Define MENTAL HEALTH

Define MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health is the balanced development of the individual’s personality and emotional attitudes, which enables him to live harmoniously with his fellow men. According to John and Suttons “mental health is a positive but relative quality of life”. It is a condition, which is characteristic of the average person; who meets the demands of life on the basis of his own capacities and limitation.

Definitions:

According to WHO expert committee, “the mental health implies the capacity of an individual to form harmonious relations with others and to participate in or contribute constructively to, changes in his social and physical environment”.

Mental health is defined as a state of successful performance of mental function resulting in fruitful activities, grafting relationship with other people, and also includes the ability to adapt to change and to cope with diversity. Mental health is crucial to persons well being, family and interpersonal relationships and contribution to community or society.

CONCEPT OF MENTAL HEALTH

According to W.H.O, “Health is defined as a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. Even though a clear distinction between mental and physical health could be made, the state of health comprises both physical and mental aspects. Soundness of mind is essential for the health of the individual and hence, significance of the quoted expression, “sound mind in a sound body in a sound society”. A good adjustment is the core of mental health. It is in essence of relationship with one’s self with one’s environment and with God.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MENTALLY HEALTHY PERSON

Mental health is not mere absence of mental illness. A mentally healthy person has three main characteristics.

1.    He feels comfortable about himself, that is, he feels reasonably secure and adequate. He neither underestimates nor over estimates his even disabilities. He accepts his shortcomings. He is self-respected.

2.    The mentally healthy person feels right towards others. This means that he is able to be interested in others and to love them. He has friendships, which is satisfying and long lasting. He is able to feel a part of a group, without being submerged in it. He is able to have trust on others. He takes responsibility for his neighbours and his fellowmen.

3.    The mentally healthy person is able to meet the demands of his life. He is able to think for himself and to take his own decisions. He sets reasonable goals for himself. He shoulders his daily responsibilities. He is not bowled over by his own emotions of fear, anger, love and guilt.

From the various definitions in the field of mental health at least Ten Characteristics are found to be common to Mentally Healthy Person. They are:-

1.     Realistic Self-Appraisal 

The well-adjusted person sees himself or herself as he or she, not as he or she would like to be. He realizes his potentials and abilities realistically. He accepts adverse evaluation as a form of constructive criticism and tries to improve qualities that others judge unfavourably.

2.   Realistic Appraisals of Situations 

In this realistic appraisal, the well adjusted person recognize that no one can take a law to himself, that he can do whatever he wants, when he wants, he realizes that there must be rules of conduct which protect the right of others and of himself and he is willing to abide by them. Even when they are not entirely to his likings, he recognizes that success comes only with hard work.

3.   Realistic Evaluation of Achievements

A mentally healthy person does not magnify his success, their application from the field in which they originally occur.

4.   Acceptance of Reality

A mentally healthy person is ready to face reality instead of running away from it. The person knows that he must live in the present, even though he feels that the past was or the future would be more to his liking. He may occasionally include day dreaming or fantasy. But the escape in today’s dream world is not his realistic pattern of adjusting to difficult or unpleasant real life situation.

5.   Acceptance of Responsibility

A mentally healthy person accepts responsibility for himself and for his behavior, if things go wrong and if he accepts the blame and he is willing to admit that he made a mistake. According to Lawton, the well-adjusted person attacks the problem that requires solution instead of finding means to evade them. He enjoys attacking and destroying obstacles to his development and happiness. Once he has decided that they are real and not imaginary obstacles, he is dependable; people know that they can count on him and on his word.

6.   Autonomy         

A mentally healthy person respects himself as an individual who has selected his life pattern to meet his own needs and wants. He shows autonomy in several ways. In decision-making, he is able to make important decisions with a minimum, of worry, conflict, advice seeking and other type of running away behaviors. After making a choice, he abides by it, until new factors of crucial importance enter into the picture. He is self-motivated and does not depend on others when he is capable of being independent.

7.   Acceptable Emotional Control

 The person must resume the responsibility for keeping his emotions under a control so they will not hurt others, or him. He must be able to meet frustrations, without violence or destruction. A well-adjusted person can live comfortably with his emotions. This is possible because he had developed over a period, a degree of stress, tolerance, and depression.

8.   Goal Orientation

The well-adjusted person sets realistic goals. If he finds at later stages the goal he set were beyond his reach he will be willing to lower them to move realistic levels. He also acquires the knowledge and skills needed to reach his goals. He sets the goals, rather than imposed in him by others, he has a strong motivation to do well and can to achieve them.

9.   Social Acceptance

Healthy personalities are more popular than those with side personalities. They are willing to participate in social activities and are highly capable of identifying with other people. The degree to which persons adjust himself to others in the home; and the degree of harmony that exists in his interpersonal relationship are good indications of how well adjustable he is.

10.        Happiness

It is said by mental health experts that these conditions contribute to the well-adjusted persons. All go to encourage the person’s self-concept and lead to reasonable satisfaction.

It is almost impossible to see a person who is gifted with all the characteristics stated above.

But it is possible for each and everybody to strive for acquiring as many characteristics as possible.

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