Factors relating to mental health
Many things will play a part in the mental health of an individual.
These can placed into three main headings.
Physical changes (such as changes during growing up)
Social changes (things that happen around the individual such as change of home or job)
Psychological changes (for example the death of a family member).
How much support people have as they deal with these changes can be the difference between keeping their positive mental health or suffering mental ill health.
This is true for everyone not just people with a learning disability
It is important to remember that people with mental health problems can and often will get better. However recovery is a process that may not come as the result of a 'quick fix'.
The term mental health often makes people think of mental ill health but the term refers to how we cope with everyday life, interact and have relationships with others.
Mental ill health is a change in the way people feel and means they can behave differently to others, in the way they look after themselves and make decisions.
This can be hard to understand because it is not a physical illness and can be presented in very different ways.
It is important to understand the effect that mental ill health can have on the person and their family. Many people still see mental ill health in very negative ways and will seperate, ignore, and bully those with mental ill health.
“Regardless of the perspective or approach that is taken to understand mental illness, it has to be acknowledged that when a person is assigned a label of mental illness they take on an identity that is stigmatised and valued negatively. Mental ill health can be deeply dehumanising and alienating. It is generally regarded with anxiety and fear and leads to rejection and exclusion.”
(Keating, 2006)