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Importance and functions of Mental Health
Importance of Mental Health
Good mental health is essential to our overall well-being. It allows us to think clearly, manage our emotions, cope with stress, relate to others, and make meaningful contributions to our communities. When our mental health is not optimal, we may experience difficulties in any or all of these areas. The field of psychology is concerned with understanding the nature, scope, and principles of mental health in order to promote it and prevent its deterioration.
Mental health refers to our psychological well-being – how we feel about ourselves, how we relate to others, our moods, and emotions. Our mental health is influenced by multiple factors, including biology (e.g., genes), life events (e.g., trauma), social support (e.g., family relationships), personality traits (e.g., optimism), and coping skills for dealing with stressors like trauma or adversity.
People often struggle with their mental health, even if they do not have a diagnosed disorder. Symptoms include sadness, feeling stressed or anxious much of the time, difficulty sleeping, poor concentration or memory problems.
Functions of Mental Health
Mental health is essential to our overall well-being. It helps us cope with stress, relate to others, make decisions, and manage our emotions. Mental health difficulties can affect all aspects of life, including relationships, work or school performance, physical and emotional regulation, self-esteem and other aspects of self-concept.
Mental disorders are a significant cause of disability in children and adults around the world.
At any given time, 1 in 5 people are living with a mental disorder that makes it difficult for them to do what most people would consider routine daily activities.
There are a number of functions of mental health that affect us in different areas. From moods to behavior patterns to abilities (executive functioning), mental health is important for everyday life. The World Health Organization defines mental health as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community. We have five broad categories that help categorize many types of problems: psychosis spectrum; depression; anxiety; attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); eating disorders; substance use disorders; obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).
