Mental health refers to the condition of a person who is “in the condition of being “functioning on a satisfactory level of mental and emotional well-being”. According to the American Psychological Association (APA) mental health can be defined as “a person’s ability to have an awareness of himself or herself his or her self-concept the quality of his or her relationships with other people and the quality of his or her life.” These characteristics are essential to having a life that is healthy. It encompasses all aspects of one’s mental health. It includes the ability to identify and develop positive coping strategies and ways to manage one’s mental health as well as the ability to engage in meaningful activities such as hobbies recreational activities and educational pursuits. Mental health can also include one’s ability to have a sense of self and the capacity to make decisions based on personal values.
Mental health can also be measured by its effects on a person’s life. One of these effects is the person’s self-esteem. A person’s self-esteem is determined by three aspects: his or her personality the social support received and his or her cognitive skills. As mentioned above it refers to a person’s ability to be “functioning on a satisfactory degree of emotional and/or behavioral adjustment.” The ability of a person to adjust to changes in his or her life is reflected in how well the person handles difficult situations how well he or she is able to deal with new challenges and his or her interpersonal relationships with people.
Other indicators that determine a person’s ability to cope with life can be measured by the way he or she interacts with others. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) people who experience high levels of stress are likely to experience mental health problems. Therefore those people who are under a lot of stressful situations may be at a higher risk for experiencing mental illnesses. On the other hand stressors may also affect the ability of a person to feel good about himself. These factors can contribute to the development of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety disorders.
