Mental health comprises our emotional, psychological, and social security. It impacts how we think, feel, and act. It also helps conclude how we manage stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every phase of life, from childhood and adolescence through middle age.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO): “Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”

Over the course of one’s life, if one experiences mental health problems, one’s thinking, attitude, and behaviour could be impacted. Many aspects contribute to mental health problems, including:

• Biological factors, such as genetic factor or brain chemistry
• Life experiences, such as trauma or exploitation
• Family history of mental health issues

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a lot of mental health issues and they impact not only those who get the disease and those who treat it but also the general population, comprising essential workers and those sheltering in place. Anxiety, stress and depression had all been rising concerns before the pandemic and recently there was another very material problem adding to that list — caution fatigue.

Common mental health disorders

• anxiety disorders
• mood disorders
• schizophrenia disorders

Anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders are the most familiar type of mental illness.

People with these disorders have stark fear or anxiety, which relates to definite objects or situations. Most people with an anxiety disorder will try to avoid contact to whatever triggers their anxiety.

Instances of anxiety disorders include:

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

The APA defines GAD as inconsistent worry that disrupts everyday living. People might also feel some physical symptoms, including

• agitation
• fatigue
• tense muscles
• disturbed sleep

A fit of anxiety symptoms does not essentially need an exact trigger in people with GAD. They may experience extreme anxiety on facing everyday situations that do not present a straight danger, such as chores or engagements. A person with GAD may occasionally feel anxiety with no cause at all.

Panic disorders

People with a panic disorder experience frequent panic attacks, which encompass unexpected, overwhelming terror or a sense of forthcoming disaster and death.

Phobias

There are different types of phobia:

• Simple phobias: These might involve a disparate fear of specific objects, scenarios, or animals. A fear of spiders is a common instance.
• Social phobia: Occasionally known as social anxiety, this is a fear of being focus to the judgment of others. People with social phobia often limit their contact to social environments.
• Agoraphobia: This term refers to a fear of situations in which getting away may be challenging, such as being in an elevator or moving train. Many people misinterpret this phobia as a fear of being outside.
• Phobias are deeply subjective, and doctors do not know every type. There could be thousands of phobias, and what might seem uncommon to one person may be a severe problem that dictates daily life for another.

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)

People with OCD have obsessions and compulsions. In other words, they experience continuous, stressful thoughts and a dominant urge to perform monotonous acts, such as hand washing.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

PTSD can happen after a person experiences or eyewitnesses a deeply stressful or traumatic event. During this type of episode, the person thinks that their life or other people’s lives are in danger. They may feel frightened or that they have no control over what is happening. These feelings of shock and fear may then add to PTSD.

Mood disorders

People may also denote to mood disorders as affective disorders or depressive disorders. People with these disorders have significant changes in mood, generally comprising either mania, which is a period of high energy and elation, or depression. Examples of mood disorders include:

• Major depression: An individual with major depression experiences a relentless low mood and loses curiosity in activities and events that they previously enjoyed. They can feel lengthy periods of sadness or extreme sadness.
• Bipolar disorder: A person with bipolar disorder experiences strange changes in their mood, energy levels, levels of activity, and ability to continue with daily life. Phases of high mood are known as manic phases, while depressive phases bring on low mood.
• Seasonal affective disorder (SAD): Reduced daylight during the fall, winter, and early spring months initiate this type of major depression. It is most general in countries far from the equator.

Schizophrenia disorders

Mental health experts are still trying to define whether schizophrenia is a single disorder or a group of connected illnesses. It is a highly intricate condition. Signs of schizophrenia usually develop between the ages of 16 and 30 years, according to the NIMH. The individual will have thoughts that appear disjointed, and they may also find it hard to process information. Schizophrenia has negative and positive symptoms. Positive symptoms include delusions, thought disorders, and hallucinations. Negative symptoms include withdrawal, lack of motivation, and a flat or inappropriate mood.

Treatment

There are various approaches for dealing with mental health problems. Treatment is highly singular, and what works for one person may not work for another. Some strategies or treatments are more successful in grouping with others. A person living with a chronic mental disorder may choose diverse options at various stages in their life. The individual needs to work carefully with a doctor who can help them recognize their needs and provide them with suitable treatment. Treatments can include:

Psychotherapy, or talking therapies

This type of treatment takes a psychological approach to handling mental illness. Cognitive behavioural therapy, exposure therapy, and dialectical behaviour therapy are examples. Psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, and some primary care physicians carry out this category of treatment. It can help people comprehend the root of their mental illness and start to work on more beneficial thought patterns that support everyday living and decrease the risk of isolation and self-harm.

Medication

Some people take prescribed medicines, such as antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anxiolytic drugs. Even though these cannot cure mental disorders, some medications can mend symptoms and help a person continue social interaction and a normal routine while they work on their mental health. Some of these prescriptions work by enhancing the body’s absorption of feel-good chemicals, such as serotonin, from the brain. Other drugs either lift the overall levels of these chemicals or inhibit their degradation or destruction.

Self-help

A person surviving with mental health difficulties will usually need to make modifications to their lifestyle to assist wellness. Such changes might embrace reducing alcohol intake, sleeping more, and eating a sensible, nutritious diet. People may need to take time away from work or solve issues with private relationships that may be causing harm to their mental health. People with disorders such as an anxiety or depressive disorder may profit from relaxation techniques, which comprise deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness. Having a support system, whether via self-help groups or close friends and family, can also be vital to recovery from mental illness.

Importance of Mental Health

More than 450 million people are suffering from mental disorders. According to WHO, by the year 2020, depression will comprise the second largest disease burden worldwide (Murray & Lopez, 1996). Worldwide burden of mental health will be well beyond the treatment capabilities of developed and developing countries. The social and economic costs accompanying growing burden of mental ill health fixated the possibilities for promoting mental health as well as preventing and treating mental illness. Thus the Mental Health is interrelated to behaviour and seen as essential to physical health and quality of life.

1. Physical health and mental health are closely related and it is ascertained beyond doubt that depression leads to heart and vascular diseases
2. Mental disorders also affect person’s health behaviour like eating reasonably, systematic exercise, sufficient sleep, engaging in safe sexual practices, alcohol and tobacco use, obeying medical therapies thus increasing the risk of physical illness.
3. Mental ill health also leads to social problems like joblessness, broken families, poverty, drug abuse and allied crime.
4. Poor mental health plays an important role in reduced immune functioning.
5. Psychologically ill patients with depression have worse consequence than those without.
6. Chronic illnesses like diabetes, cancer, heart disease alleviates the menace of depression