As we have come to the close of Mental Health Month (May), let’s talk about it!
There has been amazing awareness of mental health – companies have mental
health days, people of all backgrounds are speaking about and prioritising their
mental health, more people are seeking therapy, and there is less stigma around
mental health…
But what is mental health, actually?
“Mental health isa 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” (World Health Organization, 2025).
If we agree on the above description, then mental health is inextricable from social
health. Because of this social element, while well-meaning, psychology has a history
of pathologizing and medicating people simply for not fitting in. Interestingly, as the
field has matured (though there is still a way to go), much of the work in modern
psychology or psychotherapy is shame-reduction; “normalizing” people’s
experiences, as opposed to pathologizing them unnecessarily.
Your social experience will be different to mine, and mine yours, as will our
contribution to our communities. Our abilities, and our capacity to handle normal
stress will also be different… Along with what we define as normal stress. That is to
say, while there are general markers for mental health, there is no one vision of a
mentally healthy person in a concrete sense – one could point to a prophet or
archetypal character from myth or legend as the blueprint, but there will still be
nuance in how those who aspire to their character are able to embody it. These
differences are also biologically determined, if not influenced.
A famous line in the work of Mark Twain (1909), is “I begin to see that a man’s got to
be in his own Heaven to be happy”; In the context of our conversation here, this
highlights our responsibility to advocate for our own mental health rather than to try
and squeeze ourselves into someone else’s ideal; to create a life conducive to what
makes you, specifically, able to realise your potential, to be productive and to
contribute in your unique way, to your community.
A mention here is also the underlying assertion that a community is necessary to
mental health. It is also fundamental to identity. Perhaps, then, finding a place where
you can actively be of value / contribute, feel genuinely cared for and care for others,
is all a part of caring for your mental health, too. Wherever you are on your mental health journey, well done for starting it.
We don’t always have the best way to connect with community or to manage stress
and bring out the best in ourselves, but there are people who are qualified and
waiting to help with exactly that – here at our community, The AoC Trust, we have an
amazing team of qualified and trainee Therapeutic Clinicians who are dedicated to supporting you with your mental health either face to face or online, from the comfort
of your own home.
Connect with us today and our admin team will guide you through our super simple
referral process. We support children and adults, whether it be individuals, coupes
or families. You can reach us by
Email: support@theaoc.org.uk
Telephone: 01384211168
Thank you for reading
Written by Aaron Lawrence
References:
World Health Organization (WHO), 2025. Mental health. [online] Available at:
https://www.who.int/data/gho/data/themes/theme-details/GHO/mental-health[Accessed 29 May 2025].
Twain, M. (1909) Captain Stormfield’s Visit to Heaven. New York: Harper & Brothers.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
