MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLNESS
“Surgeon General of the United StatesThere is no health without mental health.
Mental health is an integral part of what it means to live a healthy, fulfilling life. All of us have a mental health state - which, just like physical health, ranges from good to poor.
“JuvenalMens sana in corpore sano
A sound mind in a sound body
We need to start seeing health holistically again. This is not a new idea. The Greeks and the Romans espoused the importance of having a sound mind in a sound body. Their wisdom is confirmed by recent research evidence showing that our mental health has tremendous influence on our physical health and likewise our physical health plays an important role in our mental health.
Positive mental health allows people to:
- Realize their full potential
- Cope with the stresses of life
- Work productively
- Make meaningful contributions to their communities
- Live a healthy life
Just like physical health, we can be proactive about improving our mental health.
Ways to maintain positive mental health include:
- Getting professional help if you need it
- Connecting with others
- Staying positive
- Getting physically active
- Helping others
- Getting enough sleep
- Developing coping skills
About 30 % of the population in Malaysia will suffer from a mental health problem. There is often no single cause to a problem, but an interaction of genetics, environment and psychological factors. Today, we have effective treatments that can help people who have a mental health problem live a fulfilling and satisfying life.
References
Prince, M., Patel, V., Saxena, S., Maj, M., Maselko, J., Phillips, M. R., & Rahman, A. (2007). No health without mental health. The lancet, 370(9590), 859-877.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1999). Mental Health: A report of the Surgeon General. Atlanta, GA Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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