What exactly is mental health can be a tricky question to answer. There’s different ideas but the World Health Organisation define it as-
Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community. World Health Organization, 2014
Essentially it means having the ability to adapt to life’s changes and circumstances.
Mental health is often described as being on a continuum and mental health is not the same as mental illness. Feeling down, angry, emotional, unhappy or tearful are normal emotional states and having good mental health doesn’t mean an absence of these. Life will always have its ups and downs, there will be times where things are stressful and unfortunately times where things feel difficult- sometimes it’s hard to recognise the different components of mental health.
Mental Distress is normal and everybody experiences it- sometimes daily. It is a sign you need to look at solving the problem causing your distress. Develop healthy and adaptive coping skills and promote your own mental health.
Mental Health Problems can require more help and support. Often from family or friends or somebody you trust (perhaps a tutor, wellbeing advisor, counsellor or a faith leader) Mental health problems mean you are having a significant emotional, thought or behavioural difficulty (or sometimes all 3). A mental health problem is not an illness, it means you are having difficulty adapting due to the magnitude of the stressor. An example of this may be the feelings of grief following bereavement or adjusting to a big life transition
Mental Illness occurs when a person is unable to function on a day to day basis due to the way their brain is controlling their thoughts, behaviour and emotions. It is diagnosed by a qualified health care professional and will require evidence based treatment. It is the same as any other illness. Mental illnesses are often very treatable with psychological interventions and sometimes medications.
