What is 'good mental health'?

When you break a limb, it's often fairly clear from an X-ray or doing an examination how bad the break is. But when you're feeling low, anxious or experiencing a flare-up of your mental health condition, it's harder to express or measure how bad it is.

We all have different perceptions of our wellbeing and ability to cope, as well as various definitions of what constitutes 'good' or 'bad' mental health.

Defining good mental health

However, in many ways mental health and physical health are very similar.

According to Stephen Buckley, Head of Information at Mind: "Everybody has it, it can fluctuate from good to poor, and we need to take care of it."

He explains that good mental health might have a different meaning to each of us, but it’s generally understood to mean being able to think, feel, and react in the ways that you need and want to live your life as fully and independently as possible.

Good mental health doesn't mean that you always feel happy or that you never have bad moods or bad days. But if anxiety, low mood, or other symptoms of your mental health condition are overwhelming or difficult to cope with, it's likely that you don't currently have good mental health.

Deirdre Kehoe, CEO of LMKLetMeKnow explains that our mental health affects how we think, feel and act.

She says: "Having good mental health is about feeling positive about ourselves and others, being able to form good relationships, and having the resilience to overcome challenges."

Not everyone with good mental health will be able to do all of these things, and the ability to do them doesn't mean that you aren't experiencing a mental health problem. It's all about what's normal for you.

"Some people never experience poor mental health, some go through a phase of their lives where they struggle with their mental health, while others have longer-term conditions," says Kehoe. "Some common mental health issues are things such as depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders, or psychosis, and dealing with these can be really tough."

Am I mentally healthy?

Buckley explains that poor mental health affects us all in different ways. But if you have something such as depression or anxiety, you might notice changes to your feelings, thoughts, and behaviour.

These changes might become disruptive to your everyday life and make it difficult to carry out basic tasks.

"Feeling down from time to time is a normal part of daily life," says Buckley. "But if the feelings last for two weeks or more, or keep returning, it could be a sign you're experiencing a mental health issue."

Doctors routinely use a tool called the PHQ9 to get an indication of whether someone is depressed and how severely. It doesn't cover all the subtle nuances, but it's a good starting point and can be used to measure improvements over time.

In young people, it can sometimes be hard for parents to tell what's normal teenage moodiness and what's a mental health issue. However, half of all mental health conditions are established by age 14 and three-quarters by age 24, so it's crucial to intervene early if you suspect a mental health concern.

As well as seeking support from a doctor, school or mental health professional, parents can call the YoungMinds parents helpline if they are concerned about their child's mental health and need advice.

Working towards good mental health

If you feel that you don't have good mental health, it's a good idea to look at your life and take note of the things that make you feel better or worse so you can make changes to improve your wellbeing. And if you already have good mental health, it's important to work on maintaining it - good mental health isn't necessarily permanent, and it can fluctuate if we don't stay on top of it.

Healthy lifestyle

It can be easier said than done, but all the things we do to improve our physical health also benefit our wellbeing.

Buckley says: "Eating healthily, sleeping well, and making time for exercise are all important, as well as keeping an eye on how much alcohol, sugar, and caffeine you're consuming."

Support network

Finding a support network to help you stay on top of your self care may keep you motivated. This might include friends, family, colleagues, teachers, therapists, or other people in your community. There are also mental health groups online, such as on the Patient community forums.

Professional support

Buckley suggests that if you notice changes to your feelings, thoughts, and behaviour that last for more than two weeks, keep coming back, or interfere with your day-to-day life, speak with your doctor. They can talk through different treatment options available if needed.

"Most people find that they are able to manage their mental health problems well with the right combination of treatments, he says. "This might include self-care techniques, medication, and talking therapies."

You can also self-refer for talking therapies on the NHS.

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