Undue stress, can result in mental health issues. Drugs can be used to keep undue stress in check. However when drugs fail, and in the long run they always do, we will generate mental health issues that might ask for more severe drugs. Hench a dwindling spiral ensues.
When you read the other four articles you will begin to see that each subject has a direct influence on the next one. So it is with stress, drugs and mental health.
All the solutions presented by mental health organizations evolve around the reduction of undue stress. Mental health is not very well defined in dictionaries. Do we really know what it is to be mentally healthy? There are many theories that explain mental health but they never seem to give a full picture.
Let me give you an example: Let us take a scientist who is diligently working on a project to improve the effectiveness of a weapon for mass destruction. He does a lot of research and discovers how he can change this weapon so it will kill at least double the number of people it used to kill. He feels stable and relaxed (due stress). He looks at his work as a challenge and an adventure. He has a great family that support him. He seems mentally balanced. He is a rather happy dud.
Is this person mentally healthy. I would tend to belief he is an absolute lunatic. How can someone sleep at night doing these things knowing well what the outcome of his invention will be.
People can be completely sane on one aspects of their life and utterly insane on another. So, when can a person be considered mentally healthy?
Let me give you another example: You try to safe some one’s life knowing well that it might cost you your life. Is that rational behavior? Taking this risk to give up your life for a complete stranger. Creating enormous grief and suffering for your own family and relatives. Are you mentally healthy when you take these kind or risks? Who can tell?
According to the World Health Organization health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
In the first example I gave it seems as if the scientist isn’t very social. The leased thing we could say about it is that he lacks the ability to feel empathy for people that might fall victim to his invention. That is one of the characteristics of a psychopath.
For what it is worth here is what I think about the subject of mental health.
We humans cannot be considered mentally healthy from the very moment we feel disassociated from other human beings, other life forms and the environment in general.
We can only become mentally healthy when we give up any and all attempts to dominate or suppress other forms of life and especially our fellow man.
There is, of course, a great difference between suppressing some ones anti social behavior characteristics and suppressing him as a person.