Mental Health Today Mental health(social science).docxOne in four suffers mental health condition and 1 in 10 children has mental illness inthe UK (Mental Health Foundation, 2016). Recently mental health has become a social phenomenon in the media. Mental health in the early seventeenth and eighteenth century was attributed to divine retribution, diabolical possession, witchcraft and astrological influences which creates confusion and religious thoughts (Jones,1993). Violence behavior or persistent hallucinations made people intolerable enough to be recognized as ‘mad’ which led to extreme forms of suppression (i.
e. threats, physical assault and incarceration) Jones (1993). Bethlem in London was the only hospital for the mad by then but later on a hospital in Bristol was established known to be one of the very few where lunatics are treated as distinct from confinement (Jones,1993). The Vagrancy Act 1714 was the first magistrate hospital order which was later on reform in 1744. The Mental Health Act was introduced in 1983 and further amended in 2007. The Act outlines a legal frame work for mental health patients to understand why they been detained against their will.
Mental health become normalize and people are treated like everyone else. There is a difference between mental health and mental illness which needs to be considered when the term mental health is mention. Mental health is defined as a state of balance where the individual is at peace with themselves, is able to function effectively socially and is able to look after their own basic needs as well as higher function needs (MHF 2008). According to World Health Organization (2004), they defined mental health as a dynamic state of internal equilibrium which enables individuals to use their abilities in harmony with universal values of society. This interlinks with the individual ability to cope with life circumstances, ability to control emotional distress, ability to recognize and function in social roles. These definitions evident that good mental health is crucial in our overall health and wellbeing.
Thus, a positive mental health is linked with better biological and psychological wellbeing.In addition, (Department of Health) define mental health illness as a health problem that significantly affects how a person feels, thinks, behaves and interacts with other people. It is diagnosed according to standardized criteria. The term mental disorder is also used to refer to these health problems.
