What Is The Meaning Of Mental Health?

In the simplest terms, the meaning of mental health is our ability to deal with and manage stressful and challenging circumstances in our everyday lives. In other words, to be mentally healthy means to be resilient when you are faced with difficult and trying circumstances in life.

The challenging situations could be anything that causes extreme negative emotions. This could range from:

• being faced with a life-threatening scenario like an accident, or,

• something that invokes anxiety like appearing for a job interview

• a severe and chronic physical illness, or,

• the loss of someone very close to you in the form of death or a breakup, or,

• it could even be ill-treatment by near and dear ones or by people in your workplace

Some more examples of things that could have a detrimental effect on your mental well-being or mental state are stressful or unfavourable conversations like an argument with your life partner or family members or landlord or even adverse financial situations, like the accumulation of debts.

The harsh reality of our lives is that there is no smooth sailing through life. Everyone goes through a myriad of such challenges throughout their lives. And, our ability to get past these challenges without giving in to its pressures is what mental health is all about.

Just like the ideal physical health is not something that everyone is born with, but, is something that is built, nurtured and attained through taking proper care of the body and by being aware of things that one needs to do to keep oneself physically fit and in good health, the same applies to mental health as well. One needs to become aware of the factors that affect mental health or mental well-being and how they can be nurtured and handled when faced with various stressors throughout life.

In summary, mental health means having a state of mind that can cope with the countless challenges one faces along the course of one’s life which could deteriorate just like physical health does or get better over time.

Table Of Contents

• The Mental Health Spectrum Or Continuum

• A Healthy Versus An Unhealthy Mind

• Factors That Influence Negative Thought Patterns

• The Importance Or Significance Of Mental Health

• Mental Health Versus Physical Health: The Interplay

• Signs Of Poor Mental Health

• The Irrational Stigma Towards Mental Health

The Mental Health Spectrum Or Continuum

Mental health or our state of mind is not like a button which is either on or off. It’s not like we’re either mentally ill or mentally well at any given point in time. At one end of this spectrum are mental disorders like extreme anxiety or depression and at the other end are positive mental states like feeling fulfilled and content.

Everyone faces negative or unpleasant emotions like stress, worry, anxiety, sadness, fear or anger. If these emotions are a one-off situation, it is normal and one can move on in life. However, if you feel these emotions chronically or regularly and they become severe in such a way that they interfere with your day-to-day functioning in life, you have a mental health issue that needs to be healed just like a physical ailment needs care to restore it back to good health.

Different scenarios in life can push you from one end of the spectrum to the other. It’s when you end up being closer to the negative end of the spectrum that a mental health condition becomes a disorder if left untreated.

A Healthy Versus An Unhealthy Mind

One way of understanding what mental health means is to recognise what a healthy mind looks like versus an unhealthy one.

A healthy mind filters out thought patterns that are unfavourable for one’s well-being. At any given point in time, our minds are processing an endless number of negative as well as positive thoughts. An unhealthy mind pays attention to negative or destructive thought patterns while ignoring or paying the least attention to positive and constructive thoughts.

There’s always a subconscious chatter that keeps going on in our minds. An unhealthy mind pays attention to our “inner critic”. It gives in to the critical judgements that we start believing is our reality. It gives in to self-afflicted negative affirmations about how blameworthy we are.

On the contrary, a healthy mind does not focus on the unpleasant mental chatter. A healthy mind addresses the unpleasant chatter and investigates as to what extent the critical thoughts have any validation. Once you face your fears and insecurities head-on, assess how valid these self-created claims are, figure out what the worst-case scenarios could be and whether you could handle it or not or if you might need further help from a near or dear one or a therapist, the intensity of the pessimistic thoughts dissipate and you start focussing on things that matter to you and pleasant and uplifting thoughts prevail.

Factors That Influence Negative Thought Patterns

1. Unfair or irrational comparison with others: We tend to subconsciously compare our lives with those around us. We look at how successful someone else is in their lives and all of their perceived external achievements and start thinking that almost everyone around us is doing way better off than us. Whereas we don’t analyse or investigate the fact that they might have had a different life journey than ours. A healthy mind can see through this false narrative and be content with what one has achieved so far in one’s journey.

2. Fear: Based on our past negative experiences, we extrapolate the worst things that could possibly happen to us although, in reality, the chances of the worst-case scenario could in most cases be close to zero. A healthy and resilient mind can differentiate between the likelihood of all things going South versus what could practically take place. Even if the worst-case scenario does unfold, a strong mind is well-prepared and knows that such situations could still be handled with a calm and composed mindset.

3. Filtering of counterproductive thoughts and ideas: The uninitiated or naive mind is incapable of filtering out thought patterns that are serving your growth as a person in any way. Whereas people who have control over such thoughts know what to focus on at any given moment and how to ignore those thoughts and ideas that have no significance to the present moment.

4. Emotional awareness: It is very important to identify one’s emotions. How you are feeling at the moment, what kind of emotion it is - fear, anger, sadness, elated, content, calm -  and being fully aware of it rather than ignoring it and going about your day without acknowledging it is unhealthy. It’s not just enough to know what emotion you are experiencing. It’s important for your own mental growth to also identify the source of the emotion - why are you feeling it in the first place? This is one of the first steps towards healing - giving yourself the permission to let the emotion be felt and not resist it. And, secondly, trying to figure out what the cause of the emotion is.

Mentally unhealthy people tend to bury their emotions in the form of resorting to alcohol and substance abuse, for example. This leads to not just mental illnesses like extreme depression or anxiety (or panic attacks), but, could also deteriorate one’s physical health.

The Importance Or Significance Of Mental Health

Mental health affects every single aspect of our lives whether we want it or not. So, it’s not a matter of choice. It’s not optional. Whether you take care of it or not, it is still an integral part of our being. In order to live life to the fullest, you need to take care of your mental health just as you would take care of your physical health.

Physical Health Impact

Mental health affects your physical health and vice versa. Chronic stress or mental health challenges can lead to various physical illnesses like cardiovascular problems or a weakened immune system which in turn would affect your mental health and could potentially become a vicious circle. So, physical health and mental health are interdependent which forms the basis for our overall wellbeing.

Overall Quality Of Life

A positive mindset improves our quality of life gradually. It allows us to build meaningful relationships, cope with stress and enjoy the little pleasures in life.

Resilience In The Face Of Adversity

Have you ever wondered how some quite popular people or personalities have been through a lot of hardships in their lives and yet they withstood all the adversities to reach their crowning glory? Good mental health habits provide the resilience that they need to face life's challenges. It equips them with coping mechanisms, allowing them to handle setbacks and uncertainties more effectively.

Emotional Stability

Building a strong mental health attitude ensures that you can handle the most trying of emotional episodes in your life without resorting to self-destructive behavioural patterns. It is similar to being physically fit which shields you from illnesses and poor energy levels. People with a positive mindset can withstand emotional turmoil with calmness. This doesn’t mean that physically fit people never fall sick. However, the probability of falling sick is considerably reduced and even if one does fall sick despite being physically healthy, recovery would be much faster and less exhausting. The same principle applies to handling adverse emotional states and mental recovery.

Ensures You Are Not Lead Into Mental Health Disorders

Prioritising your mental health can help prevent the onset of mental health disorders: anxiety, depression, PTSD, social reclusion, eating disorders, etc. Regular self-care and seeking support whenever needed contribute to long-term positive mental well-being.

Community and Social Connection

Mental health is intertwined with community and social connection. Feeling a sense of belonging and having a supportive social network positively impacts mental well-being. It can affect the other way around as well. Your disserving mental state could lead to you withdrawing yourself from any kind of social interactions which in turn negatively affects your state of mind. Seek out like-minded people who might also be going through similar mental health issues like you. Simply feeling a sense of belonging could initiate your healing process.

Personal Fulfillment And A Sense Of Purpose

Ultimately, mental health is vital for personal fulfilment and a sense of purpose and vice versa. It allows you to pursue your goals, experience joy, and lead a fulfilling life.

Mental Health Versus Physical Health: The Interplay

Mental health is not an exclusive state of being. Although the general perception of the concept of mental health is considered as being separate from physical health and both are interdependent, the reality is that both are the same.

If you are physically unwell, that also means you are unwell mentally and the same is applicable the other way around.

The mind is a part of the body which means that any detrimental effect on the mind has an impact on the body and vice versa. It is very important to understand the concept that physical and mental health are segregations created by us to study them both separately. However, the growing consensus is that to be healthy overall, we need to look at both these spheres of health as one holistic unit.

What one does for the sake of improving physical health also helps improve mental health. And, improving your mental health leads to an improvement in physical health.

Here are some instances of how physical health can be affected by poor mental health:

• Weakened Immune System: Chronic stress and negative emotions can weaken your immune system making you more susceptible to illnesses and infections.

• Cardiovascular Health: Conditions like depression and anxiety have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease and hypertension. Stress can also contribute to the development of cardiovascular issues.

• Inflammation: Mental health issues particularly chronic stress and depression can lead to increased inflammation in the body. Chronic inflammation is associated with a range of physical health problems including autoimmune diseases, diabetes and certain cancers.

• Sleep Disturbances: Mental health problems can disrupt sleep patterns leading to issues like insomnia or poor-quality sleep. Sleep is essential for physical health and lack of it can contribute to various health problems.

• Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms: People experiencing mental health issues may turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as overeating, substance abuse or a sedentary lifestyle which can lead to obesity and related health concerns.

• Pain Perception: Mental health can influence how we perceive pain. Conditions like depression can exacerbate the perception of pain making it more challenging to manage physical pain.

• Digestive Problems: The gut-brain connection is well-documented and mental health issues can impact gastrointestinal health. Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) can be aggravated by stress and anxiety.

• Weakened Cognitive Function: Poor mental health can impair cognitive function and decision-making which can have physical consequences in areas like safety and self-care.

• Hormonal Imbalance: Chronic stress can disrupt the balance of hormones in the body leading to a range of physical health issues including hormonal disorders and menstrual irregularities in women.

• Reduced Self-Care: People with poor mental health may have difficulty engaging in self-care activities such as regular exercise, a balanced diet and regular medical check-ups which can impact their physical health.

Signs Of Poor Mental Health

Unlike physical health conditions like a fever or headache, it’s not easy to detect poor mental health states. However, the following are some signs or guidelines for one to identify if their mental health or state of mind is deteriorating:

• Disrupted sleep cycles (either sleeping too much or too little)

• Secluding oneself socially

• Felling anxious or worried all day or all night

• Resorting to substance abuse - smoking, alcohol consumption, doing drugs, etc.

• Reduced or no appetite

• Severe mood swings

• Excessive irrational fears all the time

The Irrational Stigma Towards Mental Health

The stigma towards taking care of one’s mental health plays at two different levels:

1. Individual: The first step towards managing one’s mental health is to identify that there exists an issue that needs care and attention to resolve it. Perhaps because of a lack of awareness or general ignorance of the issue from one’s end due to the feeling that chronic mental health issues mean that one has a severe mental disorder and that one will be perceived as a psychopath or a person needing psychiatric intervention, we never end up seeking help at all which only makes the matter worse. 

2. Societal: At a societal level, it is simply an extrapolation of the mental health stigma at an individual level. All individuals who think it’s self-defeating to seek help contribute to the collective conscience. And, it becomes a feedback loop keeping the stigma on for a very long time.

One might even identify that they’re going through overwhelming anxiety, sadness or stress. However, one would hesitate to discuss it even with their near and dear ones because of the feeling that one would be judged, misunderstood or outright invalidated. Not being able to express how one is feeling only makes the matter worse. It evolves into a silent battle within the confines of one’s mind.

Although, nowadays, there have been public-level initiatives like the R U OK? Day campaigns, people still feel hesitant to talk about their mental health struggles.

The way to break this cycle is to educate oneself and the society at large about the value of positive mental health.

Conclusion

You cannot ignore your mental health. Just the way we go to see a doctor when we’re physically ill, we need to seek help from a trained therapist for mental health concerns. And, for chronic physical ailments, it might do you more good to also seek help from a holistic mental wellness counsellor for a life-long solution instead of repeatedly taking the same medications for such ailments.