NAME: ARISHA MAHMOOD

CLASS: M.Ed. 2nd year

Sub: Research Paper for Seminar.
Enroll: 2100101308
Institute: INTEGRAL UNIVERSITY

Research Paper

“Mental health and Well being”

Abstract

Mental health concerns have become increasingly prevalent among university students and
academic staff. University environments often contribute to psychological stress due to academic
pressures, workload, financial strain, and lack of support systems. This paper investigates the
mental health landscape of higher education institutions, analyzing causes, consequences, coping
mechanisms, and institutional responses. It presents data-driven strategies for creating
supportive, inclusive, and resilient academic environments.

Keywords: Mental health, Mental illness, Workload, Stress , burden, Health Management,
Social well-being.
 1. Introduction

The mental health crisis in higher education has gained significant attention over the past decade.
University students report high levels of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and academic burnout,
while faculty and staff face chronic stress, job insecurity, and work-life imbalance. The COVID-
19 pandemic further exacerbated these issues. This paper aims to explore the scope of mental
health challenges in higher education and evaluate current support mechanisms.
Mental health is perceived as a positive source contributing to asset development individually,
socially, and economically (WHO, 2004). The World Health Organization conceptualized mental
health separate from mental ill-health and defined the concept as: a state of well-being in which
the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can
work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her own community.
On the other hand better mental health outcomes in adolescents are characterized by greater
adaptation in family, society, and school environment, improved quality of life (Hoagwood et al.,
1996).
Research has revealed an increasing incidence of depression and other mental health issues
among youth (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1999). Various studies have been
carried out in different parts of the world to identify factors that impact on students’ mental
health since poor mental health has been recognized as the leading cause of suicidal behaviour, a
sense of helplessness (Kay, Li, Xiao, Nokkaew and Park, 2009) and lower academic
achievements (Puskar and Bernardo, 2007).
According to previous studies, factors that influence mental health are demographic backgrounds
such as age and gender (Yen, Hsu, Liu, Huang, Ko, Yen and Cheng, 2006), academic field and
academic year (Dahlin, Joneberg, and Runeson, 2005), personality traits (Goodwin and
Friedman, 2006) and loneliness (Wang, Yuen and Slaney, 2009). (Turner, 1975) reported that
human mental health has not been a focus of attention until the beginning of the 20th century with
the formation of Mental Hygiene Movement by Clifford.

Definitions on Mental Health:

Menninger (1945) writes; Let us define mental health as the adjustment of human beings to the
world and to each other with a maximum of effectiveness and happiness…… It is the ability to
maintain an even temper, an alert intelligence, socially considerate behavior and a happy
disposition.

Concept of Mental Health:

The concept of mental health as well as ‘mental illness’ is not a new one, its roots are to be found
in the early pre-history of man. On the basis of the primitive concept of animism”, the concept of
mental illness’ grew out which based upon the ideas of animism’ (Medical writing of the Hindus)
or ‘Evil spirits’ (In the medicine of Ancient Egypt). The earliest belief in this connection was that
man becomes mentally imbalance because angry gods took his mind away (Kisker, 1964). This
view was popular during the Homeric period, approximately three thousand years ago and a
thousand years before the birth of Christ, Five hundred years later, at the time of Hippociates,
some developments were brought to understand the problem of ‘mental illness”.
Mental health is a term used to describe how well the individual is adjusted to the demand and
opportunities of life. People differ in their adjustment to the problems of life; some people are
able to adjust well and derive more satisfaction in socially approved manner. They are 'normal' or
mentally healthy people.
Thus, Mental Health is the balanced development of the individual personality and emotional
attitudes that enables him to live harmoniously with his fellow men. Mental Health is not
exclusively a matter of the relation between persons; it is also a matter of the relation of the
individual towards the community he lives in, towards the society of which the community is a
part, and towards the social institutions which for a large part guides his life, determines his way
of living, and the way he earns and spends his money, the way he sees happiness, stability and
security.
Mental Health is a more complex concept than physical health. It is much more difficult to
measure. Though we can usually recognize the extreme cases of mental ill health easily, it is
difficult to categorize individuals who are normal in other ways but may have a problem in
understanding another person’s view point or being sensitive to the emotional needs of others.
Such problems if they were sufficiently serious and persistent would definitely be indicative of
poor mental health.
Characteristics of a Mental Health:

Certain characteristics that a mentally healthy individual or a well-adjusted person

possesses or develops in his daily life can serve as criteria for optimum mental health.
There are:

1. A well-adjusted person has some insight into and an understanding of his motives,
desires, his weaknesses and strong points. He can evaluate his behaviour objectively and
can accept his short-comings and weaknesses.

2. He has a sense of personal worth, feels worth-while and important. He has self-respect,
and feels secure in the group.

3. Besides this security as a member of the group, he feels that he is wanted and loved. In
other words, he has a sense of personal security.

4. He has faith in his ability to succeed; he believes that he will do reasonably well whatever
he undertakes. He solves his problems largely by his own initiative and effort. He feels
confident of himself in his every-day life, more or less effectively.

5. He has some understanding of his environment and of the forces with which he must
deal. Equipped with this understanding, he plans ahead but does not fear the future. He
has the capacity to face realities rationally and objectively.

6. He has developed a philosophy of life that gives meaning and purpose to his daily
activities. This philosophy belongs to this world and discourages the tendency to
 withdraw or escape from the world. It makes him do something concrete about his
problems as they arise. He does not evade responsibility or duty.

7. He lives in a world of reality rather than fantasy. Reality rather than wishes or imaginary
fears governs his behaviour.

8. He develops a capacity to tolerate frustrations and disappointments in his daily life.

9. He shows emotional maturity in his behaviour. This means that he is able to regulate such
emotions as fear, anger, and love, jealous and expresses them in a socially Desirable
manner.

10. He has a rational attitude towards problems of his physical health. He maintains a daily
routine of health practices which promote healthy living. He practices good habits with
regard to nutrition sleep, rest, relaxation, physical activity, personal cleanliness and
protection from disease.

11. He is able to think for himself and can make his own decisions. He thinks clearly and
constructively in solving problems.

12. He has a variety of interests and generally lives a well-balanced life of work, rest and
recreation. He has the ability to get enjoyment and satisfaction out of his daily routine
job. According to Fromm, a mentally healthy person has developed a zest of living that
includes a desire for activity which is reflected in an attitude of utilizing whatever
potentialities he possesses, in productive forms of behaviour.

Foundations of Mental Health:

By foundations of mental health we mean a few basic factors on which mental health of any
individual depends. These factors are as follows.

(a) Hereditary Factors:

Heredity It provides the raw material, or the potentialities of the individual. It sets the limits for
his mental health. What the individual inherits is the potentialities in relation to growth,
appearance, intelligence and the like. The development and utilization of these potentialities is
determined to a large extent, by the environmental opportunities. Investigations have shown that
heredity may predispose a person to the development of a particular type of mental illness when
he is placed under excessive stress.

(b) Physical Factors:

Physical Factors- physical health factors make a significant contribution to mental health. An
erect posture, a winning smile, colour in the cheeks, a feeling of exhilaration promote a sense of
personal security and have a marked influence on other people. People with greater strength,
better looks and robust health enjoy a social advantage in the development of personality
characteristics. An individual with a feeling of physical wellbeing ordinarily enjoys a good
disposition and is enthusiastic and intellectually alert. He has a desire to live, to achieve and to
be happy. Nobody can deny that physical health improves mental alertness as much as it
increases motivation and drive. It has been observed that continuous hunger, overwork or
sleeplessness produce fatigue, which may affect mental health adversely. Sick people find it
more difficult to make adjustments to new situations than healthy people.
Vitamin deficiencies have been found to be the causative factors in many personality difficulties.
In pernicious anemia, for example, there occurs a deficiency of red corpuscles and this produces
characteristic symptoms of apathy, irritability, depression and anxiety.
Again persons suffering from serious physical defects may have problems of adjustment on
account of inferiority feelings which they have not been able to deal with adequately.
Positively speaking, the individual who follows a hygienic regimen, pertaining to food, drink,
elimination, bathing, physical activity, work, sleep, rest, relaxation, prevention of disease and
correction of defects, is more likely to have good mental health.

Role of Home, School, Neighborhood and Community:

Social Factors Social factors pertain to the society in which the individual lives, the interactional
processes and his social functioning with other persons. It is the social environment which
shapes the knowledge, the skills, interests, attitudes, habits, values and goals that he acquires.
Every individual is born in the society which influences the content of his behaviour.
Of the social factors, the most important are home, school and community. A mother who gives
affection and security to her children contributes to their mental health, whereas a mother who is
nervous, tense, or self-centered, over-protective or rejecting, domineering or inconsistent in
disciplinary practices or who is partial in dealing with her children is laying the foundations of
mental inadequacy or ill health. On the other hand, a father who shares his life and time with his
family and children, who shows interest in the development of his children, plays with them or
works with them, helps them to develop mentally healthy attitudes.

Broken homes or unstable homes where parents are in constant conflict produce a large
percentage of children with adjustment problems.

(c) The Satisfaction of Basic Needs in the Period of Childhood:

Satisfaction of fundamental or basic needs-from the discussion of the physical and social factors
it is clear that mental health in childhood and later, depends very much on the adequate
satisfaction of our fundamental or basic needs. It has been brought out by mental hygiene
specialists again and again that when these needs are adequately cared for, the individual
functions in an effective manner.
Our basic needs are organic as well as emotional or psychological. The organic needs are to be
satisfied for maintaining physical well-being. Hunger, thirst, fatigue, lack of sleep. Physical pain,
exercise, hear or cold and the like set up certain tensions in the individual which must be
relieved.
Psychological or emotional needs are also called ego-needs which must be satisfied to maintain
self. They are as important as the organic needs. There are two main ego-needs. Firstly, we have
the need for a sense of security through love and affection of those who are important to us our
parents, our friends and our fellow men. We wish to have a warm and satisfying relationship with
other people. This feeling of security mostly comes through love which consists of such elements
as understanding, trust, co-operation and overt affection. The child feels secure when he is
assured that his parents care for him, want him and accept him as he is. Accepted in this way the
child can establish healthy relationship with the world outside. To the person with a feeling of
security, the world is a friendly and safe place. Such a person likes people and feels comfortable
with them. The second ego-need is for recognition or regard as a person of worth and
importance. The adequate satisfaction of this need gives a sense of adequacy, a feeling of self-
enhancement. In order that this need is satisfied in the child, parents and others have to
demonstrate their affection and their approval and evince interest in what the child does. Once
the child has a feeling of adequacy and importance, he will be able to cope with and solve the
problem which confronts him. Other needs besides these two which should be satisfied are the
need to grow independently, the need to play and the need to belong to a group. The need to
grow independently is often not properly satisfied in our homes. Our parents are mostly over-
protective or over-restrictive. They find satisfaction in the children remaining dependent on them
forever. Generally, the youngsters are not allowed to think and decide for themselves.

(d) The Satisfaction of Basic Needs in the Period of Childhood:

Satisfaction of fundamental or basic needs-from the discussion of the physical and social factors
it is clear that mental health in childhood and later, depends very much on the adequate
satisfaction of our fundamental or basic needs. It has been brought out by mental hygiene
specialists again and again that when these needs are adequately cared for, the individual
functions in an effective manner.

Our basic needs are organic as well as emotional or psychological. The organic needs are to be
satisfied for maintaining physical well-being. Hunger, thirst, fatigue, lack of sleep. Physical pain,
exercise, hear or cold and the like set up certain tensions in the individual which must be
relieved.

Psychological or emotional needs are also called ego-needs which must be satisfied to maintain
self. They are as important as the organic needs. There are two main ego-needs. Firstly, we have
the need for a sense of security through love and affection of those who are important to us our
parents, our friends and our fellow men. We wish to have a warm and satisfying relationship with
other people. This feeling of security mostly comes through love which consists of such elements
as understanding, trust, co-operation and overt affection. The child feels secure when he is
assured that his parents care for him, want him and accept him as he is. Accepted in this way the
child can establish healthy relationship with the world outside. To the person with a feeling of
security, the world is a friendly and safe place. Such a person likes people and feels comfortable
with them. The second ego-need is for recognition or regard as a person of worth and
importance. The adequate satisfaction of this need gives a sense of adequacy, a feeling of self-
enhancement. In order that this need is satisfied in the child, parents and others have to
demonstrate their affection and their approval and evince interest in what the child does. Once
the child has a feeling of adequacy and importance, he will be able to cope with and solve the
problem which confronts him. Other needs besides these two which should be satisfied are the
need to grow independently, the need to play and the need to belong to a group. The need to
grow independently is often not properly satisfied in our homes. Our parents are mostly over-
protective or over-restrictive. They find satisfaction in the children remaining dependent on them
forever. Generally, the youngsters are not allowed to think and decide for themselves.

Dimensions of Mental Health:

1) Close Personal Relationship: Unsatisfactory scores in this component reflect a lack of the
warmth and social sensitivity so necessary for healthy relationships with other people.
Those who lack this warmth and sensitivity usually have few or no real friends, find
difficulty working or playing harmoniously with others, and seldom have adult
acquaintances in whom they can confide.

Oftentimes people learn by example. A warm, permissive, accepting manner on the part of the
teacher will often “draw out the individual who has problems with personal relationships. If, by a
friendly manner, the teacher can gain the student’s confidence, help in learning to appreciate the
values of satisfying relationships can be given. Most young people have positive qualities that, if
cultivated, will enable them to make friends and get along well with people.

2) Interpersonal Skills: The desire to gain the recognition of one’s peers is

often

Impeded by a lack of skills in making satisfactory contacts. Some of the errors that students
make which arc indicative of a lack of the usual and necessary skills arc; a) failure to aid other
students who are in need of help, b) Failure to evince an interest in another’s achievement or
conversation, c) Minimization of actual criticism of the performance of others, d) Failure to
repay courtesies or acts of kindness, and e) evidence of poor sportsmanship.

Popularity is, to a considerable extent, a matter of skill in inter-personal relationships. As is the

case with many skills, interpersonal skills can be taught if the learner is motivated. Most young
persons can be helped in becoming conscious of the values of these skills through group
discussions. Every alert teacher can find situations where a short discussion on this subject will
be beneficial.
Social Participation: Young people ordinarily enjoy being with others of their age.

3) Group. Occasionally, however, teachers identify boys and girls who find participation
with others very difficult. Examinees who give responses that place them in this situation
are usually found a) to be extremely timid, b) to shun organized group activities such as
scout groups, school societies, and school parties or dances, and c) to gain social
satisfactions vicariously through over indulgence in reading, watching television, and
daydreaming.

Confidence in oneself and the desire to participate in social activities can be built up by practices
exemplified by the a) acceptance of student as he is, in a friendly, permissive manner, b)
Bringing a small number of shy and reserved individuals together in natural activities, c)
Encouragement of participation in relatively controlled group activities in which lack of social
skills will not be obvious, and d) encouraging the shy individual to seek admittance into groups
in which his known skills will be assets.

4) Satisfying Work and Recreation: This refers to the psychological rewards that the
individual obtains from time spent in school, at work, and in leisure-time activities. This
component is exemplified by those a) who live school uninteresting and unprofitable, b)
who have the hobbies and do not engage in recreational activities, and c) who spend a
disproportionate amount of lime on tasks they must perform school work, chores, music
lessons etc. These latter tasks are not performed for purposes of self-satisfaction but
because of the demands of others.

5) Adequate Outlook and Goals: The degree lo which the individual can accept and make
his own the outlooks and goals, which arc accepted by society, will determine in large
measure his adjustment to that society. Thus mental health includes assets and liabilities.

Assets are attitudes, beliefs, aspirations, skills, and achievements which contribute to a sense of
well-being and which support progress towards realizing one’s fullest potentialities, where
liabilities are threats to emotional security, which impede the attainment of needed satisfaction
and objectives. The assets of mental health need to be increased while liabilities are to be
minimized in order to attain positive mental health status.

Well being:

Well-being. Well-being is a complex construct that concerns optimal psychological functioning

and experience. In part, this reflects the increasing awareness that just as positive affect is not the
opposite of negative affect (Cacioppo and Bernston, 1999), well-being too is not the absence of
mental health illness.
For more than twenty years, the study of psychological well-being has been guided by two
primary conceptions of positive functioning. One formulation, traceable to Bradburn’s (1969)
seminal work, has distinguished between positive and negative affect and defined happiness as
the balance between the two. The second conception, which has gained prominence among
sociologists, emphasizes life satisfaction as the key indicator of well-being.

Psychological well-being refers to how people evaluate their lives. According to Diener (1997),
these evaluations may be in the form of cognitions or in the form of affect. The cognitive part is
an information based appraisal of one’s life that is when a person gives conscious evaluative
judgments about one’s satisfaction with life as a whole. The affective part is a hedonic evaluation
guided by emotions and feelings such as frequency with which people experience pleasant
unpleasant moods in reaction to their lives. The assumption behind this is that most people
evaluate their life as either good or bad, so they are normally able to offer judgments. Further,
people invariably experience moods and emotions, which have a positive effect or a negative
effect. Thus, people have a level of subjective well-being even if they do not often consciously
think about it, and the psychological system offers virtually a constant evaluation of what is
happening to the person.

Psychological well-being or well-being (these two are often used interchangeably) consists of
factors like self-esteem, positive effect, satisfaction, wellness, efficiency. Social support, somatic
symptoms, personal control and the like. The well-being is a constituent of quality of life which a
conceptualized as a composite of physical, psychological social well-being of individuals, as
perceived by the person and the group. An important aspect is happiness, satisfaction and
gratification subjectively experienced which is often called subjective well-being or
psychological well-being. Thus well-being is based on subjective experience instead of objective
life condition, it has both positive and negative affects and it is global experience (Okum and
Stock, 1987). Psychological well-being represents a proactive stance toward emotional health.
Well-being refers to a person’s ability to cope with events in daily life function, responsibility in
society and experience personal satisfaction. Mental health has several dimensions, each of
which contributes to people overall health and well-being (Kisku Kiran K., 2001).

Importance of Well-being

Well-being is characterized by several interconnected aspects that contribute to a person’s overall

quality of life. These include physical health, which involves regular exercise, proper nutrition,
and sufficient rest; mental and emotional health, which refers to a positive mindset, emotional
resilience, and effective stress management; and social well-being, which involves having
meaningful relationships and a sense of belonging. Other key characteristics include spiritual
well-being, which gives individuals a sense of purpose and inner peace; occupational well-being,
reflected in satisfaction with one’s work or daily activities; financial well-being, which ensures
security and freedom from constant worry about money; and environmental well-being, which
relates to living in safe, clean, and supportive surroundings. The importance of well-being lies in
its ability to improve every aspect of life. It enhances happiness, promotes physical and mental
health, and helps individuals manage challenges more effectively. People with high levels of
well-being tend to be more productive, form stronger relationships, and contribute positively to
their communities. Additionally, well-being reduces the risk of chronic illnesses and lowers
healthcare costs, benefiting not only individuals but also society as a whole.

Conclusion
Mental health and well-being are essential components of a healthy and fulfilling life. Just as we
care for our physical health, it’s important to prioritize our mental and emotional needs. By
promoting awareness, encouraging open conversations, and seeking support when needed,
individuals and communities can build resilience, reduce stigma, and create environments where
everyone can thrive. Investing in mental health is not just a personal responsibility but a
collective one that benefits all aspects of society.

REFERENCES:

*Bhatia, B. D. (1982). Mental Health in Education. Advanced Educational Psychology.

Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd.

*Bhogale, S. and Jayprakash (1993). Indicators of Subjective Well-being in a non clinical

adult sample, Psychological Studies.
*Bradburn’s N.M (1969). The structure of psychological well-being. Chicago: Aldine.

*Cacioppo, J.T. and Bernson, G.G. (1999). The affect system: Architecture and operating
characteristics. Current Directions in Psychological Science.

*Diener and Diener (1996-97). “Psychological well-being and happiness”.