ABSTRACT
Mental health and mental well being are fundamental to the quality of life and productivity of individuals, families, communities and nations, enabling people to experience life as meaningful and to be creative and active citizens. [1]
The World Health Organization (WHO) defi nes mental health as ‘a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community’ [2]. However, it is mental disorders that are often the subject of research and investigation rather than mental health, especially among clinical researchers and epidemiologists who study the epidemiology of common mental disorders, the burden associated with mental disorders, as well as deciding on the need for treatment of those suffering from mental disorders among clinicians.
