Definition, Examples, & How to Improve It

The field of psychological health focuses on emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and social well-being. Like physical health, psychological health is an integral part of our overall holistic wellness. Healthy psychological well-being is not just the absence of signs of mental health issues or a diagnosis of a mental health disorder, but the presence of balanced emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. When our psychological state is unbalanced, we may have trouble with indecisiveness, managing our emotions, controlling our behaviors, interacting with others, and handling stress and other challenges (Galderisi et al., 2015).

Which Factors Are Most Relevant to Overall Psychological Health?
Now that we know psychological health is essential for our functioning and wellness as human beings, we can begin to understand which factors may be most important in determining our psychological health. Here are some factors that tend to be most relevant (Tew et al., 2012).

• Biological and Genetic Factors. Sometimes, the way our neurological functioning works is dependent on our genes. If there are issues with one’s brain chemistry, your familial genes could play a role. While we don’t have control over what genes get passed down to us, it is important information to be aware of if you decide to seek professional help for any psychological health concerns. 

 

• Family History and Childhood Experiences. The way we are raised and the conditions we grow up in can greatly affect our psychological development as we grow older. For example, if you grew up in an abusive environment, you may find that as an adult, you struggle with healthy self-esteem or interpersonal relationships. As a gentle reminder, as a child, you very rarely have autonomy over your living environment. So issues that may arise from families dealing with abuse or intergenerational trauma are not your fault. However, awareness of these issues could be beneficial as you try to better understand your psychological health. 

 

• Interpersonal Exchanges. Our environments outside of our family dynamic can play a large role in our health. Whether it’s your schooling, friendships, romantic partnerships, or coworkers, the interactions we have with other social circles can influence our psychological health as well.

 

• Social Determinants. Outside of our relationships with ourselves and the people in our lives, larger social issues can greatly affect our personal lives. Issues such as racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism, classism, and xenophobia (to name a few) often and unfortunately determine how people are treated in society on a structural level. Racist, sexist, homophobic, ableist, and classist policies in particular disadvantage already vulnerable populations such as BIPOC, LGBTQ+ folks, people with disabilities, lower-income communities, and women—specifically, women of color. Policies such as redlining in housing, gerrymandering in voting, and wage gaps make these communities more susceptible to violence, discrimation, and poverty. Importantly, communities that are disadvantaged because of the structure of the sociopolitical system created by those who have historically held power in the United States, are also the same folks who are given the burden to fix these issues. All of these factors can harm psychological health even further (Allen et al., 2014; Rekhi, 2021). ​

Because psychological health is multifaceted, several topics exist within the field. Here is a list of some issues that are covered under the umbrella term ‘psychological health’ (World Health Organization, 2004).

• Anxiety Disorders
• Depressive Moods & Major Depression Disorder
• Bipolar Disorders
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 
• Eating Disorders 
• Personality Disorders
• Learning Disabilities
• Schizophrenia 
• Psychosis
• Alzheimer’s
• Intimate Partner Violence
• Domestic Abuse
• Sexual Assault 
• Suicide and Suicidal Ideation
• Grief and Bereavement
• Substance Abuse and Addiction
• Anger Management
• Chronic Illness
• School Concerns (e.g., bullying)
• Conflict Management
• Self-Esteem
• Self-Harm
• Phobias
• Marital Issues 
• Women’s Health
• Men’s Health
• Children’s Health
• LGBTQ Issues
• Racism and Racial Battle Fatigue
• Body Dysmorphia and Body Image
• Athlete’s Health and Injury
• Rehabilitation 
• HIV/AIDS
• Sexual Disorders
• Personal Growth
• Resilience 
• Disabilities 
• Communication
• Spirituality 

Did you read through all of those topics? That’s a big umbrella, huh? The takeaway here is that psychological health can be affected in a myriad of ways, whether it’s mental health concerns, physical health issues, life changes, personal development, community concerns, and/or political and social justice issues. This is the reason why a plethora of different professionals exist to support you through different threats to your psychological health.

Famous words from others can help inspire us, make us ponder, and sometimes even question unhelpful thoughts. Here are some quotes about psychological health to get your mind churning:

• “Mental health is not a destination, but a process. It’s about how you drive, not where you’re going.” – Noam Shpancer

 

• “Take a shower, wash off the day. Drink a glass of water. Make the room dark. Lie down and close your eyes. Notice the silence. Notice your heart. Still beating. Still fighting. You made it, after all. You made it, another day. And you can make it one more. You’re doing just fine.” – Charlotte Eriksson

 

• “You don’t have to be positive all the time. It’s perfectly okay to feel sad, angry, annoyed, frustrated, scared and anxious. Having feelings doesn’t make you a negative person. It makes you human.” – Lori Deschene

 

• “The most beautiful people we have known are those who have known defeat, known suffering, known struggle, known loss, and have found their way out of the depths. These persons have an appreciation, a sensitivity, and an understanding of life that fills them with compassion, gentleness, and a deep loving concern. Beautiful people do not just happen.” – Elisabeth Kübler-Ross

 

• “Being able to be your true self is one of the strongest components of good mental health.” – Lauren Fogel Mersy

 

• “Just because no one else can heal or do your inner work for you, doesn’t mean you can, should, or need to do it alone.” – Lisa Olivera

 

• “One small crack does not mean that you are broken, it means that you were put to the test and you didn’t fall apart.” — Linda Poindexter

 

• “There is hope, even when your brain tells you there isn’t.” – John Green

Any Harry Potter fans out there? This one’s just for you.

• “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” – Albus Dumbledore

If you’d like to keep learning more, here are a few books that you might be interested in.
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• ​Adams, R. (2003). Social work and empowerment.
• Allen, J., Balfour, R., Bell, R., & Marmot, M. (2014). Social determinants of mental health. International review of psychiatry, 26(4), 392-407.
• Broderick, C. B., & Schrader, S. S. (1991). The history of professional marriage and family therapy. Handbook of family therapy, 2, 3-40.
• Fagan, T. K., & Wise, P. S. (2000). School psychology: Past, present, and future. NASP Publications, 4340 East West Highway, Suite 402, Bethesda, MD 20814.
• Galderisi, S., Heinz, A., Kastrup, M., Beezhold, J., & Sartorius, N. (2015). Toward a new definition of mental health. World psychiatry, 14(2), 231.
• Kleinman, A. (2008). Rethinking psychiatry. Simon and Schuster.
• Lambert, M. J., Bergin, A. E., & Garfield, S. L. (1994). The effectiveness of psychotherapy. Encyclopedia of psychotherapy, 1, 709-714. 
• Rekhi, S. (2021). Black and Brown Death: Understanding Neoliberal Influences during the Modern Plague (Doctoral dissertation, California State University, Long Beach).
• Tew, J., Ramon, S., Slade, M., Bird, V., Melton, J., & Le Boutillier, C. (2012). Social factors and recovery from mental health difficulties: a review of the evidence. The British Journal of Social Work, 42(3), 443-460.
• World Health Organization. (2004). Promoting mental health: Concepts, emerging evidence, practice: Summary report. World Health Organization.