Abstract
One important factor that impacts a person’s overall well-being is their mental health. The purpose of the paper is to identify the most important topics about adult and children’s mental health. Research has indicated that mental health can be impacted by psychological and physical trauma, loneliness, and socioeconomic circumstances. It has also been shown that an individual’s well-being can be safeguarded by their support network. The literature review has identified the themes of loneliness, support, and trauma.
Introduction
Mental health is an integral part of an individual’s overall well-being. A state of mental health is one in which mental processes are carried out effectively, resulting in productive endeavors, fulfilling social relationships, and the ability to adapt to change and overcome hardship (Sun, 2023). Nowadays, many factors can affect the mental well-being of not only adults but also children, requiring efforts to mitigate these risks. Loneliness, psychological and physical traumas, and socioeconomic factors can affect mental health, with the support system being able to protect an individual’s well-being.
Thematic Analysis
Effects of Loneliness
The first theme in literature is the connection between mental health and loneliness. Research conducted by Mahmoud et al. (2023) suggests that psychological distress and loneliness elevate the likelihood of suicidal thoughts and attempts. The authors showed that loneliness and emotional turmoil were important risk factors for considering or trying to commit suicide (Mahmoud et al., 2023).
According to the findings, “A total of 31.37% reported lifelong thoughts of suicide, regardless of whether they would actually go through with it (S1), 18.38% had suicidal thoughts within the last 12 months (S2), and 11% had attempted suicide (S3)” (Mahmoud et al., 2023, p.4). Age, mental anguish, mental loneliness, and social isolation were all significant predictors of lifetime suicidal thoughts, according to multiple logistic regression analysis (Mahmoud et al., 2023). Thus, loneliness can lead not only to depression but also to suicide ideation, affecting people’s lives.
When delving deeper into the effects of likelihood, it is noteworthy that young individuals are more likely to experience loneliness alongside depression. Young individuals’ standard of living, illness prognosis, and capacity to seek care are all negatively affected by loneliness (Prizeman et al., 2023). It arises when there is an apparent disparity between desired and real social relationships (Prizeman et al., 2023). Prior literature indicates a connection between depressive disorders in younger people and a lack of social interaction and loneliness (Prizeman et al., 2023). As a result, the level of interactions with others influences people’s mental well-being.
Role of Support
Another theme that emerges from the literature is that a support system reduces the risks of mental health disorders or ensures that there is no deterioration. Prizeman et al. (2023) found that feelings of loneliness and social exclusion were exacerbated by a lack of understanding from others, such as partners, relatives, and peers, and by the presence of inaccurate or nonexistent support systems. Consequently, the number and the quality of social relationships were negatively impacted.
Moreover, the support systems in the lives of individuals with elevated risks of mental health conditions can help boost the educational and employment prospects of young adults. A stable trajectory of psychological issues from childhood was present in 85–90% of the sample in the study by Veldman et al. (2015). These results imply that to keep children from continuing on high-stable trajectories of psychological disorders, interventions meant to lessen mental health problems ought to begin in late childhood (Veldman et al., 2015). Therefore, support from others can positively impact the mitigation of psychological impairment.
In addition, family members are crucial to the health and fulfillment of senior citizens. Reduced well-being can result from mental health issues, which include signs of mental disorders or other psychological or mental experiences that are distressing or interfere with day-to-day activities (White & Casey, 2017). Family support can take many forms: from little assistance (advice and encouragement) to several levels of practical assistance (such as financial support or transportation) to complete decision-making on behalf of an individual who is no longer capable of living on their own (White & Casey, 2017).
Assistance could lower obstacles to receiving care (White & Casey, 2017). Being willing to ask for assistance on behalf of someone else may be influenced by mental health literacy (White & Casey, 2017). Thus, assistance contributes to an elevated quality of life for people at risk of developing mental health conditions.
Impact of Traumas
Physical Health
The final recurrent theme in the articles is the impact of external factors, such as socioeconomic status or trauma, on individuals’ mental well-being. For example, a study by Marchak and colleagues (2022) shows a connection between physical and mental health. Survivors of cancer may experience a variety of physical and psychological side effects after treatment is finished (Marchak et al., 2022).
It has been discovered that compared to their counterparts without malignancy, these survivors of childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood are more inclined to have clinically significant psychological conditions (Marchak et al., 2022). Given that physical ailments can affect mental well-being, for all cancer survivors, guidelines strongly suggest psychological monitoring at each follow-up visit and immediate referral to mental health professionals when issues are found (Marchak et al., 2022). Therefore, traumas related to physical health can affect mental health significantly.
Mental Health
Moving on, psychological traumas can be the root cause of mental health issues. The severity of childhood trauma and other traumas raised the likelihood of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (Machisa et al., 2016). The risk of excessive drinking increases with the severity of PTSD (Machisa et al., 2016).
The intensity of symptoms of depression can be elevated by child trauma, additional trauma, and PTSD symptoms (Machisa et al., 2016). Moreover, recurring episodes of violence against intimate partners were more likely to be committed by people who had experienced child trauma, other trauma, PTSD, or both in the year before the survey (Machisa et al., 2016). Therefore, psychological traumas are risk factors for the development of mental health conditions.
Social Factors
Lastly, mental illness can be brought on by several risk factors, including poverty. A person living in an impoverished neighborhood or facing financial hardships is considered to be in poverty (Sun, 2023). Mental illness and poverty are causally connected in both directions (Sun, 2023). The resulting uncertainty and worries can lead to depression.
Depression harms people’s financial circumstances, which in turn prevents teenagers from attending school or learning new skills (Sun, 2023). Individuals with the lowest incomes are usually 1.5–3 times more likely to experience depression than those with a higher income in the same location (Sun, 2023). In this case, one can see how traumatic experiences of poverty can lead to depression.
Conclusion
Socioeconomic variables, psychological and physical traumas, and loneliness can all have an impact on mental health, and the person’s social network can safeguard their well-being. The relationship between loneliness and mental health is the first recurring theme in literature. A recurring theme in the literature is the idea that having a support system lowers the likelihood of mental health disorders or prevents their progression. The last recurring theme in articles is the effect of outside variables on people’s health, such as trauma or socioeconomic status.
References
Machisa, M. T., Christofides, N., & Jewkes, R. (2016). Structural pathways between child abuse, poor mental health outcomes and male-perpetrated intimate partner violence (IPV). PloS One, 11(3).
Mahmoud, M. A., Abolashamat, K. T., Quronfulah, B. S., Rajeh, M. T., Badawoud, A. M., Alzhrani, A. M.,… & Abdouh, I. (2023). The effects of social media addiction, psychological distress, and loneliness on suicide ideations and attempts among healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia. Cureus, 15(8).
Marchak, J. G., Christen, S., Mulder, R. L., Baust, K., Blom, J. M., Brinkman, T. M.,… & Michel, G. (2022). Recommendations for the surveillance of mental health problems in childhood, adolescent, and young adult cancer survivors: A report from the International Late Effects of Childhood Cancer Guideline Harmonization Group. The Lancet Oncology, 23(4), 184-196.
Prizeman, K., Weinstein, N., & McCabe, C. (2023). Effects of mental health stigma on loneliness, social isolation, and relationships in young people with depression symptoms. BMC Psychiatry, 23(1), 527.
Sun, Y. (2023). The effects of poverty on mental health and interventions. SHS Web of Conferences, 157, 1-6.
Veldman, K., Reijneveld, S. A., Ortiz, J. A., Verhulst, F. C., & Bültmann, U. (2015). Mental health trajectories from childhood to young adulthood affect the educational and employment status of young adults: Results from the TRAILS study. J Epidemiol Community Health, 69(6), 588-593.
White, M., & Casey, L. (2017). Helping older adults to help themselves: The role of mental health literacy in family members. Aging & Mental Health, 21(11), 1129-1137.