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Mental Health Matters |
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What is Mental Health And Mental Illness
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Mental Health is defined as the successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other
people, and the ability to adapt to change and to cope with adversity; from early childhood until late life, mental health is the springboard of thinking and communication skills, learning, emotional
growth, resilience, and self-esteem.
Mental Illness is a term that refers collectively to all mental disorders. Mental disorders are health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior (or some
combination thereof) associated with distress and/or impaired functioning.
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In 1999, US Surgeon General David Satcher, MD, PhD, published Mental Health: A report on Mental Illness. In that ground-breaking report, Dr.
Satcher asserts:
- Mental health is fundamental to health.
- Mental disorders are real health conditions.
- The efficacy of mental health treatments is well documented
- A range of treatments exists for most mental disorders.
On the strength of these finding, the Surgeon General's most explicit recommendation is to seek help if you have a mental problem or think you have symptoms of a mental
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Causes Of Mental Illness |
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Mental illnesses are brain disorders triggered by a variety of factors, such as social, biological, economic and psychological factors. Despite
these facts, myths and stigmas have created formidable barriers to progress in society at large, in government and in scientific areas. Misconceptions about mental illness are many; however, some of the
most damaging are the beliefs that mental illnesses are not real diseases but are due to a character flaw.
The undisputed facts are that mental illnesses are real, diagnosable, treatable; and, in many cases recovery may be possible with appropriate treatment. Furthermore, some mental illnesses are
preventable, and environmental factors can play a part in triggering or cushioning against the onset of mental illness.
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