Objective 1: Assess mental health using seven signs of mental health.
Objective 2: Summarize factors that can affect the mental health of an individual and the ways that these factors influence conducting a holistic nursing assessment.
Objective 3: Discuss some dynamic factors (including social climate, politics, cultural beliefs, myths, and biases) that contribute to making a clear-cut definition of mental health elusive.
- Mental illness is plagued by myths and misconceptions.
- No consistent line exists between mental illness and mental health.
- Psychiatry’s definition of mental health changes and reflects:
- Changes in cultural norms and society’s expectations
- Values and professional biases
- Individual differences and political climate
- Psychology of women
- Issues of gender identity
