8.11 MENTAL HEALTH

It is very hard to define health and its whole implications. We can simply define it as haleness or soundness of a man. Man is a combination of three things — physical, mental and spiritual. The mental health plays a vital role in maintaining the total health of a man.

8.11.1 Mental Health: Meaning

Like physical health, mental health is also an aspect of total personality. Mental health refers to the function of a well- integrated personality. The concept of mental health is .closely related to the concept of adjustment. We know that while an individual has satisfactory personality adjustment he is also likely to have good mental health. Thus the normal, well-adjusted we linter grated and mature person is bound to have positive mental health.

8.11.2 Mental Health : Definition

Hadfield  defines that ‘Mental health is the full and harmonious functioning of the whole personality.

8.11.3 Mental Hygiene: Meaning -

Mental hygiene is a science which dais with the prevention of mental illness, the preservation of mental health, and the cure of mental illness. Mental hygiene is a means of achieving mental health. The nature of positive mental health determines the.goals of mental hygiene. The goals of mental hygiene refer to “the attainment of a fuller, happier, more harmonious and more effective existence”.

Mental hygiene stands for good mental health, for overalldevelopment of personality.

8.11.4 Aims! purposes of Mental Hygiene

Mental hygiene has three major purposes Which are classified as follows: V

1. The prevention of mental disorders.
2. The preservation of mental health.
3. The discovery and utilization of therapy or treatment to cure mental illness.

With the first purpose in mind, mental hygienic helps in:

1. Listing various causes of maladjustments
2. Suggesting ways and means of achieving emotional and social adjustment.

Testing Devices In Guidance

With the second aim in view, mental hygiene helps in finding Out ways and means for:

1. Developing total potentialities of the individual.
2. Attaining emotional maturity and stability.
3. Achieving personal and social security.

With the third intention in vision mental hygiene helps in:

1. Giving knowledge of mental disorders.
2. Suggesting various forms of therapy or treatment.

Hence, mental hygiene helps to attain proper mental health and efficiency in all aspects. L.F.Shaffer reiterates that the ultimate aim of mental hygiene is “to assist every individual in the attainment of fuller, happier, more harmonious and more effective existence.”

8.11.5 Attributes of Normal Mental Health

1. Willingness and readiness for work and play: The first symptom of normal mental health is that a person is ready to take both work and play with ease and a feeling of wellbeing. Work and play do not seem to be a burden on his mind.
2. Adjustment with others : The second symptom of normal mental health is that the person is able to get along nicely and smoothly with others. But it does not mean that he should get along smoothly with every Tom, Dick and Harry. The idea is that if he cannot get along with others, there should be some valid and sufficient cause for it.
3. Efficiency of work : The third symptom of normal mental health is that the person is reasonably efficient in doing his work. But it does not mean that he is model of efficiency in every field of work. The idea is that he should be reasonably efficient in what appears to be .his main interest.
4. Happiness and cheerfulness : The fourth symptom of normal mental health is that the person is reasonably happy and cheerful. But it does not mean that he should be always hilariotisly happy and gay. The idea is that he Should not suffer from undue amount of unhappiness and that he should not be unhappy without sufficient cause.

These are not the only symbols of normal mental health but these are the fundamental ones on which other things revolve.

8.11.6 Abnormal Mental Health

Abnormal or ill mental health of a person exposes the presence of neurosis or psychosis, or personality disorder, or maladjustment. Neurosis is-a nervous disease which shows emotional disorder or a kind of madness.

Psychosis is a mental disease which shows derangement of the mind. A student of abnormal mental health engages in some bad practices like truancy, stealing, telling lies etc., This will affect one’s studies and his future.

811.7 Causes of abnormal mental health

The reason for mental health or abnormal mental health of a student may be caused by the school he studies, circumstances of the family, the nature of community he belongs to and the friends with whom he associates himself.

Family: Sometimes the attitudes of the parents may also cause

mental illness in children and are classified as follows:-

1. Over-protecting or over sheltering the child.
2. Unnecessary and unfavorable comparisons.
3. Too much of punishment and ridicule for tiny things.

School: Few are the school environments which cause mental illness in students as follows

1.            The students thinks that school is a place of fear or terror.

2.            Non-provision of the subjects of one’s own choice and interest.

3.            Syllabus beyond one’s mental capacity.

4.            Lack of good friends. -

5.            Individual differences are not taken care of.

6.            Unsympathetic behavior of the teachers towards students.

7.            Lack of freedom to express one’s own mind or idea.

8.            Lack of encouragement for doing any creative work.

9.            Failure in developing self-confidence and sense of responsibility.

Society: Following are the impacts of the society which cause mental illness in children:

1. Atrocity! Outrage! Horrible cruelty.
2. Wickedness.
3. Injustice.
4. Plundering and killing.
5. Conflicts and clashes.
6. Moral corruption.

A growing student when seeing all these things fails to take a decision to do a thing. His mind is indecisive and under confusion.

8.11.8 Mental Health and Pupils! Methods of developing mental health of the students

It is a collective responsibility of the teacher and the parents to maintain the students’ mental health in a proper way. But the teacher and the school have to take a significant role in channel sing the mental health for his prospective future. They are as follows:

1. Good Physical Health : The students should be advised to maintain good physique and health. The students may be advised to make proper use of yearly medical check-up conducted by the school to identify their sickness for treatment. through the medical check-up the students may be advised to follow proper health habits. Physical exercises and yoga classes may be conducted through  proper teachers.
2. Emotional Development: We have to help the students to acquire balanced and proper emotional development- to face problems. The environment of the school should be free from caste, creed, community and religious fervor. There should not be any distraction to the feeling of security. Congenial climate will help the students to concentrate on studies Without fear or favour, frustration or tension.
3.  Social Relationship : All students should be accepted as prime members of the school.. They also have to be admired by the other students and teachers for their conduct and behavior. Hence proper care has to be taken - to help the students to behave in a proper way.
4. Teacher’s Role : The second parent to the students are teachers. The behaviour and attitude to the teachers influence the students very much. The mental health of the students naturally will be based on the -teachers’ qualities. Hence the mental health of the teacher is also, very important in shaping the students. The teacher should be a role model.
5. Potentialities and Needs : The potentialities and abilities of the students should be identified and they must be channels and utilized for their development. Hence their needs and demands are to be given top priority. This will help the students to maintain their mental health.
6. Level of Aspiration: Students should be helped to aim at proper level of aspiration to achieve their expected goals.
7. Freedom of Expression : The students should be provided ample opportunity in the class to deliver their ideas freely on any issue.
8. Avoidance of unhealthy competition : Unhealthy competitions. will make students uneasy, mentally disturbed and, contemptuous. They are always worried about their contribution in the group. Worries will- lead to tension and frustration. Hence unhealthy competitions -should be avoided.
9. Variety of Interests : The students should be helped to. develop multifaceted interests in games, reading, social service,- arts and crafts. They should have all round personality development.