Mental Health Issues In The Twenty First Century

Mental health covers an important aspect of human overall well-being. Personal and family, community and social-economic development depends on human mental health.

Mental Health 

Mental health is a condition of good mental health which allows a person or people to manage stresses of life, know their abilities, learn and work well, also being useful to their family and community. 

There has been an increase in issues which affect the mental health of people globally recently. Depression, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are mental health problems affecting many people nowadays.

Mental health issues in the 21st century are a growing concern, influenced by various factors such as social, economic, and environmental changes.

Contributing Factors and the Current Situation of Mental Health

• Increased Awareness and Reduced Stigma: There's been a significant shift in how society views mental health.

• Efforts to reduce stigma and increase awareness have made it more acceptable to seek help.

• Impact of Technology: While technology has improved access to mental health resources, it has also introduced new challenges, such as social media-induced anxiety and depression.

• Global Health Crises: Events like the COVID-19 pandemic have had a profound impact on mental health, leading to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders.

• Economic and Social Inequalities: Economic instability, job insecurity, and social inequalities contribute significantly to mental health issues.

• Climate Change: The psychological impact of climate change, including eco-anxiety, is becoming more recognized.

• Access to Care: Despite improvements, there's still a significant gap in access to mental health care, especially in low-income countries.

• Holistic Approaches: There's a growing emphasis on holistic and integrated approaches to mental health care, including the use of digital tools and collaborative care models.

Mental health is the basis of decision making and building relationship as well as maintaining relationship. It shapes our daily lives in many ways. From coping with stress, learning and working to contributing to the society.

Poverty and social inequality as well as displacement of people are the most prevalent factors for the most mental disorders.

Maintaining world peace, and reducing stigma as well as stopping the triggers of mental disorders such as environmental pollution, and military conflicts can improve mental health of many people around the world.

References 

World Health Organization: WHO. (2022, June 17). Mental health. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response

Heinz, A., & Liu, S. (2022). Challenges and chances for mental health care in the 21st century. World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 21(3), 423–424. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21006