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Mental health and mental hygiene

Paper presented at IASE, Aizawl, Mizoram By : Dr. Seema Tripathi & Dr. Alendra Tripathi

INTRODUCTION Mental health and hygiene is the two sides of a coin. Hygiene is the pre-requisite condition for maintaining good and sound health. Mental hygiene is the science of maintaining mental health and preventing the development of psychosis, neurosis, or other mental disorders. Since the founding of the United Nations the concepts of mental health and hygiene have achieved international acceptance. As defined in the 1946 constitution of the World Health Organization, “health is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” The term mental health represents a variety of human aspirations: rehabilitation of the mentally disturbed, prevention of mental disorder, reduction of tension in a stressful world, and attainment of a state of well-being in which the individual functions at a level consistent with his or her mental potential. As noted by the World Federation for Mental Health, the concept of optimum mental health refers not to an absolute or ideal state but to the best possible state insofar as circumstances are alterable. Mental health is regarded as a condition of the individual, relative to the capacities and social-environmental context of that person. Mental hygiene includes all measures taken to promote and to preserve mental health. Community mental health refers to the extent to which the organization and functioning of the community determines, or is conducive to, the mental health of its members. Throughout the ages the mentally disturbed have been viewed with a mixture of fear and revulsion. Their fate generally has been one of rejection, neglect, and ill treatment. Though in ancient medical writings there are references to mental disturbance that display views very similar to modern humane attitudes, interspersed in the same literature are instances of socially sanctioned cruelty based upon the belief that mental disorders have supernatural origins such as demonic possession. Even reformers sometimes used harsh methods of treatment; for example, the 18th-century American physician Benjamin Rush endorsed the practice of restraining mental patients with his notorious “tranquilising chair.” MEANING OF MENTAL HEALTH

The concept of mental health is as old as human beings. Our ancient scriptures are full of references to mental diseases. But this concept is comparatively new even in the West. If we ask somebody that, do you like yourself? Different individual may answer it differently. Some body may answer it positively But some may say “I don’t know” or “There are time I hate myself”. From the above we may say that some people are well adjusted but some may have some problem in adjustment. Generally a person who likes himself may be regarded as mentally healthy. Conversely strong dislikes of one’s self is a typical symptom of maladjustment. A mentally healthy individual feels that he is an accepted member of a social group and they in turn liked by him. But the maladjusted person may react in totally different way. A mentally healthy person is one who has a balanced personality, free from schism and inconsistencies, emotional and nervous tension, discords and conflicts. A well adjusted person can deal with his potentialities as well as he can accept his limitations.

Characteristics of Mental Health

Different authors emphasize different characteristics of a mentally healthy person. These can be studied under following heads. (A) Indian Views (B) Western Views Indian Views: Indian concept of mental health is available in the Atharva Veda which provides detailed information on mental disorder and their treatment. According to Artha Veda mental personality consists of three gunas or characteristics: Sattya, Rajas and Tamas. The imbalance of these gunas causes mental disorder. These gunas are in the mind since birth, but they keep certain equilibrium in a normal person. So normal mental health means living in Rajas and Tamas to a certain degree. The Charak Samhita and Susrut have also given the concept of mental health, but they do not differ significantly from the Atharva Veda’s concept of mental health. These concepts of mental health are used in Aiurveda.

Western Concept: Though the concept of mental health is comparatively new yet different authors have given different views regarding sound mental health. Harry Stack Sullivaa says that a mentally healthy individual would place a major value on efficient social functioning. Freudians lay emphasis on an awareness of one’s unconsciousness motivations and subsequent self control, based on the awareness. Jahoda (1963), proposes six criteria of the mentally healthy individual. These are- 1: The ability to love adequacy in interpersonal relationship, efficiency in meeting situation requirements; efficiency in problem solving. 2: Undistorted perception of reality including empathy and social sensitivity. 3: Possessing a balance of psychic forces in the individual and a unifying outlook on life and resistance to stress. 4: Can make decision his or her own. 5: Growth, self development and self actualization including conception of self etc. 6: Attitude towards self concept and sense of identity.

From the above discussion we can easily distinguish between the mentally healthy and unhealthy person in the following ways –

Mentally Healthy 	Mentally Unhealthy 1.Aware about their self and have some respect for others	1. Not aware about their own self and have no respect for others 2. Understand one’s own limitation and also can tolerate others limitation. 2. Can’t understand one’s own limitation and can’t tolerate others limitation. 3. They can understand that all behaviour is causal. 3. They can’t understand the cause of behaviour. 4. They can understand the basic needs that motivate behaviour. 4. They can’t understand the basic needs which motivate behaviour.

Mental health is, thus, a condition of psychological maturity. It is a condition of personal and social functioning with a maximum of effectiveness and satisfaction. A mentally healthy person is responsible, self reliant and has a true sense of individuality. He has a realistic life goal as well as philosophy of life and values. He can differentiate between the right and the wrong.

According to Jacky Roy, a mentally healthy person possesses a good physical health. He can keep a good social relation too. He has insight into his action.

On the basis of the above discussion we can make the following observations.

Concept of mental health is subjective Mental health is depending on sound physical health. Measurement of mental health is difficult as we don’t have any standard. Mental health depends on many factors. Criteria of mental health may be different from country to country. Mental health is synonymous to balance personality. Mental health is a dynamic concept Mental health is also related with stress and strain of life.

Factors Affecting Mental Health

Mental health plays a crucial role in the development of the personality but there are many factors which help in developing positive or negative development of mental health. Here are some of the models which explain the causes of mental ill health. These are – Socio Cultural Model Medical Model Psycho Analytical Model Behaviouristic Model Interpersonal Model

Socio Cultural Model emphasizes the role of social condition, such as poverty discrimination, casteism, violence etc. as the basic causes of poor mental health.

Medical Model emphasizes the role of various organic conditions that affect our brain functioning.

Psycho Analytical model emphasizes the stress situations that involve a threat to the individual’s psyche. It gives importance to early childhood experiences as a major factor for mental ill health.

Behaviouristic model gives importance to faulty learning such as the failure to learn necessary adaptive behaviour.

The interpersonal model emphasizes the unsatisfactory interpersonal relationship among human beings.

Besides these models, different authors have given some more causes to understand the factors responsible for ill mental health. These are: A. Hereditary Genetic defects Chromosomal defects. Faulty genes Constitutional liabilities- physique, physical handicap etc. Physical deprivation- Malnutrition, sleep disturbances emotional disruption, Brain pathology.

B. Psychological Mental deprivation Institutionalization Deprivation in Home Defective family pattern structure etc. Early psychic Trauma Severe stress.

C. Socio Cultural Factors

D. War and Violence

E. Group Prejudices

F. Economic and Employment Problems

G. Modernization and Globalization

CONCEPT OF MENTAL HYGIENE

Mental hygiene is a Science which deals with the process of attaining mental health and preserving mental health in the society. The term mental health is closely related with the term mental hygiene as the main objective of mental hygiene is to attain mental health. In other words, mental hygiene is a means of mental health. That is why we can say that mental hygiene is the means and mental health is the end.

Definition: There are many definitions of the term mental hygiene. Some of the definitions are mentioned below:

According to Klien, “Mental hygiene is an endeavor to aid people to ward off trouble as well as to furnish ways of handling trouble in intelligent fashion when it cannot be warded off.” To him, these troubles may be: Illness Finances Social Position Religion Sex Economic Security Old age Inadequate shelter etc.

According to Rivillin, mental hygiene – Means the application of a body of hygiene information and technique. It is taken from the sciences of Psychology, Child psychology, Education, Sociology, Psychiatry, Medicine and Biology. It cares for the purpose of the preservation and improvement of mental health of the individual and community. It is meant for prevention and cure of minor and major mental diseases and defects of mental, educational and social maladjustment.

The History of mental hygiene is old as our civilization. In India, Ayurveda successfully developed a full fledged system for treating the mentally ill people long back. But in the West the mental hygiene movement started in the first decade of the 20th century. Clifford Beers, a graduate of Yale University can be regarded as the father of mental hygiene. He being frustrated with his life once attempted to commit suicide in the year 1908. But luckily he was saved and treated for his mental illness. After recovery he wrote a book entitled “A Mind That Found Itself”-where he described about his illness and the type of treatment he had received. This book created a revolution among the general public for the necessity of mental hygiene. Gradually many Institute of Mental Hygiene were established in India as well as in many other parts of the World to train personnel in the field of mental hygiene.

Objectives of Mental Hygiene

Mental Hygiene is a science. The main objective of mental hygiene is to build up one’s ego rather than tearing down another’s ego. It tries to develop the power of tolerance and praise and discourages the habit of blaming others. Hence, we can say that the approach of mental hygiene is positive rather than negative. The main objectives of the mental hygiene can be summarized as shown below- To help to realizes one’s potentiality: Every individual possess certain potentialities. Mental hygiene tries to help each individual to develop his/her potentialities . To develop self-respect and respect for others: Loss of self-respect is one of the factors for the great majorities of emotional disorders. A person who likes himself can like others and one who dislikes himself cannot like anybody. Hence, the main aim of mental hygiene is to help one to respect oneself . To understand one’s limitations and tolerate the limitations of others: Mental hygiene helps one to understand his own limitations as well as to tolerate others’ limitations. To cause harmonious development: Mental hygiene aims at the harmonious development of the physical mental and spiritual capacities of the individual so that he can adjust himself in the environment. To create happiness: Another objective of mental hygiene is to develop a positive attitude towards life so as to create a sense of happiness in a person who can live happily in this world. To enable one to make effective adjustment: Mental hygiene also prepares an individual for effective adjustment in all sphere of life and all situations such as in school, home, society work and also with self. To enable one to know his or her self : Many of us do not know our own self. We are not at all aware about our potentialities, weaknesses, limitations etc. for which many individuals suffer from different types of confusion. Mental Hygiene helps an individual to know himself.

Functions/ importance of Mental Hygiene

Mental hygiene has four important functions. These are: Prevention or preventive –The most important function of mental hygiene is to prevent mental health problems by developing some programmes. Creative – Another function of mental illness is to develop programme like counseling, psychotherapy to treat an individual or a group or to treat a mental patient. Preservative- Not all people are mentally ill; rather of them possess sound mental health. So the third function is to develop programme through education for preserving mental health. Training- Another function of mental hygiene is to train a set of personnel who can help the people with psychological problem by trying to understand their problems and then helping them to meet their needs.

Principles of Mental Hygiene

To formulate general principles of mental hygiene is a really difficult task as there is a wide range of differences among the individuals. Some of the reasons for this are: Human beings have multiple needs which grow in the course of development. These needs are contradictory in nature. There is no single, also absolute standard to judge human behaviour or action. However, in spite of these difficulties, we can formulate some general principles. These are Adjustment in home: Every child should develop such type of behavior at home so that he can adjust himself in any type of situation. Parents should take utmost care because the behavior patterns that develop in early childhood leave permanent impression on the child. Parents should try to develop the desirable traits in their children and develop competence, security, adequacy, self esteem and discipline by catering to their basic needs. Adjustment in school: After home, school plays an important role in the development of personality. The school through its various activities can go a long way in creating an environment for the children to preserve and develop their mental health. Adjustment to Society: Man is a social animal and he has to adjust himself with the society. Without proper social interaction, harmonious development of personality cannot occur. Hence, parent’s, teacher and society must provide socially acceptable channels for the release of pent up emotional feeling so that the children and adolescents develop healthy personality. Adjustment to work- According to Freud, one is mentally healthy, if one can work successfully. School through its programme, should develop the proper mental state towards work in child.

Limitations of Mental Hygiene Though mental hygiene is an important aspect in our educational system, yet there are many limitations in implementing the principles of mental hygiene. Some of these are: Majority of our parents are not aware about mental hygiene. Hence they do not give importance how to keep their children’s mental health preserved and un- impaired. Teachers in our school system are so overloaded with work that they cannot devote time to organize different types of programmes which help the students in helping their mental health intact. There is also a dearth of trained personnel to deal with the mental health problems of our population