Learn Many of the Risk Factors for Mental Health Issues

Psychological well-being or mental health are essential components of any individual having the capability to generally lead to a rewarding existence. That includes being able to form and then maintain personal relationships, the ability to study and work, the power to pursue hobbies or leisurely interests, and of course being able to make daily decisions ranging from where to live and work to what to ear each morning. When a person’s mental wellness is disturbed enough, it can seriously compromise all these capacities and duties, not only diminishing the level of functioning possible but also possibly degrading the greater welfare status a person enjoys within a household or society in general.

Three things typically define good mental health as a state of wellness. The first is when a person knows that they have the capacity to cope with typical stress in their life. The second is their ability to work fruitfully and productively. The third is knowing they can make contributions to their community and doing so. Referring to these three criteria should make it abundantly clear that psychological or mental wellness isn’t just impacted by a person’s own attributes and characteristics, but also by larger socioeconomic circumstances in which a person lives.

Personal behaviours and attributes

These are things which relate to an individual’s ability to deal with feelings and thoughts on a daily basis. Also known as emotional intelligence, this is both innate and learned. It also closely relates to social intelligence, which is a person’s capability to handle being a part of the world around them, such as respecting the viewpoints of other people, assuming certain responsibilities, and generally partaking in various social activities. A person’s mental wellness might also be impacted by biological or genetic factors. Some determinants establish what an individual might be endowed or born with, including intellectual disabilities that might have been triggered by oxygen deprivation during birth or prenatal alcohol exposure or even chromosomal abnormalities like Down’s syndrome.

To add to the list is a debatable factor – substance abuse. While many claim substance abuse is the outcome of mental health issues, there are others who say substance abuse can to lead to an imbalance in mental health and lead to issues. In the cases of alcohol abuse, turning to groups such as Road to Recovery Group Plymouth can lessen the chances of developing mental health issues.

Economic and social circumstances

A person’s immediate social surroundings, such as the chance to provide for themselves and those they love, as well as the possibility of positive engagements with friends, family, and peers, tremendously impact how much a person might flourish and develop. Socio-economic circumstances also go a long way in defining all this, given that lost or restricted opportunities to pursue income and education can prove quite detrimental.

Environmental factors

The broader geopolitical and sociocultural circumstances in which a person lives can impact many things about a person. Their mental health status at the time is certainly one such facet, as are their exposure to dominant cultural practises, attitudes, and beliefs. Other contributing factors include any economic or social policies which are formulated at regional and national levels, as well as their access to basic services and commodities, like water, law enforcement, food, shelter, and essential health services. Adverse structural determinants that negatively impact mental wellness include conflict, social and gender inequality, and discrimination.

It’s crucial to point out that all these various determinants can interact with one another in dynamic ways, potentially working for or against any one person’s state of mental wellness. For instance, a person’s level of self-esteem might be diminished or enhanced based on the economic security or social support a household provides, which can also be influenced by a country’s economic growth, social justice, and political stability.

Protecting and promoting mental health

Given the various spectrum of mental health risks, any potential responses to them have to be both multi-sectoral and multi-layered. Potential yet broad strategies might involve the nurture of a person’s core individual attributes during their formative years; early prevention and recognition of behavioural or emotional issues; provision of living and working conditions that allow for self-determination and psychosocial development; the promotion of positive interactions between and within social groups; social protections for the working class and impoverished; anti-discrimination campaigns and laws; and promoting the opportunities, rights, and care of persons with mental health conditions.