greyfur
What is a person with mental health please?
My understanding is that a person with mental health is simply someone who experiences emotional, psychological and social well being. Because everyone has mental health just like everyone has physical health.
Every person feels, acts and handles everyday stressors and relationships.
Physical health can ebb and flow and deteriorate in the face of adverse physical bodily changes. Causes of change are many and some examples- famine, floods, war, infection, dementia, trauma, accident, surgery, cancer, enduring poor nutrition, abuse of alcohol and none prescribed medications, poverty, lack of education, disability, smoking, long term stress, ethnicity, poor nutrition, racism, anti immigrant hate, poor health and maternal care, lack of access to affordable and available healthcare, ability to read and write, poor dental care etc etc and they all * adversely impact on Physical Health* The more the number of causative factors the higher the impact. Physical Health status at any time can be measured as stable, unstable, improving, deteriorating or in crisis at any stage in life. Symptoms of health impact can be mild, moderate, high or severe and even life threatening.
Mental health can ebb and flow in a similar way and deteriorate in the face of adverse life circumstances. Causes are many and some examples, accident, bereavement, loss of a job, homelessness, lack of education, domestic abuse, rape, exploitation, discrimination of any kind, relationship, long term stress, social isolation, bullying, debt, harassment, prejudice, PTSD, living in a war zone, poverty and enduring, enduring pain, rape, coercion, slave trafficking in fact any adverse life circumstance can adversely impact on MH. The more the number of causative factors the higher the impact. Mental Health status at any time can be measured as stable, unstable, improving, deteriorating or in crisis at any stage in life. Symptoms of health impact can be mild, moderate, high or severe and even life threatening. Lack of empathy, support, tolerance, understanding and access to affordable, accessible Mental Health care etc can undermine MH.
Physical and Mental Health are intertwined and resilience can be tested when there are repeated and multiple causative or predisposing factors successively for most people.
A person who is tolerant, empathic, is none judgmental and supports the principle that everyone has human rights and is of equal value will be mindful of Physical and Mental health risk factors and how it impacts people around them at all stages in life.
Poor health care and poor mental health care has serious, negative, political and economic impacts on society, a country and the world as a whole
Asylum seekers are likely to have had many Physical health and Mental health stressors in their home country over a period, in their asylum journey and on arrival in the country where they are seeking sanctuary.
Governments of countries where asylum seekers/refugees travel to decide, on behalf of their electorate, how humane and compassionate they plan to be towards asylum seekers and refugees and puts in place policies and schemes of support accordingly.
