HALLS: Issue II

PUTTING THE “ME” BACK INTO
MENTAL HEALTH
M
ental health: possibly
one of the most prevalent
and popular terms
when we think about in
twenty-first century society. It has
become a widespread phenomenon
that worries, concerns, and affects almost
everybody in this modern age.
But what exactly does the concept of
‘mental health’ entail? Mental health
does not just mean frightening and
perhaps misconceived illnesses like
depression, anxiety or obsessivecompulsive
disorder (OCD). The term
has a much more simple, basic and
inclusive aspect. It should have a significant
personal dimension. It should
involve ME.
Undoubtedly, the term has become
almost like a fashionable or modish
trend. Particularly within pop culture,
celebrities often admit to their experiences
of mental health problems or
disclose that they are suffering from a
form of mental illness. Another notable
example of how mental health has
become remarkably intertwined with
the media is the latest Netflix sensation
- ’13 Reasons Why’. This infamous
TV series actually broke a record
for “being tweeted about more than
any other Netflix show in its first
week of streaming”. The show sparked
a huge amount of controversy and
concern in relation to depression and
suicide with an alarming emphasis on
its interaction with youth and adolescence.
However, this is not what mental
health is. Mental health affects
every minute and every aspect of a
person’s life and requires action to
care for and improve by that person.
According to the Oxford English Dictionary,
the term ‘mental health’ is
defined as a person’s condition with
regard to their psychological and emotional
well-being. Well-being is the
state of being comfortable, healthy
and happy. I believe that mental
health is a personal quest to be these
three things. In an increasingly complex
and modernised world, it has never
been so important to take care of
oneself. Although many of us are selfless
and altruistic, mental health requires
putting oneself ahead of others.
It requires focusing on one’s own personal
needs, wants and fulfilment.
It is imperative in today’s world that
we take time out from our stressful,