In a country where people live in huge cities and spend their entire lives in a state of physical and mental stress and strain, Health is a state of full well being and not just the absence of illness and infirmity. As defined by the World Health Organization, health is “the state of total physical, emotional and social well being of an individual or a population.” Different definitions have been employed over time for various purposes. Today, it has become a catchall statement that includes all the quality of life aspects that people desire and deserve. Achieving well-being is not just about being healthy, but achieving mental, emotional, social, physical and spiritual wellness as well.

A major component of good health is good physical and mental health. People who are healthy physically can go on to lead fulfilling lives filled with happiness and positive energy even when the quality of that life may be affected by factors outside of their control such as negative health conditions or aging. Those with mental well being are able to appreciate and take advantage of opportunities, even when they may not appear to do so due to depression, worry or stress. Emotional well-being is anchored in the ability to love and be loved, while being physically healthy is about the capacity to sustain normal body functions.

Because mental health has become associated with all the aspects of life that people want and need, it has become difficult for researchers to separate the causes of mental illness from the causes of other physical illness. For instance, a person with high anxiety may develop physical illness such as heart disease. Researchers believe that this is caused by the way the person perceives the world around them and their own health. Other causes of physical illness can include smoking tobacco or taking in medications that affect the immune system or affect brain chemistry. Mental illness, on the other hand, can develop because of environmental factors or poor nutrition.