Mental Health

What is mental health?

Mental health refers to the state when a person is mentally fit and fine.Mental health gives a person ability to enjoy life and live life with his own ideas.Mental health is very important to achieve goals in life.From perspectives of the discipline of positive psychology mental health may include an individual's ability to maintaine a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve his/her goals.
WHO states that there no complete defination for mental health but it is discussed in many different perspctives.



Perspectives

Mental Wellbeing.

Mental wellness is generally viewed as a positive attribute.This definition of mental health highlights emotional well-being, the capacity to live a full and creative life, and the flexibility to deal with life's inevitable challenges.An example of a wellness model includes five life tasks — essence or spirituality, work and leisure, friendship, love and self-direction—and twelve sub tasks—sense of worth, sense of control, realistic beliefs, emotional awareness and coping, problem solving and creativity, sense of humor, nutrition, exercise, self care, stress management, gender identity, and cultural identity—are identified as characteristics of healthy functioning and a major component of wellness.

Lack of a mental disorder.

Mental health can also be defined as an absence of a major mental health condition.

Cultural and religious considerations

Mental health can be socially constructed and socially defined; that is, different professions, communities, societies and cultures have very different ways of conceptualizing its nature and causes, determining what is mentally healthy, and what interventions are appropriate.Thus, different professionals will have different cultural and religious backgrounds and experiences, which may impact the methodology applied during treatment.

Mental Disorders

Categories of diagnoses in these schemes may include dissociative disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, psychotic disorders, eating disorders, developmental disorders, personality disorders, and many other categories.

Some serious mental disorders are:

Addictions: Alcohol and Subtance Abuse

ADH

Anxiety Disorders

Bipolar Disorder

Childhood Mental disorders and Illness

depression

Schizophrenia



Causes

Numerous factors have been linked to the development of mental disorders. In many cases there is no single accepted cause established. A common view held is that disorders often result from genetic vulnerabilities combining with environmental stressors.

Treatments

Treatment and support may be provided in psychiatric hospitals, clinics or any of a diverse range of community mental health services. Often an individual may engage in different treatment modalities. Individuals may be treated against their will in some cases.

Psychotherapy
A major option for many mental disorders is psychotherapy. There are several main types. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is widely used and is based on modifying the patterns of thought and behavior .There are a number of specific therapies used for particular disorders.

Medication

A major option for many mental disorders is psychiatric medication. There are several main groups. Antidepressants are used for the treatment of clinical depression as well as often for anxiety and other disorders.Anxiolytics are used for anxiety disorders and related problems such as insomnia. Mood stabilizers are used primarily in bipolar disorder.

The others, mainly targeting mania rather than depression, are a wide variety of medications and antipsychotics.

Other

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is sometimes used in severe cases when other interventions for severe intractable depression have failed. Psychosurgery is considered experimental but is advised by certain neurologists in certain rare cases.Creative therapies are sometimes used, including music therapy, art therapy or drama therapy. Lifestyle adjustments and supportive measures are often used, including peer support or self-help groups for mental health.