Mental health and Wellness

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as:

" ... a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community."

Mental health and well-being are fundamental to our collective and individual ability as humans to think, emote, interact with each other, earn a living and enjoy life.

The WHO constitution states: "Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity."

An important implication of this definition is that mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities. Rather, it's an integral and essential component of health.

Sources:

World Health Organization: www.who.int

Canadian Mental Health Association: www.cmha.ca

Last updated Fri, Apr 13, 2018