ABCs of
Mental Health
What is mental health?
Mental health is a state of emotional, psychological, and social well-being. This means that everyone has mental health, what differs is how we each would describe the state of our mental health: either good, not so good, or bad. Our mental health determines how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices.
Poor mental health and mental illness are not the same. A person may experience periods of poor mental health and not be diagnosed with a mental illness. Similarly, a person diagnosed with a mental illness can experience periods of physical, mental, and social well-being.
Is mental health vital for overall health?
There is no health without mental health. This is because our mental health affects our physical health, and vice versa. For example, depression increases the risk for many types of physical health problems, particularly long-lasting conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Also, the presence of chronic conditions can increase the risk for mental illness.
Does the state of one’s mental health change?
Certainly. Mental health is not static but exists on a spectrum. it’s important to remember that a person’s mental health can change over time, depending on many factors. Difficult circumstances can affect one’s way of coping with life, which could lead to periods of poor mental health. For example, if someone is exposed to prolonged stress, has lost a loved one, or is experiencing economic hardship, they may experience poor mental health.
How common are mental illnesses?
Mental illnesses are among the most common health conditions in the World.
In May 2021, WHO released its statistics on mental health which indicates that the global estimated prevalence for different mental disorders was 28.0 per cent for depression; 26.9 percent for anxiety; 24.1 per cent for post-traumatic stress symptoms; 36.5 per cent for stress; 50.0 per cent for psychological distress; and 27.6 percent for sleep problems.
One person dies from suicide every 40 seconds totalling 800,000 deaths annually and one in every six children between the ages of 10-19 years around the world suffers from mental health issues.
In Nigeria, the WHO says one in four people, an average of 50 million people, suffers from mental illnesses. According to the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), between 75-95 percent of people with mental disorders in low and middle-income countries such as Nigeria are unable to access mental health services at all.
What causes mental illness?
There is no single cause for mental illness. A number of factors can contribute to risk for mental illness, such as:
- Early adverse life experience an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future, such as trauma or a history of abuse (for example, child abuse, sexual assault, witnessing violence, etc.)
- Experiences related to other ongoing (chronic) medical conditions, such as cancer or diabetes
- Biological factors or chemical imbalances in the brain
- Substance abuse
- Having feelings of loneliness or isolation
There is no single cause for mental illness. A number of factors can contribute to risk for mental illness, such as:
- Early adverse life experience an uncomfortable feeling of nervousness or worry about something that is happening or might happen in the future, such as trauma or a history of abuse (for example, child abuse, sexual assault, witnessing violence, etc.)
- Experiences related to other ongoing (chronic) medical conditions, such as cancer or diabetes
- Biological factors or chemical imbalances in the brain
- Substance abuse
- Having feelings of loneliness or isolation
Your donation will make the difference
Just N5,000 could help pay for a call to our advice and information line, supporting someone living with mental illness who may be feeling in distress during this time.
Your donation will make the difference
Just N5,000 could help pay for a call to our advice and information line, supporting someone living with mental illness who may be feeling in distress during this time.
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