Week 1 - WS and WS reading

Question 1

What is mental health (WHO, 2018)

Answer 1

“a state of well-being in which the individual realizes 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, 2018)

Question 2

what is mental illness?

Answer 2

refers collectively to all diagnosable mental disorders — health conditions involving
o Significant changes in thinking, emotion and/or behaviour
o Distress and/or problems functioning in social, work or family activities
Serious mental illness (SMI) often considered to include diagnoses which most commonly require treatment from specialised services (secondary care in the NHS) e.g. psychotic illness. It is defined in relation to the impact of the condition on important areas of functioning, as opposed to diagnosis.

Question 3

Galderisi et al., 2015 - new definition of mental health

Answer 3

Mental health is a dynamic state of internal equilibrium which enables individuals to use their abilities in harmony with universal values of society. Basic cognitive and social skills; ability to recognize, express and modulate one’s own emotions, as well as empathize with others; flexibility and ability to cope with adverse life events and function in social roles; and harmonious relationship between body and mind represent important components of mental health which contribute, to varying degrees, to the state of internal equilibrium.

Question 4

Robson and Gray 2007 - serious mental illness implication

Answer 4

• People with serious mental illness have higher morbidity and mortality rates of chronic disease than general population