Mental Health: It's a State of Well-being
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Mental health is a topic that’s often not openly talked about, but needs to come “out of the shadows.” Mental health and well-being are very important to your overall health. It’s common for people to confuse the terms mental health and mental illness. Because of this, it’s important to understand the more precise meaning of each of these terms, and how these states can impact your health.
Mental health is a state of well-being. It’s not simply the absence of mental illness, as is commonly thought, but rather a state of flourishing (Keyes, 2007). A person who is mentally healthy can cope with the normal stresses of life. This doesn’t mean that they don’t experience a full range of emotions; rather, it has to do with how well they’re able to respond to those emotions. Mental illness can feature different sets of symptoms that affect how we think, feel, and behave. A person who has a mental illness is unable to flourish, and often can’t meet life’s day-to-day demands.
Mental health is not simply the absence of mental illness, as is commonly thought, but rather a state of flourishing.
It’s estimated that one in five Canadians, close to six million people, will develop a mental illness at some point in their lives. Mental illness is estimated to cost the Canadian economy $51 billion dollars a year, and each day 500 000 people miss work due to mental health problems (Lim, Jacobs, Ohinmaa, Schopflocher, & Dewa, 2008). Lack of knowledge about positive mental health and the stigma held toward mental illness are two of the major barriers to having a population of mentally healthy people.
Many people are not well-informed about the importance of mental health to their overall health, nor how to find help for mental illness. Due to the stigma associated with mental illness, people often resist getting professional help. The scope and impact of mental health issues (both positive and negative) are beginning to be recognized. There is a growing awareness that poor mental health is a risk factor for chronic diseases (PCPC-NTTMHP, 2009). If we promote mental health and work to prevent mental illness, we’ll not only help lower rates of mental illness, but also lower rates of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. People need to be informed about the benefits of positive mental health and well-being, and educated about the stigma of mental illness and where to get help. Positive mental health and well-being are associated with better physical health, better relationships, and fewer missed days at work. This Healthy Minds Matter Health Issues Magazine may help answer some questions you may have about mental health and mental illness and how they impact your overall health. We should all do our part, as friends, family members, and co-workers, to support each other and promote mental health.
