Recently, I had a workshop about 'mental health' and 'mental well-being'.
I have nothing against the workshop; I refreshed my knowledge and it was useful.
But what I bothered most is the placing people in relation to 'mental health' and 'mental wellbeing'.
Mental well-being is on y-axis, indicating a negative to positive continuum state, while mental health is on the x-axis, dichotomous state of being ill (left) and free from illness (right)
According to the classification, we can be placed in one of four quadrants:
(1) No mental health problems, positive mental well-being (++) - right top side
(2) Had mental health problems, positive mental well-being (-+) - left top side
(3) No Mental health problems, but negative mental well-being (+-) - right bottom side
(4) Have mental health problems, negative mental well-being (- -) - left bottom side
I am very disturbed about the implications of the definition of mental health to mental health suffers. It implies those who have ever been diagnosed are never freed from the illness. Is this right approach?
I do not think so.
Those who are not diagnosed yet may have symptoms. This classification of 'mental health' is likely to condemn those who suffered from mental illness for good. I fear that this approach only stops people from asking for proper help and leaves them to suffer silently.
Is this the right approach?
I hope to hear from you.
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