

Edited By - Vanshu Verma