Mental Health: Types, Causes and Ways to Maintain Inner Well-Being
Health & Fitness
Posted by T.Gowda on 2024-07-05 22:57:10 |
Last Updated by T.Gowda on 2024-08-02 06:13:37
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Mental health is nothing but the state of mental
well-being that helps people cope with the stresses of day-to-day life, realize
their abilities, learn and work well in the communities. Mental health includes
emotional health, psychological health and social well-being. It affects how we
think, feel, and act that helps determine how we handle stress, how we relate
ourselves with others and make our choices. In this article, let us discuss the
importance of mental health, some of the mental health illnesses in brief,
causes and ways to maintain mental wellness throughout life or in difficult
situations.
Importance
of mental Health
In this fast-growing world, a person’s mental health condition is very important. It affects every aspect of our life how we think and feel about
ourselves and others, the ability to enjoy life in difficult times, and how we
handle our relationships in personal life and the workplace or employment. A
person with good mental health is better equipped than others with the ability
to manage stress and day-to-day challenges, they can work very effectively and
more efficiently and can give a better outcome to society
On the other hand, a person with mental issues will
have a variety of issues and difficulties in their life. They may face
emotional distress and interpersonal difficulties and this can lead to low
productivity in performance in all aspects of life including quality of life
and happiness
There is a close relationship between mental health
and physical health and that is the main reason why mental health is more
important. Research has shown that mental health problems such as anxiety and
depression can worsen physical health problems such as hypertension, diabetes
and heart disease, as all these conditions have a direct relationship with stress.
Common
Mental Health Problems.
There are many types of mental health problems, but
their symptoms and severity vary from person to person. The most common mental
health conditions are as follows:
1).
Anxiety disorder:
Anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive worry
or fear. It also includes various other types, such as panic disorder, social anxiety disorder (stage fear), Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and some
phobias. Anxiety disorder can cause physical symptoms like sweating, increased
heart rate and some kind of fear in the mind.
2).
Depressive disorders:
Depression is the most common mental disorder
throughout the world irrespective of class or society. It is characterized by
constant sadness and loss of interest in activity and it also includes a large
amount of emotional distress and physical symptoms. It can affect the persons'
ability to think and function both at work and at home.
3).
Bipolar disorders:
Bipolar disorder involves extreme mood swings like mania or hypomania. These mood
swings can affect sleep, energy, activity and ability to think clearly.
4).
Schizophrenia:
Schizophrenia
is a severe mental disorder, that involves delusions (false beliefs),
hallucinations (seeing and hearing things that don’t exist), and paranoid
thought. A person with schizophrenia may also think that someone is controlling
their mind and going to harm them. It can be extremely disruptive to quality of
life making it hard to go to school or work.
5).
Post-traumatic stress disorders (PTSD):
These
types of disorders can occur after a major traumatic event. The symptoms
include flashbacks or feeling like that past event might happen again.
sleeping, problem remembering, feeling alone and irritability.
6). Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD):
The occurrence of unwanted repetitive thoughts is called “obsession,” which
leads to repetitive activities called "compulsions,” for example Repetitive hand
washing. The occurrence of repetitive thoughts leads to stress and reduces the
productivity of a person.
Apart from these major mental disorders, there are
other disorders like eating disorders, antisocial personality disorders, and borderline personality disorder (BPD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHP) and
other less common disorders are there but we are not going to discuss those disorders.
Diagnosis of mental disorders:
Mental disorders need medical attention, which requires careful examination
by a qualified medical practitioner like a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist,
wherein a doctor starts with a case history and assesses the symptoms he can
also go for a psychological evaluation or he may ask a person to fill- out the
mental health questionnaires to determine the severity of the thought, feelings and
behavior pattern based on this, he can identify the type of mental health problem
and suggest a suitable remedy.
What causes mental health disorders?
There is no single cause for mental illness, there are many factors that
contribute to the development of mental health problems. Among them, some
important factors are genetic, Biochemical, environmental and psychological factors
play major roles. Identifying these root causes may help in developing an appropriate
treatment plan.
1). Biological and Genetic factors:
In many cases, mental disorders can run in families, if any first-degree relatives are affected by the particular type of mental disorder, then there is
a likely chance that his relatives too might develop the same problem or the
other. Mental health problems are
associated with abnormalities in brain anatomy and fluctuations in hormonal levels
and more importantly, there will be an imbalance in the levels of neurotransmitters
like serotonin.
2). Life events:
Certain stressful life events like abuse, the death of a loved one, stress
due to employment, broken relationships like divorce and separation from the
lovable person, and unsuccessful love can also trigger mental and psychological
illness.
3.
Environmental factors:
A variety of social and economic variables may
also have a role in the emergence of mental diseases. Stability and the
emergence of mental diseases can be caused by problems like as persistent
financial crises, violence, and social isolation brought on by preoccupied
stigma.
4.
A psychological component:
Mental diseases can arise as a result of psychological variables such as
personality traits and inadequate coping mechanisms. Individuals who possess
strong coping mechanisms can adjust to stressful circumstances more easily than
those who lack such mechanisms.
Strategies to maintain mental well-being
1). Self-care:
Regular exercise for 45 minutes 3 to 5 times a week can help to improve mental
health as exercise stimulates the body to produce an adequate number of neurotransmitters
like serotonin and other feel-good hormones like dopamine, which keep the person
happy.
2). Balanced diet:
Eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated; this ensures the supply of all
the essential nutrients that are required for the various biochemical reactions
in the body, which helps in maintaining constant energy levels in the body.
3). Creating connections:
Try to connect with good people
and have friends with whom you can share your feelings and emotions. Develop a good
rapport with family, friends and relatives, this gives you moral support during
difficult situations.
4). Develop coping skills:
Identify your level of coping skills during stressful situations, and learn
time management, goal setting and problem-solving techniques.
5). Stay Educated:
Update yourself about mental health problems, and your mental issues and
learn about them, this can help in diagnosing early and consulting the right
person for each problem, instead of wondering here and there for help.
6). Creating a positive attitude:
Create a positive environment around yourselves and stay surrounded by
good and positive-minded people who can support you.
7). Perform relaxation:
Practice deep breathing exercises and meditation; this helps in relaxing
your body and mind.
8). Practice mindfulness and gratitude: A
person can identify and note things they are grateful for at the end of each
day.
9). Seek professional help:
Always
take professional help, Psychologists, psychiatrists, and counsellors are
examples of mental health professionals who can provide support and treatment
for mental health issues. To effectively manage symptoms, one may choose to use
therapy, medication, or a combination of both.
