Exam, Mental health and Healthy Lifestyle

 Mental health Key facts Affordable, effective and feasible strategies exist to promote, protect and restore mental health. The need for action on mental health is indisputable and urgent. Mental health has intrinsic and instrumental value and is integral to our well-being. Mental health is determined by a complex interplay of individual, social and structural stresses and vulnerabilities. Concepts in mental health Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. Mental health is a basic human right. And it is crucial to personal, community and socio-economic development. Mental health is more than the absence of mental disorders. It exists on a complex continuum, which ...

  Mental health promotion is the ‘mental health’ component of health promotion. It is “the process of enabling people to increase control over their mental health and its determinants, and thereby improve their mental health.” Mental health promotion focuses on helping people to acquire the knowledge and skills they need to promote and protect their own mental wellbeing, while simultaneously working to create positive changes in our shared social environments that promote our collective mental wellbeing. It focuses on three main outcomes: promoting high levels of mental wellbeing preventing the onset of mental health conditions like depression and anxiety building mental health literacy to promote self-care, destigmatise mental health conditions and encourage help-seeking and help-giving. Mental health promotion is different from, but complementary to mental healthcare. It focuses on influencing underlying root causes rather than managing specific conditions. It targets whole group...

Diagnosis To determine a diagnosis and check for related complications, you may have: A physical exam. Your doctor will try to rule out physical problems that could cause your symptoms. Lab tests. These may include, for example, a check of your thyroid function or a screening for alcohol and drugs. A psychological evaluation. A doctor or mental health professional talks to you about your symptoms, thoughts, feelings and behavior patterns. You may be asked to fill out a questionnaire to help answer these questions. Determining which mental illness you have Sometimes it's difficult to find out which mental illness may be causing your symptoms. But taking the time and effort to get an accurate diagnosis will help determine the appropriate treatment. The more information you have, the more you will be prepared to work with your mental health professional in understanding what your symptoms may represent. The defining symptoms for each mental illness are detailed in the Diagnostic and S...

Research suggests healthy lifestyle behaviors and habits promote mental health and wellness and can be used to both prevent and treat mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, bipolar spectrum disorders, posttraumatic stress disorder, and psychotic disorders. These lifestyle behaviors are grouped into five general categories: Physical activity Nutrition Mind-body and mindfulness practices Restorative sleep Social connections   These practices require motivation and effort on the part of the individual. They can take many forms and be adapted in many ways. It is not all or nothing, individuals can approach the aspects that work and appeal to them and approaches can change over time. In treating mental health conditions and working with mental health professionals, lifestyle interventions across these domains, such as daily movement or choosing nutritious foods to eat, can work to complement and augment the therapeutic benefit of medication, psychotherapy, and othe...

A healthy lifestyle encompasses healthy eating, regular exercise, getting enough sleep, and avoiding smoking, drug abuse, and alcohol, which will help improve mental health and manage the symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression.  How can a healthy lifestyle help? A healthy lifestyle may help prevent the onset or worsening of mental health conditions. Several aspects of a healthy lifestyle can improve mental health, including changes in diet and physical activity. Some helpful resources outlining healthy eating choices and changes were featured in the March The ONE Group blog outlining National Nutrition Month. How does exercise help? Getting the recommended amount of exercise can lead to beneficial changes in mood, anxiety and depression. Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, stress, depression and negative mood, and by improving cognitive function. Muscle-strengthening activities should be included in an exercise routine, twice a week. This includes yoga, streng...

A healthy mental state is essential for all learners to thrive in school and in their daily lives. Positive mental well-being lies on a continuum along which individuals shift in relation to life stressors and biological and psychological factors. While these shifts occur at every stage of human development, children and adolescents are especially vulnerable to the detrimental effects of poor mental health as it can affect their social relationships at school, their identities, their academic progress and later life chances. Social and emotional learning programmes offered at the school level are effective at promoting positive mental health, but more important, are school staff who are knowledgeable about and responsive to students’ mental health states. At the individual level, teachers and guidance counsellors are best-placed to assist learners with recognising mental health as a priority. This book, authored by post-graduates with a deep understanding and intimate experience of sc...