Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is a state of full physical, emotional and social well being and not just the absence of illness and infirmity. Numerous definitions have been applied to health over the years. A health condition is described as “a summary of all the effects of diseases and health on the life and body of the person concerned” which can be ranked on a scale from very good to poor. A health condition is said to be a summary of the “whole of health”, including the physical, mental, social, and emotional aspects. It can also include the capacity to carry out the activities of daily living.
A major component of the definition of health is the ability to carry out the essential functions of life. The concept of health is increasingly understood to refer to a composite of physiological, psychological, and social components. It has also come to include the value of good health. The definition also recognizes that a state of health may differ from one person to another and that the quality of health varies with the circumstances and society in which people live. Some other terms that are used to describe the concept of health include wellness, morbidity, optimal health, functional capacity, and community health.
Health, on the other hand, can be seen as the total quality of being healthy. It can be conceptualized as the sum of the dimensions of health which are the physical, mental, and emotional aspects. There are a number of frameworks that can be used to explain what all these facets mean. The most general framework on which all these dimensions are grounded is the perspective of disease. Disease is defined as any situation where the quality of the life of an individual is lowered for the reason of illness or injury that was acquired.
There is a distinction between public health and wellness. The former refers to the general aspects of good health while the latter emphasizes the aspects of physical health, mental health, and the quality of life as reflected in the four indexes that make up the concept of public health. One can speak of a balance of wellness and health, or of a well-balanced life where sickness affects neither the physical nor the mental state of an individual. Public health emphasizes the preservation of health and its promotion through education, legislation, and control of practices that contribute to the creation of a hazardous environment.
The aspects of mental health and wellbeing have also been the subject of discussions and writings over the years. Mental wellness, as it turns out, can be seen as an aspect of public health that aims to protect the citizens from the negative effects of untreated mental health. However, there are different theories and concepts that have been associated with the concept of mental health and wellbeing. Among the most prominent are those that associate it with psychosocial support and coping with stress, anxiety, and depression.
There is also a concept that emphasizes the interdependence of the physical illness and the psychological illness. According to this school of thought, the two are interdependent and the one cannot be separated from the other. According to this concept, there is a link between the two and thus both should be treated, managed, and prevented. This is why it is important for individuals to be aware of the signs of mental health problems and seek assistance immediately if they see something that they do not like about themselves.