Mental Health

By: Suryadi Pranoto, Undergraduate student majoring in political sciences 

Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects cognition, feelings, and behavior, and determines how individuals handle stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. From the perspective of positive psychology or holism, mental health may include an individual's ability to enjoy life and find a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience. Cultural differences, subjective assessments, and competing professional theories influence how "mental health" is defined.

Early signs associated with mental health issues include sleep disturbances, lack of energy, and thoughts of self-harm or harming others. Mental health can be viewed as a continuum, where an individual's mental health can have various values. Psychological well-being is a positive attribute; definitions of mental health highlight emotional well-being, the ability to live a full and creative life, and resilience in facing life's inevitable challenges. Some topics are discussed within the framework of satisfaction or happiness. Many therapeutic systems and self-help books offer methods and philosophies that promote strategies and techniques said to be effective in improving psychological well-being.

Positive psychology is gaining importance in the field of mental health. The holistic model of mental health generally includes concepts based on anthropological, educational, psychological, religious, and social perspectives. There are also theoretical perspectives from personal, social, clinical, health, and developmental psychology.

Mental health conditions account for 16% of the global burden of disease and injury among people aged 10-19. In 2018, 42% of these youths did not receive treatment. Depression is a leading cause of illness and disability among adolescents. Ignoring mental health conditions in adolescents can affect adulthood. Fifty percent of preschool children show a natural decline in behavioral problems, while the rest face long-term consequences. The average age of onset for depressive disorders ranges from 11 to 14 years. Common symptoms of psychological trauma, such as social withdrawal and learned helplessness, are prevalent among homeless individuals and families.

Despite the prevalence of mental illnesses, people rarely receive appropriate care. Most refugees experience trauma, which may take the form of torture, sexual assault, family disintegration, or the death of loved ones. Research has shown that there is stigma associated with mental illnesses. Due to this stigma, individuals may resist classification and respond to mental health diagnoses with denial. Family caregivers of individuals with mental disorders may also suffer discrimination or face stigma. Addressing and eliminating social stigma and perceived stigma associated with mental illnesses is recognized as essential for education and raising awareness about mental health issues.

In the United Kingdom, the Royal College of Psychiatrists organized the "Changing Minds" campaign to help reduce stigma, while in the United States, entities like the "Born This Way Foundation" and "The Manic Monologues" focus specifically on removing the stigma surrounding mental illnesses. Many mental health professionals have come to understand the importance of competence in religious diversity and spirituality. They also engage in cultural training to understand which interventions work best with these different groups of people. The American Psychological Association explicitly states the necessity of respecting religion.

Social work in mental health, also known as psychiatric social work, is a process in which an individual is assisted in a particular environment to achieve liberation from internal and external intersecting problems. It aims to achieve harmony, quality of life, self-fulfillment, and personal adjustment across all systems. Psychiatric social workers are mental health professionals who can help patients and their families deal with mental health issues and various economic or social problems resulting from mental illnesses or psychological imbalances, to achieve improvement in mental health and well-being. They are vital members of treatment teams in psychiatric and behavioral science departments in hospitals. They are employed in both outpatient and inpatient settings, nursing homes, local and international governments, substance use clinics, correctional institutions, healthcare services, private practices, and more. Mental health social workers in Japan possess professional knowledge of health and well-being and essential skills for personal welfare.

Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including biological factors like genes or brain chemistry, life experiences such as trauma or abuse, and a family history of mental health issues. Economic factors affect an individual's mental health. Unemployment has shown a negative impact on an individual's emotional well-being, self-esteem, and broader mental health. Increased unemployment has had a significant effect on mental health, especially depressive disorders. This is an important point when reviewing the causes of mental health disorders in any population survey. The Center for Addiction and Mental Health discusses how a certain amount of stress is a natural part of daily life. Small doses of stress help people meet deadlines, prepare for presentations, increase productivity, and arrive on time for important events. However, long-term stress can become harmful. When stress becomes overwhelming and persistent, the risks to mental health and medical problems increase. Additionally, some studies have found that language can deteriorate mental health and even harm humans.

From this article, we can conclude that mental health is crucial in human life. If a person's mental health is disturbed, it will be the beginning of another source of problems. Therefore, as educated individuals, we should be more aware of the importance of mental health. A person with a mental health problem does not mean they should be avoided; rather, they should be continually supported to stay in their state. The last thing we can do for a person with mental health issues is to pray for their swift recovery.