Facts on Mental Health

According to WHO, health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely absence of disease or infirmity.

The following traits are more commonly found in normal individuals :

1. Reality Orientation
2. Self-awareness and self-knowledge
3. Self-esteem and self-acceptance
4. Ability to exercise voluntary control over behaviour
5. Ability to form affectionate relationships
6. Pursuance of productive, goal-directive activities

Normal mental health, like normal health, is a difficult concept to define. There are several models for understanding normality.

1. Medical Model ( Normality as Health ) : Normal mental health is conceptualized as absence of psychiatric disease or psychopathology.
2. Statistical Model ( Normality as an Average ) : Statiscally normal mental health falls within two standard deviations (SDs) of the normal distribution curve.
3. Utopian model ( Normality as Utopia ) : In this model, the focus in defining normality is an optimal functioning.
4. Subjective Model : According to this model, normality is viewed as an absence of distress, or disability, or help-seeking behaviour thereof. This definition is similar to the Medical Model.
5. Social Model : A normal person according to this definition is expected to behave in a socially permissive behavior.
6. Process Model ( Normality as a Process ) : This model views normality as a dynamic and changing process, rather than as a static concept. This model can be combined with any other model mentioned here.
7. Continuum Model ( Normality as a Continuum ) : This model describes normality and mental disorder as falling at the two ends of a continuum rather than being disparate entities.

DEFINITION OF A PSYCHIATRIC DISORDER

The simplest way to conceptualize a psychiatric disorder is as a disturbance of :

1. Cognition ( i.e. thought ) or
2. Conation ( i.e. action ) or
3. Affect ( i.e. feeling ) or

Any disequilibrium between the three.

Another way to define a psychiatric disorder is as a clinically significant psychological or behavioral syndrome that cause significant distress, disability or loss of freedom; and which is not merely a socially deviant behaviour or an expected response to a stressful life event (e.g. loss of a loved one). Conflicts between society and individual are not mental disorders. A mental disorder should be a manifestation of behavioral dysfunctioning , psychological dysfunctioning and/or biological dysfunctioning in that person.