Tripod of wellbeing

Aristotle wisely says, life is not merely living but living well. Overall well-being is very important for the overall personality development of a person. Health and nutrition are very significant part of economic and social well-being of a person. Nutrition promotes efficiency levels of a person. Higher the levels of nutrition, higher are the efficiency levels and vice versa. In turn, efficiency levels also promote the nutrition. Higher the levels of efficiency or productivity, higher are the levels of nutrition and vice versa.

Nutrition has positive relationship with mental health as well. Higher the levels of nutrition, better  is the mental health and vice versa. All these factors depend upon the environment. The better the environment, the better are these factors and vice versa. If environment is not good, all the major determinants of mental health gets negatively impacted. For mental health to be in a good state, it is very important to provide conducive environment to an individual. If conducive surroundings are absent, individual is likely to be stressed and depressed, with the result panic attacks occur very frequently.

Mental health is a fundamental human right having three important aspects- emotional, psychological, and social. That is to say that emotional health, psychological health, and social health are what makes a mental health. The wellbeing of these triple aspects contribute a good mental health. At every stage of life, we require better health conditions to face different challenges of life. Such health conditions influence  how people think, feel, and act making them a crucial part of personal, community, and socio-economic development.

Mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities. It is a state of well-being permitting people to cope with life's anxiety or stresses, realize their potential level, contribute to their community, and work efficiently. It is an important part of overall health and well-being affecting how people think, feel, and perform their daily tasks. It is important at every stage of life, and it can help people cope with any stress, be physically fit, have good relationships, contribute to their community, and work productively.

There are many determinants of mental health including biological factors, environmental factors, infections, and health factors. People who have family history of mental health disorders are more susceptible to risks and vulnerabilities. Physical, emotional, and sexual abuse can prove very detrimental to the mental health of a child. Brain damage can take place in many ways and some infections are also associated to such damage and malady such as Meningitis, Toxoplasmosis, Encephalitis, and Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). Defects or injury to certain areas of the brain can be correlated to mental illnesses. It is very important to live in a positive social environment that can help protect against various mental challenges.

The current mental health issues include depression, anxiety syndromes, and neuro-develpmental disorders. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorder  involving  severe  phobia or anxiety pertaining to certain things or circumstances.

Depression causes suicide and can share symptoms with anxiety, including rapid mood changes. Neuro-developmental disorders take account of syndromes of intellectual development, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and autism spectrum disorder.

Self-care plays a  pivotal role in maintaining mental health and  facing various mental challenges properly. Social capital is equally important. It is important to have strong, healthy relationships with others since it can help protect against the stress and other mental issues. But, it high time to recognize stress when you're feeling stressed or joyful and take necessary steps to look after your mental health.

Dr. Binish Qadri, Former Assistant Professor, Cluster University Srinagar