Mental Health

“Your mental health doesn’t always stay the same. It can change as circumstances change and as you move through different stages of your life”.1

Umbrella
What may the Mental Health Umbrella include?

Depending on the Source (DotS) this Umbrella may include:

  • Emotional Health/Welfare/Well-Being
  • Mental Health/Welfare/Well-Being
  • Psychological Health/Welfare/Well-Being
  • Social Health/Welfare/Well-Being
  • Well-Being

Definition

What is mental health?

DotS the definition of mental health may vary. The (United States) MentalHealth.gov’s definition is:

“Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices”.2

Importance

What is the importance of good mental health?

In What Is Mental Health? the (British) Mental Health Foundation’s (MHF) note:

“Being mentally healthy doesn’t just mean that you don’t have a mental health problem.

If you’re in good mental health, you can:

  • Make the most of your potential
  • Cope with life
  • Play a full part in your family, workplace, community and among friends”.3

Good Mental Health

What is good mental health characterized by?

In What Is Good Mental Health? the MHF explain:

“Good mental health is characterized by a person’s ability to fulfil a number of key functions and activities, including:

  • The ability to learn
  • The ability to feel, express and manage a range of positive and negative emotions
  • The ability to form and maintain good relationships with others
  • The ability to cope with and manage change and uncertainty”.4

Menopause

During menopause can our mental health change?

The MHF note:

“Your mental health doesn’t always stay the same. It can change as circumstances change and as you move through different stages of your life”.5

In Mental Health & Emotions: Depression, Anxiety & Menopause the (Australian) Jean Hailes for Women’s Health (JH) elaborate on:

Mental Health

“Depression and depressed mood around the time of expected menopause (51-52 years in Australia) is more likely to occur because of factors other than menopause, including:

  • Prior episodes of depression
  • Significant stress in your life
  • A negative attitude to things happening in your life
  • Dissatisfaction with your relationships
  • Low self-esteem
  • Poor body image
  • Poor lifestyle such as little exercise or a high intake of alcohol”.6

The JH add:

“Emotional health around the menopause is also more likely to be influenced by previous experiences of prior traumatic events; for example, past abuse. Women often seek counselling at menopause and might want to work through traumas they have previously experienced. This time of life seems to allow things to come to the surface”.7

Keeping Good Mental Health

How can we keep ourself in good mental health?

In How To Look After Your Mental Health the MHF elaborate on:

“Anyone can follow this advice. Why not start today?

  1. Talk about your feelings…
  2. Keep active…
  3. Eat well…
  4. Drink sensibly…
  5. Keep in touch…
  6. Ask for help…
  7. Take a break…
  8. Do something you’re good at…
  9. Accept who you are…
  10. Care for others…”.8

In What Is Mental Health? Mental Health and Wellness Mentalhealth.gov explain:

“Ways to maintain positive mental health include:

  • Getting professional help if you need it
  • Connecting with others
  • Staying positive
  • Getting physically active
  • Helping others
  • Getting enough sleep
  • Developing coping skills”.9

Health Care Provider

What if I feel more out-of-sorts than usual?

If you feel more anxious, more depressed, more stressed or more out-of-sorts than usual, it may be in your best interest to choose to talk to your health care provider about this.

In Get Immediate Help MentalHealth.gov note:

“People often don’t get the mental health services they need because they don’t know where to start.

Talk to your primary care doctor or another health professional about mental health problems. Ask them to connect you with the right mental health services”.10

The North American Menopause Society also note:

“Many primary care providers are not specifically trained in the management of mental health disorders, including clinical depression. Consultation with a mental health professional may be appropriate, and an expert opinion can be reassuring”.11

Health Topics A-Z

Where may I find Health Topics related to Mental Health?

In Health Topics A-Z you may find:

Health Topics A-Z

Links

Where may I find Links related to Mental Health?

Your Country may have Links similar to:

Links

This Links List to third party websites is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. Inclusion on this Links List does not imply endorsement or recommendation. Non-inclusion on this Links List does not imply non-endorsement or non-recommendation. Third party websites are not under the control of Meno Martha International Menopause Directory. Third party websites may contain explicit medical images and/or sexual references. Please read Meno Martha International Menopause Directory’s Links Policy before proceeding to a Link. Please contact Webmaster if you experience a problem with a Link.

  1. 5 Steps To Mental Wellbeing
  2. A To Z
  3. Alcohol and Mental Health
  4. Anxiety
  5. Benefits of Talking Therapy
  6. Beyondblue.org.au
  7. Chronic Illness & Mental Health
  8. Consumer Health: Overcoming the Stigma of Mental Health
  9. Coping With Stress
  10. Coping With Traumatic Events
  11. Coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au
  12. Dealing With Stress
  13. Depression In Women: 5 Things You Should Know Depression In Women
  14. Diet and Mental Health
  15. Finding Help: Where To Get It and Where To Go
  16. Foodmoodcentre.com.au [Food & Mood Centre, Australia]
  17. For People With Mental Health Problems
  18. Frequently Asked Questions
  19. Get Help Now [United States]
  20. Get Immediate Help [United States]
  21. Getting Help [United Kingdom]
  22. Grief After Bereavement or Loss
  23. Headstogether.org.uk [Heads Together, United Kingdom]
  24. Headstogether.org.uk [Heads Together, United Kingdom]: Workplace Wellbeing [+ Video]
  25. Headtohealth.gov.au: Head To Head [Australia]
  26. Help for Fears and Phobias
  27. How To Get Mental Health Help [United States]
  28. How To Improve Mental Health
  29. How To Look After Your Mental Health
  30. How To Look After Your Mental Health Using Exercise
  31. How To Look After Your Mental Health Using Mindfulness
  32. How To Sleep Better
  33. If You or Someone You Know Is In Crisis and Needs Immediate Help
  34. Individuals With Mental Illnesses
  35. LGBTIQ
  36. Lesbian, Gay, Bi, Trans, Intersex (LGBTI), and Bodily, Gender and Sexuality Diverse People
  37. List of CAM Treatments
  38. Live Your Life Well: The 10 Tools
  39. Living Mentally Healthy
  40. Looking After Your Mental Health
  41. Maintaining Your Mental Health During Challenging Times [+ Video Courtesy: Robert Bright, M.D./Psychiatry/Mayo Clinic]
  42. Mayo Clinic Minute: Signs That Stress Is Becoming Toxic [+ Video]
  43. Mayo Mindfulness: What Does It Really Mean? [+ Video]
  44. Menopause and Depression
  45. Menopause: Emotions and the Menopause: Mood Swings, Anxiety and Depression [Video Interview Stories]
  46. Mental & Emotional Wellbeing
  47. Mental & Emotional Wellness for Black Women & Girls, October 14
  48. Mental Health
  49. Mental Health National Women’s Health Week
  50. Mental Health & Emotions: Depression, Anxiety & Menopause
  51. Mental Health Conditions
  52. Mental Health Issues If You’re Gay, Lesbian or Bisexual
  53. Mental Health Month 2021 [May, United States] May Is Mental Health Month
  54. Mental Health [Help, Australia]
  55. Mental Health and Wellbeing
  56. Mental Health: Learn About Mental Health
  57. Mental Health: What’s Normal, What’s Not
  58. Mental Wellbeing Audio Guides
  59. Mentalhealth.gov [United States Department of Health and Human Services]
  60. Mentalhealth.org.uk [Mental Health Foundation, United Kingdom]
  61. Mentalhealthatwork.org.uk [Mental Health At Work, United Kingdom]: Your First Stop for Better Mental Health At Work
  62. Mhanational.org [Mental Health America]
  63. Mhima.org.au [Mental Health In Multicultural Australia]
  64. Mind the Workplace [Mental Health America]
  65. Mind.org.uk [Mind, United Kingdom]
  66. Mindfulness
  67. Multicultural People
  68. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: 5 Tips: What You Should Know About the Science Behind Depression and Complementary Health Approaches
  69. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: 7 Things To Know About Complementary Health Approaches for Anxiety
  70. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Herbs At A Glance
  71. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: How Safe Is This Product or Practice?
  72. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Know the Science: How Medications and Supplements Can Interact
  73. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: Mental Health
  74. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine (SAMe): In Depth
  75. National Institute of Mental Health [United States]
  76. National Institute of Mental Health [United States]: Health Topics
  77. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline [United States]
  78. Our Stories
  79. Physical Activity & Exercise: Tools To Help – Weekly Activity Diary
  80. Physical Activity and Your Mental Health
  81. Prevention
  82. R U OK?
  83. Recovery & Support
  84. Samhsa.gov [SAMHSA: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration]
  85. Self-Care Tips To Manage Mental Health and Wellness [+ Video Courtesy: Mayo Clinic]
  86. Self-Care and Kindness: Finding A Solution To the Trigger of Our Anxiety
  87. Staying Mentally Healthy
  88. Stories
  89. Supporting Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic Supporting Mental Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic
  90. Taking Control of Your Mental Health: Tips for Talking With Your Health Care Provider
  91. Talk With Your Doctor About Depression
  92. Timetochange.org
  93. Types of Talking Therapies
  94. What Are Mental Health Problems?
  95. What Is Mental Health?
  96. What Is Mental Health?
  97. Who Can Assist
  98. Why Nature Is the Theme for Mental Health Awareness Week [10-16 May 2021] Mental Health Awareness Week 2021
  99. Women and Mental Health

Sources

Where may I find the Sources quoted?

You may find the Sources quoted at:

Sources

  1. What Is Mental Health? Mental Health Foundation https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health/about-mental-health/what-mental-health Accessed: 21 April 2021
  2. What Is Mental Health? Last Updated: 28 May 2020. MentalHealth.gov https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health Accessed: 21 April 2021
  3. What Is Mental Health? Mental Health Foundation https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health/about-mental-health/what-mental-health Accessed: 21 April 2021
  4. What Is Good Mental Health? Mental Health Foundation https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health/about-mental-health/what-good-mental-health Accessed: 21 April 2021
  5. What Is Mental Health? Mental Health Foundation https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health/about-mental-health/what-mental-health Accessed: 21 April 2021
  6. Mental Health & Emotions: Depression, Anxiety & Menopause. Last Updated: 25 March 2021 | Last Revised 17 December 2017. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/mental-health-emotions/ Accessed: 21 April 2021
  7. Mental Health & Emotions: Depression, Anxiety & Menopause. Last Updated: 25 March 2021 | Last Revised 17 December 2017. Jean Hailes for Women’s Health https://jeanhailes.org.au/health-a-z/menopause/mental-health-emotions/ Accessed: 21 April 2021
  8. How To Look After Your Mental Health. Mental Health Foundation https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/how-to-mental-health Accessed: 21 April 2021
  9. What Is Mental Health? Mental Health and Wellness. Last Updated: 28 May 2020. MentalHealth.gov https://www.mentalhealth.gov/basics/what-is-mental-health Accessed: 21 April 2021
  10. Get Immediate Help. Last Updated: 17 March 2020. MentalHealth.gov https://www.mentalhealth.gov/get-help/immediate-help Accessed: 21 April 2021
  11. Depression & Menopause: If Depression Is Severe. North American Menopause Society https://www.menopause.org/for-women/menopauseflashes/mental-health-at-menopause/depression-menopause Accessed: 21 April 2021

Topic Last Updated: 21 April 2021 – Topic Last Reviewed: 21 April 2021
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