Mental Health vs Mental Illness
Although both Mental health and Mental illness are focused on maintaining and creating mental health and stability, they are two different terms. Most people believe that they denote the same meaning. It is not so. There is some difference between the two. Simply, one can consider mental health as focusing on mental well-being. It allows the individual to maintain a healthy mentality. On the contrary, mental illness focuses on the various issues that individuals encounter in relation to the human mind. This mostly pays attention to clinical conditions and mental disorders. As you can observe the scope of these two areas is different. This article will elaborate this difference further.
What is Mental Health?
Mental health is used in the sense of ‘mental well-being’. Mental health is a positive concept. Mental health is all about the good functioning and the health of the mind. Mental health refers to the happiness and the resilience connected with life. A key concept that can be linked to mental health is optimism. Optimism would do a world of good to the confidence of the person diagnosed with mental illness and paves the way for his mental health gradually. This is the truth of the concepts of mental illness and mental health. Although one cannot provide quick medication for the betterment of mental illness, mental health professionals believe that factors such as happiness, optimism can do great wonders to the human body.
According to these professionals optimism and happiness are the medicine for any mental illness. Right attitude and outlook towards life alone can combat mental illness. Otherwise, mental illness is as good as incurable. This can only be gained through an awareness of mental health.
What is Mental Illness?
Mental illness is used in the sense of mental ailment. Mental illness points out to a clinical condition of the mind that is diagnosed. Mental illness conveys the sense of mental disorder. These disorders include anxiety, depression and psychosis. It is to be understood here that eating disorder is also a kind of mental illness.
Mental illness is a negative concept. Mental illness speaks about the problems relating to human thinking, functioning of the mind, drug abuse and related problems. It is interesting to note that although mental health and mental illness are two words that are almost opposite to each other in their concepts, yet you may come across somebody in your life that might have both these conditions at the same time.
A person might have been diagnosed for some mental illness but still can strive hard to have mental health by the support of his family members who keep him in good humor. He may also enjoy the support of the society in which he lives. On the whole it needs a lot of effort on the part of the person diagnosed with mental illness to see the brighter side of life and be optimistic.
What is the Difference Between Mental Health and Mental Illness?
Definitions of Mental Health and Mental Illness:
Mental health: Mental health is used in the sense of ‘mental well-being’.
Mental illness: Mental illness is used in the sense of mental ailment.
Characteristics of Mental Health and Mental Illness:
Focus:
Mental Health: Mental health pays attention to the importance of living healthy lives through maintaining a healthy mentality.
Mental Illness: Mental Illness pays attention to the clinical conditions of the mind such as mental disorders ( anxiety, depression, psychosis, eating disorder)
Conceptual difference:
Mental Health: Mental health is a positive concept.
Mental Illness: Mental illness is a negative concept.
Issues Addressed:
Mental Health: Mental health is all about the good functioning and the health of the mind.
Mental Illness: Mental Illness speaks about the problems relating to human thinking, functioning of the mind, drug abuse and related problems.