What is Mental Health?
Mental Health is:
‘defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.’ (World Health Organisation; 2014)
Mental Illness is:
‘a condition that affects a person’s thinking, emotions and behaviour, and disrupts the person’s ability to work or carry out other daily activities and engage in satisfying personal relationships.’
What are the stigmas attached to Mental Health?
Because our mental health is not fixed, a diagnosis of mental illness does not mean the same thing for different people, or over time. Considering people as individuals rather than making assumptions based on their diagnosis is the first step towards breaking down the mental health stigma.
Stigma can be seen as a barrier to recovery as it can prevent people from seeking the support that they need due to the perceptions that people hold about mental illness and mental health.
The 5 Ways to Wellbeing
The 5 Ways to Wellbeing were developed in 2008 by the New Economics Foundation using global evidence based research and are aimed at improving everyone’s mental health and wellbeing. They are a good starting point to improve your own mental health and wellbeing through new ways of thinking.
