Good Mental Health: An Overview
Feb 15, 2017, 10:30:00 AM
Good mental health is the most important requirement for living life to the fullest and having an optimal life experience. Good mental health is not merely absence of mental illness.
The signs of good mental health are
- A sense of self sufficiency, self esteem and self worth
- Ability to put one’s trust in others
- Ability to give and receive friendship, affection and love
- Ability to form enduring relationships
- Ability to experience deep emotions
- Ability to forgive other and self
- Ability to introspect and consider change
- Ability to learn from experience
- Ability to tolerate uncertainty and ambiguity and take risks
From the above it is obvious that good mental health is essential for all human endeavoursespecially in establishing and maintaining healthy relationships, making good choices in life, being successful in work, handle the ups and downs of life and maintaining physical health and well being. Job stress occurs when the job requirements do not match the abilities, resources or interests of the individual. On the immediate level job stress increases work related accidents and injuries. There’s reduction in productivity and output, increase in error rates, poor decision making and poor planning and control of work, longer working hours with diminishing productivity, poor time management etc. The individuals show increase in overall sickness absence, depression, constant anxiety. Motivation reduces and commitment to work decreases ultimately ending up in burnout. There will be poor relationships with clients, increasing conflicts with colleagues and increasing disciplinary problems. Various physical illnesses like high BP, heart disease, back ache, recurrent infections, and headaches can occur or worsen. In fact any illness and recovery from it can be adversely affected by stress.
Having a mental illness is like having any other illness like say Diabetes Mellitus. While diet Counseling has a role in management of Diabetes, it should not be the only treatment in serious diabetes. Major psychiatric illnesses like schizophrenia, mania, depressive disorders, anxiety disorders and drug abuse should be referred to a psychiatrist. Counseling should be reserved for what is called problems of living- relationship disorders, role transitional difficulties, role disputes etc. it can also be used as a supportive therapy along with medication. No endocrinologist will treat diabetes without diet control /counseling. Mentally ill persons need to be treated with respect and dignity. They are not different. Treat them as far as possible as you treat any one in similar situation with reasonable consideration for any specific deficit he has shown. After all when interacting with a man whose leg is broken you don’t expect him to walk with you. Over protection and over criticism are equally bad. Don’t go by the stereotype. Don’t be scared of violence. Brute majority of violence in this world is done by sane men.
Mental illnesses are considered to be much more common in children than we usually think it to be. The commonest mental illnesses in children are anxiety diseases, depression, eating disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Common signs of mental diseases in children are change in eating and sleeping habits, school refusal/ reluctance, excessive vague physical complaints, increased crying or irritability, decreasing academic performance, increased secretiveness, excessive need for money, social withdrawal, loss of interest in friends or activities that they used to enjoy, increased worrying and increased defiance and disobedience. Age of onset varies for different mental illness and sex. Over all it is estimated that age of onset for more than half of mental illnesses are in adolescence. However the commonest time they come for treatment is between 20-50 years. That is the time required for most of the people to understand that some of their mental experiences are either not present in others or are way far more than in an average person. That’s also the time when the relatives run out of benign ‘logical’ explanations for alterations in the patient’s behavior .
WHO estimates that that out of the ten top causes of disability producing illnesses five are mental illnesses. By 2020 depression will top that list. The causes are innumerable and will vary depending on whom you are reading. Food technologists will attribute it to processed food and genetic ally engineered food and so on. The main causes as per me are the increasingurbanization that has resulted in breakup of real world relationships. This has been aggravated by rise of virtual relationships that only leaves you a sense of emptiness. Second is the loss of a core guiding philosophy in life you may call it spirituality or whatever, an anchor when the sea of life gets rough and thirdly the skillful encouragement of materialistic possessions and the needless wants it creates. Nothing is enough because there is something more desirable available. These three can be considered as the three major driving forces for an increasing mental distress in this world. This pushes vulnerable people into frank mental diseases, just like eating fried food regularly will cause heart attack in a vulnerable man.
Social Media are becoming Mental Health villains!. From a communicating tool it was originally envisaged as, social media has grown into virtual lives and virtual world, something like an avatar in movie avatar. Hence it is invariable that you will experience depression when you return to reality. Many studies including those done by Dr Era and colleagues from Mumbai has shown increasing depression and anxiety as internet use especially social media use increases. It causes drain in productivity, distracts us from real life activities, makes us lose our social skills leading to social phobias, and as everyone puts up their best in the social media makes us feel inadequate and inferior, makes us physically inactive which too interferes with mental health and renders us incapable of being alone or reflective always waiting for the next ping of the new message. Social media will be the next big trigger for mental illnesses. We are seeing infidelity ideas and paranoid illnesses based on whatsapp and facebook . Mental illnesses rarely kills!! The notable exception being suicide. What it kills is relationship. One of the early signs of mental illness is strain in relations. Work place and family relations being the most intimate and longest they are the first to feel the strain of illness.
There is no life problem that can invariably result in mental illness. Appearance of a mental illness is based on interaction between genetic vulnerability, your child hood experiences, your resilience, supportive psychosocial factors and finally the problem itself. That is why of two children growing up in the same deprived circumstances one turns out to be a criminal and other a police officer. That is why being fired from job is considered as an opportunity for growth by one person and end of the world by the second.
There are many tips for good Mental Health. In fact everyone has suggestions that they sincerely believe in. Mine are as follows
a. Take control of our own life. We have to face our problems and only we can solve it , of course with some help from others
b. Keep a positive attitude. Think you will win, and then you will. There are others to say no to you. Don’t say it yourself
c. Have a close friend with whom you can open up better. Not a social media virtual friend definitely. Ideally it should be same sex friend as it will reduce later complications
d. Identify what relaxes you- music, aroma, pictures, and meditation. Practice it regularly. Use it when you feel tense
e. Eat nutritious, balanced food. Dieting is not eating food
f. Love yourself. Understand that human being is a basket. He has both good andbad qualities. Don’t grieve for what you don’t have. Encourage the good ones while trying to control the bad ones. Understand that you cannot remove the bad qualities totally
g. Trust yourself. Once you develop basic skills of introspection you will be able to tune into your intuitions. Listen to what it says. But don’t fool yourself
h. Exercise regularly. The one who walks 3.5 kms in 30 minutes at least five days a week is unlikely to require a psychiatrist.
i.Take breaks. When going gets tough. Take a break, relax, revaluate the options and then start going again
j. Ask for help. We are scared to ask for help. But the truth is that an average man is willing to help. Asking for help includes seeking help from a psychiatrist.
Kerala’s mind set is changing. The easy money from expatriates and now the skyrocketing land values has put money into the hands of an average malayali. Hence easy money has become the norm and the hard earned money is looked at askance. The rise of service industry and unnecessary trade unionism are just but two effects of it. Believing in equality he refuses to do any job that the other man will not do and one who does is ridiculed. Catching up with neighbor drives them into debt and to solve that into the ultimate holy grail of easy money the lottery or other scams. When reality becomes too difficult to endure he tries to escape into alcohol. This increases failure and finally causes a psychiatric breakdown. For all his education, there is still reluctance to report to a psychiatrist even for clear- cut mental illness, destroying self and loved ones in the process. First signs of mental illness are different for different illnesses and for different people. Some of the general signs are
a. Change in behavior- especially if it is very different from usual behavior
b. Disturbed sleep
c. Change in appetite
d. Social withdrawal
e. Increased anxiety, fearfulness
f. Increased emotional sensitivity, especially crying
g. Easy Irritability and angry outbursts
h. Negative outlook toward life, pessimism
i. In children reappearance of bed wetting, increasing clinging behavior, schoolrefusal, drop in academic performance etc.
If you think that you or someone dear to you are suffering Illhealth, please contact a psychiatrist at the earliest.
Related Articles
Psychological problems faced by men of different ages and ways to deal with them
Nov 20, 2020, 4:15:00 AM
TAKE A MINUTE, CHANGE A LIFE – SUICIDE PREVENTION AND YOU
Sep 9, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
Depression : Overcome it!
Mar 17, 2015, 10:00:00 AM
Schizophrenia : Symptoms, Causes and Myths
Nov 10, 2014, 6:18:00 AM
Other Articles
Know All About Endometriosis
Mar 10, 2021, 6:30:00 AM
The way we think of cancer: what needs to change?
Feb 5, 2021, 7:51:00 AM
Pregnancy in COVID times: When you’re expecting during a pandemic
Jan 13, 2021, 9:16:00 AM
Working Women’s mental health in a ‘new normal’ of COVID era
Dec 7, 2020, 4:52:00 AM
WFH And Healthy Snacking – What Healthy Snacking Looks Like
Dec 4, 2020, 10:34:00 AM
Skin Care in Middle Aged Women
Nov 30, 2020, 4:13:00 AM
Skin care in adolescent girls and young ladies
Nov 27, 2020, 4:13:00 AM
Skin Care for Elderly Women
Nov 23, 2020, 4:30:00 AM
Psychological problems faced by men of different ages and ways to deal with them
Nov 20, 2020, 4:15:00 AM
Managing Thyroid Health with Key Nutrients
Nov 16, 2020, 4:15:00 AM
Healthy Summer Treats for Kids: They will actually demand for more of these
Nov 13, 2020, 4:36:00 AM
Covid-19 and Diabetes: Expert tips and diet plan
Nov 9, 2020, 5:00:00 AM
Cancer Care During Covid-19
Nov 7, 2020, 9:30:00 AM
Best stretching exercises to stay fit at home
Nov 4, 2020, 1:01:00 PM
Osteoporosis-Silent thief-BeAware
Oct 15, 2020, 11:21:00 AM
DO YOU HAVE A MIGRAINE HEADACHE & CAN IT CAUSE DIZZINESS:-
Jul 22, 2020, 6:41:00 AM
Lifestyle Choices : Understanding dilemmas of working women
Jun 16, 2020, 4:09:00 AM
What is limb reconstruction ?
May 25, 2020, 8:52:00 AM
WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE AN ABNORMAL FOETAL ECHO?
May 25, 2020, 8:51:00 AM
NON-SURGICAL MANAGEMENT OF CONGENITAL HEART DISEASES
May 25, 2020, 8:47:00 AM
How to take care of your health amidst COVID 19 pandemic
May 25, 2020, 8:43:00 AM
ABDOMINOPLASTY
Oct 14, 2019, 4:08:00 AM
GYNECOMASTIA
Oct 2, 2019, 4:04:00 AM
Congenital Heart Disease (CHD): What You Should Know
Sep 27, 2019, 6:51:00 AM
Dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease
Sep 23, 2019, 5:58:00 AM
Cosmetic Surgeries After Weight loss
Sep 18, 2019, 4:10:00 AM
High Blood Pressure and Your Health
May 20, 2019, 8:30:00 AM
Glucose Meters are Your Ally
Jul 11, 2018, 6:30:00 PM
Chemical Peel: Discover Radiant, Youthful Skin
Jun 26, 2018, 6:30:00 AM
Scoliosis In Children: How Corrective Surgery Can Transform Lives
Jun 25, 2018, 6:00:00 AM
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD): A Growing Epidemic in Kerala
Jun 12, 2018, 6:00:00 AM
NIPAH VIRUS INFECTION: BE INFORMED, BE SAFE
May 25, 2018, 6:00:00 AM
World Health Day 2018
Apr 6, 2018, 6:00:00 AM
Understanding Autism Helps Early Detection
Mar 29, 2018, 5:30:00 AM
Have The Right Amount Of Carbohydrates And Fats To Keep Your Heart Healthy
Mar 20, 2018, 5:30:00 AM
Cancer In The Elderly: Adopting A Holistic Approach
Mar 14, 2018, 5:30:00 AM
Women And Kidney Diseases
Mar 7, 2018, 5:30:00 AM
PCOS IN ADOLESCENTS : AN ENIGMA
Feb 15, 2018, 5:30:00 AM
Epilepsy: The Reality
Feb 9, 2018, 5:30:00 AM
Cancer- no more a crab!
Feb 2, 2018, 5:30:00 AM
Pulmonary Rehabilitation: Helping People With Lung Diseases Live An Active Life
Jan 17, 2018, 3:00:00 PM
Obesity In Indians
Nov 24, 2017, 2:00:00 PM
Diabetes- What We Should Know?
Nov 14, 2017, 2:00:00 PM
Pneumonia: What You Should Know?
Nov 11, 2017, 1:30:00 PM
9 Ways To Prevent Neck Pain
Oct 17, 2017, 12:30:00 PM
The Simple Step To Good Health
Oct 12, 2017, 12:30:00 PM
Angioplasty for Chronic Total Occlusions (CTOs)
Sep 29, 2017, 12:10:00 PM
Understanding Alzheimers disease
Sep 21, 2017, 12:00:00 AM
TAKE A MINUTE, CHANGE A LIFE – SUICIDE PREVENTION AND YOU
Sep 9, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
Polycystic Ovarian Disease
Aug 30, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
Cancer Of The Cervix And How To Prevent It
Aug 19, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
Key Hole Spine Surgery: Making Spine Surgery Easier
Jul 28, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
Vitiligo: What You Should Know
Jun 29, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
Kidney Transplantation - A Second Chance At Life
Jun 27, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
Dialysis: A Life Sustaining Treatment For End Stage Kidney Failure Patients
Jun 19, 2017, 12:00:00 AM
Understanding Carotid Endarterectomy
Jun 13, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
Laparoscopic Surgery: What To Expect
Jun 2, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
Endoscopic Skull Base Surgery
Jun 1, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
Back Pain In Children: Never Ignore The Problem
May 31, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
The Diabetic Foot: A Surgical Perspective
May 30, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
Chronic Kidney Disease: The Silent Killer
Apr 20, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
Laser Surgery: The Effective Way To Treat Prostate Enlargement
Apr 19, 2017, 12:00:00 PM
Male Infertility: What You Should Know
Apr 5, 2017, 11:30:00 AM
Prostate Cancer: Ten Facts You Should Know
Apr 4, 2017, 11:30:00 AM
Walking on metal knees
Feb 22, 2017, 10:30:00 AM
Are You Sleeping Well?
Feb 21, 2017, 10:00:00 AM
Complex Coronary Angioplasty
Feb 20, 2017, 10:30:00 AM
How does ‘bad’ cholesterol affect brain function?
Sep 6, 2016, 10:30:00 AM
Some Types of Blood Pressure Medications
Sep 6, 2016, 10:00:00 AM
IBD: Do you know the signs and symptoms?
May 31, 2016, 10:00:00 AM
Colorectal Cancer: What You Should Know
May 26, 2016, 10:00:00 AM
Healthy tips for your heart’s sake
Mar 17, 2016, 10:12:00 AM
Adding years to life after a coronary artery bypass surgery
Mar 10, 2016, 10:09:00 AM
What you need to know about osteoarthritis
Mar 4, 2016, 10:00:00 AM
Tetanus : what you should know
Mar 25, 2015, 10:00:00 AM
Stomach Cancer : Be Informed
Mar 19, 2015, 10:00:00 AM
Depression : Overcome it!
Mar 17, 2015, 10:00:00 AM
Smile healthy
Mar 11, 2015, 10:00:00 AM
Chicken Pox : How to manage the infection
Mar 9, 2015, 9:30:00 AM
Gastric Ulceration - Causes, Risk Factors and Symptoms
Mar 2, 2015, 9:30:00 AM
Lung Cancer: Symptoms, Causes and Treatments
Feb 26, 2015, 9:30:00 PM
Neck Pain: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment
Feb 25, 2015, 9:21:00 AM
PET/CT Scan: A New World of Diagnosing and Treating Patients
Feb 23, 2015, 9:30:00 PM
All You Need To Know About Cervical Spondylosis
Feb 18, 2015, 9:30:00 PM
Why do Panic Attacks Happen?
Feb 17, 2015, 6:30:00 PM
Malnutrition : facts you should know
Feb 12, 2015, 6:30:00 PM
Advanced medical linear accelerators help fight cancer faster, smarter and with precision
Feb 4, 2015, 6:30:00 PM
February 4: World Cancer Day
Feb 3, 2015, 9:00:00 PM
Breast Cancer: Symptoms, Causes and Risk Factors
Feb 2, 2015, 8:51:00 AM
Bells Palsy: Symptoms, Causes and Risk Factors
Jan 26, 2015, 6:30:00 PM
Changing The Experience Of Surgery
Jan 23, 2015, 8:34:00 AM
Tuberculosis: Causes, Symptoms and Prevention
Jan 21, 2015, 8:31:00 AM
Health Tips for Pregnant Women
Jan 16, 2015, 7:34:00 AM
Tips to tackle burns instantly and minimize scarring
Jan 12, 2015, 7:27:00 AM
Dengue : Stay Protected
Jan 7, 2015, 6:47:00 AM
Rabies: Causes, Symptoms and Protection
Jan 5, 2015, 6:46:00 AM
Dyslexia Guide for Parents and Teachers
Dec 30, 2014, 6:45:00 AM
Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Signs, Triggers and Remedies
Dec 22, 2014, 6:44:00 AM
Lower back pain: Causes and Symptoms
Dec 19, 2014, 6:43:00 AM
Bronchitis: Symptoms, Causes and Precautions
Dec 16, 2014, 6:41:00 AM
How To Deal With Allergies
Dec 11, 2014, 6:40:00 AM
Does Prolonged Cold Indicate A Sinus Infection?
Dec 5, 2014, 6:30:00 AM
What to expect from a Knee Replacement Treatment?
Dec 3, 2014, 6:29:00 AM
World AIDS Day - December 1
Dec 1, 2014, 6:28:00 AM
Malaria – Symptoms, Causes and Facts
Nov 27, 2014, 6:27:00 AM
Keep your home germ-free
Nov 25, 2014, 6:26:00 AM
Tackling Dandruff
Nov 19, 2014, 6:24:00 AM
Tips to stay healthy during winters
Nov 17, 2014, 6:22:00 AM
Healthy living and Diabetes
Nov 14, 2014, 6:20:00 AM
Breast-feeding reduces the risk of diabetes in children
Nov 12, 2014, 6:19:00 AM
Schizophrenia : Symptoms, Causes and Myths
Nov 10, 2014, 6:18:00 AM
Asthma : Causes, Symptoms & Self-Help Tips
Nov 4, 2014, 6:17:00 AM
Vaccination : keep your child healthy
Oct 31, 2014, 5:58:00 AM
Take care - children tend to swallow dangerous objects!
Oct 28, 2014, 5:39:00 AM
5 signs of ear infection in children
Oct 25, 2014, 5:38:00 AM
Celebrate a healthy and safe Diwali!
Oct 22, 2014, 5:36:00 AM
October 20 : World Osteoporosis Day
Oct 20, 2014, 5:35:00 AM
How to avoid feeling sleepy in the afternoon.
Oct 17, 2014, 5:05:00 AM
A great day begins with a healthy breakfast
Oct 15, 2014, 5:04:00 AM
World Arthritis Day: Get a free check-up* at Aster Medcity
Oct 11, 2014, 6:30:00 PM
Understanding ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
Oct 10, 2014, 11:11:00 AM
Protect your hair against sun damage
Oct 7, 2014, 11:03:00 AM
Migraine – Symptoms, Triggers and Treatment
Oct 1, 2014, 11:02:00 AM
Call Aster Heartline: Start caring for your heart
Sep 29, 2014, 11:01:00 AM
Only you can take care of yourself.
Sep 24, 2014, 11:00:00 AM
Are demands of modern life making women unhealthier?
Sep 22, 2014, 10:59:00 AM
Kidney Stones Causes and Remedies
Sep 19, 2014, 10:51:00 AM
Hepatitis A and B – Symptoms, Transmission and Prevention
Sep 17, 2014, 10:50:00 AM
Sweet fact: Chocolates are good for you.
Sep 15, 2014, 10:49:00 AM
Too strict on your kids? They can become obese!
Sep 10, 2014, 10:48:00 AM
Are you a diabetic? Make sure you don't fall prey to these 7 problems.
Sep 8, 2014, 6:41:00 AM
7 Fertility Myths Couples Need to Stop Believing
Sep 5, 2014, 6:40:00 AM
May your eyes live on.
Aug 27, 2014, 6:39:00 AM
10 myths on eye donation: let’s see the reality!
Aug 8, 2014, 6:38:00 AM
