An introduction to mental health
The basics: what mental health is, how it shifts over time, and the everyday signs worth paying attention to.
Mental wellbeing
Mental health is a state of mental wellbeing that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realise their abilities, learn well, work well, and contribute to their community. The World Health Organisation (2022) calls it an integral component of health, and a basic human right.1
It covers our psychological, social and emotional wellbeing, and it is more than the absence of mental disorders. How you look after yourself mentally, and what equips you to function at your best, is unique to you.
What protects it
Building resilience and protecting mental health can include:
- Positive social interactions
- Quality education and decent work
- Safe environments
- Community cohesion
- Active lives
The most important part
We can all talk about it. Speaking up about mental health is the best thing you can do, not only for yourself but for others who may be struggling. Make it part of your daily check in, and if something needs more than a conversation, raise it here or call 1737 any time.
Footnotes
- 1
World Health Organisation, 2022: mental health underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships and shape the world we live in. ↵