Mental health

What is mental health?

Mental health is how well a person feels in their mind, which can affect their feelings and thoughts, and sometimes how they act. Everyone has mental health, and it can change depending on the person and what is happening in their life. Mental health can also be influenced by the situations people are born into, grow up in, live and work in.

Mental health is about our wellbeing in our emotions, thoughts, and relationships. It affects how we think, feel, and behave. It also helps us cope with stress, connect with others, and make decisions. Mental health is important for all stages of life, from childhood and adolescence to adulthood.

What does it mean to have good mental health?

Mental health is how you feel emotionally, which affects how you think, feel and act. Good mental health means more than just not having a mental health problem; it means that you can enjoy your life, achieve your goals and deal with the challenges of life. Mental health is as important as physical health for living a happy, healthy and balanced life.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines good mental health as allowing someone to:

Realise their abilities
Cope with the normal stresses of life
Work productively
Make a contribution to their community

Good mental health is important for both individuals and communities to do well. This is because it helps us to connect with ourselves and others, earn money and have fun.

Causes of mental health issues

There is a wide range of causes of mental health issues, which often overlap. These include:

Losing someone close to you.
Being bullied or other abuse.
Isolation or loneliness.
Being discriminated against.
Trauma or neglect.
Addiction (Such as drug and alcohol addiction).
Physical health problems.

What are ways to improving mental health?

The mental health charity Mind suggests a number of ways to improve mental health, including:

Trying to relax and reduce stress.
Finding ways to learn and be creative.
Spending time in nature.
Connecting with others.
Looking after your physical health.
Trying to improve your sleep.

Summary:

Mental health problems include feeling stressed, worried or sad.
There are many reasons why people have mental health problems and many things we can all do to take care of our mental health.