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Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being, influencing cognition, perception, and behavior.According to the World Health Organization (WHO), it is a "state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and can contribute to his or her community". [1]
The department was established in 1926–1927 with the original name being Office of mental hygiene; as part of a restructuring of the New York state government, and was given responsibility for people diagnosed with mental retardation, mental illness or epilepsy.
A mental hygiene movement also developed, partly separately and now generally known as mental health, although the older term is still in use, e.g. in New York state's law. [2] The social hygiene movement represented a rationalized, professionalized version of the earlier social purity movement. [3]
Mental illnesses were well known in ancient Mesopotamia, [6] where diseases and mental disorders were believed to be caused by specific deities. [7] Because hands symbolized control over a person, mental illnesses were known as "hands" of certain deities. [7] One psychological illness was known as Qāt Ištar, meaning "Hand of Ishtar". [7]
Hygiene is a practice [3] related to lifestyle, cleanliness, health, and medicine. In medicine and everyday life, hygiene practices are preventive measures that reduce the incidence and spread of germs leading to disease. [4] Hygiene practices vary from one culture to another. [5]
William H. Burnham (1855–1941) was an American educational psychologist, who was a major advocate for promoting good mental hygiene in the education system. He defined this as taking measures to prevent mental problems or disorders to help students learn more effectively.
Health has a variety of definitions, which have been used for different purposes over time. In general, it refers to physical and emotional well-being, especially that associated with normal functioning of the human body, absent of disease, pain (including mental pain), or injury.
Mental Hygiene 1890–1920 Mental hospital or clinic Prevention, scientific orientation Community Mental Health 1955–1970 Community mental health center Deinstitutionalization, social integration Community Support 1975–present Communities Mental illness as a social welfare problem (e.g. treatment housing, employment)