Deck 12: Mental Health

Question 1

Freud defined mental health as "the ability to love and to work." What do you think of this definition Can you create a better one

Answer 1

Mental health is defined by Freud as the ability to love and work. Mental health is equal to the physical health to carry out a happy and meaningful life. Mental disturbances interfere with relationships and spoil the work, relation and life. Mental illness cause disturbance or block the basic interests of individual such as food, sleep and sexual relationship.
Mental health is otherwise defined as thinking, feeling and acting of an individual to cope with the life. This definition reflects on the feature that good mental health is main factor for a well being of an individual to be successful, to have good relations, ability to adapt changes and striving out in difficult circumstances. Mental disorders or disturbances are characterized by abnormal mood changes, thinking or behavior that produces distress or improper function affecting individual as well as his/her family.

Question 2

If you were president of the United States, what laws would you change to promote better mental health

Answer 2

About 50% of Americans are experiencing mental illness during their lifetimes. Several people does not seek any professional treatment because of many factors contribute to the lack of care. Good mental health care cannot affordable by several people and several people do not have knowledge about mental health treatments. People are afraid of seeking of medical help because of the thought that they might be considered as crazy by other people.
Mental health is equal to physical health and any countries development depends on the intellectual minds with healthy and proper thoughts. Therefore, it is necessary to have some recovery steps taken to improve a country's intellectual help. Being president of U.S. some laws should be enforced to promote the mental health and these include the healthy diet, physical activity or exercises according to age groups; yoga and meditation for elderly, awareness and counseling campaigns, health marathons and political funding to promote these programs and other research programs on mental health.

Question 3

Why does stigma around mental illness exist What can be done to reduce this stigma

Answer 3

Mental illness is very common and factors influencing the mental health or biological, psychological and environmental. The diet taken by a person and genetics predispose the mental illness. Low self esteem, experiences like abuse or trauma and stress cause mental illness in women. Biological factors contributing the mental illness are genetic predisposition, abnormal structure of brain and function, head or brain injuries, irregular activities of hormones and neurotransmitters or exposure to drugs or alcohol in pregnant women cause mental ill health in infants.
Social and psychological factors such as low income, low or no education, low status jobs, multitasking and stress cause mental ill health in women. Women with multiple roles may feel obsessed and become low in self esteem with increased stress and depression. Mental ill health can be aggressive, stoic, emotional and weak.
To reduce the stigma of mental ill health an individual must get good support from family and friends and should involve in good and pleasurable activities. Avoiding alcohol, smoking and drugs and following healthy diet helps to the maximum extent to get rid of mood swings. Regular physical activity, developing positive thinking, controlling emotions and anger without suppression, good sleeping habits and a strict 'NO' to additional responsibilities that cause over burden must be followed. Stress relaxation techniques like listening to good music, watching a comedy movie, yoga and meditation are practiced to improve mental health.

Question 4

What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of prescribing medication for a mental disorder

Question 5

A young woman suspects that her friend has an eating disorder. What can she do What if her friend denies the disorder in spite of overwhelming evidence