Mental health is a person’s condition with regard to their psychological and emotional well-being or an absence of mental illness. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Good mental health is characterized by a person’s ability to fulfil a number of key functions and activities, including: the ability to learn, feel, express and manage a range of positive and negative emotions as well as the ability to form and maintain good relationships with others. However, enjoying good mental health goes with responsibilities on the decisions that we make as young people. Making certain decisions such as using and abusing drugs and substances and smoking marijuana among others can threaten our mental health and cause mental illness.
The question could be what is mental illness? Mental illness is a disorder that affects the way people think, feel, behave, or interact with others. Examples of mental illness include depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and addictive behaviors. Many people have mental health concerns from time to time but a mental health concern becomes a mental illness when ongoing signs and symptoms cause frequent stress and affect your ability to function. It therefore important that as young people we should make responsible decisions that will help us maintain our mental health status.
You can get further information on mental health at your nearest youth friendly health facility or any health facility that provides youth friendly health services, or calling Tithandizane National Helpline’s toll free number 6600 or visiting YONECO’s youth drop-in centers.
