MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health describes either a level of cognitive or emotional well-being or an absence of a mental disorder. According to WHO, mental health is a state of well-being in which:

♣ The individual realizes his or her own abilities,

♣ Can cope with the normal stresses of life,

♣ Can work productively and fruitfully,

♣ Able to make a contribution to his or her community

CAUSES OF MENTAL HEALTH 

-Biological factors

-Environmental factors

-Psychological factors

WHAT BIOLOGICAL FACTORS ARE INVOLVED IN MENTAL ILLNESS?

• An abnormal balance of special chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters.

• Neurotransmitters help nerve cells in the brain communicate with each other.

• If these chemicals are out of balance or are not working properly:

– Messages may not make it through the brain correctly, leading to symptoms of mental illness.

OTHER BIOLOGICAL FACTOR

1) Genetic

Genetics (heredity): Many mental illnesses run in families, suggesting that people who have a family

member with a mental illness are more likely to develop a mental illness.

2) Poor nutrition

Poor nutrition and exposure to toxins, such as lead, may play a role in the development of mental illnesses.

3) Substance abuse

Long-term substance abuse, in particular, has been linked to anxiety, depression.

4) Prenatal damage

Some evidence suggests that a disruption of early fetal brain development or trauma that occurs at the time of birth – for example, loss of oxygen to the brain -- may be a factor in the development of certain conditions, such as autism.

5) Brain defects

Defects in or injury to certain areas of the brain have also been linked to some mental illnesses.

6) Infection

Infections: Certain infections have been linked to brain damage and the development of mental illness or the worsening of its symptoms. – a condition known as paediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorder (PANDA) associated with the Streptococcus bacteria has been linked to the development of obsessive-compulsive disorder and other mental illnesses in children.

WHAT PSYCHOLOGICAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO MENTAL ILLNESS?

·   Severe psychological al trauma suffered as a child, such as emotional, physical, or sexual abuse· Neglect·  An important early loss, such as the loss of a parent. Poor ability to relate to others

WHAT ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO MENTAL ILLNESS?

·         Living in poverty

·         A dysfunctional family life

·         Death or divorce

·         Feelings of inadequacy, low self-esteem, anxiety, anger, or loneliness

·         Substance abuse by the person or the person's parents

·         Changing jobs or schools

·         Social or cultural expectations (For example, a society that associates beauty with           thinness can be a factor in the development of eating disorders.)