MENTAL HEALTH PROMOTION - Health Promotion Agency

Mental Health Promotion in Northern Ireland
Introduction
The national and international policy climate is placing growing emphasis on improving the mental health
status of the population. In addition to concerns about an increasing youth suicide rate, the World Health
Organisation predicts that mental illness, most notably depression, is likely to become a major health issue.
There is a growing interest in adopting a public health approach to promoting the mental health of the
population. This approach emphasises promoting good mental health, early intervention and preventing
mental health problems. It requires a new way of thinking about mental health and its determinants, the
causes of mental health problems and about action to improve the mental health of the population.
Mental health is fundamental to good health and quality of life and therefore must be addressed as part of
improving Northern Ireland’s overall health.
Mental health promotion has its roots, its meaning and its strength in individual and community
capacities, competencies and wisdom to deal with life’s challenges.
Mental health promotion is an approach which enables people to increase control over and improve their
own health. It recognises that all people are intrinsically resourceful, ie they have their own capacity to
make decisions about what is, or is not, good for them. This capacity may be compromised by internal and
external forces such as stress, illness, violence, abuse, poverty, injustice, unemployment and major life
events. When this resourcefulness is ‘overloaded’ then external conditions need to be set up to foster and
support that resourcefulness.
The aim of mental health promotion is to enhance competence, self-esteem and a sense of wellbeing at the
individual level, and to address the broader structures and environments that have negative mental health
impacts.
Mental health can be promoted in a number of ways including:
• public policy and structural approaches: addressing issues known to affect mental health, for example,
unemployment, poverty, inequality, social exclusion, housing, public safety, racism and discrimination;
• health promotion and education: which might include exercise, coping skills, parenting skills,
relationship skills, negotiating and self-assertion techniques, opportunities for participation and social
inclusion and programmes to build self-esteem;
• work directed at the primary prevention of mental illness: such as social support for new mothers,
reducing the rate of post-natal depression;
• improving the quality of life of people experiencing mental distress.
Improving the mental health of individuals, families, organisations and communities has a number of
recognised benefits. It can:
• improve physical health;
• increase emotional resilience, enabling people to survive difficulties and distress;
• enhance citizenship, giving people the skills and confidence to adopt meaningful and effective roles in
society;
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