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Unlock This CoursePsychological problems is the fourth compulsory topic of Paper 2 (Social context and behaviour). It is Section D. This first lesson sets the scene: before we look at problems such as depression and addiction, we need to know what good mental health looks like.
Everyone has a body and a mind, and both can be healthy or unwell. Mental health is about how well we think, feel and cope with life. Most people think of mental health only when something goes wrong. Psychologists see it differently: everybody has mental health, just as everybody has physical health.
Key terms:
Good mental health is not the same as being happy all the time. Everyone feels sad, angry or worried sometimes. Two characteristics are named in the AQA specification, and you should learn both.
The person takes part in the world around them. They go to school or work, join in with groups, and feel they belong. For example, a teenager who joins a football team, helps at a food bank or keeps up with friends is engaging with society in a positive way.
Everyone faces problems, such as exam stress or an argument with a friend. A person with good mental health can deal with these in a helpful way, for example by talking to someone, making a plan or taking a break. They bounce back rather than being overwhelmed.
Other signs of good mental health include:
If a question asks for a characteristic of good mental health, name it and then show what it looks like in real life. 'Effective coping with challenges, for example talking to a friend when feeling stressed about exams' is stronger than just 'coping'.
It is easy to think people are either 'mentally healthy' or 'mentally ill'. Psychologists prefer to see mental health as a continuum. At one end, a person is coping well, feels positive and takes part fully in life. At the other end, a person is struggling a great deal and may have a significant mental health problem. Most of us are somewhere in between, and we move along the line over time.
Handles stress, enjoys life, has good relationships and takes part in society.
Has some difficult days or weeks. Feels stressed or low, but still manages with some support.
Finds it very hard to cope and take part in daily life. Professional help is likely to be needed.
This means that good mental health is more than just the absence of illness. A person with no diagnosed problem may still be coping badly, and a person with a mental health problem can still have a good life with the right support. It also means that anyone can have mental health difficulties at some point, which helps to take away the idea that it is something that only happens to 'other people'.
Different cultures do not all think about mental health in the same way. What one culture sees as a health problem, another may see in a very different way. This is called cultural variation.
In some cultures, mental health problems are explained mainly as a medical or psychological matter. In others, people may explain them by spiritual or religious causes, such as a curse, evil spirits or a test of faith. This changes where people go for help, for example to a doctor or to a religious leader or healer.
In some cultures, a mental health problem is seen as bringing shame on the whole family. Families may hide the problem and the person may not get help for a long time, because speaking up feels like a risk to the family's reputation.
Cultures can also differ in which symptoms are seen as normal. A behaviour that one culture sees as a sign of a problem may be seen as an acceptable response to grief or a spiritual experience in another. For example, some groups see sensing a loved one's presence after a death as a normal part of grieving, whereas others might see this as a sign of a problem.
Be careful not to stereotype. Not every person in a culture holds the same beliefs. These are general differences between groups, and individuals within any culture vary a lot.
(a) Describe one characteristic of good mental health. [2 marks]
(b) Explain one way in which cultural variations in beliefs about mental health problems might affect a person getting help. [3 marks]
(a) One characteristic is effective coping with challenges (1). For example, a person who feels stressed before exams talks to a friend and makes a revision plan instead of being overwhelmed (1).
(b) In some cultures, a mental health problem is seen as shameful for the whole family (1). So the person may hide their problem and not visit a doctor (1), which means they do not get help or diagnosis for a long time (1).
In 'describe' and 'explain' questions, the second mark is nearly always for an example or a consequence. After you name a characteristic or a cultural belief, add 'for example' or 'so', then finish the idea.