Determinants of Positive Mental Heath: An Insight

Introduction:

The term mental health is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a state of well-being in which each individual is aware of their own potential, can deal with the normal day-to-day stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a meaningful contribution to one’s community. Mental health is not just the absence of mental illness but rather encompasses the importance of empowerment and control, notions of positive self-esteem, and coping mechanisms. Poor mental health can have an influence on one’s physical health, relationships, and daily living.

What Is Well-Being and What Is the Link Between Well-Being and Mental Health Issues?

Well-being is a blend of feeling good and functioning effectively (in a psychological aspect). Feeling good encompasses not only the positive feelings of contentment and happiness but also emotions like interest, affection, confidence, and engagement. Effective functioning includes:

• Having some control over one’s life.

• Establishing positive relationships.

• Developing one’s capability and potential.

• Having a sense of purpose.

Well-being and mental health issues are interlinked. Well-being lowers the risk of developing mental illness, while mental illness affects and lowers the well-being of the individual. Good levels of well-being are linked with various positive impacts:

• Healthy lifestyles.

• Enhanced educational outcomes.

• Reduced indulgence in behaviors like substance misuse, smoking, and excessive consumption of alcohol.

• Increased productivity, which in turn decreases crime rates, violence, and antisocial behavior.

What Are the Reasons for Poor Mental Health?

Mental health issues can be due to various reasons. For some, mental health issues can occur due to a combination of factors, while some may be more deeply affected by specific things than others. The following are some of the reasons for poor mental health:

• Poverty or debt, social disadvantage.

• Childhood trauma, abuse, or neglect.

• Loneliness or social isolation.

• Facing discrimination and stigma like racism.

• Loss of someone close.

• Unemployment or losing the job.

• Severe or long-period of stress.

• Alcohol or drug misuse.

• Taking care of someone for a long time.

• Facing a long-term physical health condition.

• Poor housing or homelessness.

• Domestic violence, or experiencing trauma as an adult, like being a victim of a violent crime, and so on.

• Physical causes like a head injury or any other neurological condition could affect one’s mental health. Hence, it is important to eliminate the physical causes before proceeding with further treatment for mental health issues.

Can Mental Health Problems Be Genetic?

Few researchers have put forward the fact that genetics could play a role in some mental health problems. If a parent has schizophrenia (a serious mental condition in which a person cannot differentiate between what is real and what is imagined), then it is possible for the child also to develop this disorder. However, it is not clear whether genes contribute to this, or other factors like the environment that one grows up in, or coping and behavioral mechanisms learned from parents are responsible for these mental health issues. No specific genes that particularly cause mental health issues have been determined.

Is Brain Chemistry a Contributing Factor to Mental Health Issues?

The human brain is intricately designed and is a complicated framework. Some researchers have stated that mental health issues could be due to variations in a few brain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, but the reason for this is not known. Also, there is insufficient evidence to support this cause. Since the exact reasons for the occurrence of mental health issues are not known, it should not be regarded as an issue of least importance. Early diagnosis and treatment play a major role in the easy and speedy recovery from mental illness.

Who Are at High Risk of Developing Mental Health Issues?

The following are at a high risk of developing mental health issues:

• Children with a physical ailment.

• Prisoners.

• Looked after children.

• Children and adults with a learning disability.

• Homeless people and young men in custody.

• Children living with a parent who suffers from a mental illness.

• A few Black and minority ethnic groups.

• Pregnant and postnatal (after delivery) women.

• Adults with chronic (long-term) health conditions.

What Are the Determinants of Positive Mental Health?

The following are the four major determinants of positive mental health and well-being:

1. Physical Health: Physical and mental health are interlinked. The brain is the controller of the entire body. If the brain is taken care of properly, then eventually, the physical health of the individual will be in good condition. Neglecting physical or mental health can have an impact on the normal functioning of the body. Physical health includes proper diet, regular exercise, and sufficient sleep. If these are followed appropriately, then the mental well-being of the individual will also be taken care of.

2. Emotional Health: Emotional health refers to one’s ability to identify and control emotions. With the deterioration in one’s mental health, the ability to correctly process and control emotions also declines. This is especially true when one goes through stress, depression, or trauma. Emotional instability not only affects the individual but also affects those surrounding the individual. Prolonged continuation of poor mental health without treatment can severely affect the physical and mental well-being of the individual. If overall mental health is not taken care of, then one’s emotional health will be at stake since the ability to process information safely, healthily, and responsibly declines.

3. Cognitive Health: The ability to identify, assimilate, think, comprehend, and answer information is called cognition. Examples of cognition include the ability to remember things, problem-solving, analysis, concentration, and reordering. All these are essential in one’s social, academic, and work environments. Those with mental health issues may find it difficult to carry out even the most fundamental cognitive tasks. Some of the common signs of cognitive dysfunction are:

1. Confusion.

2. Poor decision-making and problem-solving capabilities.

3. Memory loss and difficulty sleeping.

4. Regular headaches.

5. Poor performance at school or work.

6. Difficulty concentrating or focusing.

However, cognitive functions can be enhanced by doing physical exercises, reading, solving puzzles, writing, and engaging in hobbies like playing an instrument, cooking, and so on.

4. Social Health: Human beings are born to interact with each other. Social interactions increase one’s confidence and self-worth, create happiness, instill a sense of purpose and belonging, and reduce stress. In the current busy world, engaging and establishing social interactions seem to be challenging. One should always be socially active since deprivation of social interaction can result in anxiety, depression, and poor mental health. Social activity is good for mental as well as cognitive health.

What Are the Determinants of Mental Ill Health?

The determinants of mental ill health keep changing during various phases of life, but there is sufficient evidence that most mental health illnesses manifest before adulthood, about 50 % of lifetime mental illnesses manifest by the age of 14, and about 75 % of mental ill health manifests by the mid-twenties. Factors contributing to elevated risk of mental ill health in children and adolescents are as follows:

• Family structure and unemployed parents.

• Prematurity and low birth weight.

• Maternal health during pregnancy includes smoking, substance abuse, alcohol, and mental health of the mother.

• Screen time in children.

• Household income and dependence on welfare.

• Less literate or illiterate parents.

Inequality and deprivation are the two key elements that can influence the well-being and mental health of individuals.

Conclusion:

Mental health and physical health go hand-in-hand. Poor mental health can affect the overall physical health of the individual. Similarly, a long-lasting physical ailment can cause a decline in mental health. Just as one improves physical health by eating nutritious foods and exercising, it is equally important to improve mental health as well by enhancing cognitive functions. Factors like environment, genetics, and life events that affect mental health cannot be changed. However, establishing and maintaining strong relationships, consulting a professional to maintain a balance between positive and negative emotions, and developing coping skills can help one deal with negative mental health and replace it with positive mental health.