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Mental health among youths Introduction In this essay, the author will discuss the mental health issues among the youths. The mental problems as it relate to the general health and also discuss the mental health promotions. The author will then discuss on how changes in lifestyle could improve mental health. Finally, it worth’s mentioning that there are some professional help out there for people experiencing mental problems. Mental illness can be defined as the experiencing of severe and distressing psychological symptoms to the extent that normal functioning is impaired, and one needed some form of help in order to recover, Anthony (1999).
Some of the symptoms include anxiety, depressed mood, obsessional thinking, delusions and hallucinations. WHO described mental health as “— a state of well-being in which the individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community”, WHO (2004). The understanding of mental health includes the awareness that mental health is broader than an absence of mental disorders, that poor mental health affects our ability to cope with and manage our lives, (Department of health and children 2006).
This means that mental health and mental well-being are part of everyday life. In the area of mental health promotion, the national health promotion strategy states that” mental health is equally as important as physical health to the overall well-being of a person” and set out the strategic aim of promoting positive mental health and contributing to a reduction in the percentage of the population experiencing poor mental health. (The National health promotion Strategy, 2000-2005). Some of the strategies include; focusing on enhancement of well-being rather than illness, identifying the whole population as a target group.
Focusing on improving the social, physical and economic environments that determine the mental health competencies and resources of individuals and communities. Also strengthening individuals and communities and reducing structural barriers to mental health, (Department of health ; children, 2006; pg 240). In the area of lifestyle, the changes in how we live could bring a huge improvement in mental health. We could ask ourselves some questions like; when last we involved in regular physical exercise? How many times we tried o get out and see friends and how much have we reduced the amount of alcohol we drink. All of these are some of the things we ought to involve in if we really think of changes to improve our mental health, HSE (2007). When talking of mental health among youth, the author recognises that mental health do not start from youth, it starts from childhood, to infancy through adolescence. These are the period mental health developed. Apart from basic physical needs such as food and shelter, children need enough love and security to make them feel safe, happy and confident.
Whether these needs are fulfilled depends very much on how far the adults around young people (at home, at school and in the community) can look after them, and create the right conditions for them to form satisfactory relationships, to make the most of their abilities and talents and to prepare them for taking on adult responsibilities. Young people are introduced at early age to the importance of physical well-being and its maintenance, but the equal importance of a healthy mind in the development of the whole person is not given the same emphasis, (National youth website).
Meanwhile, mental health promotion remains the most underdeveloped area of health promotion in Ireland, even though there is an increasing recognition that there is no health without mental health, Mental health Ireland (2007). The need for positive mental promotion is universal and relevant to all of us. It is important to get policy makers, professionals and lay people to comprehend that mental health and mental well-being are basically issues of everyday life. In so doing, the process used to promote mental health in itself become health promoting.
Mental health Ireland identifies the importance of developing a range of mental health strategies to increase public awareness and change public attitudes towards the understanding of mental illness and also the importance of maintaining positive mental health, Mental health promotion (2007) There are number of professional out there for parents of young persons who may find it difficult to distinguish between the normal difficulties young people experience, and problems which need professional help.
There are specialist, services and professional working to help families with young people and families. Again, young people can also help themselves by developing awareness of stress points and responses, which enable young people to take control of potentially damaging issues, and can help prevent the build-up of worries which can affect their mental well-being. In conclusion, mental health should be recognised as serious and part of general health. Mental health needs nurturing from the early age.
Again, education and creation of awareness of mental health will be in fore front of any mental health promotion. Young people are most affected due to different pressures in our complex society today. References Clare, Prof. Anthony (1999) “The mad Irish? In Keane, Colm (Ed). Mental health in Ireland. Gill & Macmillan Ltd & RTE, Ireland. Department of health & children (2006; pg. 44) “A vision for change” report of the expert group on mental health policy.
Department of health & children (2006; pg. 240) HSE (2007) Jan. & Feb. data collection mental health in Ireland: Awareness and attitudes. Mental health Ireland (2007) Mental health Ireland (2007); sited by e-s design Mental health promotion written by MHI 15th Jan. 2007 National health promotion strategy (2000-2005). National youth website (www. spunout. ie) WHO (2004) Promoting mental health concepts, emerging evidence, practice summary report. (available from website www. who. int. )