Introduction
Have you ever considered that our society might be causing poor mental health in some people? Some people would argue that is a ridiculous question, but there are many studies out there showing links between our mental health and the world around us. For example, studies have shown that our society has become increasingly 'hectic' over the years, leading to low happiness levels among people.
If we look at all the major causes of mental ill health, the answer isn't a single factor that determines it. This includes everything from our upbringing, media, the way we deal with stressors in our lives, and so on. Even then, your personal experiences are important factors as well.
Ok, let's start with what we know about mental health as a concept.
The idea of mental health is, at least in its most basic form, all about having a good life. It's about doing the things that make your life worth living.
To be clear, this is not just a subjective opinion. It's a scientific fact: people who are happier, healthier, and more satisfied with their lives tend to live longer than those who aren't.
And yet mental health problems are now the second leading cause of ill health in the UK after heart disease. That can only mean one thing — our society has become more mentally stressful.
Mental health is a social construct. It's what we think about when we talk about mental health, and it's how we define it in our society.
But mental health isn't just a social construct — it's also a medical one. There are some diseases that are considered to be "mental illnesses."
Those diseases include depression and bipolar disorder. And they can greatly impact your life if you don't treat them properly.
What is happening in society that could be causing mental health to go downhill?
Poor mental health is caused by a combination of factors, including genetics, environment, and society. We have to look beyond the individual and try to understand what is going on in society that could be causing mental health to go downhill.
One of the biggest factors is the way we raise our children. The data shows that parents are more likely to have a child with behavioral problems if they are uneducated, unemployed, or poor. When you look at these statistics, it becomes clear that there is a direct link between poverty and poor mental health in children.
Another factor is the amount of stress that people experience on a daily basis. If you live in an area where crime rates are high or there's lots of traffic congestion then you're likely to experience more stress than someone who lives somewhere else. Stress impacts our bodies in many ways including our immune system which can lead to conditions such as depression or anxiety disorders.
People are becoming more comfortable speaking up about their mental health.
The idea of being open and honest about mental health has become more socially acceptable, especially for younger generations. In fact, the concept of self-care has become so mainstream that it even has its own hashtag: #selfcare.
Many celebrities have opened up about their struggles with mental health, including singer Lorde and actress Meghan Markle, who recently opened up about her bipolar disorder on Instagram.
But for many others, it's still taboo to talk about their feelings.
"We have so many people in our society who are suffering from mental health issues," said Dr. Jana Luykx, an associate professor at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Medicine. "But you don't see that reflected in the media."
The truth is, mental health is just as important as physical health. It affects our work and relationships, our ability to achieve our goals, and the quality of our lives.
But it can be challenging to know where to turn if you haven't been feeling well lately — or if you've been struggling with a mental health issue for a while.
Even if you have good insurance coverage and access to excellent treatment facilities, it's still possible that your mental health issues aren't being addressed in the way they should be.
Conclusion
In my opinion, mental health issues are caused by a combination of biological and environmental factors. While social factors may contribute to the prevalence of these issues, it would be oversimplified to attribute them to our society without first taking into account other factors. That being said, I think that some of the social determinants of mental health are worth thinking about from an academic perspective.
The leading hypothesis among scientists working in the mental health field is that poor mental health is likely caused by genetic factors in conjunction with environmental factors. In other words, while lifestyle choices may play a role in developing poor mental health, genetics have a bigger part to play.
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