What is Mental Health & Well Being?
What exactly do we mean when we say good mental health? What does mental well being actually mean? As teachers we need to have a thorough understanding of what mental health and well being is, so that we can not only support the well being of our children but also ourselves.
According to the World Health organisation, "Mental health is not just the absence of a mental disorder. It is defined as a state of well being in which every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community" (WHO, 2018). Being mentally healthy means that we feel good about ourselves, make and keep positive relationships with others and can feel and manage the full range of emotions (MHF, 2019). These can range from happiness, excitement and curiosity through to less comfortable feelings such as anger, fear or sadness. It is important to remember that recovery is possible, that people with mental illness or poor mental health can manage their condition well and still experience high levels of well being (MFH, 2019).
We all have mental health, just as we have physical health. Just like physical health, mental health is part of a spectrum. Throughout our lives we all experience shifts in our mental health, which is why stigma, judgments and misconceptions should be addresses and mental health should become a topic that we are all comfortable talking about (Schomerus & Agermeyer, 2018). This guide's aim is to increase the awareness of how children's mental health and well being can be effected and what we can do for them as practitioners.