Characteristics of Mental Health

To understand mental health is to understand the brain, and to understand the brain is to understand the human body. Therefore, can the argument be made that mental health encompasses all of, and is inextricably linked to, the entire study of psychology? As we are aware, the study of our mental health is extremely vast and intertwines with so many other branches of psychological study, so it can be proposed that the study of our mental wellbeing is perhaps the most interlaced with all other aspects of the mind and body.

It is also important to disclaim that, in being so expansive, attempting to categorise mental health into good or poor, black and white, is difficult, and that the mental health of each individual is complex, unique and difficult to categorise. With all being said, we can begin by looking at the characteristics of mental health and the seven most important components that commonly impact our mental wellbeing.

• We will begin by discussing the seven different components of mental health.
• Next, we will look at the characteristics of good mental health.
• And finally, we will discuss the characteristics of poor mental health.

Fig. 1 - Characteristics of mental health focus on how we operate in our day-to-day lives.

Characteristics of Mental Health and its Examples

The relationship between the mind and the body encompasses key components that contribute to the emotional state one experiences. In general, we can discuss seven components of mental health.

7 Components of mental health

The seven components of mental health include support, community, physical health, environmental health, intellectual health, boundaries, and self-care.

Support

Here, support refers to professional support, the kind you get from a licensed mental health professional.

While friends and family are also important to support systems, the reason we consider professionals here is that they are able to offer an objective view of our thoughts and feelings and it gives us someone completely unrelated to us that we can discuss our experiences, helping us identify patterns of behaviour.

Community

Your community can include your friends and family, any online or in-person peer groups, and any services and exchanges that you undertake.

• Routinely surrounding yourself with people who prioritise a healthy, positive lifestyle, with similar goals, can play a large role in how you feel not only about yourself but about others.

Physical Health

Our bodies consist of several different systems working together to ensure that we are healthy and able to survive and thrive on a day-to-day basis. However, none of these systems is indestructible; if one system fails, the impact will be felt by all the others. The only way to combat this is to take care of ourselves. The basic ways by which we can give our bodies the care they deserve are by getting adequate sleep, exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet and staying hydrated.

Fig. 2 - Physical health is important for our mental health.

Environmental Health

Your environment includes things such as your workplace, housing situation, and relationships (romantic and platonic), in addition to nature and fresh air. If any of these situations are inadequate or unhealthy, it can take a toll on your mental well-being and cause you to become stressed and frustrated.

Intellectual Health

The same way that muscles in our body need to be exercised in order to maintain themselves, we need constant stimulation of our mental processes to ensure that they stay healthy and do not deteriorate.

The best way of doing this is by making sure you take every opportunity to learn and acquire knowledge:

This will help keep your brain sharp, and allow you to explore different avenues, maybe even discovering an interest that you didn't think you had!

Boundaries

Boundaries are not designed to keep people out of your life, but rather to prioritise things important to you and protect your mental health. When set in a respectable and honest manner, they are known to strengthen relationships as they act as a means of communicating things that you are willing to accept and those that you aren't.

Self-Care

A healthy balance is important in self-care.

Characteristics of Good Mental Health

It is important to remember that good mental health depends on different factors, and is affected by cultural attitudes, expectations, and practices. They are not always universal, and the following section focuses on a Western approach to mental health. In general, common characteristics of individuals that are considered as having good mental health include:

• Gratefulness - If you are experiencing a difficult day or week, feeling positive might not come naturally to you. No matter how hard it may be, it is important that you find the time to reflect on daily events and find things to be grateful for.
• Positive engagement with society - Planning events and activities to do with friends, family, and even work colleagues can be a good way to give you something to look forward to.
• Effective coping strategies in times of hardship - A sign someone has a good grasp on their mental health is their ability to cope with the challenges life can throw at them, work through problems and cope with the everyday stresses and disappointments they may face.
• Ability to let go - Effective coping strategies can sometimes include letting go of trauma or moving past certain events to focus on the future. Holding onto arguments and conflict(s) that occur in your life can prevent you from moving forward. Context matters, however, and this is not for everyone.
• Resilience in times of hardships - The persistence to keep moving forward can be hard when you feel unmotivated or drained of energy, and your mental health is a massive contributor to whether you give up or keep going.
• Support systems and providing support - Being supportive and helpful of others' emotions even when you are going through a difficult situation shows your consideration of those around you. It builds and strengthens relationships with others.

Characteristics of Poor Mental Health

Oftentimes, multiple factors contribute to poor mental health. It is important to keep these in mind, not only if you are concerned for a loved one, but also if you are concerned for yourself. Again, these characteristics are subject to cultural changes, attitudes, and values. A western approach tends to focus on the following characteristics as a sign of poor or declining mental health.

• Anxiety and Worry - Worry and stress are a common part of life, but if the worry is persistent and interferes with your daily life, impacting your ability to engage in tasks that you normally would, it may be something to look into further.
• Depression and Unhappiness - Feelings of sadness and unhappiness are common when they occur in reaction to a certain event such as an argument with a loved one or getting a low grade on an exam, but it is when these feelings do not go away with time, that they may be cause for concern.
• Unstable emotions - When you find yourself becoming irritable at small things, taking a step back to evaluate your feelings might help you understand where they are stemming from.
• Disturbed sleep - Sleeping too much, sleeping too little, having difficulty falling asleep and having difficulty staying asleep, are all different ways by which these problems may manifest.
• Changes in appetite - Sudden, big changes in weight (increased or decreased) could be a cause for concern and relate to issues more serious than originally thought, but could also be your body's way of responding to certain stressful situations or reacting to physical stimuli.
• Withdrawal from society - If you find yourself or your loved one withdrawing from social interactions, more so than usual, and not taking part in activities that they would normally look forward to or enjoy, alarm bells may start ringing.
• Substance abuse - Drinking recreationally or socially is an acceptable norm in most societies and is rarely ever considered as someone acting out of character. However, if you find yourself doing so in order to cope with other issues and begin to rely on these substances, this may soon turn into an addiction.
• Guilt and Worthlessness - Frequently criticising and blaming yourself with thoughts such as "I am a failure" and "I am unworthy", is cause for concern.