Mental Health

What is Mental Health?

Mental health is a person's emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how people think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how people handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.

Or

Mental health refer to, Psychological, emotional, and social well-being. Throughout our lives, our mental health plays a role in the way we think, feel, and act. It influences how we handle life, relate to others, and make choices.

Mental health is an integral part of our overall health.

It gives us the capacity to:

• Think rationally and logically
• Cope with life changes, loss, stress, and trauma
• Accept limitations and boundaries
• Realize our full potential
• Work productively
• Make meaningful contributions to our communities

What is Mental Illness?

Mental illness is a medical condition that affects thoughts and behaviors. It can cause distress or impaired functioning and deviate from typical or expected behavior.
Examples of mental illness include: Depression, Anxiety disorders, Schizophrenia, Eating disorders, Addictive behaviors.

Or

A mental illness is a disease that causes mild to severe disruptions in the way a person thinks, feels, and behaves.

Mental illnesses can have physical and psychological symptoms.

CAUSES OF MENTAL DISORDERS

• Childhood abuse, trauma, or neglect
• Social isolation or loneliness
• Experiencing discrimination and stigma, including racism
• Social disadvantage, poverty 
• Bereavement (losing someone close to you)
• Severe long-term stress
• Having a long-term physical health condition
• Unemployment or losing your job
• Homelessness or poor housing
• Being a long-term carer for someone
• Drug and alcohol misuse
• Domestic violence, bullying or other abuse as an adult

Or

Biological factors:

• Genetics
• Prenatal damage
• Infections
• Exposure to toxins
• Brain defects or injuries
• Substance abuse

Psychological factors:

• Life experiences, such as stress or a history of abuse
• Social isolation or loneliness
• Experiencing discrimination and stigma, including racism
• Social disadvantage, poverty or debt
• Bereavement (losing someone close to you)

Environmental factors:

• A mother's exposure to viruses or toxic chemicals while pregnant

Some types of mental illness include:

• Mood disorders (such as depression or bipolar disorder)
• Anxiety disorders
• Personality disorders
• Psychotic disorders (such as schizophrenia)
• Eating disorders
• Trauma-related disorders (such as post-traumatic stress disorder)
• Substance abuse disorders

WHAT ARE COMMON SYMPTOMS OF MENTAL ILLNESSES?

• Excessive anxiety
• A depressed mood or a mood that fluctuates excessively
• Disturbing thoughts
• Behaviors that are harmful or disturbing to oneself or to others
• Memory problems
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Seeing or hearing things that are not perceived by others
• Changes in personality, personal habits and/or social withdrawal
• Extreme sadness
• Irritability

WHEN SHOULD A PERSON SEEK HELP?

• Most medical problems, early treatment leads to better outcomes. 
• Sometimes people don’t seek treatment because they don't know what treatment options are available. They may feel embarrassed or ashamed; or they may not know that their thinking or behavior is a problem.
• If you or someone you know is experiencing symptoms that may indicate a mental disorder, consider getting a consultation with a mental health professional or your primary care physician.
• The good news is that with the right care and treatment, people with mental disorders can manage their illness, get better, and return to normal activities.

Mental health nurses play a key role in the nursing field by providing care and support to individuals with mental health conditions. They also work to promote psychological well-being and prevent mental illness.
Mental health nurses specialize in:

• Diagnosing mental disorders
• Developing individualized treatment plans
• Recognizing mental distress
• Providing emotional support
• Working with mental health professionals to standardize mental healthcare practices

Mental health nurses also:

• Encourage patients to express feelings and help them handle their anger and frustration
• Help develop the nursing care plan for mental health patients
• Engage with patients and their families to help them understand the nature of their illness
• Guide patients through the process of treatment and recovery

Mental health nurses perform many tasks similar to psychiatrists, including:

• Diagnosis
• Psychotherapy
• Prescription of medications
• Some benefits of mental health nursing include:
• Helping patients recover from mental illness and lead fulfilling lives
• The satisfaction of knowing you are making a difference in someone's life
• A stable and rewarding career with good job security