Mental health is much more than simply the absence of mental disorders. It exists on a complex continuum, experienced uniquely by each person, with varying levels of difficulty, distress, and diverse social and clinical outcomes. Our position on this continuum is constantly shaped by a blend of individual, social, and structural factors that either protect or undermine our mental well-being.

• Individual Factors: Our unique psychological and biological traits, such as emotional skills, substance use, and genetics, can influence our vulnerability to mental health challenges.
• Environmental & Social Factors: Unfavorable circumstances like poverty, violence, inequality, and environmental degradation significantly increase the risk of mental health conditions. Risks are particularly detrimental during sensitive developmental periods, especially early childhood.
• Protective Factors: These factors bolster our resilience throughout life. They include individual social and emotional skills, positive social interactions, quality education, meaningful work, safe neighborhoods, and strong community bonds.
• Societal & Global Influences: Local threats heighten risk for individuals, families, and communities, while global challenges like economic downturns, disease outbreaks, humanitarian crises, forced displacement, and climate change affect entire populations.

It’s important to remember that a single risk or protective factor has limited predictive power. Many people exposed to risks don’t develop mental health conditions, and conversely, some without known risk factors do.

Promoting and Protecting Mental Health: Our Approach

We believe in proactive interventions that address the individual, social, and structural determinants of mental health. Our strategies focus on reducing risks, building resilience, and creating supportive environments. While some interventions target individuals or specific groups, others are designed for entire populations.

Effective mental health promotion and prevention often require collaboration beyond the health sector. We advocate for and facilitate multisectoral involvement, including education, labor, justice, transport, environment, housing, and welfare sectors. The health sector plays a vital role by integrating promotion and prevention efforts into health services and by championing these broader collaborations.

• Suicide Prevention: A global priority, achieved through limiting access to means, responsible media reporting, social-emotional learning for adolescents, and early intervention. Banning highly hazardous pesticides is a particularly effective and inexpensive intervention.
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health: Promoted through supportive policies and laws, nurturing caregiving support, school-based programs, and improved community and online environments. School-based social and emotional learning programs are particularly effective.
• Workplace Mental Health: A growing area of focus, supported by legislation, organizational strategies, manager training, and direct interventions for workers.

Our Unique Contribution

At Kairos Counselling and Consulting, we embrace and enable everyone’s uniqueness, considering their predispositions, preferences, and social environment. We strive to help individuals assess their current mental health and well-being, acknowledging both risks and protective factors, to empower them to move forward meaningfully in their lives.

Acknowledgement: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-health-strengthening-our-response