Maintaining Mental Health

Mental Health, a psychological state of well-being, characterized by continuing personal growth, a sense of purpose in life, self-acceptance, and positive relations with others. Some people define mental health as the absence of mental illness, but many psychologists consider this definition too narrow. Mental health can also refer to a field of study encompassing both mental health and mental illness.

Maintaining mental health is the ability to cope with adversity can be crucial for the mental health of the individual. Coping means successfully dealing with problems that arise in life. People differ substantially in the way they cope with adversity. Some people engage in emotion-focused coping, a strategy that focuses on managing one’s emotions. Examples of this coping strategy include distracting one’s attention from the problem, denying the problem, venting one’s emotions, or sharing emotions with others. A second form of coping, problem-focused coping, involves efforts to reduce stress by solving the problem. People who use this strategy take active steps to overcome the problem, such as seeing a counselor to repair a relationship or looking for a new job in response to problems at work. They may also seek advice from friends and family members.

Some people use coping skills more effectively than others. However, research has shown that people can learn new coping skills. For example, counselors can teach children how to handle difficulties in school. Adults can be taught skills to cope with stressful life events, such as job loss and divorce. Teaching people coping skills before they encounter adversity, or early in the stages of a crisis, appears an effective method of preventing poor mental health. Learning effective coping strategies also directly improves mental health by improving one’s sense of mastery and self-esteem.

Social support from friends and family members also promotes good mental health. This support can take several forms. Other people can offer concrete help in a crisis, such as providing shelter to families victimized by a natural disaster or alerting an unemployed person to a job opportunity. In addition, other people can provide an important source of emotional support. Friends respond with concern, empathy, and advice to a person facing difficulties or loss. They boost confidence and self-esteem by offering reassurance and compliments. Self-help groups provide support by enabling people with similar problems to share their experiences and emotions. Conversely, research has shown that negative social interactions, such as constant criticism and belittlement from other people, can undermine mental health.

Other ways of maintaining good mental health involve physical activities. For example, research has shown that regular aerobic exercise helps to boost self-esteem, relieve depression, and improve concentration. Relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and meditation, also help to combat the effects of stress.