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Mental health includes emotional, psychological and social well-being. An individual with good mental health demonstrates a strong ability to cope with stress, help the community and understand their strengths and weaknesses. Mental health is heavily influenced by risk and protective factors. Some examples of risk factors include lack of access to education, social isolation and use of alcohol or drugs. While these risk factors will negatively affect mental health, protective factors, on the other hand, will positively affect mental health. Some instances that improve mental health include positive coping skills, safe communities and the ability to build social connections. At times, people can develop mental health conditions such as major depressive disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity and panic disorder. In the United States, mental health conditions are one of the most common illnesses, with nearly one in every four adults being diagnosed with a condition.
The American healthcare system is expansive, catering to over 330 million Americans, according to a 2020 census. Compared to a 2010 census, this census demonstrates an emerging trend in the United States population—fewer babies are being born, and adults are living longer. With that said, the American healthcare system has its strengths and weaknesses. The healthcare system is riddled with weaknesses ranging from excess spending to poor access. Even so, American healthcare still ranked sixth overall among global healthcare systems. The US leads the charts with excellent scientific advancement and falls behind in tenth place in quality. Ultimately, mental health is one of the most essential aspects of well-being and should, therefore, be placed as one of the focal points of the healthcare system.
Mental health is vital for development at all stages of life. From birth to 11 years old, having good mental health will help children reach developmental and emotional milestones and learn healthy social skills. These skills and milestones will allow them to function well at home, school and in their communities. Then, in adolescence, ages 12 to 17, individuals will develop many habits and characteristics that will stay with them throughout their adult lives. Adolescence is also a time of many developmental changes—emotionally, physically and socially. Not having strong mental health will make them susceptible to unnecessary challenges in their future lives. Young adulthood, ages 18 to 26, comes with significant transitions. Most people will enter college or the workforce during this period, start families and build a foundation for their future life. Positive mental health during this time will allow individuals to have a smooth and natural adjustment to these big transitions. In middle adulthood, ages 27 to 64, adults may face external stressors related to work, relationships or parenting. A strong mental health will help these adults deal with these stressors more effectively, ensuring their success. For ages 65 and above, adults are in older adulthood. As these adults age, they experience significant life changes such as retirement, losing a loved one or serious illness. As a result, individuals may experience feelings of grief, isolation and loneliness. However, strong mental health will allow these adults to make it through these life changes and deal with the negative aspects that come with it.
Mental health is not only about emotional and social factors but is also positively associated with physical health. Studies have shown that having a physical health problem will increase one’s chance of having a mental health problem and vice versa. For instance, depression has been linked to many chronic illnesses such as diabetes, asthma or cancer. Additionally, the mortality rate for these chronic illnesses is higher for those who have mental health issues. Sleeping problems such as insomnia or sleep apnea are also common among those with mental illness. Studies have shown that 50% to 80% of individuals with mental health issues have sleeping problems. However, only 10% to 18% of the general population has sleeping problems. While the mental conditions may lead to these sleep problems, sleep problems can also exacerbate mental health conditions. While this may seem detrimental, a positive mental and physical relationship can help prevent this. Consistent exercise will release the “feel-good” chemicals known as endorphins in the brain. It will also make individuals feel less stressed and more focused while giving them a sense of purpose. Eating well can also help improve mental well-being and mood. Eating well includes eating balanced proteins, essential carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and water. Combining exercise and a balanced diet will help mitigate physical and mental health issues.
Positive mental health is vital to maintaining a good quality of life, which relates to an individual’s comfort, health and ability to engage in everyday life. However, each individual’s definition of a good quality of life can differ. For some, a good quality of life would be signified by material possessions and wealth. For others, a good quality of life is signified by simple comforts that satisfy them. Individuals’ poor mental health will prevent them from doing many of their daily tasks, which influences their quality of life and leads to a decline in self-sufficiency. As a result, individuals will suffer from low self-confidence and low self-esteem. Usually, they also struggle with isolation and feeling that they are not contributing to society. This chain reaction sets off a most significant result—the inability to achieve what they once could. This can range from not bothering to do anything in school to not taking showers or maintaining basic hygiene.
While mental health has many benefits, others argue that the American healthcare system should receive more attention than mental health. They argue that placing a focus on mental health will be pointless if the issues in the system are not fixed. For example, if people do not have access to healthcare, having healthcare that focuses on mental health is simply useless. While this may be true, the healthcare system will not be fixed overnight. Finding a solution will take years of hard work, and focusing only on this is not logical. If complete focus is placed on fixing the healthcare system, healthcare quality will decrease, and new healthcare innovations will also be limited. Therefore, fixing the weaknesses of the healthcare system must work in tandem with other initiatives, such as the mental health crisis.
