{"id":17805,"date":"2022-07-18T07:52:12","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T07:52:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ritusingal.com\/?p=4937"},"modified":"2026-02-17T06:33:04","modified_gmt":"2026-02-17T06:33:04","slug":"mental-health-the-matters-that-matter","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webdevelopmentpro.online\/ritusingal\/blog\/mental-health-the-matters-that-matter\/","title":{"rendered":"Mental Health: The Matters That Matter"},"content":{"rendered":"

In general, mental health comprises emotional, psychological and social well-being. It\u2019s all about how we think, feel, and act in life, which profound impacts our overall well being \u2013 physical, emotional, and psychological. Taking good care of mental health is vital as it affects every aspect of our life – relationships with friends and family to our performance at the workplace or college. A number of mental health conditions, including anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, substance use disorder and more can adversely affect our mental wellbeing. Though they have wide variations in terms of their severity, they do have a negative impact on our lives.<\/span><\/p>\n

On the obverse side, our mental well-being is also affected by the situations we face in life. Managing mental health during the COVID-19 times has become even a bigger challenge given the backdrop of severe restrictions on economic and social activities globally. For mental health professionals during COVID-19, there has been a record rise in the number of the mentally sick. With the clubbing of fear and anxiety about COVID-19, emotional distress resulting from illness, bereavement, unemployment, income loss, and loneliness due to social isolation \u2014 all of them interact and create or worsen mental health problems on a global scale.<\/span><\/p>\n

Being a life coach, I get a chance to talk to people having mental health problems. Such problems contribute to the issues they bring to a life coach. The life coach<\/a><\/strong> has to work on such issues to realize the most from consultation. As a daughter of a severely depressed mother and a depressive patient myself, I can well understand the personal distress, dysfunction and the social costs of being part of such a household. My mother had developed severe depression when I was a young school-going kid. She kept lying in bed all day long, hardly moving out of it. Though I wasn’t alive to its real nature then, I could still make out that not all was well with her. And at a point in time, her condition worsened to the extent that she had to be administered electro-convulsive therapy to give her some relief.\u00a0 <\/span><\/p>\n

When later, my husband committed suicide, leaving behind two teenage daughters and me, a 60-crore debt, hundreds of court cases to fight, and a fledgling textile plant to manage, I too believed I would slip into depression, given my harrowing circumstances and my genetically inherited tendencies. But fortunately,\u00a0 I was able to collect the pieces of life with my determination and positive attitude to rebuild my life. So much so that I underwent training to become a qualified life coach to help others like me to improve their lives. My own story is a message to the readers of the immense value of hope, optimism and determination to come out of life\u2019s adversities.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Cost of Mental Illness<\/b><\/h2>\n

With the COVID-19 pandemic, the issues of mental health have come to the forefront. The pandemic has drastically changed our lives \u2013 the way we live, work and enjoy – and has brought in its wake a lot of worries, insecurity, and fears. Virtually none has been left unaffected by COVID-19 and this is why it\u2019s doubly important to be conscious of our mental health needs and make mental wellbeing a top priority.<\/span><\/p>\n

Unfortunately, despite the huge medical advances, the concept of mental health as part of holistic well-being doesn\u2019t evoke the interest it deserves in the developing world. The indifference is understandable in that such countries are still struggling with the more mundane poverty, hunger, unemployment and given the situation, any talk of mental health is greeted with indifference. Mental health care will get open acceptance only if there are concerted efforts by governments, awareness campaigns and improved economic well-being.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

From anxiety, depression to substance addiction to dementia to schizophrenia, almost 100 crore people i.e. about 12.5% of the global populace suffers from one or the mental disorder. Just to get a handle on the overall economic, social and psychological costs of mental illness, consider the loss of productivity happening due to two most common disorders – anxiety and depression. They both cost the global economy about US $ 10000 crore annually. Overall, poor mental health is estimated to cost the global economy US $ 25000 crore by way of poor health and loss of productivity, besides causing personal distress to crores of people.<\/span><\/p>\n

In India, almost all those availing of mental health services pay their bills out-of-pocket. Therefore, the economic case for investment in mental health is quite strong: it has been calculated that every $ 1 invested in treatment for depression and anxiety results in a $ 4 return in terms of better health and productivity. Thus, mental health awareness is the crying need of the hour in larger social and economic interest.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Meaning of Mental Health<\/b><\/h2>\n

I can tell you that we all need to get a strong handle on \u201cmental health\u201d first before we proceed. Contrary to lay perception, mental health is <\/span>NOT<\/b> \u201cthe absence of mental disorders or disabilities.\u201d Rather, it is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his\/her abilities, can cope well with normal stresses, can work productively, and make a contribution to the community of which they are part. In other words, it is overall cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Can Good Mental Health Do?<\/b><\/h2>\n

Better Quality of Life<\/b><\/h3>\n

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As good mental health coaches can tell you, mental well-being brings better quality of life and thereby makes room for greater participation in community building e.g. volunteering, taking up local causes, fundraising etc. A mentally healthy person is also more likely to take to new hobbies, forge new acquaintances, and travel more.<\/span><\/p>\n

Better Coping<\/b><\/h3>\n

Mental health coaches opine that good mental health makes challenges easier to overcome. While some resort to alcohol \/ drugs, withdrawal or fighting as coping mechanisms to manage relationship issues<\/a><\/strong>, economic worries, job challenges and other obstacles, a mentally healthy person adopts healthier coping mechanisms.<\/span><\/p>\n

Positive Self-Image<\/b><\/h3>\n

Mental health has a strongly link with self-perception as it can play a big role in promoting self-esteem. Self-confidence indicates a healthy mind<\/a><\/strong>. A mentally healthy person focuses on the good they have and is fired by the desire to leading a healthy, happy life.<\/span><\/p>\n

Healthier Relationships<\/b><\/h3>\n

Sound mental health enables us to have quality time, affection and our friends and family\u2019s support. Besides, since there is no emotional distress, it can be easy to support the people you love in the times of need. Obviously, one doesn\u2019t expect an unhealthy person to support another unhealthy one!<\/span><\/p>\n

Higher Productivity<\/b><\/h3>\n

All mental disorders, without exception, affect our productivity negatively since we are unable to work to our full potential. A mentally healthy person works more efficiently and produces good quality work.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Causes Mental Illnesses<\/b><\/h3>\n

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Mental health affects all aspects of life, relationships, work and overall health. Conditions like stress, depression, and anxiety can affect mental health and disrupt daily living. Many psychological disorders are rooted in biological variables as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

Globally, mental disorders are a major cause behind physical and mental distress, bad relationships, poor productivity, absenteeism, poor performance and suicides. Sadly, we do not have much idea about the exact causes of many among these disorders. But medical research makes it clear that most of these problems arise from an interaction of biological, psychological, and environmental factors. One\u2019s mental health is primed by social and financial circumstances, biology and lifestyle. Therefore, good mental health is a function of keeping a delicate balance of various factors and elements of life and the world at large.<\/span><\/p>\n