Let’s Change The Term “Mental Health”

Good suggestion.

"Mental health" seems to contrast "physical health", and I'm not sure they're two separate things.

The term mental health is good for me. It promotes a feeling that taking care of your mental health is as important as physical health. Physical health usual is broken down into specific areas and conditions. Mental health is psychological. However many mental health symptoms can be caused by physical health and conditions.

If you ever go to Veterans health care for an appointment you will be asked dozens of questions on your mental health not just physical. I don't go there anymore but when I did I found this very important and an overlooked area during medical appointments for physical symptoms and conditions.

Whatever works for you . .

I understand where you are coming from and think this is good discussion. As a person with a TBI and a spouse and daughter with serious mental illness, I do feel that brain health and mental health are different. I'll keep cheerleading for better awareness and understanding of both.

Just curious, what are the differences you see between brain health and mental health?
P

Amen my friend.

Perhaps one day it will just be health!

Perhaps a subtle distinction.

Just as a thought, "mental health" seems to mean to a lot of society "mental weakness" an illusion to choice. Physical illness is seldom seen as the sufferers choice.

I have one body. One biological system. Injury or illness to one part of the system affects the whole system.

Though I wonder how many people do not seek help because of the stigma tied to mental illness?

In the end whatever language helps people get well and find peace is really all that matters.

Here's an example of how I would view the distinction:

Someone has a stroke. That affects brain health.
Another person has severe anxiety. That is mental health.

Got it. I have a Neurological Depression and Anxiety Disorder. Would you see that as brain or mental health?
P

The term brain health puts the focus on the organ of the body involved, i.e., the brain, and the health of that organ. If the brain if not functioning properly, chemically, our brain health as well as our physical health will be impacted. For example, there is an extremely strong connection between the brain and the gut. Psychiatry is also one of the few, if any, medical specialities that typically does not study, scientifically, the organ of the body it is attempting to treat. Brain scans and genetic testing (to find the best psych meds for us) each help tremendously; more needs to be done, similarly, to effectively treat brain health issues. There are affective characteristics involved in brain health that some might refer to as mental health. They are all one. For me, this is not an intellectual debate. This is my last post concerning this issue. Thank you all for the discussion, which I hope will continue whether or not you agree with my position.

pkh3381, I have PTSD that developed into a anxiety/panic disorder. This is mental health. I would not call it brain health as it implies health of an organ versus psychological mental health. However that is my opinion and everyone has a right to feel and express their own.

Mental health is treating a psychological symptom and usually are referred to psychiatry or psychological specialist. This is standard at Mayo where I am under the care of the psychiatric department.

My psychiatric specialist coordinates with my physical health doctors to ensure any medications she is prescribing does not interfere with a physical condition or medication being taken for a physical condition. I think sometimes the physical health doctors do not make enough effort to address and make sure mental health is addressed when seeing patients and referred to specialist. This is NOT my experience with Mayo Clinic.

When I hear mental health I think positive as address the need to address mental health just as much as physical health as both can affect each other. There should be no negative connotation to hearing the term taking care of mental health anymore than physical health.

I am not a doctor but have a Masters Degree in Psychology and understand that physical health (body, organs, tissues, muscles, bones, can affect mental health, and mental health can affect physical health. The mental health of an individual especially dealing with stress, depression, and anxiety has a definite affect on the physical health of an individual.

There are physical conditions inside the brain and body that can't manifest themselves into a mental health symptom when if fact caused by a physical condition inside body especially the brain.