Health is one of the indispensable conditions for the normal functioning of the human body. Since health is considered at every level: biological, social, as well as mental, various disciplines (anatomy and physiology, medicine, sociology, philosophy, psychology) study it. In psychology, it is studied on a personal level.
Definition
The concept of psychological health can be viewed through the prism of good physical health. Everyone knows what health is. Many people sincerely believe that well-being is, first of all, the absence of disease. This opinion is only partly true. After all, health in itself means not only the absence of diseases as such, but also the ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions, different levels of physical activity. There is nothing complicated in this concept. But when it comes to psychological health, difficulties can arise with the definition.
Already the ancient Greek philosopher Plato said that health, like beauty, includes proportionality and requires the “agreement of opposites”. Plato emphasized that true health is expressed in the correct ratio of mental and physical. Often a person can identify his emotional state with his physical one: “I don’t feel well - I quarreled again with my brother”, “I have a mental trauma after this event.” The words of the song are known: "The soul hurts, but the heart cries." Thus, the following conclusion can be made: psychological psychological, mental and emotional mean the same thing.
According to the scientific definition, psychological well-being is a condition in which a person has the opportunity to fully realize his creative potential, cope with everyday stresses, work productively. It should be emphasized that this condition cannot always be exhausted only by medical or psychological terms. It always contains a subjective assessment that reflects the social norms of the regulation of spiritual life.
Key factors
We examined what psychological health is. However, it is not enough to know only the definition of the term. In practice, it is also useful to possess information about what this condition depends on. In science, several factors of the psychological well-being of a person are distinguished. They are conditionally divided into two categories: these are environmental factors and subjective characteristics. For example, the first concept for children means the situation in the family and in a child care facility. Subjective factors are understood as personal characteristics of a person that were formed in the process of his interaction with the world from the earliest years.
Some scholars divide the factors of emotional well-being into the following categories:
- Genetic.
- Social.
- Economic.
- Internal (emotional).
Aspects of emotional well-being
Traditionally, psychologists attribute to its psychological, or mental, health two of its aspects - emotional and intellectual.
Features of the intellectual aspect are reflected in how the processes of memory, thinking, attention proceed. For example, a psychologically full-fledged and healthy child in preschool age makes the transition from a visual-effective to a visual-figurative type of thinking. It allows you to master three types of activities: game, constructive, as well as inventive. The manifestation of this aspect in childhood is inextricably linked with the development of speech.
As for the emotional aspect, it is inextricably linked with the nature of the feelings the baby experiences during his interaction with the world. For example, in preschool age, the child is very dependent on the mother emotionally, and the nature of the relationship with her leaves a direct imprint on his emotional health. In adolescence, this aspect will depend on the features of its adaptation in the peer team. In adulthood, relations with a marriage partner, children and parents, and friends are of great importance.
What determines the well-being of the cell of society?
A lot of research is devoted to the question of what are the main factors affecting the psychological health of a family. Here, researchers also identified several groups of factors.
- External circumstances. Each family member communicates with different people throughout the day, most often accumulating negative feelings and fatigue rather than positive emotions. He can transmit these experiences to other family members.
- Internal factors. As a rule, problems in this area relate to the financial side of life, the lack of mutual understanding.
- Personal complexes, lack of trust. Adult family members cannot agree; or spouses are not able to reveal their feelings to each other.
The mental state of the child
As for the psychological health of children, it is almost completely determined by the quality of the relationship that develops in a child with an adult environment. Everything that happens in the life of the baby in the preschool period continues to have an impact on the state of his psyche at the beginning of school life.
Psychological health levels in children
Since mental well-being implies a balance between the individual and the environment, the adaptation of the child in society is the main criterion in psychology. Scientists identify several levels of emotional well-being:
- Creative The child easily adapts to any environment. He has the resources to overcome difficult situations, he is full of activity.
- Adaptive. In general, the baby is well adapted in society, but sometimes there are some moments of maladaptation.
- Assimilative-accommodative. Children of this level are not able to build harmonious relationships with the world, or their behavior depends on external factors.
Adult Well-Being Levels
What are the levels of psychological health in adults? Scientists distinguish three levels: vital, social and existential mental well-being.
Vital psychological well-being implies a person's responsible attitude to their biological needs, the needs of their body. Such a person not only monitors his physical health, but also tries to pay attention to the muscle clamps and shells that were formed as a result of mental stress.
At the social level, emotional well-being is determined by the relationships that a person enters into at will. The most significant for him are those relationships that are determined by the norms of law, morality, morality. A person who is mentally prosperous is able to set goals for himself, the achievement of which is useful both for himself and for those around him.
Health at an existential level means that the individual is able to navigate in the deep inner world, trusts his own experience. An indicator of health at this level is the presence of the meaning of life, striving for the ideal.
The ratio of body and soul
Separately, it is worth paying attention to the ratio of psychological and physical health. Since ancient times, people have tried to combine the idea of harmony of soul and body, which should be the basis for a happy life. The idea is known that in a healthy body there is a healthy mind. However, many teachings say that good physical health is not yet an indicator of mental strength. Thus, the state of both bodies and souls constantly requires close attention and work on themselves. In his interview, Colonel-General Yu. L. Shevchenko, to the question of what kind of health is more important, answered: “Spiritual is more important. After all, if a person lives in constant fear and anxiety, his body begins to self-destruct. ”
Many doctors are inclined to a similar opinion. It is believed that about 80% of all physical diseases begin with psychological disharmony. And Indian and Chinese philosophies postulate that the basis for a healthy body can only be mental health, balance of mind. It is known that a strong psyche can significantly affect the state of the whole organism. Mental resistance of the patient, positive self-hypnosis often become one of the most important supports in the fight against the disease. On the other hand, a person can himself cause psychological harm to health. This happens when he gives in to negative thoughts, self-accusations, anxieties, fears, aggression. Such conditions lead to an imbalance in the work of many organs and systems - primarily, nervous, hormonal, circulatory, and immune. And therefore, stress is always reflected in the physical condition of a person. Despite the widespread prevalence of stress, it is safe to say that it is an inadmissible luxury in relation to physical health.
Psychosomatics: risk groups
In his work, summarizing the data of various studies, V.I. Garbuzov groups character traits that can predetermine psychosomatic diseases. According to the researcher, the disease can threaten the following categories of people:
- Too decisive and active, constantly inclined to take on greater responsibility.
- Long and hard working, characterized by a heightened sense of duty.
- Too conscientious, painfully responsive to other people's assessments.
- Those who are predisposed to constantly concentrate on negative experiences.
- Restrained, controlling their emotions up to their complete suppression.
- Those who do not know how to adapt to changing living conditions.
- To vulnerable, disturbing people who react too strongly to another's aggression.
- Unable to express their emotions and experiences.
A prosperous person - what is he?
For a person with mental and psychological health, the ideas of total loneliness, complete abandonment, a pessimistic view of the world are unacceptable. After all, no matter what happens in life, the main factor is still a person’s reaction to events, his view of things. A person who in the most terrible situation is able to find at least something good for himself, strives for spiritual and personal growth, will not despair and indulge in destructive gloom.
This will help him maintain mental and psychological health. In raising children, adults should also pay close attention to the skills of emotional regulation. Indeed, only with their own wisdom, parents can teach a child to find support in himself even in difficult life situations, learn to increase the resources of psychological opposition to difficulties, improve and grow spiritually. Finally, we can mention the famous Armenian proverb: "Laughter is the health of the soul." To maintain emotional health, it is useful to laugh and smile as often as possible - then all diseases will be bypassed.
Lack of internal balance
A psychologically healthy person can be easily determined by his adequate attitude to the events of the outside world - both positive and not very pleasant. Such a person is open to the world, he is capable of productive cooperation, knows how to protect himself from the blows of life, and is also armed with all the knowledge and skills he needs to protect himself from troubles. If a person closes in on himself, seeks to get away from contacts with people, considers himself completely lonely and useless to anyone, here you can think about a violation of psychological health. Unfortunately, not many people, having found themselves in difficulties, turn to specialists for help. This behavior can be compared with the reluctance to consult a dentist: until the tooth starts to hurt, the trip is constantly delayed. Meanwhile, psychologists recommend seeking help in the following cases:
- If there are fears in life. They can be both small and global - in both cases they need to be paid attention to. This may be a fear of heights, speaking to a large audience, fear of the dark, etc.
- There are problems in the relationship. This is one of the most difficult aspects of human life, and problems in this area can shake the state of psychological health in anyone.
- Severe stress. This may be trouble at work, home frustration, financial loss, care of a loved one, a man-made disaster. In such situations, it is difficult for a person to cope with problems alone. The best way to maintain psychological health is to contact a specialist.
A way to strengthen the psyche: work on emotions
In the same way as physical health, a person can strengthen his emotional health. In this case, he will give himself a chance to become more active and energetic, get rid of passivity and apathy and learn how to move from a state of impotence to productivity.
One of the most important conditions of psychological health is a positive emotional state. Recently, more and more doctors recognize that negative experiences can seriously affect the state of mental and physical health. Scientists claim that those people who suffer from excessive anxiety, aggression or suspicion are at a higher risk of getting a disease (e.g. asthma, diseases of the cardiovascular system, headaches).
At the same time, positive experiences affect a person exactly the opposite. Scientists examined a group of 122 people who experienced a heart attack. Their level of optimism and pessimism was evaluated. After 8 years, 21 out of 25 complete pessimists died. Of the 25 most cheerful participants in the experiment, only 6 left for the other world.
Perseverance to overcome difficulties
One of the most important psychological factors of health, including physical, is the ability to cope with difficulties. A person can maintain his mental well-being only if he is able to overcome the problems that arise on his life path. The one who gives in and breaks in the face of difficulties endangers both his psychological well-being and physical health.
The development of psychological health always means that a person has learned to overcome problems in his life. On the contrary, one who is weak, dysfunctional in spiritual terms, will constantly feel resentment, circumstances, blame others, portray fatigue.
Methods to strengthen internal balance
Consider several ways to strengthen psychological health by influencing the emotional sphere.
- Little joys. When we are able to notice even small achievements and victories, this significantly increases the level of satisfaction with life. Of course, most often one has to cope with difficulties rather than celebrate victory. But happiness can not be expected, but create it yourself. To do this, you need to learn how to rejoice in your smallest victories - after all, it is they who are those “bricks” of which mental well-being consists.
- Nice talking. When a person communicates with those people who cause him sympathy, this leads to increased production of oxytocin - the hormone of attachment and safety. Positive communication is necessary for every person, even if he convinces himself that he lives well alone. In particular, this aspect should be given attention to those people whose professional activity is associated with a lot of stress in communication. For example, will a teacher's psychological health be strong if his communication for the most part consists of interacting with a difficult class? Such a teacher risks losing not only emotional balance, but also suffers from psychosomatic diseases. That is why it is always necessary to balance negative experiences (in this case, communication) with positive emotions.
- Of course, it is not always easy to find those people whom you can rely on in difficult times. « », – , , . , - .
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You can save and strengthen your mental well-being even in the most difficult circumstances. For this, it is necessary to abandon the endless series of self-accusations, think over possible solutions to the problem and take action. In difficult situations, those people who can be called psychologically healthy take responsibility for the situation on their shoulders and look for solutions to problems. Infantile and immature people are immersed in self-accusations and feelings, thereby worsening their physical health and emotional state.