Mental illness

Mental health is a state of well-being in which an individual can realise his/her own abilities, interact positively with others, cope with the stressors of life and study, work productively and fruitfully, and contribute to his/her family and community. A mentally healthy person shows growth and maturity cognitive, emotional, and social processes.

Mental illness is a state of disturbance in which an individual can not realise his/her own abilities, interact negatively with others, cannot cope with the stressors of life and study, not work productively and fruitfully, and not contribute to his/her family and community.

A mentally ill person acts in ways that deviate from socially and culturally acceptable manners. Mental health problems vary in degree or severity from a mild illness that causes a limited suffering to severe conditions that cause marked distress to the person with the illness and their families.

The more extreme and distressing disorders are simply termed severe mental illness (SMI). Individuals with SMI are those with an illness that severely restricts their day-to-day activities, such as working in the fields, attending expected community activities like funerals, and carrying out their family responsibilities.