The opposite of mental illness, is mental health. Mental health is synonymous with self-love. Therefore, the solution to mental illness, is for people to develop and retain self-love.

The paramount mental health issue, is that people need to work from “Inside-Out”, however most people determine their identity, self–love (mental health) and emotional wellbeing from “Outside-In”, and this is what makes them feel the way they feel, and behave the way they behave.

Globally, the range of broad spectrum mental health disorders including anxiety/affective disorders and behavioural dependencies/addictions is both chronic  and acute. Depression alone is predicted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to be one of the world’s largest health problems by 2020.

The above disorders and behavioural dependencies/addictions are primarily caused by millions of people using the wrong criteria for determining their identity, self-love and mental health. The core problem is that most people determine their identity based on external criteria “Outside-In”, meaning they determine their identity, and therefore their mental health on:

• Nature (their genes/genetic legacy)
• Nurture (their childhood upbringing, environment and /or their environmental conditions)

It is imperative to understand that people’s genes and childhood upbringing and/or environmental conditions will greatly influence them, however these elements cannot and do not determine their identity and self-love. This is a critical mental health distinction.

The essence, and therefore a solution to a positive mental health future for all, is for people to develop and retain their identity, self-love and mental health based on a conscious choice of clearly selected, correct and internalised principles, “Inside- Out”. People who are emotionally independent and effectively self-reliant, use the following principles to affirm their fundamental, unconditional worth. These principles include, but not limited to Honesty, Courage, Integrity, Service, Compassion, Loyalty, Equality, Contribution, Sincerity, Freedom, Fairness, Respect, Commitment, Humility and Integrity.

On a macro level, global mental health can be greatly enhanced, as people shift from emotional dependence, “Outside-In” to emotional independence “Inside-Out” and to experience a life of personal significance: self-love (mental health), emotional wellbeing and human dignity.

Grant McGregor
Author
My Identity My Life
www.myidentitymylife.com