Characteristic of a person with good mental health
What are the characteristics of strong mental health?
Amid the coronavirus pandemic we are being warned of a “second wave” of mental health problems that threatens to overrun an already weakened mental health service.
As we emerge from this crisis, while some people may need specialist help with treating mental illness, everybody can benefit from strategies to improve mental health.
This is because mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness. Positive mental health is a combination of feeling good and functioning well.
Read more: Is your mental health deteriorating during the coronavirus pandemic? Here's what to look out for
Mental illness vs mental health: what’s the difference?
Mental health and mental illness are not simply two sides of the same coin. Mental health, just like physical health, exists on a spectrum from poor to optimal.
With physical health, some days we naturally feel stronger and more energetic than others. Similarly, some days our mental health is worse than others, and that too is a natural part of being human. We may feel tired, grumpy, sad, angry, anxious, depressed, stressed, or even happy at any point in time. These are all normal human emotions, and aren’t on their own a sign of mental illness.
Someone living with a mental illness can be experiencing optimal mental health at any point in time, while someone else can feel sad or low even in the absence of a mental illness.
Differentiating between poor mental health and symptoms of a mental illness is not always clear-cut. When poor mental health has a sustained negative impact on someone’s ability to work, have meaningful relationships, and fulfil day-to-day tasks, it could be a sign of mental illness requiring treatment.
Mental health and mental illness are not the same thing. You can have poor mental health in the absence of a mental illness. Supplied, adapted from Keyes 2002.
What does positive mental health look like?
Mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness.
Positive mental health and well-being is a combination of feeling good and functioning well. Important components include:
experiencing positive emotions: happiness, joy, pride, satisfaction, and love
having positive relationships: people you care for, and who care for you
feeling engaged with life
meaning and purpose: feeling your life is valuable and worthwhile
a sense of accomplishment: doing things that give you a sense of achievement or competence
emotional stability: feeling calm and able to manage emotions
resilience: the ability to cope with the stresses of daily life
optimism: feeling positive about your life and future
self-esteem: feeling positive about yourself
vitality: feeling energetic.
How can I cultivate my mental health?
Your mental health is shaped by social, economic, genetic and environmental conditions. To improve mental health within society at large, we need to address the social determinants of poor mental health, including poverty, economic insecurity, unemployment, low education, social disadvantage, homelessness and social isolation.
Positive mental health involves being able to cope with the challenges of daily life. ShutterstockOn an individual level, there are steps you can take to optimise your mental health. The first step is identifying your existing support networks and the coping strategies that you’ve used in the past.
There are also small things you can do to improve your mental health and help you to cope in tough times, such as:
helping others
finding a type of exercise or physical activity you enjoy (like yoga)
getting good sleep
eating healthy food
connecting with others, building and maintaining positive relationships
learning strategies to manage stress
having realistic expectations (no one is happy and positive all the time)
learning ways to relax (such as meditation)
counteracting negative or overcritical thinking
doing things you enjoy and that give you a sense of accomplishment.
How do I know if I need extra support?
Regardless of whether you are experiencing a mental illness, everyone has the right to optimal mental health. The suggestions above can help everyone improve their mental health and well-being, and help is available if you’re not sure how to get started.
However, when distress or poor mental health is interfering with our daily life, work, study or relationships, these suggestions may not be enough by themselves and additional, individualised treatment may be needed.
If the answer to RUOK? is no, or you or your loved ones need help, reaching out to your local GP is an important step. If you are eligible, your GP can refer you for free or low-cost sessions with a psychologist, exercise physiologist, dietitian, or other allied health or medical support services.
This article is supported by the Judith Neilson Institute for Journalism and Ideas.
10 Characteristics of Mentally Healthy People — Molding Excellence
Christian Aguilar
Wellness
According to Character Strengths and Virtues, a book by Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman, 24 character strengths describe mentally healthy people.
McGraw-Hill Education also adds positive personality traits to the list.
Thus, I want to share with you examples as to why I am mentally fit and how you can achieve some of these characteristics.
1. High self-esteemPeople who know their worth, have self-respect, and are confident in their abilities.
I have always been a confident person.
In high school, I joined the cheerleading squad, students elected me first-year class president, ran for prom king, and got a lead in a musical.
However, what took time to overcome is feeling good about myself.
For example, in junior high, I thought my nose was too big.
In high school, I thought I was too skinny with a small butt.
I had not reached a confidence level of 100 percent until my junior year of college.
Here is how I overcame my insecurities:
I watched America’s Next Top Model.
One piece of advice that stuck with me is “Embrace your flaws.”
Therefore, I learned to love my big nose.
I lifted weights, which has helped me gain muscle, and thanks to deadlifts, I now have a butt.
High self-esteem and feeling good about ourselves take time and practice.
Sometimes, even years.
The sooner we realize that we are human.
That we were born with “flaws” that I am sure someone finds attractive, the closer we are to reaching a confidence level of 100 percent.
Be Embraced.
2. RealisticThis next one isn’t about how one should be realistic with their goals and dreams, but accepting that everyone has imperfections, including myself.
As I mentioned, I felt insecure about my nose, but as soon as I heard someone preach about how we should embrace our flaws, that insecurity faded away.
Keeping in mind that everyone has imperfections should be a relief because it shows that not everyone is #blessed.
If you help people, then you’re altruistic.
Every day, life gives us opportunities to help others.
We aren’t always available to help someone, and that’s OK.
However, when we choose not to help someone because we aren’t receiving anything in return, we miss out on creating good karma.
Yes, we may be sacrificing our time for people, but performing a random act of kindness will give you purpose.
Also, our generous character will come back to help us unexpectedly.
Hence, good karma!
4. Social CompetenceThe ability to get along with others, be comfortable around people and believe that we can rely on them.
Every day I practice kindness, which allows me to form bonds with anyone regardless of their ethnicity, social class, sexuality, etc.
I’m a lover of all people, even rude ones.
Everyone has a story, and when we choose to emphasize with people and hear them out, our perspectives may change.
I can demonstrate social competence because I don’t expect anything from the people I meet.
I don’t expect them to invite me, keep my “secrets,” and to agree with me.
As long as the people I’m around aren’t harmful influences, I’m comfortable.
I even meet people who end up becoming close friends that I can trust.
Author and motivational speaker Maxie McCoy and I at Create & Cultivate’s NYC Conference.
5. OptimisticOptimism is maintaining a positive outlook.
Before I entered college, I used to overthink and ask, “What could go wrong?”
Now, I’ve learned not to take life too seriously and to go with the flow.
Life is too short to be worried about the future because you cannot predict what will happen.
Thus, you might as well hope for the best, but be practical.
For instance, we cannot tell ourselves, “I am going to ace this exam,” knowing we didn’t study.
On the other hand, if we studied thirty minutes every day before the exam, then we can tell yourself, “I am going to ace this exam.”
6. CreativityThe ones who create are creative.
All my life, I relied on creativity.
When I attented grade school, I watched Pokémon. Still, do actually.
I would use my imagination to have Pokémon battles with stuffed animals.
Imagine a grizzly bear plush using a fire blast and a stuffed dog plush using thunder.
Now, there are Pokémon battling video games, so I don't have to do that anymore.
Later, I enjoyed coloring.
Now, I use creativity to formulate blog posts, plan video ideas, and direct photoshoots.
You, too, can be creative.
You have to figure out what you’re passionate about.
Once you have completed that mission, you can use your mind to solve problems, think outside the box, and create.
“Some people dream of success, while other people get up every morning and make it happen.
” 💰✨👏🏼 - Wayne Huizenga
Merriam-Webster states that someone open-minded is receptive to arguments or ideas.
I’m thankful for open-mindedness because it allows me to listen without interrupting.
Also, I hear someone out and ask follow-up questions before agreeing or disagreeing.
When we choose to be open-minded, we unlock the power to have thousands of conversations on multiple topics, even controversial ones: religion, veganism, and women’s rights.
We don’t have to agree with what people say, but we have to listen to someone, be curious and ask questions actively.
We will then learn why people think the way they do.
8. AuthenticityBeing real may be common sense, but it’s not common practice.
Especially in a world where we can fake who we are on social media.
We can trick strangers into believing that our lives are more extravagant than our reality.
Thus, authenticity can be tricky.
However, some people take risks every day by living their truths and owning their choices.
9. ZestZest is having a positive outlook on life.
It’s waking up in the morning and saying, “Today is going to be a good day.”
Life can be unfair and cruel, but it can also be beautiful.
If you choose to focus on the good, you, too, will approach life with excitement and energy.
Pasadena Convention Center
10. PersistencePeople who don’t give up and finish what they started are persistent.
When I’m not passionate about something, I give up.
For instance, I joined tennis in high school, and I gave up.
I joined the weight lifting club in college, and I also gave up.
I have withdrawn from two courses during college.
However, when I’m passionate about something like content creation, I don’t give up, no matter the burden.
For instance, I started a YouTube channel in 2015, and I’m still going.
I hope to continue this blog and Instagram influencing until I become a full-time content creator.
If I accomplish that career goal and no longer want to create content, I can try something else.
As long as I don’t quit during the journey, I won’t regret it.
”We buy things we don't need with money we don't have to impress people we don't like.” - @daveramsey
Not everyone is born with these characteristics nor raised to be a mentally healthy person.
That’s why it’s our responsibility to work on ourselves every day.
Point out which features we lack and research how we can demonstrate or improve that specific character trait.
We can’t be afraid to ask for help, especially from the ones we aspire to be.
If we want to have high self-esteem, we need to hang out with someone confident.
If we want to be persistent, we should spend time with someone who hasn’t given up on their big dreams.
If you’re on Pinterest and would like to add this article to one of your boards, pin this graphic ⤵️
You read my sixth post on Molding Excellence. Thank you!
Expect more straightforward advice on this blog.
Feel free to comment, share with others, and leave feedback.
I want to hear from you.
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Christian Aguilar
Mental health and a positive attitude to life - St. Petersburg State Budgetary Healthcare Institution Dermatovenerologic Dispensary No. 11
Prevention measures in St. Petersburg State Budgetary Institution of Healthcare No. 11
Mental health (mental health) - according to the definition of the World Health Organization, this is a state of well-being in which a person can realize their own potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and contribute to their community.
nine0005
In this positive sense, mental health is the foundation of well-being and effective functioning for the individual and for the community.
The World Health Organization identifies the following criteria for mental health:
- awareness and sense of continuity, constancy and identity of one's physical and mental "I".
- feeling of constancy and identity of experiences in similar situations.
- criticality to oneself and one's own mental production (activity) and its results. nine0018
- compliance of mental reactions (adequacy) with the strength and frequency of environmental influences, social circumstances and situations.
- the ability to self-manage behavior in accordance with social norms, rules, laws.
- the ability to plan one's own life and implement these plans.
- the ability to change the way of behavior depending on the change in life situations and circumstances.
Normal mental health refers to the harmonious development of the psyche, corresponding to the age, age norm of a given person.
A favorable functional state is considered as a complex of characteristics and functions that ensure the effective fulfillment by a person of the tasks facing him in various spheres of life. One of the leading indicators of the functional state of the psyche is mental performance, which integrates the main characteristics of the psyche - perception, attention, memory, etc.
High mental performance is one of the main indicators of mental health and an important indicator of a favorable functional state of the body as a whole.
Highlighting the psychological problems that people face in the workplace and informing them how to cope with them helps to increase resilience and improve a person's mental health.
We invite you to get acquainted with the recommendations of doctors on how to be happy at work. nine0005
- Wake up earlier than – at least one hour before leaving home for work, enjoy some time for yourself before the busy day starts.
Give yourself time to quietly eat breakfast, go for a run, or do whatever will help you start your day on a positive note. Nothing will help you improve your mood as much as the thought that you have done something pleasant for yourself. - Dress well. When you leave the house in a good mood and ready to work, then you are on your way to a successful day. Good appearance will give you pleasure. Even if you are very tired from work, take a look in the mirror, pull yourself together and energize yourself by starting the day right. nine0018
3. Leave your personal problems at home . It's hard to be happy at work if you're having fights, health concerns, or household chores, so it's important to learn to put your problems aside and try to work through them in your free time. Do not solve your personal problems during the working day. If you try to solve your problems and try to work at the same time, you will have a double stress, as you will worry about how to find time to do both.
nine0005
4. Come to work early . Rushing and being late will minimize your chances of having a good day at work. If you come to work late, you will always be running out of time. Therefore, we recommend leaving the house early.
- Greet your colleagues when you come to work. As soon as you walk through the door, greet as many colleagues as possible before the start of the work day. So you will feel a surge of energy. You may be nervous, rushed, or just annoyed, but isolating yourself from your co-workers won't make your job enjoyable. Instead, be friendly, even if your mood is not at all like that. nine0018
6. Organize your workplace to your taste . The employer provides the minimum working conditions necessary for the employee, and your task is to provide yourself with maximum comfort and convenience. When organizing your workplace, everything matters: color scheme, ergonomics, details, and even the chair on which you have to sit for several hours a day.
And here it makes sense to compete for your convenience. Surround yourself with pleasant little things: bright details, personal items, a photo of a loved one, unless, of course, this is excluded by the company's rules. A piece of home comfort gives a person a sense of security and psychological comfort. nine0005
7. Complete simple tasks as quickly as possible . If possible, immediately complete the tasks that are required of you. Remember that any completed business brings a sense of completion, and, as a result, job satisfaction.
8. Be proud of your work . Whatever work you do, be proud of the contribution you make. Even if you think most of your work is monotonous, find something to be proud of.
9. Be physically active at work . Even if you constantly sit at your desk or stand in the same position, there are plenty of exercises that can help you increase your physical activity during your work day. It will energize you and make you feel better. You can walk to work instead of transport, take the stairs instead of the elevator, go to an employee's office to ask a question instead of making a phone call.
- Tidy up your workplace . All things on your desktop should be neatly folded, so that you do not have to waste your time looking for this or that document. The desktop document box will help you distribute your tasks for today, for the week, until the end of the month. Set aside just 10 minutes a day to organize your workplace, and you will feel how much easier it will be for you to enjoy your work.
- Take breaks . If you want to be happier in your workplace, you need to periodically take time off from work. Research shows that it's important to take small breaks every hour: step away from your computer or any other task you're doing at the moment, rest your eyes, stretch, take a walk. Going out for some fresh air from time to time will help you feel happier throughout your work day.
nine0018
- Avoid multitasking . If you think that by doing several tasks at the same time, you will be able to finish your work faster, you are wrong. It will only slow you down. If you end your work day with all tasks left unfinished, you will have a greater sense of incompleteness than if you completed a few tasks. It helps to make a to-do list at the beginning of the working day and then cross off completed tasks from it.
- Stay away from gangs . It is especially important to avoid groups between employees: negativity will reduce your energy, block joy and positive thoughts. At work, be friendly with everyone, instead of joining a group of three or four people and alienating others. Try to maintain good relations with everyone, regardless of social status and position on the corporate ladder, and your joy from being at work will increase.
- Don't neglect your meal times . Use your lunch time to relax and eat, not work.
This will give you energy for further activities. Treat yourself to light and healthy snacks throughout the day: fruits, nuts, unsweetened yogurt, etc. They will cheer you up and increase your productivity. - Smile! Even if you feel irritated and unfulfilled in your workplace, try to smile! It has been proven to improve mood and make you feel happier. If you are unhappy with everything, constantly complaining or speaking negatively to your colleagues, you are guaranteed to feel even worse. nine0018
- Find meaning in your work. One important way to feel happier at work is to find meaning in it. If you find it difficult to find meaning, then your work will be filled with boredom and monotony, and this is tiring.
- Think about the people who need you . When you're upset at work, take a short break and think about the people you help or depend on you for. Consider what will happen if you don't show up for work.
Someone may suffer from this or will not know what to do. Remind yourself of how valuable you are every time doubts about your work begin to creep into your soul. nine0018 - Reward yourself for a job well done . Not only your productivity is important, but also your mental health. If you want to be happy at work, give yourself small gifts for successful work days. Find those moments that motivate you to finish work quickly and efficiently and use them as gifts after completing difficult tasks. Rewards will also ensure that you expect something out of the ordinary during a busy day, and you can work more energetically and efficiently. nine0018
- Make time for your friends and family . No matter how busy you are, it's important to make time for the people closest to you. If you spend all your energy on work, you will not be able to stop and enjoy life. You will feel better at work if your personal life is filled with love, family values and strong friendships.
The main thing is to persevere towards your goal, and remember that happiness at work, at home or anywhere else depends only on you! Happiness is your way of thinking and conscious decisions. Take care of yourself! nine0017 П
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- Strengthening mental health measures
Key Facts
- There are affordable, effective and feasible strategies to promote, protect and restore mental health.
- The need for mental health action is clear and urgent. nine0018
- Mental health is essential both on its own and as an integral part of a person's overall health and well-being.
- Mental health results from the influence and interaction of a complex of individual, social and structural stressors and vulnerabilities.
Understanding mental health
Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with stressful situations in life, fulfill their potential, study and work successfully, and contribute to society. It is an essential component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships, and shape the world we live in. Mental health is one of the basic human rights. In addition, it is crucial for personal, social and socio-economic development. nine0005
Mental health is not limited to the absence of mental disorders. It represents a continuous continuum, individual for each person, within which a person faces a complex of factors of varying degrees of complexity and experiences different levels of stress, which leads to very different potential social and clinical consequences for each individual.
Mental health disorder is an umbrella term for mental disorders, various types of psychosocial disabilities, and other mental health conditions that cause significant distress, functional impairment, or risk of self-harm. As a general rule, people with mental health problems are more likely to experience lower levels of mental well-being, although exceptions are possible. nine0005
Determinants of mental health
Throughout our lives, multiple individual, social and structural determinants can collectively protect or undermine our mental health and change our position on the mental health continuum.
Various individual psychological and biological factors, such as emotional skills, substance use, and genetic characteristics, can make a person more susceptible to mental health problems. nine0005
Exposure to adverse social, economic, geopolitical and environmental circumstances, including poverty, violence, inequality and disadvantaged social conditions, also increases the risk of mental disorders.
Risk factors can appear at all stages of life, but those that arise during critical periods for human development, especially in early childhood, have a particularly strong negative impact. For example, harsh parenting and physical punishment are known to undermine children's mental health, and school bullying is a major risk factor for developing mental health problems. nine0005
Similarly, protective factors also occur throughout a person's life and contribute to mental resilience. These factors include our individual social and emotional skills and attributes, as well as positive social experiences, quality education, decent jobs, living in a safe neighborhood, community cohesion, and more.
The impact of risk and protective factors can vary in magnitude. Thus, local threats increase the risk to individuals, families and communities. Global threats such as economic recession, disease outbreaks, humanitarian emergencies, forced population displacements, and the worsening climate crisis are raising the level of risk for entire populations.
nine0005 The impact of any individual risk or protective factor is difficult to predict. In most people, exposure to any risk factor does not lead to the development of a psychiatric disorder, while many people can develop psychiatric disorders even in the absence of known risk factors. However, the complex of different interacting determinants of mental health can both enhance and undermine mental health.
Mental health promotion and prevention of mental disorders
Mental health promotion and prevention interventions are based on identifying the individual, social and structural determinants of mental health and implementing interventions to reduce risks, increase mental resilience and create a mental health-friendly environment. Interventions may be directed at individuals, specific populations or entire populations.
Reshaping the determinants of mental health often requires action that goes beyond the health sector, so mental health promotion and prevention programs need to cover the education, labour, justice, transport, environment, housing and social welfare sectors.
The health sector can make a significant contribution to this by integrating mental health promotion and prevention into health care services, and by promoting, initiating and, where appropriate, supporting intersectoral collaboration and coordination. nine0005 Suicide prevention is one of the global priorities included in the Sustainable Development Goals. Greater strides in suicide prevention can be made by limiting access to the means of committing suicide, responsible media coverage of such cases, teaching adolescents social and emotional skills, and taking early action. A particularly inexpensive and cost-effective intervention to reduce suicide rates is the ban on highly hazardous pesticides. nine0005
Promoting the mental health of children and adolescents is another priority that can be achieved through policies and legislation that promote and protect mental health and aim to support parents and caregivers in caring for their children in a caring and respectful way. implementation of appropriate school-based programs and creation of favorable and safe conditions for children at the level of local communities and in the online space.
School-based social and emotional learning programs are among the most effective mental health promotion strategies in countries of all income levels. nine0005 There is growing interest in the promotion and protection of mental health in the workplace; relevant measures can also be taken in this area in the areas of legislation and regulation, organizational strategies, training of managers and implementation of interventions at the worker level.
Mental health care and treatment
In the context of national efforts to promote mental health, it is essential not only to protect and promote the mental well-being of the entire population, but also to address the needs of people with mental disorders. nine0005
This should be addressed through community-based mental health care, as it is more accessible and acceptable to the population than inpatient care, helps prevent human rights violations, and improves outcomes for mental disorders. Community-based mental health care should be built into a set of related services:
- mental health services integrated into the general health care system, usually operating at the general hospital level and as part of a shared task with the participation of non-specialized primary care workers;
- community mental health services, which may include community mental health centers and teams, psychosocial rehabilitation services, support groups and visitation services;
- services providing mental health services in social care and non-medical settings such as child protection services, school health services and prison facilities.
The huge gap in care for common mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety requires countries to look for innovative ways to diversify and scale up care for these conditions, such as through non-specialist counseling or self-help using digital platforms. nine0005
WHO action
All WHO Member States have committed to the Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013–2030, which aims to improve the mental health of the population by strengthening effective leadership and management, providing a comprehensive, integrated and community-based flexible care, the implementation of strategies for mental health promotion and prevention of mental disorders, and the development of information systems, evidence and research. According to the analysis of country performance in implementing the action plan presented in the 2020 Mental Health Atlas published by WHO in 2020, progress towards the goals of the agreed action plan remains insufficient. nine0005
The World Mental Health Report, published by WHO, calls on all countries to accelerate the implementation of the action plan.
The report argues that all countries can make significant progress in improving the mental health of the population by taking action in three main areas of transformation: - increasing the value of mental health in the minds of individuals, society as a whole and government; in line with the realization of this value, ensuring the necessary commitment, interaction and investment from all stakeholders and in all sectors; nine0018
- transforming the physical, social and economic environments – at home, in schools, in the workplace and in the wider community – to better protect mental health and prevent mental disorders;
- strengthening the mental health system so that the full range of mental health needs are met through a network of accessible, affordable and quality community-based services and supports. nine0018
WHO focuses on protecting and fulfilling human rights, empowering people to share their personal experiences, and ensuring a multisectoral and multistakeholder approach.
