Mental Health Psychology is a combination of mental health conditions with human psychology consciousness.It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.It’s a study that focuses on mental health behaviour, psychological consciousness, health biology, and social factors that influence our health and behaviour. Other terms including health psychology, medical psychology and behavioural psychology are sometimes used interchangeably with this term.

Mental Health Psychology Definition 

Mental health psychology MHP refers to a person’s psychological, social and emotional well-being. According to WHO, Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.

It refers to how we see and perceive ourselves, what we think about ourselves, how we feel in comparison to other people. It also gives us an account of how mentally strong we are, and how resilient and calm we are in tense situations. The more calm we are in tense situations, the more resilient or mentally strong we are.

Mental health psychology is as important as a person’s physical health, and at times it is neglected too. For example, if you have a sprained ankle, you go to a doctor or you bandage it, and have painkillers to subside the pain, people around you understand and feel your pain because they can see it. But if you have gone through some terrible mental disorders like depression, stress, anxiety, break up, or if you worked really hard on a submission, on a research, you devoted 12 months of your life in it and the thesis of the same gets rejected.

Failure in an exam, or divorce in your family, emotional abuse, they might not impact the person physically but they do have a negative impact on a person’s psychological well-being.

​​We can take care of our mental illnesses by reading something positive experience mental health awareness , having good thoughts, being present in the moment, stop dwelling on the past, listening to affirmations, stop thinking about the future, because we simply have no control over what might happen in future at national level services.

3 Layers BPS Model in MHP

Today, the main approach used in Mental health psychology is known as the 3 layer BPS model of Mental Health Psychology (MHP) . According to this view, mental illness, psychological condition and health are the results of a combination of biological, psychological, and social factors.

• Biological factors will include inherited personality traits services and genetic conditions.
• Psychological factors will involve personal lifestyle services, personality characteristics, and stress levels.
• Social factors will  include such things as social support systems, family relationships, friend circles, working space and national or cultural beliefs of people.

Types of Mental Health Psychology

Mental Health psychology addresses population-level and individual issues across mainly four domains: clinical, public, community, and critical (social justice) services.

Clinical Mental Health Psychology (ClMHP)

ClMHP is the application of scientific knowledge, derived from the field of mental health psychology, to clinical questions that may arise across the spectrum of mental health psychology care services. ClMHP is one of the specialty practice areas for clinical and mental health psychologists. It is also a major contributor to the prevention-focused field of behavioural health and the treatment-oriented services field of behavioural medicine. Clinical practice includes education, the techniques of behaviour change, and psychotherapy. In some countries, a mental health psychologist, with additional training services, can become a medical psychologist and, thereby, obtain prescription privileges on mental disorders or mental illness.

Public Mental Health Psychology (PMHP)

PMHP is mainly population oriented. A major aim of PMHP is to investigate potential causal links between psychosocial factors and mental-health at the population level. Public mental health psychologists present research results to educators, policy makers, and mental health psychology care providers in order to promote better public mental-health services. PHP is allied to other public health disciplines including epidemiology, nutrition, genetics and biostatistics. Some PMHP interventions are services targeted toward at-risk population groups (e.g., undereducated, people who are struggling from mental illness for long time) and not the population as a whole.

Community Mental Health Psychology (CoMHP)

CoMHP investigates community factors that contribute to the mental health psychology and well-being of individuals who live in communities. CoMHP also develops community-level interventions that are designed to combat disease and promote physical and mental health psychology. The community often serves as the level of analysis, and is frequently sought as a partner in health-related interventions in the society on mental health treatment or mental-health services at national level.

Critical Mental Health Psychology (CrMHP)

CrMHP is mainly concerned with the distribution of power and the impact of power differentials experience of mental health and behaviour, health care systems, and health policy. CrMHP prioritizes social justice and the universal right to mental-health for people of all races, genders, ages, and socioeconomic positions at national level. A major concern is mental health psychology inequalities. The critical mental health psychologist is an agent of change, not simply an analyst or cataloger. Many leading organizations in this mental illness area are working in this services for the national level for Critical Mental Health psychology like nima.

Mental health awareness month

Mental health awareness month is celebrated in May ( 1st May to 31st May) . so may is mental health awareness month 2022 for awareness about mental health issues related problems.

How to improve mental health: Here are Top 33 Short Tips

1. “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” -Albert Einstein. Try to do something outside of your comfort zone to make room for excitement and adventure  in your life.

2. Track gratitude and achievement with a journal or diary. Include 3 things you were grateful for and 3 things you were able to accomplish each day in routine.

3. Work on your strengths. Do something you’re good at to build self-confidence, then tackle a tougher task. 

4. Start your day with a cup of co­ffee. Coff­ee consumption is linked to lower rates of depression. If you can’t drink coff­ee because of the caff­eine, try another good-for-you drink like green tea. 

 5. Set up a getaway. It could be holiday camping with friends or a trip to the tropics. The act of planning a vacation and having something to look forward to can boost your overall happiness for up to 8 weeks!

6. Keep it cool for a good night’s sleep. The optimal temperature for sleep is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. Experiment with a new recipe, write a poem, paint or try a Pinterest project. Creative expression and overall well-being are linked.

8. Show some love to someone in your life. Close people, quality, relationships are key for a happy, healthy life.

9. Boost brain power by treating yourself to a couple pieces of dark chocolate every few days. The flavonoids, caffeine, and theobromine in chocolate are thought to work together to improve alertness and mental skills.

10.Go off the grid. Leave your smart phone at home for a day and disconnect from constant emails, alerts, and other interruptions. Spend time doing something fun with some people face-to-face .

11. Sometimes, we don’t need to add new activities to get more pleasure. We just need to soak up the joy in the ones we’ve already got. Trying to be optimistic doesn’t mean ignoring the uglier sides of life. It just means focusing on the positive as much as possible.

12. Spend some fun times with furry friends or close ones whom you can talk your heart out to . Also spending time with animals lowers the stress hormone – cortisol, and boosts oxytocin – which stimulates feelings of happiness. If you don’t have a pet, hang out with a friend who does or volunteer at a shelter.ce on Twitter, Instagram and Tumblr with what mental illness feels like. 

13. Take time to laugh. Hang out with a funny friend, watch a comedy or check out cute videos online. Laughter helps reduce anxiety.

14. If you are feeling anxious,  Take a trip down memory lane and do some coloring for about 20 minutes to help you clear your mind. Pick a design that’s geometric and a little complicated for the best effect. 

15. Dance around while you do your housework. Not only will you get chores done, but dancing reduces levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), and increases endorphins (the body’s “feel-good” chemicals).

16. Go ahead and yawn. Studies suggest that yawning helps cool the brain and improves alertness and mental efficiency.

17. Relax in a warm bath once a week. Try adding Epsom salts to soothe aches and pains and help boost magnesium levels, which can be depleted by stress.

Mental health Quotes

18. “What appear to be calamities are often the sources of fortune.” – Disraeli. Try to find the silver lining in something kind of cruddy that happened recently. 

19. “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.”  -Maya Angelou. If you have personal experience with mental problems or recovery, share solutions or experience.

20. “What lies before us and what lies behind us are small matters compared to what lies within us. And when you bring what is within us into the world, miracles happen.” – Henry David Thoreau. Practice mindfulness by staying “in the present.”  

Top MHP mental health awareness tips 

21. Be a tourist in your own town. Often times people only explore attractions on trips, but you may be surprised what cool things are in your own backyard.just try once.

22. Try prepping your lunches or picking out your clothes for the work week. You’ll save some time in the mornings and have a sense of control about the week ahead.

23. Work some omega-3 fatty acids into your diet–they are linked to decreased rates of depression and schizophrenia among their many benefits. Fish oil supplements work, but eating your omega-3s in foods like wild salmon, flaxseeds or walnuts also helps build healthy gut bacteria.

24. Practice forgiveness – even if it’s just forgiving that person who cut you off during your commute. People who forgive have better mental health psychology and report being more satisfied with their lives.

25. Has something been bothering you? Let it all out…on paper. Writing about upsetting experiences can reduce symptoms of depression or mental illness.

26. Send a thank you note – not for a material item, but to let someone know why you appreciate them. Written expressions of gratitude are linked to increased happiness.

27.If you are feeling stressed? Smile. It may not be the easiest thing to do, but smiling can help to lower your heart rate and calm you down.  

28.  Do your best to enjoy 15 minutes of sunshine, and apply sunscreen. Sunlight synthesizes Vitamin D, which experts believe is a mood elevator for situations. 

29. Take 30 minutes to go for a walk in nature – it could be a stroll through a park , garden or a hike in the woods. Research shows that being in nature can increase energy levels, reduce depression and boost well-being.

30.Do something with your friends and family – have a cookout, go to a park, or play a game. People are 12 times more likely to feel happy on days that they spend 6-7 hours with friends and family members.

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31. “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. Think of something in your life you want to improve, and figure out what you can do to take a step in the right direction.

32. Accept who you are .We’re all different. It’s much healthier to accept that you’re unique than to wish you were more like someone else. Feeling good about yourself boosts your confidence to learn new skills, visit new places and make new friends. Good self-esteem helps you cope when life takes a difficult turn.

33. Ask for help .None of us are superhuman. We all sometimes get tired or overwhelmed by how we feel or when things don’t go to plan.If things are getting too much for you and you feel you can’t cope, ask for help. Your family or friends may be able to offer practical help or a listening ear.

Local services are there to help you to fight mental illness.

Common mental health disorders

The most common types of mental illness are as follows:

• Mood disorders : Major depression, Dysthymia, Bipolar disorders, Substance induced mood disorders
• Anxiety disorders : Ex. Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Panic disorders. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Social Phobia or Social Anxiety Disorders (SAD)
• Schinzorphia disorders : Paranoid schizophrenia , Hebephrenic schizophrenia, Catatonic schizophrenia, Undifferentiated schizophrenia, Residual schizophrenia, Simple schizophrenia, Unspecified schizophrenia disorders.

Mental health conditions influences 

Biological Influences on Health

Biological influences on health include an individual’s genetic makeup and history of physical trauma or infection. Many disorders have an inherited genetic vulnerability. The greatest single risk factor for developing schizophrenia.

It is clear that genetics have an important role in the development of schizophrenia, but equally clear is that there must be other factors at play in Mental health psychology. Certain non-biological (i.e. environmental) factors influence the expression of the disorders or mental illness in those with a pre-existing genetic risk.

Psychological Influences on mental condition

The psychological component of the biopsychosocial model seeks to find a psychological foundation for a particular symptom or array of symptoms (e.g., impulsivity, irritability, overwhelming sadness, anxiety etc.) in Mental health psychology. Individuals with a genetic vulnerability may be more likely to display negative thinking that puts them at risk for depression; alternatively, psychological factors may exacerbate a biological predisposition by putting a genetically vulnerable person at risk for other risk behaviors. For example, depression on its own may not cause liver problems, but a person with depression may be more likely to abuse alcohol, and, therefore, develop liver damage. Increased risk-taking leads to an increased likelihood of disease or mental illness.

Social Influences on Health

Social factors in Mental health psychology include socioeconomic status, culture, technology, and religion. For instance, losing one’s job or ending a romantic relationship may place one at risk of stress and illness. Such life events may predispose an individual to developing depression, which may, in turn, contribute to physical health problems. The impact of social factors in people are widely recognized in mental disorders like anorexia nervosa (a disorder characterized by excessive and purposeful weight loss despite evidence of low body weight). The fashion industry and the media promote an unhealthy standard of beauty that emphasizes thinness over health. This exerts social pressure to attain this “ideal” body image despite the obvious health risks or mental illness.

Cultural Factors

Also included in the social domain are cultural factors. For instance, differences in the circumstances, expectations, and belief systems of different cultural section or national groups or people contribute to different prevalence rates and symptom expression of disorders apa. For example, anorexia is less common in non-western cultures because they put less emphasis on thinness in women.

Culture can vary across a small geographic range, such as from lower-income to higher-income areas, and rates of disease differ across these communities accordingly. Culture can even change biology, as research on epigenetics is beginning to show. Specifically, research on epigenetics suggests that the environment can actually alter an individual’s genetic makeup. For instance, research shows that individuals exposed to overcrowding and poverty are more at risk for developing mental illness or depression with actual genetic mutations forming over only a single generation .

Mental Health Psychology is a social org website to spread awareness about mental health psychology , mental health services and other psychological facts related topics which people want to know and understand in normal terms.