Mental health includes our emotional ,psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. To know more about mental health care click on the below link https://docmode.org/about/ https://docmode.org/lectures/

1. Mental Health
Mental health includes our emotional ,psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we
think, feel and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make
choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence
through adulthood.

2. Introduction
• Mental health: a state of well-being. Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in
which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal
stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to
her or his community.
• Mental illness refers to a wide range of mental health conditions - disorders that affect
your mood, thinking and behavior. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety
disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors.

3. History of Mental Health
• The history of mental illness goes back as far as written records and perhaps took its first
major leap forward in 400 B.C. when Greek physician, Hippocrates, began to treat mental
illness as physiological diseases rather than evidence of demonic possession or
displeasure from the gods as they had previously been believed to be.
• Many cultures have viewed mental illness as a form of religious punishment or demonic
possession. In ancient Egyptian, Indian, Greek, and Roman writings, mental illness was
categorized as a religious or personal problem. In the 5th century B.C., Hippocrates was a
pioneer in treating mentally ill people with techniques not rooted in religion or
superstition; instead, he focused on changing a mentally ill patient’s environment or
occupation, or administering certain substances as medications. During the Middle Ages,
the mentally ill were believed to be possessed or in need of religion. Negative attitudes
towards mental illness persisted into the 18th century in the United States, leading to
stigmatization of mental illness, and unhygienic (and often degrading) confinement of
mentally ill individuals.

4. Symptoms
Signs and symptoms of mental illness can vary, depending on the disorder, circumstances
and other factors. Mental illness symptoms can affect emotions, thoughts and behaviors.
Examples of signs and symptoms include:
• Feeling sad or down
• Confused
• Detachment from reality (delusions), paranoia or hallucinations
• Inability to cope with daily problems or stress
• Trouble understanding and relating to situations and to people
• Problems with alcohol or drug use
• Major changes in eating habits
• Sex drive changes

5. Causes
There are many causes of mental disorders. Your genes and family history may play a role.
Your life experiences, such as stress or a history of abuse, may also matter. Biological
factors can also be part of the cause.
• Why is mental health important?
• Mental health is important because it can help you to
• Cope with the stresses of life
• Be physically healthy
• Have good relationships
• Make meaningful contributions to your community
• Work productively
• Realize your full potential

6. How can I improve my mental health?
There are steps you can take to help you improve your mental health. They include:
• Staying positive
• Being physically active
• Connecting with others
• Developing a sense of meaning and purpose in life
• Getting enough sleep
• Developing coping skills
• Meditating
• Getting professional help if you need it

7. Types of Mental Illness
• Anxiety disorders: People with anxiety disorders respond to certain objects or situations
with fear and dread, as well as with physical signs of anxiety or panic, such as a rapid
heartbeat and sweating. An anxiety disorder is diagnosed if the person's response is not
appropriate for the situation, if the person cannot control the response, or if the anxiety
interferes with normal functioning. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety
disorder, panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, and specific phobias.
• Mood disorders: These disorders, also called affective disorders, involve persistent
feelings of sadness or periods of feeling overly happy, or fluctuations from extreme
happiness to extreme sadness. The most common mood disorders are depression,
bipolar disorder, and cyclothymic disorder.
• Psychotic disorders: Psychotic disorders involve distorted awareness and thinking. Two of
the most common symptoms of psychotic disorders are hallucinations -- the experience
of images or sounds that are not real, such as hearing voices -- and delusions, which are
false fixed beliefs that the ill person accepts as true, despite evidence to the contrary.
Schizophrenia is an example of a psychotic disorder.

8. • Impulse control and addiction disorders: People with impulse control disorders are
unable to resist urges, or impulses, to perform acts that could be harmful to themselves
or others. Pyromania (starting fires), kleptomania (stealing), and compulsive gambling
are examples of impulse control disorders. Alcohol and drug are common objects of
addictions. Often, people with these disorders become so involved with the objects of
their addiction that they begin to ignore responsibilities and relationships.
• Personality disorders: People with personality disorders have extreme and inflexible
personality traits that are distressing to the person and/or cause problems in work,
school, or social relationships. In addition, the person's patterns of thinking and behavior
significantly differ from the expectations of society and are so rigid that they interfere
with the person's normal functioning. Examples include antisocial personality disorder,
obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, and paranoid personality disorder.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD): People with OCD are plagued by constant
thoughts or fears that cause them to perform certain rituals or routines. The disturbing
thoughts are called obsessions, and the rituals are called compulsions. An example is a
person with an unreasonable fear of germs who constantly washes his or her hands.

9. Factors affecting Mental Affecting
• Genetics (heredity): Mental illnesses sometimes run in families, suggesting that people
who have a family member with a mental illness may be somewhat more likely to
develop one themselves.
• Infections: Certain infections have been linked to brain damage and the development of
mental illness or the worsening of its symptoms.
• Brain defects or injury: Defects in or injury to certain areas of the brain have also been
linked to some mental illnesses.
• Prenatal damage: Some evidence suggests that a disruption of early fetal brain
development or trauma that occurs at the time of birth -- for example, loss of oxygen to
the brain -- may be a factor in the development of certain conditions, such as autism
spectrum disorder.
• Substance abuse : Long-term substance abuse, in particular, has been linked to anxiety,
depression, and paranoia

10. Prevention of Mental Health
• A mental health treatment plan is a tool used by doctors, counselors/therapists,
and clients to shape the focus of mental health therapy. A mental health care
plan helps therapists and clients make positive change happen through purpose,
focus, and direction.
• Most mental disorders are caused by a combination of factors and cannot be
prevented. However, if symptoms are recognized and treatment is started early,
many of the distressing and disabling effects of a mental disorder may be
prevented or at least minimized.
• Prevention of mental disorders is a public health priority. Mental disorders have
multiple determinants; prevention needs. Effective prevention can reduce the
risk of mental disorders. Implementation should be guided by available
evidence.Successful programmes and policies should be made widely.

11. To know more about mental health care click on the below link
https://docmode.org/about/
https://docmode.org/lectures/