martes, 27 de agosto de 2013

How do we define mental health?

A person who is considered 'mentally healthy' is someone who can cope with the normal stresses of life and carry out the usual activities they need to in order to look after themselves; can realise their potential; and make a contribution to their community. However, your mental health or sense of 'wellbeing' doesn't always stay the same and can change in response to circumstances and stages of life. Everyone will go through periods when they feel emotions such as stress and grief, but symptoms of mental illnesses last longer than normal and are often not a reaction to daily events. When these symptoms become severe enough to interfere with a person's ability to function, they may be considered to have a significant psychological or mental illness.
Someone with clinical depression, for example, will feel persistent and intense sadness, making them withdrawn and unmotivated. These symptoms usually develop over several weeks or months, although occasionally can come on much more rapidly.
Mental health problems are defined and classified to help experts refer people for the right care and treatment. The symptoms are grouped in two broad categories - neurotic and psychotic.
Neurotic conditions are extreme forms of 'normal' emotional experiences such as depression, anxiety or obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Around one person in 10 experiences these mood disorders at any one time. Psychotic symptoms affect around one in 100 and these interfere with a person's perception of reality, impairing their thoughts and judgments. Conditions include schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Mental illness is common but fortunately most people recover or learn to live with the problem, especially if diagnosed early.

BBC SCIENCE.

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