Defining mental health is extremely difficult and vague when we try to include everyone’s perspective on it. However, I believe it can be inclusive by acknowledging the problem while defining mental health at scale. I believe we can create a system that combines the values we aim to achieve with inspiration drawn from global leaders who have successfully implemented similar strategies on a large scale.
At Declutter, we believe that there is no dearth of inspiration when we see it with a progressive mindset, keeping the mental health and mental health awareness of the community at the center of the universe.
Let me tell you what I want to derive for you, me, and everyone else in the world.
Introducing the Finnish perspective on mental health and related services, inspired by a nation known for having the lowest proportion of unhappy people worldwide. They say, “Mental health work refers to the promotion of the individual’s psychological well-being, functional capacity, and personal growth, as well as the prevention, cure, and alleviation of severe and other mental disorders. It also includes the development of the living conditions of the population so that they prevent the contraction of mental disorders, enhance mental health work, and support the organization of mental health services.”
Source: Integrating mental health services: the Finnish experience – PMC
Let’s integrate this perspective with the core values of Declutter to underscore our commitment to a community-driven, human-centered approach.
With Declutter, we view holistic well-being as the equilibrium of three fundamental pillars upon which we, as social beings, thrive: mental health, physical health, and social health. This concept, known as the health triangle, originated as a class project in 1997 at an Alaskan middle school and was subsequently endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO).
Let’s put this in perspective of our day-to-day lives:
- Ability to make profound (not right) decisions
- Ability to function well personally and professionally (not only individually)
- Ability to deal with people in a sound way (elevating people)
There are things we say in our day-to-day lives, like mood, feeling, happy, sad, afraid, and many more, that tell us about our state of mind at that point in time.
A sound mental health is simply being aware and mindful of what is happening with, around, and to you while you make every split second decision of your day.
For example, when you want to decide what you want to wear today, you think of where and how you are going to spend your day, and more importantly, doing what and with whom.
Another is how you walk, talk, and present yourself, which is decided by what kind of setting you are in and with whom. Furthermore, and most importantly, you decide how you want people to perceive you and also stand by being an extraordinary human that people will look up to.
These are all the most basic things, but it goes wrong when you are not able to think, feel, imagine, believe, observe, evaluate, analyze, and decide it in the “best fit” way, as these things are all interrelated and are driven by your nervous system. Our nervous system, as I like to call it our human intelligence, is driven in a sound way when you regularly maintain it timely, right, and together.
This system that makes sure that you are delivering sound decisions at the right time or stops you from delivering a wrong decision at any time is what is called sound mental health. From this, we at Declutter define mental health as a balance of your emotions, actions, and ability to make society a better place through a blend of societal and healthcare science. Finland and Denmark, the top 2 happiest countries, set an example by making it evident that if you have a sense of community, high productivity, and a conscious eye on your personal growth, you will be in a sound state of mental health, physical fitness, and social well-being.
Source: CNBC
Drawing a conclusion from the information and deliberation understanding that the unlying mental health norms in a normal language, we say that anxiety, depression, stress, and other mental health challenges are the milestones of achieving sound mental health together. With Declutter, we aim to work with all individuals to bring mental health awareness, improve productivity, and move closer to our personal growth collectively, and that’s what defines sound mental health for us as a community and a country.
An ability to speak when you have a mental block or challenge, an ability to listen to someone with an open mind, an ability to overcome physical, mental, and social deformities, an ability to be inspired by our competition, and more than that, an ability to move in a more collaborative way, is our definition of sound mental health at Declutter.
With the belief that mental health at Declutter is a blend of “our” and “our” sound mental health as an individual, community, and country.
