Mental Health and Its Related Issues
Health is an indivisible state of emotional, physical and mental well being in which infirmity and illness are either absent or totally absent. A number of definitions have also been used over the years for different purposes. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), health is a condition of the body, mind and spirit that are achieved through the whole body, mind and spirit and is attained through a process of prevention, understanding, treatment and maintenance. The WHO also defines health as a relation of how one feel to his physical condition and to his attitudes, knowledge and power to control his or her environment. It also includes mental health and refers to the capacity to acquire, develop and maintain healthy relationships with others.
The concept of health has become closely associated with the concept of social well-being. WHO projects that the health status of an individual will affect his attitudes, beliefs, responsibilities towards other people and his ability to make healthy choices. It also monitors the health progress of the populations of individuals, nations and communities. It also tries to promote the social well being of the people through the provision of services and programs that contribute to healthy environments, healthy lifestyles and successful medical, educational and nutritional programs. The primary objectives of health promotion are the reduction of premature mortality and disability caused by sickness, the improvement of health, prevention of diseases and improvement of the quality of life.
Mental health refers to the capacity of an individual to cope with normal stresses of work, school and other daily activities. Mental health may be affected by mental health problems such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia. Depression occurs when the capacity for dealing positively with distress and disappointment and adapting to changes in situations decrease and the individual becomes overwhelmed by feelings of failure, guilt and loss of control. Anxiety generally occurs when the individual feels tense and restless or if there is an unrealistic fear of danger or injury and unrealistic hope for success.
Mental health and mental illnesses can cause significant distress and disability. People with mental illness are more likely to have poor health outcomes and to experience more negative health impacts. These include but are not limited to, lower energy levels, poorer physical health and higher health risks related to the development of diseases. The main article deals with three broad categories of mental disorders.
The third category is chronic diseases. Chronic diseases include those that require ongoing treatment and extensive care or supervision. Examples of chronic diseases include diabetes mellitus, heart disease, cancer, kidney disease, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease. The main article focuses on chronic diseases and their major risk factors.
The first and the foremost health concern are diet, as the lack of a proper diet can result in obesity, which can result in the development of some serious diseases. The second health concern is exercise. People with mental illness are often sedentary and their exercise habits are poor, which contributes to several kinds of chronic diseases. The third definition is the unhealthy lifestyle, which includes the use of tobacco products, excessive alcohol intake and unprotected sex.