What is Mental Health?
Mental health refers to a person's overall psychological well-being, including emotional, psychological, and social functioning. It is a state of well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community.
Mental health is not just the absence of mental illness but rather a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being.
Good mental health involves being able to manage emotions in a healthy way, cope with stress, maintain healthy relationships, and make decisions.
Mental health can affect daily living, relationships, and physical health. In other words, it affects how we think, feel, and act, and helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
It is important to note that everyone has mental health, just like everyone has health. Mental health is always there, however, it may be positive or negative.
Factors like traumatic events can affect mental health, whether or not someone has a mental illness. Things like social isolation, bullying and discrimination, exclusion or poor physical health can also impact a person’s mental well-being.
Improving mental health is often easier than we think, it starts with:
Providing children with stable, nurturing and protective environments, to use their creativity and explore new ways to express themselves
Finding (or helping to find) purpose in life and pursuing activities that are known to lift their/your mood
Empowering and lifting up marginalised or discriminated groups in a healthy way
Implementing and strengthening a sense of community and preventing violence in the home and in the community by allowing people to challenge others in a way that is healthy and constructive
Pushing councils and other local authorities to offer mental health interventions and programs proven to work for anyone who needs it
Anyone can take certain actions to improve their mental well-being, whether or not they have a mental illness. These actions include getting exercise, eating a well-balanced diet, using relaxation techniques to manage stress levels, being social, and seeking professional counselling if needed.
Exercise is beneficial for physical and mental health. It can help improve mood, self-esteem, cognitive functions, sleep quality, stress relief, and mental alertness.[1]
A well-balanced diet can also help improve cognitive function and decision-making skills while decreasing fatigue.
Relaxation techniques such as meditation, yoga, and deep breathing can help individuals feel calmer and improve their reactions to stressful circumstances
Socialising can also improve mental health by reducing feelings of isolation and loneliness
Seeking professional counselling can help anyone talk through their concerns and develop strategies for promoting strong mental health.
“People who exercise regularly have better mental health and emotional well-being, and lower rates of mental illness.”
Exercise and mental health
People usually exercise regularly simply because it makes them feel good. Exercise can boost your mood, concentration and alertness. It can even improve your outlook on life.
The link between exercise and mental health is complicated. But, we know that inactivity can be both a cause and a consequence of mental illness, especially when associated with a bad diet and rumination.
There are lots of ways that exercise can benefit your mental health, such as:
Increase your metabolism and levels of energy (if you’re in control of your energy levels, you can remain in control of your blood sugar, and so your cravings!)
Balancing the levels of chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin, stress hormones and endorphins.
Regulating sleep (as long as not too close to bedtime) and emotions (exercise is a great way to let it all out, all your rage and frustration)
Reducing skeletal muscular tension. More movement less stiffness, more relaxation.
Improving your sense of achievement, control, coping ability and self-esteem. People who exercise regularly often report how good achieving a goal makes them feel.
Distract you from negative thoughts and provide opportunities to try new experiences, including mindfulness and creative thinking while exercising. For example, being present and looking (truly looking) at your surroundings and how you feel can help you understand your thought patterns and the way you talk to yourself and see life in general.
Socialise and get mental support if you exercise with others.
The physical benefits of exercise are important for anyone with or without a mental illness. Because exercise improves cardiovascular health and overall physical health, it is very important that people with mental health issues are taking part in any form of daily exercise since they are at a higher risk of suffering from chronic conditions such as metabolic and heart disease, obesity and diabetes, arthritis and asthma.
Mental health conditions
Mental illnesses are disorders, ranging from mild to severe, that affect a person’s thinking (including negative inner talks), mood, and/or behaviour.
There are many different types of mental health illnesses, and they can take many forms. Mental health disorders are complex and can affect anyone. According to a study in 2017, an estimated 792 million people lived with a mental health disorder, which is slightly more than one in ten people globally. More recent studies now estimate that it is closer to 1 in 5.
Here is a comprehensive list of mental health illnesses:
Anxiety disorders
Depression
Bipolar disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Schizophrenia
Eating disorders (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge eating disorder)
Disruptive mood dysregulation disorder
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Panic disorder
Personality disorders (e.g., borderline personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, histrionic personality disorder, passive-aggressive personality disorder)
Psychotic disorders (e.g., delusional disorder, brief psychotic disorder, schizoaffective disorder)
Substance use disorders (e.g., alcohol use disorder, opioid use disorder)
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Autism spectrum disorders
Dissociative disorders (e.g., dissociative identity disorder, depersonalization/derealization disorder)
Gender dysphoria
Hoarding disorder
Insomnia disorder
Neurocognitive disorders (e.g., Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease)
Sexual dysfunctions (e.g., erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation)
Sleep-wake disorders (e.g., insomnia, narcolepsy)
There are many factors which contribute to mental health conditions, including:
Genetical makeup and other biological factors, such as brain chemistry
Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
Family history of mental health problems
Early signs of poor mental health
Not sure if you or someone you know is experiencing mental health problems?
The following feelings or behaviours can be an early warning sign of a problem:
Eating or sleeping too much or too little
Pulling away from people (social isolation) and losing interest in usual feel-good activities
Feeling low or having no energy
Feeling numb or as if nothing matters
Feeling helpless or hopeless
Suffering from unexplained aches and pains
Starting smoking, drinking, or using drugs (or more than usual)
Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or fearful
Yelling or fighting with family and friends for no apparent reason
Experiencing severe mood swings (which can be difficult for others around to understand)
Rumination: having persistent thoughts and memories that are on a loop in your head
Hearing voices or believing things that are not true
Thinking of harming yourself or others
Inability to perform daily tasks like taking care of your kids or getting to work or school
1. Smith, PJ. Merwin, RM. (2021). The role of exercise in management of mental health disorders: An integrative review. Annual Reviews of Medicine. 72, pp. 45-62. doi:10.1146/annurev-med-060619-022943