The WHO (World Health Organization) states that mental health is more than just the absence of mental disorders or disabilities; they define it as “a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.” From this definition, we can assume that not coping with normal stress, or being under more than normal stress makes us mentally unhealthy, and that if we don’t recognize our abilities, or don’t contribute to society, we are not mentally well, right?
There are more problems with this definition and with most definitions of mental health because it’s normally linked to wellbeing, a very abstract concept influenced by hedonic and idealistic traditions, which champion positive emotions, living a life of virtue in the pursuit of human excellence, and high functioning.
For example, Corey L M Keyes, an American sociologist and psychologist identifies three components of mental health:
emotional well-being: happiness, interest in life, and satisfaction;
psychological well-being: liking most parts of one's own personality, being good at managing the responsibilities of daily life, having good relationships with others, and being satisfied with one's own life; and
social well-being: positive functioning involving social contribution (having something to contribute to society), social integration (feeling part of a community), social actualization (believing that society is becoming a better place for all people), social coherence (the way society works makes sense).
This way of defining mental health leaves out many groups of people that can’t afford the type of perfect member of society that the definition implies. That could include young people, or activists, or even artists. And of course, it may exclude many people that are somehow marginalized. The definition, as the medical model, pathologizes all behavior that doesn’t go with what “society” expects, but it’s evident that they are talking about a “society” from the point of view of those in power, from those with privilege and whom the norms apply because they defined them.
In psychiatry and for very long, mental health has been defined by behavior, on whether it is not appropriate or if it fails the standard norms of the society.
