Good mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness. It means you are in a state of wellbeing where you feel good and function well in the world. Show
According to the World Health Organization, good mental health is when you can:
If you have good mental health, you might have emotions including happiness, love, joy and compassion, and you feel generally satisfied with life. You are also likely to feel like you belong to a community and are making a contribution to society. You might also have a sense of spiritual wellbeing, a sense of meaning or purpose, and feelings of peace. Good mental health checklistWe all have to face challenges in life. People who have good mental health are more likely to be able to cope with the ups and downs. You probably have good mental health if:
Building resilienceAn important part of having good mental health is building resilience. This is when you can cope with unexpected changes and challenges in your life through drawing on your inner strength and using the networks around you. Resilience is important for your mental health and can be learned. People who have resilience can manage stress better, which means they are less likely to develop mental illnesses like depression and anxiety. You can learn coping skills to build your resilience and ensure good mental health. For more information about building resilience, you can visit:
Tips for good mental healthHere are 8 tips for building good mental health. Build relationshipsHaving good relationships with other people is the most important factor contributing to a sense of wellbeing. This can include relationships with family, friends, workmates and others in the community. Investing time and energy in your relationships can lead to great benefits for all involved. Exercise and stay healthyExercise has been shown to increase wellbeing as well as reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Good physical health is related to better mental health so a healthy diet, cutting back on alcohol and other drugs, getting a good night's sleep, and regular checkups with the doctor can all help. Develop gratitudeCount your blessings. Try keeping a gratitude journal and writing down 3 positive things each day. This can lead to increased wellbeing. Identify and use your strengthsWe all have different strengths and weaknesses. Identifying and using your strengths and talents can increase wellbeing. A strengths questionnaire is available at Authentic Happiness, (it is free, but you need to register). Using your strengths to help others or contribute to the community creates a sense of meaning and purpose. Create flowFlow is the state of being so highly involved in an enjoyable activity that you lose track of time. This usually happens when the level of challenge is about right for your level of skill. Flow can happen during work, hobbies, creative arts or sports. Give to othersMaking a contribution to the community, however small, increases social wellbeing. Many people feel a sense of contributing through meaningful work, but this can also mean volunteering, helping a neighbour or performing small acts of kindness. Take some time to do the things you really enjoy. Pleasant events can lead to positive emotions that can cancel out negative feelings. Spirituality or religionFor some people, being involved in spiritual or religious practices can improve wellbeing, help to cope with stress and reduce symptoms of mental illness. This can include belonging to a faith community, meditation, prayer, mindfulness and practices such as yoga and Tai Chi. Seek helpIf you are struggling to feel happy, cope with everyday life, find meaning or feel connected to others, see your doctor or a mental health professional. Almost half of Australians will experience a mental disorder at some time in their life — depression, anxiety and substance abuse are the most common disorders. CHECK YOUR SYMPTOMS — Use the Symptom Checker and find out if you need to seek medical help. Resources and supportThere is a wide variety of support and information available in person, online and on the telephone. You can talk to your GP, or contact services such as:
Amid the coronavirus pandemic we are being warned of a “second wave” of mental health problems that threatens to overrun an already weakened mental health service. As we emerge from this crisis, while some people may need specialist help with treating mental illness, everybody can benefit from strategies to improve mental health. This is because mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness. Positive mental health is a combination of feeling good and functioning well. Mental illness vs mental health: what’s the difference?Mental health and mental illness are not simply two sides of the same coin. Mental health, just like physical health, exists on a spectrum from poor to optimal. With physical health, some days we naturally feel stronger and more energetic than others. Similarly, some days our mental health is worse than others, and that too is a natural part of being human. We may feel tired, grumpy, sad, angry, anxious, depressed, stressed, or even happy at any point in time. These are all normal human emotions, and aren’t on their own a sign of mental illness. Someone living with a mental illness can be experiencing optimal mental health at any point in time, while someone else can feel sad or low even in the absence of a mental illness. Differentiating between poor mental health and symptoms of a mental illness is not always clear-cut. When poor mental health has a sustained negative impact on someone’s ability to work, have meaningful relationships, and fulfil day-to-day tasks, it could be a sign of mental illness requiring treatment.  What does positive mental health look like?Mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness. Positive mental health and well-being is a combination of feeling good and functioning well. Important components include:
How can I cultivate my mental health?Your mental health is shaped by social, economic, genetic and environmental conditions. To improve mental health within society at large, we need to address the social determinants of poor mental health, including poverty, economic insecurity, unemployment, low education, social disadvantage, homelessness and social isolation. On an individual level, there are steps you can take to optimise your mental health. The first step is identifying your existing support networks and the coping strategies that you’ve used in the past. There are also small things you can do to improve your mental health and help you to cope in tough times, such as:
How do I know if I need extra support?Regardless of whether you are experiencing a mental illness, everyone has the right to optimal mental health. The suggestions above can help everyone improve their mental health and well-being, and help is available if you’re not sure how to get started. However, when distress or poor mental health is interfering with our daily life, work, study or relationships, these suggestions may not be enough by themselves and additional, individualised treatment may be needed. If the answer to RUOK? is no, or you or your loved ones need help, reaching out to your local GP is an important step. If you are eligible, your GP can refer you for free or low-cost sessions with a psychologist, exercise physiologist, dietitian, or other allied health or medical support services. This article is supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas. Simon Rosenbaum, Associate professor & Scientia Fellow, UNSW and Jill Newby, Associate Professor and MRFF Career Development Fellow, UNSW This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. |
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