What is mental health?

What is mental health?

What is mental health?

The World Health Organization describes mental health as "a state of well-being in which a person realizes his or her abilities, is able to cope with the stresses of daily life, is able to work productively and effectively, and is able to contribute to society."

From the child's point of view, this means that the child is able to develop and apply his or her abilities in school work and in communication with his or her peers or adults. One part of mental health is emotional health - the ability to experience, understand and cope with various feelings (joy, sadness, anger, surprise, etc.).

A person's mental state is determined by several factors:

(a) biological (eg genetic, sex),

(b) individual (eg personal experience),

(c) family and social (eg social support); and

(d) economic and environmental factors (eg social status and living conditions).

Positive mental health as mental well-being is perception, thinking and communicating in a way that helps to enjoy life and cope with difficult situations.

A person with positive mental health:

• Feels good and satisfied

• Be confident and have positive self-esteem

• Can enjoy life, laugh and have fun

• Can cope with stressful situations and changes

• Experiences different feelings because life is constantly changing and

eventful

• Feels that there is a balance in life

• Takes care of himself: both his mind and body

• Cares for other people

Negative mental health is associated with mental disorders, symptoms and problems.

An example of a mental disorder is depression (or a morbid decline in mood with certain additional symptoms); anxiety disorders; mood disorders; addiction disorders (caused by alcohol or drugs); learned helplessness syndrome, etc.

Measuring mental health

Mental health can be measured mainly through one's own assessments e. estimated - this is called a subjective health indicator.

The onset of mental health problems depends on:

hereditary assumptions and / or reasons,

maternal health during pregnancy,

concomitant physical illnesses,

environmental conditions; and

lifelong experience.

Some examples of environmental and educational factors that affect mental health:

negative events of childhood, lack of love, separation from parents

overcare or neglect;

different family situation (living with grandparents or relatives, orphanage, etc.);

non-existent or too frequent inspections and monitoring;

poor family relationships and frequent stressful situations at home;

insufficient support from the family, absence of mother or father;

physical or mental characteristics which give rise to special needs for daily activities and / or learning;

bullying and exclusion at home, at school or outside school.

How to improve mental health?

Qualitative characteristics of a person, such as positive self-awareness, identity, self-esteem and adaptability, are important for positive mental health.

POSITIVE SELF-FEELING e. how I see myself and whether I am happy with it.

Positive self-awareness develops through work with oneself. Positive self-awareness is strengthened through a supportive environment and relationships.

Important is:

• Assessing success through self-development (in comparison with oneself, not in comparison with others)

• Positive habits: consulting oneself, communicating with others

• Self-recognition for success, especially in situations where difficulties are overcome

POSITIVE IDENTITIES

Positive identity includes various characteristics: gender, physical characteristics (body shape or size), cultural background, family situation, religious beliefs, political views, friendship, intellect, abilities, community, geographical location. Positive identity can be strengthened through positive relationships and friendships, through self-satisfaction (both physical and mental "I"), internal conversation, and discussion of important areas of life (sexuality, understanding and recognition of diversity).

SELF - ASSESSMENT

Self-esteem talks a lot about a person's coping skills. Low self-esteem has a negative effect on our overall health, relationships, and school success. People with high self-esteem are confident, ready to learn from their mistakes, clearly express their needs, face their fears and try to overcome them.

Remember that as long as you don't like yourself, you will think, "you can't and can't".

To "build" higher self-esteem:

accept yourself to the best of your ability. Focus on what you like about yourself and recognize yourself for it. Self-confidence and self-acceptance are key factors in positive self-esteem; by accepting yourself, you feel better. When you feel better, you can do more; the more you do, the more you achieve; the more you achieve, the more confident you become; the more confident you are, the greater your self-belief; the higher your self-belief, the more confident and self-respecting you are - and the higher your self-esteem.

RESILENCE or EFFICIENCY & FLEXIBILITY