Show Health Condition Given y y Loe 9 Specialist By Garth T. T Harrison Region VII Mental MenIal Health Specialist An Individuals Individual's relation to the world is 19 mentally healthy if It slows shows auton om only self solf e independence and accuracy of judgment Autonomy refers to the degree to 10 which the Individual individual In in- maintains a I set of Internal standards stand a ards ls ds for his actions Is self self directed directed rather ra ther thor than too dependent on others and effectively organizes defenses against threats th based upon accurately understanding under tinder standing the environment en ABRAHAM MASLOW PhD Ph.D. says that autonomous people pe more than others rs arc are not dependent for their main satisfactions satisfactions on the real world other people or 01 culture but upon their own potentialities poten and latent resources These people people peo pro pIe can maintain a relative serenity and happiness in the midst of circumstances that would drive others other to suicide Autonomy can manifest itself in going along with the world as well as in our oo- posing it but unlike people who lack self identity and self confidence the autonomous person comfortably chooses whether r to conform or 01 not In n a well ell Integrated person peron freedom fredom is maintained to surrender to the will of others in order to become a part of an or program greater than oneself or else preserve e self self determination when ones one's judgment serves him best RELATED TO this independence are arc two aspects of reality perception which are arc criteria for positive mental health accurate perce perception pilon of the thc world as it itis itis is Is rather than as one wishes it to be and sensitivity to others Mental 1 health is a state of mind in which ones one's understanding understanding under under- standing of others and his environment is accurate enough to permit efficient and beneficial interaction between oneself oneself one one- self and the environment A person is not only emotionally sick ex ex- petting the worse from others routinely but is inefficient self-defeating self and cognitively wrong I But who is to say what is correct If II one perceives a landscape painting in terms of form another in terms of oC color and a third in terms of oC both these or other facets who is most correct I IF F A teacher sees in a child his limitations limitations limi limi- tation while another mother sees his potentialities potential potential- which one is correct Life is not static This writers writer's family has heard him say there are three ways of oC doing things the right way the wrong way and the creative creative creative crea crea- tive way When Grandpa asks if we are arc not returning him home the wrong way he might be asked if he does not wish to make new discoveries by travelling a II different route COMPULSIVE PEOPLE make good administrators to the extent that they want to properly follow rules but they may have subordinates who are more imaginative inventive creative and capable of oC making the company more profits through improvements in design manufacture and selling To avoid the connotation that there is isone isone isone one correct way of oC seeing the world mental health specialists use the expression expression expression sion relative freedom from personal needs distortion This means that the mentally healthy person will test reality reality reality real real- ity before assuming that it conforms to his wishes or fears EVERY YEAR many young women lacking in self confidence marry an aggressive aggressive ag ag- ag- ag suave man whom they think will safely lead them through all lifes life's hardships and offer security but their failure to prove this often results in their marrying a man who is insensitive to the feelings needs and rights of others Infidelity drinking in taverns and selfish self ish control of oC family income results Many 1 did not want to believe Adolf Hitler's intentions as revealed in Mein 1 Kampf I others moved clothing food tires etc knowing the inevitable Likewise the mentally healthy person treats the inner life of other people as asa asa asa a matter worthy of his concern This is empathy the lubricant of social re re- lations A willingness to genuinely know other people as they actually are rather than as one wishes them to be makes it possible to arrive at conclusions about others that are free of distortion The divorce rate among other things might even be reduced 01 |