Understanding the basics of mental health
MENTAL HEALTH is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through to adulthood. Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social wellbeing. It affects how we think, feel, and act; and it also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.
Good mental health and wellbeing is not a on-off experience. We can all have days, weeks or months where we feel resilient, strong and optimistic, regardless of events or situations. Often, that can be mixed with or shift to a very different set of thoughts, feelings and behaviours; or not feeling resilient and optimistic in just one or two areas of our life.
For about 25 per cent of us, that may shift to having a significant impact on how we think, feel and act in many parts of our lives, including relationships, experiences at work, sense of connection to peer groups, and our personal sense of worth, physical health and motivation. This could lead to us developing a mental health condition such as anxiety, depression, substance misuse.
THOUGHTS, IDEAS AND BEHAVIOURS
According to Margo O’Sullivan, clinical mental health counsellor, the word ‘mental’ does not suggest madness. Mental health, she said, relates to our thoughts, ideas and behaviours. It also suggests how we learn, retain information, form memory, reason, and make judgements.
“The term ‘mental health’ suggests wellness and the absence of illness or disorder and should not be mistaken for mental illness, which indicates a disorder. Mental health is a state of well-being that allows us to realise our full potential, cope with everyday stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and make meaningful contributions to our communities,” O’Sullivan said.
Mental health, she said, affects the emotional, psychological, intellectual and social dimensions of self. This, she said, means it affects how we feel; that includes our self-esteem, our ability to enjoy life and express emotions healthily. It also affects how we feel; and that includes how we think, make choices, learning, managing life stresses and being resilient.
Mental health also applies to how we interact in terms of building relationships, communicating and contributing to society. Poor mental health, she said, is common and affects many persons temporarily, such as depression after losing a loved one, troubled family relationships, dropping out of school, or after pregnancy.
“It is normal for persons to experience anxiety after traumatic experiences. Phobias, or abnormal fears, are also mental health issues. Experiencing temporary poor mental health is not the same as having a mental illness. Just like the seasonal or common cold, it might be a short-term experience,” O’Sullivan said.
Signs of poor mental health include persistent sadness for two or more weeks; hurting oneself or talking about hurting oneself; withdrawing from or avoiding social interactions; drastic changes in mood, behaviour or personality; out-of-control behaviour that can be harmful; frequent headaches or stomach aches; and changes in academic and work performance.
“Other signs include outburst or extreme irritability, talking about death or suicide, significant weight loss, changes in eating habits, difficulty sleeping, difficulty concentrating, and avoiding or missing school,” O’Sullivan said.
It is normal, she said, for persons to become sad, moody and not want to interact, but if it is prolonged, it may be a sign that something is wrong.
“Your thoughts and the things that are on your mind greatly influence your psychological wellbeing. Mental self-care involves doing things that help you stay mentally healthy. Practising selfcompassion and self-acceptance, for example, help maintain a healthier inner dialogue,” she said.
“It also includes doing things that keep your mind sharp, like puzzles or learning about a subject that fascinates you. You might read books or watch movies that inspire you and fuel your mind,” O’Sullivan added.