Download Recognizing and Exploring Positive Mental Health

Recognizing and Exploring Positive Mental Health: Invitational Workshop
May 20, 2010, Moncton, New Brunswick
Key Concepts and Terms
Recognizing Positive Mental Health
Positive mental health is cultivated by supporting individual resilience, creating supportive
environments and addressing the influence of the broader determinants of health. While
there is no standardized measure for positive mental health, CPHI puts the concept into
operation by examining levels of life enjoyment, coping ability, emotional well-being,
spiritual values and social connectedness in relation to a broad definition of mental health.
This broad definition, endorsed by the Public Health Agency of Canada, describes mental
health as follows.
Mental Health
“The capacity of each and all of us to feel, think, and act in ways that enhance our
ability to enjoy life and deal with the challenges we face. It is a positive sense of
emotional and spiritual well-being that respects the importance of culture, equity,
social justice, interconnections and personal dignity.”1
In addition to this concept, there are many other terms that could refer to positive aspects
related to mental health. We have provided examples of other commonly used terms and
have left some space for you to fill in your own throughout the workshop.
Mental Fitness
“Mental fitness is a personal state of psychological wellness that reflects our selfperceptions (thoughts and emotions) regarding the satisfaction of three basic
psychological needs: Relatedness, Competency and Autonomy.”2
“Autonomy refers to our need for personal freedom to make choices or decisions
that affect our lives.
Relatedness refers to our need for connection to and closeness with family, peers
and other significant individuals.
Competence refers to our need for recognizing and using our personal gifts and
strengths in achieving personal goals.”3
Page 1 of 4
Wellness
“Wellness is the optimal state of health of individuals and groups. There are two
focal concerns: the realization of the fullest potential of an individual physically,
psychologically, socially, spiritually and economically, and the fulfillment of one’s
role expectations in the family, community, place of worship, workplace and other
settings.”4
Mental Health Promotion
“The process of enhancing the capacity of individuals and communities to take
control over their lives and improve their mental health. Mental health promotion
uses strategies that foster supportive environments and individual resilience, while
showing respect for culture, equity, social justice, interconnections and personal
dignity.”5
Mental Wellness
“A lifelong journey to achieve wellness and balance of body, mind and spirit . . .
[and] includes self-esteem, personal dignity, cultural identity and connectedness in
the presence of a harmonious physical, emotional, mental and spiritual wellness.”6
Flourishing Versus Languishing
“Adults with complete mental health are flourishing in life with high levels of wellbeing. To be flourishing, then, is to be filled with positive emotion and to be
functioning well psychologically and socially. Adults with incomplete mental health
are languishing in life with low well-being.”7
Resilience
“Resilience is the capability of individuals and systems (families, groups,
communities) to cope successfully in the face of significant adversity or risk. This
capability develops and changes over time, is enhanced by protective factors within
the individual/system and the environment, and contributes to the maintenance or
enhancement of health.”8
Page 2 of 4
Recovery
“Recovery is understood as a process in which people living with mental health
problems and illnesses are empowered and supported to be actively engaged in their
own journey of well-being. The recovery process builds on individual, family,
cultural and community strengths and enables people to enjoy a meaningful life in
their community while striving to achieve their full potential.”9
Other Definitions
Page 3 of 4
References
1. Public Health Agency of Canada, The Human Face of Mental Health and Mental Illness
in Canada 2006 (Ottawa, Ont.: Minister of Public Works and Government Services,
2006), accessed from <http://www.phac-aspc.gc.ca/publicat/humanhumain06/pdf/human_face_e.pdf>.
2. Health and Education Research Group, Mental Fitness—Defined, accessed from
<http://www.gnb.ca/0131/pdf/w/MentalFitness.pdf>.
3. Health and Education Research Group and Government of New Brunswick, What Is
Mental Fitness?, accessed on March 30, 2010, from
<http://www.gnb.ca/0131/pdf/w/HERG%20Mental%20Fitness.EN.pdf>.
4. B. J. Smith et al., “WHO Health Promotion Glossary: New Terms,” Health Promotion
International 21, 4 (2006): pp. 340–345.
5. N. Joubert and J. Raeburn, “Mental Health Promotion: People, Power and Passion,”
International Journal of Mental Health Promotion (1998): pp. 15–22.
6. Mental Health Working Group, Mental Wellness Framework: A Discussion Document
for Comprehensive Culturally Appropriate Mental Health Services in First Nations and
Inuit Communities (Ottawa, Ont.: Health Canada, 2002).
7. C. L. M. Keyes, “The Mental Health Continuum: From Languishing to Flourishing in
Life,” Journal of Health and Social Research 43 (2002): pp. 207–222.
8. C. Mangham et al., Resiliency: Relevance to Health Promotion—Detailed Analysis,
accessed from <http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/pubs/adp-apd/index_e.html>.
9. Mental Health Commission of Canada, Toward Recovery and Well-Being: A
Framework for a Mental Health Strategy for Canada (Calgary, Alta.: MHCC, 2009),
accessed from
<http://www.mentalhealthcommission.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/strategy/MHCC_p
rint_friendly_EN.pdf>.
Page 4 of 4