What Is Mental Health?
- MindSource101
- May 19, 2021
- 2 min read
What Is Mental Health?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO):
“Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”
The WHO further describes mental health as “an integral and essential component of health” and is “fundamental to our collective and individual ability as humans to think, emote, interact with each other, earn a living and enjoy life.”
Mental health is essential and fundamental to our ability to affect how we feel, act, and think. We use our state of well-being to determine how we make decisions, handle stress, and relate to others.
In other words, mental health means to continue and maintain our happiness and lifestyle wellness. Also, the WHO emphasizes that all individuals (of all ages) must preserve and restore their mental health, throughout different cultures and communities.
Around the world, the WHO on mental illness estimates that almost 1 in 4 people will be affected by mental/neurological disorders during their lives. Currently, an estimated 450 million people suffer from mental disorders, which makes it the leading cause of illness and disability worldwide.
Risk Factors of Mental Health
The risk factors of mental health are multiple psychological, social, and biological factors that control a person’s mental health. According to the WHO, for example, “violence and persistent socio-economic pressures are recognized risks to mental health. The clearest evidence is associated with sexual violence.”
The WHO emphasizes that stressful work environments, rapid social change, social exclusion, physical ill-health, gender discrimination, unhealthy lifestyle, and human rights violations are associated with poor mental health. Furthermore, genetic factors which are included with biological risks make people vulnerable to mental health problems.
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