Core Concepts of Mental Health Science

Mental Health Science

Mental health science is the scientific study of psychological well-being and the process of psychological adjustment—what leads to it, what achieves it, what hinders it, and the resulting psychological problems, disorders, and illnesses. it involves studying their causes, treatment, and prevention. Psychology, in general, studies behavior in its deviance and abnormality, and it serves mental health science through scientific studies focused on prevention and treatment. Psychology can be viewed as a health science, as it provides services in the field of health, particularly mental health and psychotherapy, where all psychological principles and methods are applied to treat behavioral problems, disorders, and mental illnesses. The branches of abnormal psychology, therapeutic psychology, analytical psychology, and psychotherapy, along with the topics and fields we address, are the best evidence of the relationship between psychology and health.

The Scientific Concept of Mental Health

Mental health can be defined as a relatively permanent state in which an individual is psychologically adjusted—"personally, emotionally, and socially, meaning with themselves and their environment." They feel happy with themselves and others, are capable of self-actualization, and can utilize their abilities and potential to the fullest extent. They are able to face life's demands, possess a well-integrated and normal personality, exhibit normal behavior, and maintain good character, living in safety and peace. Furthermore, mental health is a positive state that includes enjoying mental health and behavioral integrity; it is not merely the absence or lack of symptoms of mental illness. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines health as a state of physical, mental, and social well-being, not just the absence of disease. Mental health has two aspects: the first is a theoretical scientific aspect that deals with personality, motives, needs, causes and symptoms of mental illnesses, psychological defense mechanisms, adjustment, public education, correcting misconceptions, and training specialists and conducting scientific research. The second is an applied practical aspect that focuses on the prevention of mental illness and the diagnosis and treatment of psychological conditions.

What is the Definition of Mental Illness?

Mental illness can be defined as a functional disorder in the personality, appearing in the form of various psychological and physical symptoms. It affects a person's behavior, hindering their psychological adjustment and preventing them from practicing their life in the society they live in. Mental illness varies in types and degrees; it may be mild, adding some strangeness to the patient's personality and behavior, or it may be severe, potentially leading to suicide. Symptoms of mental illness vary widely, from excessive elegance to detachment from reality and living in a world of fantasy. The treatment of mental illness depends on its type, extent, and severity. Some cases are treated with regular visits to a psychiatrist, while others require hospital treatment. Mental illnesses are numerous and widespread, exceeding the combined cases of polio and cancer. Mental illness is no longer a stigma as it was in the past, now that every illness has its path toward treatment and recovery. There is a difference between mental illness and pathological behavior; pathological behavior is a transient behavior tainted by the disorder seen as a symptom of mental illness. We may observe hysterical behavior in a normal person or manic behavior in an ordinary individual, which differs from a person suffering from hysteria or mania.

Important Notes on Mental Health and Mental Illness

Mental health and mental illness are two concepts that cannot be understood except by referring to one another. The difference between mental health and mental illness is merely a difference in degree, not in kind. It is well known that there is no ideal model to help us sharply distinguish between mental health and mental illness. There are several scientific terms with their own specific definitions, such as:

Normality

Normality is the individual's ability to adjust with themselves and their environment, feel happy, and define sound goals and a philosophy for life that they seek to achieve. Normal behavior is ordinary behavior, meaning it is familiar and prevalent in the lives of the majority of people. A normal person is someone whose behavior matches that of an ordinary person in their thinking, feelings, and activities, and who is happy and personally, emotionally, and socially adjusted.

Abnormality

Abnormality is the deviation from what is ordinary and normality. Abnormality is a pathological state that poses a danger to the individual themselves or to society, requiring intervention to protect the individual and society. An abnormal person is someone whose behavior deviates from that of an ordinary person in their thinking, feelings, and activities, and who is unhappy and personally, emotionally, and socially maladjusted.

Criteria for Normality and Abnormality

Behavior is considered normal or abnormal based on the following criteria:

• Subjective Criterion: Where the individual takes themselves as a frame of reference to judge behavior as normal or abnormal.
• Social Criterion: Where conformity to social standards is taken as the basis for judging behavior as normal or abnormal; hence, the normal person is socially adjusted, and the abnormal person is socially maladjusted.
• Statistical Criterion: Where the average, mode, or commonality is taken as a criterion representing normality, and abnormality is the deviation from this average, whether positive or negative.
• Ideal Criterion: Where normality is considered idealism, perfection, or something close to it, and abnormality is the deviation from the ideal or perfection.

Important Mental Health Observations on Normality and Abnormality

Normality and abnormality are two concepts that cannot be understood except by referring to one another. The difference between them is a difference in degree, not in kind, whether between normal and abnormal, ordinary and deviant, or mental health and mental illness. This means individuals can be arranged on a continuous spectrum between normality and abnormality, and between mental health and mental illness.

See Also: Mental Health Approaches for a Better Life