Mental Health Promotion Project Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Mental Health Promotion Project - Essay Example This definition does not focus on the mere absence of illness or disease; but also on the presence of wellness on multiple factors. This concept is in opposition to the way in which many clinicians view the concept of health. Often the emphasis is on the absence of symptoms of illness; and medical professionals forget to attend to the presence of wellness. While this may or may not be as significant with illnesses of a purely physical nature; such a narrow perspective may not be adequate when dealing with problems that affect mental health. While House (2002) and Seeker (2005) claim that focusing on the symptoms and pathology helps keep a focus on resolution of symptoms and encourages a curer's approach; it needs to be mentioned that a person who is diagnosed and receiving help may be feeling better in part due to the fact that he or she is experiencing being cared for as against someone who is not receiving care. Squire (2002) has noted that someone who does not share the competenci es with the rest of the population could be termed as unhealthy; something that is rather unfair. A better definition is that of the Health Education Authority (HEA) (1997) which includes emotional and spiritual resilience. This is the factor that allows one to enjoy the experience of life and cope with pain (Squire, 2002; Jeanette, 2009). We may say that the WHO (2004) definition that mental health is a state of wellbeing is a more positive definition that focuses on the ability to cope with normal stressors and the ability to work in a fruitful and productive manner and to contribute to the society around them. Promoting Mental Health. Barry and Jenkins (2007) have found that a focus of developing mental health has helped in reducing the number of people diagnosed with mental disorders. It also has the positive impact of increasing the number who recover (Friedli, 2009). Promoting mental health can thus be defined as â€Å"Any action to enhance the mental well-being of individual s, families, organizations or communities (DH 2001).† The national service framework of 1999 has established certain standards of care that are designed to enhance the recovery experience of patients. Over time, the focus has been on not only reducing the extent and number of symptoms seen; but also on the growth of a wellness principle. This principle is one that guides the treatment and carer actions such that the emphasis is on overall recovery and health. Most policies for health care are aimed at the working population. This has many reasons; from the density of this population; to the contribution they make towards the running of the significant services, including the health services. The working population is also the population which contains the parents of minors – a population whose overall wellbeing is to some extent contingent on the wellbeing of the adults who influence their lives. Any country functions best when its working population is well and functio nal in that they participate in meaningful activities and have healthy relationships with people and elements of their lives. The ‘Quality Framework for mental health promotion (Health Education Authority, 1997) was put in place in order to ensure that mental health promotion projects are effectively planned, consistently delivered and properly evaluated. This