Concepts of Mental Health and Mental HEALTHY MENTAL HYGIENE PRACTICES

Hygiene
Simple daily habits:
WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH?
Adequate sleep
Mental Health is… Talking to someone you trust
How we think Deep breathing / mindfulness
How we feel Taking breaks from social media
How we act Journaling
How we cope with stress Music, art, movement
How we relate to others WHEN SHOULD WE SEEK HELP?
How we make choices
Seek help when:
Mental health is not just the absence of illness, but
• Stress feels unmanageable
the presence of well-being.
• Emotions interfere with daily life
Mental Health • You feel hopeless or constantly
overwhelmed
• State of well-being
• You feel alone with your thoughts
• Can change over time
Include:
Mental Hygiene
• School guidance office
• Practices and habits
• Campus counselor
• What we do daily to protect mental health
• Trusted adult or mentor
WHY MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS (STUDENTS’
Practical Support for
VERSION)
Mental Health: Mindfulness & Focusing Activities
Mental health effects: Why Mental Health Support Matters
Academic performance
o Academic pressure
Relationships
o Social comparison & expectations
Sleep o Digital overload
Physical health o Identity confusion (especially first year)
Future career
Mental health = ability to cope, focus, feel balanced
Self-worth
What Is Mindfulness?
COMMON MYTHS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH
Simple definition: Mindfulness is paying full
MYTHS:
attention to the present moment—without
“Mental health problems are a sign of
judgment.
weakness”
“Only crazy people go to therapy” Not:
“Strong people don’t get depressed”
• Overthinking the past
“Mental illness is rare”
• Worrying about the future
“You can just snap out of it”
But:

• Being here and now

Mindfulness for mental hygiene involves cultivating How Mindfulness Supports Mental Hygiene
non-judgmental, present-moment awareness to
o Prevents emotional overload
reduce stress, manage emotions, and break
o Improves coping skills
autopilot, acting as a mental "shower" to cleanse
o Encourages self-awareness
daily cognitive clutter.
o Builds emotional hygiene habits
Benefits of Mindfulness for Students

• Better concentration
Daily Mindfulness Habits for Students
• Reduced stress & anxiety
• Improved emotional control o 2 minutes of breathing after waking
• Better sleep o Mindful eating (one meal)
• Increased self-confidence o Phone-free 5 minutes
o Pause & breathe before reacting
Research shows mindfulness improves
o Gratitude thought before sleep
academic focus.
Understanding Mental Health Disorders
What Are Focusing Activities?
Causes and Common Mental Health Concerns
Focusing activities help:
Among Students
• Bring attention back
Why Talk About Mental Health?
• Reduce mental clutter
• Improve task performance Mental health effects:

Examples: o How we think

o How we feel
o Breathing
o How we act
o Sensory awareness
o How we relate with others
o Body-based focus
o Simple mental exercises College life = new pressures, new roles, new
responsibilities

What Are Mental Health Disorders?

Simple Mindfulness Techniques
Mental health disorders are conditions that affect
o Mindful Breathing
mood, thinking, behavior, and daily functioning.
o 5-Senses Awareness
o Body Scan Important Reminder:
o Thought Observation
o Grounding Exercises Having a mental health concern does NOT mean
weakness

Anyone can experience mental health challenges

Mindful Breathing (1-Minute Tool)

Steps:

1. Sit comfortably
2. Inhale slowly (4 counts)
3. Hold (2 counts)
4. Exhale slowly (6 counts)
5. Repeat 3–5 times

Can be done before exams or presentations

Depression • Astraphobia/Brontophobia: Thunder and
lightning
What it looks like:
• Aquaphobia: Water (sometimes)
o Persistent sadness or emptiness • Blood, Injury, & Medical:
o Loss of interest in activities • Trypanophobia/Belonephobia: Needles,
o Fatigue, sleep changes injections, sharp objects
o Feeling worthless or hopeless • Hemophobia: Blood
o A student who used to enjoy classes and • Iatrophobia: Doctors
friends suddenly feels unmotivated, skips • Situational:
classes, and thinks, “What’s the point?” • Aerophobia: Flying
• Claustrophobia: Enclosed spaces
Key Point: • Glossophobia: Public speaking
Depression is more than just being sad • Vehophobia: Driving
Stress • Agoraphobia…wide, open spaces
Stress is the body’s response to pressure. • Claustrophobia …closed spaces
Common Student Stressors: • Mysophobia……… fear of germs or dirt
• Necrophobia……..fear of dead person
o Exams & deadlines • Bibliophobia………fear of books
o Financial concerns • Gynophobia………fear of women
o Family expectations • Hemophobia……...fear of blood
o Time management • Androphobia …….fear of men
Signs of Too Much Stress: Eating Disorders
o Headaches Eating disorders involve unhealthy relationships
o Irritability with food and body image.
o Poor sleep
o Difficulty concentrating Common types:

• Anorexia ….loss of appetite

Short stress can motivate us, but long-term
• Bulimia…….cycles of consuming large
stress can harm mental health.
amounts of food and feeling a loss control ,
Phobias followed by compensatory behaviors(
Phobias are intense, irrational fears of specific purging) like self – induced vomiting
things or situations. • Binge-eating disorder- regularly eating a lot
Examples: of food over a short period of time.

• Fear of public speaking - glossophobia Bipolar Disorder

• Fear of heights - acrophobia A condition involving extreme mood changes.
• Fear of insects – entomophobia Two main phases:

Common Phobias by Category: • Mania: Very energetic, impulsive, little sleep

• Depression: Very low mood, tired,
Animal-Related:
withdrawn
• Arachnophobia: Spiders
Mood swings are more intense than normal ups
• Ophidiophobia: Snakes
and downs.
• Zoophobia: General animal fears (dogs,
insects) Self-Harm
Natural Environment: Self-harm is intentionally hurting oneself to cope
with emotional pain.
• Acrophobia: Heights
 Important to Know: Genetics / family history

• It is a coping mechanism, not attention- Sleep patterns

seeking
• Often linked to emotional numbness or Physical health & illness
overwhelming feelings Substance use (alcohol, drugs)
Suicidal Ideation
Psychological Factors
Suicidal ideation means thinking about ending one’s
These affect how we see ourselves and the world:
life.
Warning Signs: Negative thinking patterns

• Talking about feeling hopeless Low self-esteem

• Giving away belongings
• Saying “I’m tired of everything” Poor coping skills
• Sudden withdrawal Trauma or past experiences
Very Important: Unresolved emotional issues
If someone talks about suicide, take it seriously
Social & Environmental Factors
What Can We Do?
These come from our surroundings:
Healthy Coping Strategies
Family relationships
• Talk to someone you trust
• Rest and sleep well Peer pressure
• Physical activity
School & academic stress
• Limit social media
• Practice self-compassion Financial problems
Seek Help Social media pressure
• Guidance counselor
Crisis, disasters, pandemics
• School mental health services
• Trusted adults or professionals TIPS FOR MAINTAINING MENTAL WELL-
FACTORS AFFECTING MENTAL HEALTH BEING

Take Care of Your Body

Mental health is influenced by many things
Get enough sleep
(no one factor works alone)
Eat nutritious food
Three Main Categories:
Stay hydrated
1. Biological Factors
2. Psychological Factors Exercise regularly
3. Social & Environmental
Avoid substance abuse

Biological Factors 🧬
Take Care of Your Mind
These are factors related to the body and brain:
Practice relaxation or mindfulness
Brain chemistry
Journal your thoughts
 Listen to music relations to the environment and to
the social group.
Express emotions through art o The systematic psychological study of
Focus on things you can control personality has emerged from a number of
different sources, including psychiatric case
studies that focused on lives in distress,
from philosophy, which explores the nature
Build Healthy Relationships
of man, and from physiology, anthropology,
Talk to someone you trust and social psychology.

Set boundaries Psychoanalytic Theory

Freud, Perhaps the most influential integrative

Choose supportive friends
theory of personality is that of psychoanalysis,
Ask for help when needed which was largely promulgated during the first four
decades of the 20th century by the Austrian
neurologist Sigmund Freud. Although its beginnings
Manage Stress Effectively were based in studies of psychopathology,
psychoanalysis became a more general perspective
Plan and prioritize tasks on normal personality development and
functioning. The field of investigation began with
Avoid procrastination case studies of so-called neurotic conditions, which
Take short breaks included hysteria, obsessive-compulsive disorders,
and phobic conditions.
Learn to say “no” when overwhelmed
Freud assumed that his patients were motivated
Know When to Seek Help to ward off those fantasies that had an exciting as
well as a repelling quality about them. Freud
Seek professional help when: described various psychological devices (defense
• Sadness lasts too long mechanisms) by which people tried to make the
• Stress becomes overwhelming fantasies bearable. For example, in the obsessive-
• Daily functioning is affected compulsive condition, which refers to persistent
• Thoughts of self-harm occur unwelcome ideas or recurrent irresistible urges to
perform certain acts, such as incessant hand
Counselors, psychologists, trusted adults are washing, the defense maneuvers are called
there to help isolation and displacement
The Nature of Personality They consist in separating (isolating) a fantasy
from its corresponding emotion, and then attaching
o Personality refers to the enduring
(displacing) the emotion to another, previously
characteristics and behavior that comprise a
trivial idea; for instance, to the hand washer it is
person's unique adjustment to life, including
the hands that are dirty rather than the desires.
major traits, interests, drives, values, self-
Freud also noted that people who rely on isolation
concept, abilities, and emotional patterns.
and displacement are otherwise characterized by
o Personality, a characteristic way of thinking,
nonpathological personality qualities such as
feeling, and behaving. Personality embraces
perfectionism, indecisiveness, and formality in
moods, attitudes, and opinions and is most
interpersonal contacts. To Freud the fantasies were
clearly expressed in interactions with other
the mental representations of basic drives, among
people. It includes behavioral
which sex, aggression, and self-preservation were
characteristics, both inherent and acquired,
paramount.
that distinguish one person from another
and that can be observed in people’s
Carl Gustav JUNG ErikErikson

The Swiss psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung, an early Freud’s emphasis on the developmental unfolding
adherent of Freud’s theories, questioned the of the sexual, aggressive, and self-preservative
degree of emphasis that Freud gave to sexual motives in personality was modified by the
motivations in personality development. Jung American psychoanalyst Erik H. Erikson,
accepted the significant effect of the unconscious who integrated psychological, social, and biological
processes, but unlike Freud he preferred to factors. Erikson’s scheme proposed eight stages of
emphasize that behavior is motivated more by the development of drives, which continue past
abstract, even spiritual, processes than by sexual Freud’s five stages of childhood (oral, anal, phallic,
drives. Jung also focused more on individual latency, and genital) and through three stages of
differences; in particular he developed a typology adulthood. The stages proceed in leaps according
of reaction styles, distinguishing between two basic to what is called an epigenetic process. The term
means of modulating basic drives, introversion and epigenesis, borrowed from embryology, refers to
extroversion. the predetermined developmental sequence of
parts of an organism. Each part has a special time
Introversion was defined as preoccupation with
for its emergence and for its
one’s inner world at the expense of social
progressive integration within the functioning
interactions and extroversion as a preference for
whole.
social interplay for living out inner drives
(collectively termed libido). The existence of these Each phase of emergence depends upon the
two types receives empirical support from most successful completion of the preceding phase.
studies of traits According to Erikson, environmental forces exercise
their greatest effect on development at the earliest
Alfred Adler
stages of growth, because anything that disturbs
The Austrian psychiatrist Alfred Adler, another of one stage affects all of the following stages
Freud’s early followers, also disputed the
importance of sexual motives. Adler described a
coping strategy that he called compensation, which Erikson thus evolved his eight stages of
he felt was an important influence on behavior. In development, which he described as:
his view people compensated for a behavioral
(1) infancy: trust versus mistrust;
deficiency by exaggerating some other behavior: a
process analogous to organic processes called (2) early childhood: autonomy versus shame and
hypertrophy, in which, for example, if one eye is doubt;
injured, the other eye may compensate by
becoming more acute. (3) preschool: initiative versus guilt;

In Adler’s view, a person with a feeling of inferiority (4) school age: industry versus inferiority;
related to a physical or mental inadequacy would (5) puberty: identity versus identity confusion;
also develop compensating behaviors or symptoms.
Shortness of stature, for example, could lead to the (6) young adulthood: intimacy versus isolation;
development of domineering, controlling behaviors. (7) middle adulthood: generativity versus
Adler assigned a prominent place to stagnation;
family dynamics in personality development.
Children’s position in their family—their birth (8) late adulthood: integrity versus despair
order—was seen as determining significant
character traits
What is a Personality Test?

By [Link] Choleric (short-tempered, fast, or irritable)

A personality test is any of a series of standardized Choleric individuals tend to be more extroverted.
tests designed to accurately and consistently They are described as independent, decisive, and
measure personality. It is simply a way to assess goal-oriented, and ambitious. These combined with
an individual’s personality construct. Most their dominant, result-oriented outlook make them
personality tests are coined into introspective self- natural leaders. In ancient history, they were
report questionnaire measures from life records thought to be violent, vengeful, and quick-
such as ratings. tempered.

Personality tests are primarily used for identifying

perceived strengths and weaknesses in the
Melancholic (analytical, wise, and quiet)
character combinations of an individual to give
them a direction such that only their strengths are Melancholic individuals tend to be analytical and
amplified and the weaknesses reduced to a bare detail-oriented, and they are deep thinkers and
minimum or eliminated. feelers. They are introverted and try to avoid being
singled out in a crowd. A melancholic personality
What are the Four Temperament Personality
leads to self-reliant individuals who are thoughtful,
Types?
reserved, and often anxious because they strive for
A study from Carlos III University of Madrid shows perfection.
behavior types of 90 percent of the human
population can be grouped into; optimistic,
pessimistic, trusting, and envious. Individuals are Phlegmatic (relaxed and peaceful)
either; optimistic, pessimistic, trusting, and/or
envious. Phlegmatic individuals tend to be relaxed, peaceful,
quiet, and easy-going. They are empathetic
towards others, yet they try to hide their emotions.
Phlegmatic individuals also are good at generalizing
Of the four types, envious, is the most common,
ideas or problems to the world and making
with 30 percent compared to 20 percent for each of
compromises.
the other groups. Unlike Myers-Briggs, this
temperament theory has its roots in the Origin of the Myer-Briggs Personality Tests
ancient four humors theory.
Katharine Cook Briggs, mother of Myer Briggs
A more common and widely accepted explanation began research into personality in 1917. She
of personality types is the four temperament developed a typology wherein she proposed four
theory. A proto-psychological (the study of human temperaments: meditative, spontaneous, executive,
psychology) theory which suggests four and social. Isabel Briggs Myers followed her
fundamental personality types: sanguine, choleric, mother’s typological research and with time, took it
melancholic, and phlegmatic. over entirely.

Briggs and Myers created the MBTI during World

War II believing that consciousness of personality
Sanguine (optimistic, active, and social)
preferences would help women who were joining
Sanguines tend to be more extroverted and enjoy the industrial workforce for the first time to identify
being part of a crowd. Sanguine personality is the kind of war-time jobs that would best suit
typically described as highly talkative, enthusiastic, them.
active, and social. Individuals with this personality
have a hard time doing nothing and engage in
more risk-seeking behavior.
Myer-Briggs Personality Types (Socionics 2. The Counselor (INFJ Personality)
Theory)
INFJs are visionaries who have a different view of
Socionics, in psychology and sociology, is a theory the world. They love introspection and refuse to
of information processing and personality type, take things at a surface level. They could be
distinguished by its information model of the termed weird by others because of how they see
psyche. The idea of Socionics is that information is life. The INFJ are idealists who love understanding
intuitively divisible into eight categories, called complex issues. They are reserved leaders who are
information aspects, which a person’s psyche usually creatives due to how easily they get
processes using eight psychological functions. inspired.

The purpose of Socionics is to provide a means of Also known as the diplomats, the INFJ prefers to
predicting the character of relations and the degree cooperate with members of their team as opposed
of business compatibility, information sharing, and to conflict.
psychological compatibility of people before their
The dominant cognitive function of an INFJ is
joining in one collective group
introverted intuition which helps them focus on
Socionics is extraversion (E), sensing (S), thinking internal insights and generally influences their
(T), judgment (J), introversion (I), intuition (N), decision-making. Their tertiary cognitive function is
feeling (F), and perception (P). an extraverted feeling which makes them highly
sensitive to the feeling of others or what others
Socionics divides people into 16 different types,
refer to as being empathetic.
called sociotypes which are; ESTJ, ENTJ, ESFJ,
ENFJ, ISTJ, ISFJ, INTJ, INFJ, ESTP, ESFP, ENTP, The INFJ thrives in jobs that require a deal of
ENFP, ISTP, ISFP, INTP & INFP. A formal compassion, psychology, and/or collaboration
conversion is carried out following the Myers–
Briggs Type Indicator

3. The Mastermind (INTJ Personality)

The 16 Myer-Briggs Personality Types
INTJs are introverts who are comfortable being by
1. The Inspector (ISTJ Personality)
themselves. They would avoid socializing as it
ISTJs are serious, proper, and formal in appearance drains their energy. They excel at developing plans
which can be intimidating. They are cultured and and strategies. As analytical problem solvers, this
have an affection towards tradition. In contrast, personality type is strategic and innovative
they are quiet and usually calm. They are called
Their dominant cognitive function is Introverted
inspectors because of their keen attention to detail.
intuition which they use to read between the lines
ISTJ are rule followers who always take the logical
and unravel patterns. The auxiliary function is
approach towards their goals and projects.
extraverted thinking which makes them deliberate
Their dominant cognitive function is introverted about solutions and highly organized.
sensing which helps them take in the details about
Also known as the architects, the INTJ thrives in
their environment while their auxiliary cognitive
jobs that require logical systems and innovative
function is extraverted thinking which makes them
solutions. They usually prefer to work alone. In
efficient and logical thinkers.
relationships, they are loyal and are great at
In their relationships, they are very loyal to their encouraging their partners.
friends and family members. Usually, they have a
small circle with who they prefer spending their
time with. The ISTJ thrives in jobs that require 4. The Giver (ENFJ)
structure, logic, and stability.
ENFJs are individuals who are people-
centered. They rely mostly on their intuition and
feelings and tend to live through their imagination. helps them focus on the present instead of the
They focus on abstracts and what could happen in future or other abstract details.
the future.
They thrive in jobs that require processes and
They are highly empathetic not just to their close interpersonal skills. In relationships, they are the
friends and family but to people in general. traditional partners who believe in structure and
stability.
The ENFJ generally loves feedback and they can be
referred to as people pleasers. The Idealist (INFP)

Their dominant cognitive function is an extraverted INFPs are usually reserved and introverted. They
feeling that helps them be in tune with other usually spend time all by themselves in quiet
people’s feelings. Their auxiliary functions are places. They love analyzing signs and symbols and
introverted intuition that makes them focus on the using them to draw inferences in explaining what is
future as opposed to the present moment. happening around them.

They thrive in jobs where they can encourage Their dominant cognitive function is an introverted
others and push them to grow. This also includes feeling which helps them with processing emotions
humanitarian-focused jobs. In relationships, they internally. The INFP auxiliary cognitive function is
are supportive and always willing to understand the extraverted intuition that helps them focus on
their partners the big picture through imagination.

They thrive in jobs that require visions and align

with their goals/ interests. In relationships take
time to select their friends and they are quite big
[Link] Craftsman (ISTP) on comprise

ISTPs are a mysterious, rational, and highly logical

bunch. They are spontaneous and unpredictable
The Performer (ESFP)
most times albeit oblivious to those around them
because they are experts at hiding their true ESFPs are mostly perceived to be entertainers.
nature. They enjoy being in the spotlight. They enjoy
exploring and learning to share what they’ve
Their dominant cognitive function is introverted
learned with others through their strong
thinking which makes them focus on the logical
interpersonal skills.
aspect of a situation. The ISTP’s auxiliary cognitive
function is extraverted sensing which helps them Their dominant cognitive function is extraverted
focus on abstract things. sensing which helps them stick to facts instead of
abstract ideas. The ESFP’s auxiliary cognitive
They thrive in jobs that require technical expertise
function is an introverted feeling which helps them
and physical activity. In relationships, they are calm
make decisions.
lovers who prefer being handy around the house
They thrive in work environments where they can
The Provider (ESFJ)
be spontaneous, move around often, and involves
ESFJs are stereotypically known to be extroverts. the use of artistic values. In relationships, the ESFP
They are cheerleaders and raise the spirits of those will prioritize their family and loved ones over
around them earning them popularity. Because of anything although they can also strongly dislike a
their nature, they are easily liked and people easily structured life
warm up to them.

Their dominant cognitive function is an extroverted

The Champion (ENFP)
feeling which makes them work and make decisions
based on their gut feeling. The ESFJ’s auxiliary ENFPs are highly individualistic and refuse to live
cognitive function is introverted sensing which their lives inside a box. They strive to create their
own methods of doing things. They operate with their loved ones know that they can always be
their feelings and are highly perceptive and depended on for anything.
thoughtful
The Commander (ENTJ)
Their dominant cognitive function is extraverted
ENTJs focus on dealing with all things rationally
intuition which allows them to focus on abstract
and logically. They are naturally born leaders who
thoughts and patterns. The auxiliary cognitive
command respect. They also do enjoy being in
function is introverted feelings which make them
charge. They see obstacles as challenges in which
focus on their feelings rather than logic.
they can prove themselves.
In relationships, the ENFP is always expressive and
Their dominant cognitive function is extraverted
shares affection openly. They also thrive in jobs
thinking which makes them deliberate about orders
that demand creativity and imaginative solutions.
and judgments. The auxiliary function is introverted
intuition which makes them trust their instincts
during decision making.
The Doer (ESTP)
The ENTJ thrives in jobs that are complex and
ESTPs are governed by the need to interact with
require clear strategies for goals. In relationships,
others. They are interested in abstracts and
they can set high expectations for their loved ones
theories. They are spontaneous and risk-taking.
and can be sometimes domineering.
They aren’t afraid of making mistakes as they make
them up as they go along.

Their dominant cognitive function is extraverted

sensing which makes them action-oriented. The
The Thinker (INTP)
auxiliary cognitive function of an ESTP is
introverted thinking which makes them highly INTPs are typically known for their brilliant ideas
disciplined and very observant. and propositions. They see a pattern in everything
and can easily pick out something that’s out of
They thrive in career paths that require mechanical
place. They are concerned with finding an
skills, flexibility, and one that is quite unpredictable.
environment where their creative genius can be
In relationships, they can be quite adventurous and
harnessed.
prefer activities with their loved ones.
Their dominant cognitive function is introverted
thinking which makes them highly understanding
The Supervisor (ESTJ) and deep thinkers. The auxiliary functions are
extraverted intuition which helps with their
ESTJs are organized and governed by the zeal to
imagination and inspiration.
do what is right and socially acceptable. They
epitomize the ideal individual who is on the track The INTP thrives in work environments that aren’t
toward doing what is “good” and “right”. They are focused on traditions. They prefer flexible and
happy to be of help. independent work styles. In relationships, they are
highly unconventional and autonomous.
Their dominant cognitive function is extraverted
thinking which makes them quite practical when
compared to other personality types. The auxiliary
The Nurturer (ISFJ)
cognitive functions are introverted sensing which
makes them very keen on details and stability. ISFJs are highly generous and ever-ready to give
back to society. They are warm and kind-hearted
The ESTJs like to work in management positions
individuals. They possess an awareness and
where they can oversee operations and put in
consideration towards bringing out the best in
structures. In relationships, they love routines and
others.
The dominant cognitive function is introverted
sensing which makes them very detail-oriented.
Their auxiliary functions are extraverted feelings
which makes them nurturing and very considerate.

They thrive in jobs that require structure and are

positioned behind the scenes. In relationships, the
ISFJ will take care of their loved ones
unconditionally.

The Visionary (ENTP)

ENTPs are extroverts who do not enjoy small talk.

These personalities are very rare to come across.
They have a logical and rational approach to
discussions and/or arguments. They are
knowledgeable but need constant stimulation.

Their dominant cognitive function is extroverted

intuition which makes them always open to
exploring new ideas. The auxiliary function is
introverted thinking which makes them quite
logical.

They thrive in jobs where creativity meets

challenges. In relationships, the ENTP is
spontaneous and can be quite exciting.

The Composer (ISFP)

ISFPs on the outside seem like introverts but deep

down they’re warm and very friendly. They are
spontaneous and fun to be with. They are always
out to explore new things and discover new
experiences.

Their dominant cognitive function is an introverted

feeling which makes them caring. The auxiliary
functions are extraverted sensing which makes
them appreciate works of art.

ISPs prefer to work independently away from the

spotlight. In relationships, they are
accommodating and very easygoing