Toward a new definition of mental health
University of Naples Federico II · Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin · +4 more institutions
Abstract
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community” 1. This definition, while representing a substantial progress with respect to moving away from the conceptualization of mental health as a state of absence of mental illness, raises several concerns and lends itself to potential misunderstandings when it identifies positive feelings and positive functioning as key factors for mental health. In fact, regarding well-being as a key aspect of mental health is difficult to…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 16.06
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 34
Authors
5Topics & keywords
- Happiness
- Mental health
- Conceptualization
- Feeling
- Psychology
- Action (physics)
- Well-being
- Social psychology
- Reduced inequalities