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Mental Health
Mental Health, a psychological state
of well-being, characterized by continuing
personal growth, a sense of purpose in life,
self-acceptance, and positive relations with
others. Some people define mental health as
the absence of mental illness, but many
psychologists consider this definition too
narrow. Mental health can also refer to a
field of study encompassing both mental
health and mental illness.
 Some psychologists regard
mental health as the ability to maintain a
balance between positive and negative
emotions, such as elation and sadness. In
this view, a person who displays emotional
extremes in either direction is less
well-adjusted. Other psychologists emphasize
the role of one’s environment in influencing
well-being. This perspective sees mental
health reflected in a person’s overall
happiness with various domains of life, such
as social relationships, work, and community
life.Maintaining
Mental Health
*1997
Nobel Laureate Neurologist
Some people use coping skills more
effectively than others. However,
research has shown that people can learn
new coping skills. For example,
counselors can teach children how to
handle difficulties in school. Adults
can be taught skills to cope with
stressful life events, such as job loss
and divorce. Teaching people coping
skills before they encounter adversity,
or early in the stages of a crisis,
appears an effective method of
preventing poor mental health. Learning
effective coping strategies also
directly improves mental health by
improving one’s sense of mastery and
self-esteem.
Social support from friends and family
members also promotes good mental
health. This support can take several
forms. Other people can offer concrete
help in a crisis, such as providing
shelter to families victimized by a
natural disaster or alerting an
unemployed person to a job opportunity.
In addition, other people can provide an
important source of emotional support.
Friends respond with concern, empathy,
and advice to a person facing
difficulties or loss. They boost
confidence and self-esteem by offering
reassurance and compliments. Self-help
groups provide support by enabling
people with similar problems to share
their experiences and emotions.
Conversely, research has shown that
negative social interactions, such as
constant criticism and belittlement from
other people, can undermine mental
health.
Other ways of maintaining good mental
health involve physical activities. For
example, research has shown that regular
aerobic exercise helps to boost
self-esteem, relieve depression, and
improve concentration. Relaxation
techniques, such as deep breathing and
meditation, also help to combat the
effects of stress.
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