What is mental health?

I am usually confused by the term; ‘Mental health’. I also want to know the early signs of a Mental Health issue.  Kindly elaborate.

Ashafa (by SMS)

Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood. Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including: Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry, Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse and Family history of mental health problems. Mental health problems are common but help is available. People with mental health problems can get better and many recover completely.  Experiencing one or more of the following feelings or behaviors can be an early warning sign of a problem: Eating or sleeping too much or too little, Pulling away from people and usual activities, Having low or no energy, Feeling numb or like nothing matters, Having unexplained aches and pains, Feeling helpless or hopeless, Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual, Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared, Yelling or fighting with family and friends, Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships, Having persistent thoughts and memories you can’t get out of your head, Hearing voices or believing things that are not true, Thinking of harming yourself or others and Inability to perform daily tasks like taking care of your kids or getting to work or school. Ways to maintain positive mental health include: Getting professional help if you need it, Connecting with others, Staying positive, Getting physically active, Helping others, Getting enough sleep and Developing coping skills.

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