Just think it over, you feel stressed, exhausted, emotionally strained, yet you are pushed forward. You say you will, it will pass. Yet day in and day out, your thoughts go into a dead end. You are not a mentally treated person, but you are not alright either. Here comes the relevance and necessity of knowing the difference between mental health and mental hygiene.
Mental health is not an issue that we discuss when things are going wrong. And mental hygiene is no fancy psych-word; it is as prosaic an everyday practice of putting our brains on exercise. But still, most individuals do not know the difference between mental health and mental hygiene, which are supposedly synonymous.
In this article, we will discuss the difference between mental health and hygiene, and why now more than ever it should matter to us, and how this different awareness can alter the way we live, work, and take care of ourselves.
Table of Contents
What Is Mental Health?
The World Health Organization defines mental health as a condition in which an individual can express his/her abilities, can respond to everyday challenges, and can work and contribute to his/her neighbourhood. It is not merely the lack of mental illness; it is the dynamic state that influences our thoughts, feelings, and behavior.
Poor mental health does not necessarily have to do with an illness, but with the decrease in how successfully an individual copes with relationships, emotions, and stress. This is the reason why it is essential to specify the difference between mental health and mental hygiene. As it is stressed by HealthLink BC, one may have no obvious problems with hygiene and still be struggling with mental issues, and vice versa.
What is Mental Hygiene?
The condition of mental health and mental hygiene is a process. It refers to behaviors and activities that are engaged in daily and that prevent emotional imbalances and maintain well-being.
According to the article on Kentucky Mental Health, the routines of mental hygiene involve healthy sleep patterns, journaling, mindfulness, and controlling emotions. These routines not only help to prevent sickness, but they also boost emotional resilience. The difference between mental health and mental hygiene should make us feel how important this everyday protection is.
Author Nishad Kunnath Kodakkat has a very clever way of relating mental hygiene to the process of brushing teeth, simple, daily, and powerful. It is the consistent care that makes the difference between mental health and mental hygiene; one is a condition, and the other is a regimen.
Supported by research, resources point out that mental hygiene represents a positive, practical, and proactive approach to psychological well-being, honing in on everyday corrections that ensure the development of mental health problems does not take place or takes place in the mildest form before they become disabling (source).
The Difference Between Mental Health and Mental Hygiene
So, what is the actual difference between mental health and mental hygiene?
| Aspect | Mental Health | Mental Hygiene |
| Nature | Condition/State of Being | Practice/Maintenance |
| Purpose | Reflects how well we’re coping emotionally, socially, and psychologically | Aims to maintain or improve mental health |
| Timeframe | Long-term/Ongoing | Daily/Preventive |
| Examples | Feeling calm, anxious, stressed, and happy | Meditation, therapy, sleep routines, and social connections |
According to categorizations on Studocu, mental health is what determines what we feel, and mental hygiene is what we do to influence that. The difference between mental health and mental hygiene lies in this cause-and-effect relationship.
The point is that, theoretically, you can have good habits of mental hygiene, and it is still not enough to have good mental health, just as you can have good ones in the sphere of eating and still get a cold. However, when you understand that there is a difference between mental health and mental hygiene, you will be helped to recover better and faster.
Why Knowing the Difference Matters
The difference between mental health and mental hygiene has social, emotional, and even economic implications.
A SAGE Journal research paper supports the idea that an individual who engages in frequent mental cleanliness exhibits a greater degree of psychic flexibility, more coping skills, as well as healthier interpersonal relationships.
The above consequences suggest long-term value in appreciating the difference between mental health and mental hygiene.
In a Britannica article, mental hygiene refers to the science of preserving mental health and preventing disorder, demonstrating that hygiene is no longer only applied at the individual level.
According to an article by Generali Central Insurance, working women having to take on household and emotional labour, on top of their careers, often lack awareness of the necessity of taking care of their mental health, too. This is mostly ignored, and it may be in the form of chronic stress, anxiety, or emotional burnout. Once again, it is the difference between mental health and mental hygiene that makes a difference in the prevention of it in people.
According to Healthline, however, behavioral habits (mental hygiene) have a direct relationship with an emotional state (mental health), which further highlights the difference between mental health and mental hygiene in the context of the general healthcare system.
How to Practise Mental Hygiene Daily
Here are a few daily practices that help improve your mental health through good mental hygiene:
- Set Boundaries: Emotional fatigue may begin with the possibility of saying yes to too many things.
- Journal Your Thoughts: This will be useful since your journaling will help you see the pattern and your stress triggers.
- Disconnect to Reconnect: Switch off the screens and get closer to nature, or do what you like.
- Seek Therapy: Stop the visit to the therapist as an emergency, but as a segment of a well-being routine.
- Move Daily: Exercise slows down cortisol and lifts the spirit.
In education as well, as seen on Studocu, academic systems that overlook mental hygiene are more likely to bring about destruction rather than development, and therefore, as scholars, the difference between mental health and mental hygiene is something much needed by schools as well.
From State to Habit
We often ask, “How’s your mental health?” but rarely, “How are you caring for your mental health today?” That second question is a true game-changer because it introduces the idea of mental hygiene.
The difference between mental health and mental hygiene is like the difference between being fit and going to the gym. One is a result, the other is a practice.
By normalizing mental hygiene, journaling, rest, boundaries, and connections, we reshape our lives to protect and promote our mental health, not just respond to its absence.
It’s time to stop waiting for breakdowns before we pay attention. Let’s treat our mental well-being as a daily ritual because our minds deserve nothing less.
FAQs
What do you mean by mental health?
Mental health can also be considered as the emotional, psychological, and social well-being of a person, which affects how a person thinks, feels, acts, and the ways they are able to cope with stress in life.
What is the difference between health and hygiene?
Whereas health refers to the general well-being, hygiene can be defined as behaviour and routine that aid in achieving and maintaining the same.
What is the concept of mental hygiene?
The actions and procedures undertaken to preserve mental health, prevent psychological disorders, and advance the potential in an individual to work with his or her full mental capacity.
