What do we mean when we discuss mental health? The World Health Organisation (WHO) defines it as: “A state of wellbeing in which each individual fulfils his or her potential, can cope with the stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can contribute something to his or her community”. Personally, I think this is a rather ambitious definition, as the demands to achieve it are many, to have all aspects of life in balance is an arduous task, strenuous I would say, even more so in this day and age, where the world seems to be at a speed that we cannot – nor want to – always keep up with.
Perhaps linking mental health to the concept of happiness might be less burdensome, but then what is happiness? Is it buying a new car? Or an outing to a trendy restaurant, an afternoon on the lawn looking at the sky while listening to your favourite music, a date with friends, a smile from your son or daughter, how does it feel to hear for the first time the words “mama” from your autistic child, and that is where it makes sense to me to link happiness with mental health, because happiness is so personal, so intimate, its definition is unique to each human being. However, let’s agree that it is a state of plenitude, a state that may last a moment, it may last an instant, but somehow it is stored and preserved as a treasure in our memory. Happiness is not an end in itself, it is part of the journey, part of the experience of being alive.
This is how happiness and mental health walk together, both are related to states of tranquility, where we feel we have control of the situation around us and we can achieve the goals we have set for ourselves, the feeling of happiness motivates us to change, it gives us the push we sometimes lack to get out of dark places. Sometimes a spark of happiness is that impulse that allows us to see the light of hope, that helping hand that takes us and pushes us out of that cycle of depression and discomfort, that ointment that relieves anxiety and opens the window, so that the air begins to circulate again.
Mental health is a very whimsical and manipulated term, which pop culture has also been complicit in, to make us feel that social pressure to “be well”, when sometimes it is okay NOT to be well, to feel sadness or fear is part of the human experience and requires a time of reflection, to withdraw, to turn inwards and rest.
On mental health day, the main reflection should be, am I happy with my life, what I do, does it make me happy? And if not, what can I do to get closer to what really fills my soul. I invite you to look for your own happiness, to snuggle into memories that are comforting, to create moments with your family or friends, moments that when everything seems dark or difficult you can go back to them, reconnect with them and find the force to continue in this constant search that is life.
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María José Suazo
