Many people understand what mental health is. It is simply a state of being when a person is not suffering from any kind of mental health issue or disorder. The person is therefore able to enjoy their life without the strains of dealing with a mental disorder, and can function ‘normally’ within any social situation and can deal with stress and other situations that may occur in a health, functional way.
Mental wellness, on the other hand, is about more than just the absence of a mental health problem. Mental wellness is about an overall sense of wellbeing, where a person is able to live their lives to the fullest, not only coping with any circumstances that come their way but also using them to their advantage, learning lessons from them and becoming a more capable person as a result.
People who are experiencing a high level of mental wellness are not simply people who do not have any problems. They are people who have a capacity to cope with the inevitable challenges that life brings. If you want to become this type of person, there are steps that you can take, such as reading self-help books or going on personal development courses in order to become a more balanced and aware person.
If you are suffering from poor mental wellness, it may be due to previous traumatic experiences such as a tragic loss, or historic neglect or abuse. It may also be genetic, as studies have shown that there may be a hereditary element to mental wellness, and in particular to mental health problems which may cloud wellness, such as depression.
It is important to realise, however, that nearly everyone suffers with some form of mental illness during the course of their life, and that it is the way in which it is dealt with (either medically or by the support of those around the person) that can shape the future wellness of an individual.