Abstract
AbstractThis chapter focuses on a salutogenic understanding of mental health based on the work of Corey Keyes. He is dedicated to research and analysis of mental health as subjective well-being, where mental health is seen from an insider perspective. Flourishing is the pinnacle of good mental health, according to Keyes. He describes how mental health is constituted by an affective state and psychological and social functioning, and how we can measure mental health by the Mental Health Continuum—Short Form (MHC-SF) questionnaire. Further, I elaborate on Keyes’ two continua model of mental health and mental illness, a highly useful model in the health care context, showing that the absence of mental illness does not translate into the presence of mental health. You can also read about how lived experiences of former patients support Keyes dual model of mental health and mental illness. This model makes it clear that people can perceive they have good mental health even with mental illness, as well as people with perceived poor or low mental health can be without any mental disorder. The cumulative evidence for seeing mental disorder and mental health function along two different continua, central mental health concepts, and research significant for health promotion are elaborated in this chapter.
Highlights
The findings presented by Mjøsund et al [7] give support to the promotion and protection of mental health as described in the two continua model [2], which brings the continuum of mental illness and the continuum of mental health into the same picture (Fig. 5.4)
Mental health is defined by the presence of subjective well-being [1], which is in line with the lived experiences of former patients, who perceived mental health as an ever-present aspect of life [7]
Based on the understanding of mental health and mental illness as two continua, it is possible to have good mental health with mental illness and have poor or low mental health without mental illness
Summary
Mjøsund et al [7] argue that perceived mental health, and physical, emotional, social, and spiritual aspects of health reciprocally influence each other. In a society with a dominant awareness on illness and disease prevention, people need useful knowledge to care for and promote their mental health, as well as physical, spiritual, and social health. Findings from lived experiences of inpatient care in the project Positive Mental Health—From What to How [9] shed light on some elements of the mental health and Keyes’ dual model of mental health [2] In this qualitative research project, the meanings of mental health and mental health promotion were explored from the perspective of persons with former and recent patient experiences [7]
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