Have you ever been hit by unplanned life events that disrupted your mental wellbeing?

What did you do to bounce back to your normal mental health?

When it comes to mental health, each individual has a unique normal mental state; a state of normality differs from person to person. For instance, an extrovert may see an introvert as a depressed individual because these individuals are usually reserved, withdrawn and like been on their own. Therefore, normality is subjective.

In everyday life, we are faced with challenges, which could be familial, work-related, social (relationships), economic etc. These are referred to as stresses of life in mental health. The way to adapt to these stresses determines your level of mental wellness. Some individuals adapt successfully while others fail. Mental illness is not madness, we are at one point in life mentally ill. Madness is a behavioural pattern resulting from a mental illness.

According to American Psychiatric Association, mental illnesses are health conditions involving changes in emotion, thinking or behaviour (or a combination of these). Mental illnesses are associated with distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities.

Then what is mental health?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is a “state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can contribute meaningfully to his or her community”.

From the above definition by WHO, mental health encompasses:

1. An individual discovering his/her potentials. Every being is born with a skill unique to him/her, nobody is empty or a dullard. There is something you are good at. So, to be mentally healthy discover those potentials/skills/talent, if you cannot realize those abilities in you, you are mentally unhealthy.

2. Dealing with the normal stress of life. Normal stresses of life are life challenges that are universal such as sickness/diseases, financial problems, bereavement, things that are common to others. Being able to confront these stresses and retreating to normal self.

3. Can you yield good and useful results in your work. Have you ever benefit someone? that is mental health.

4. Participating meaningfully in your society. What is your impact in your neighbourhood like? Are there positive or negative impacts? To be mentally healthy, you must contribute positively to your community/society.

NOTE: if you fail in any of these, you are mentally unhealthy.