Mental Health Promotion
What is Mental Health Promotion?
Mental health promotion can involve any healthy action that improves psychological well-being. There are many ways to promote mental health, including formal therapeutic interventions, peer and/or group support, socialization activities, exercise, and faith based involvement.
The World Health Organization defines mental health as:
“A state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health promotion attempts to encourage and increase protective factors and healthy behaviors that can help prevent the onset of a diagnosable mental disorder and reduce risk factors that can lead to the development of a mental disorder.
Mental health can be promoted through:
- Psychosocial intervention supports for people of color, LGBTQI persons, etc.
- Violence prevention programs, cultural promotion programs
- Public policy, organizational rules, and operating procedures
- Inclusive leadership development
- Restful sleep, physical activity and nutritional meals
There is a body of research that focuses on mental health promotion and its role in fostering individual competencies, resources, and psychological strengths, and to strengthen community assets to prevent mental disorder and enhance well-being and quality of life for people and communities.