“History of mental health”

[WhatAboutTheRoses]

AIBU to wonder why I keep seeing this on here?

Do people not understand what mental health means? Are they really thinking that “mental”, in its colloquial/offensive form, is the the textbook terminology?!

Mental health is a fairly common term isn’t it? There is mental health awareness week for example

I know - everyone has a history of mental health because we all have mental health. If it's about a mental health illness then the sentence needs 'problems' at the end of it.

What the mean is "has a history of I'll mental health"... Meaning an illness of the mental kind. But the term "having mental health" has come to mean the same. Which is frustrating but seems to be the case at the moment

I think what OP means is that people use the term "mental health" when what they actually mean is "poor mental health" or "mental health problems". It drives me mad - people say "I have mental health" - yes, we all have mental health. Some of us have good mental health, some not so good, and some terrible. But having "mental health" is like having a brain. We all have it.

I assume that the OP is referring to the fact that we all have a history of mental health?

These days, people often use the term "mental health" as a synonym for "poor mental health", which it obviously isn't.

It pisses me off too. 'My SIL has mental health...'. Well yes, of course she does. We all have mental health. Some of us have good MH, others, like the SIL have poor mental health.

This winds me up too. I’ve heard people say
‘He has mental health’’... yes, well we all do!
Mental health can be excellent and no problem at all.

I'm a mental health nurse and it drives me mad. It's not just MN though, we get referrals e.g. from police or Housing Department saying it. You wouldnt say 'x has a history of physical health'.

It doesn't really make sense though. If they're saying "X has a history of mental health" surely that means they don't have a mental health problem, when actually they mean the opposite!

It's a misuse of language up there with people misusing staycation for me.

@Bagamoyo1

I think what OP means is that people use the term "mental health" when what they actually mean is "poor mental health" or "mental health problems". It drives me mad - people say "I have mental health" - yes, we all have mental health. Some of us have good mental health, some not so good, and some terrible. But having "mental health" is like having a brain. We all have it.

Precisely.

I wonder if the people who say this are thinking “her ‘brain health’ is mental”, the way you might describe someone as “mental” if you were 10 years old. 😣

OP you are exactly right. Most people live in denial that they wont have any problems with or serious issues with their mental health, and wont develop a disorder.

Gets my goat too. We all have mental health, just as we have physical health. Varying degrees of it.

'She has mental health' - what, you mean like incredibly amazing health?

Totally agree. It annoys me hugely. As does using the term so generally. Mental health issues cover a wide spectrum in terms of variety and severity. You wouldn’t ever refer to someone having physical health problems (or “health” as it ought to be called applying the same rationale) and assume they couldn’t work, weren’t fit to care for children or any number of other assumptions people make around those who “have mental health”.

I agree, OP. I've also noticed on the other hand, some people are take a step backwards when you mention 'mental health' (the actual one we all have) - as in needing to take care of your mental health or something not being good for your mental health - because to them, that automatically means you have poor mental health and are unstable.

They don't seem to realise you're saying you're protecting yourself and don't want it to affect your health, mentally, like you would do with your physical health.

Please ignore the "are" before "take a step backwards..."