What is Well-Being?

Health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is ‘a state of total physical, emotional and social well being and not the absence of illness and infirmity.’ There are various definitions used over the years for various purposes. One common definition in the United States is being healthy, which is often used to distinguish people who may be sick, but remain alive and well and those who may have sickness but are dead. There is some controversy over what the word healthy means, with some people claiming it to mean having a perfect body. Some other people believe that a life of joy and happiness is what health is all about.

Mental health, on the other hand, is also called ‘well-being’; it has everything to do with your physical health but is often less defined and talked about. It is considered to have much to do with your level of coping with stress and your ability to learn new things as well as control anxiety and other negative emotions. People who suffer from mental illness or mental health problems often have very poor self-esteem and coping skills and have difficulty functioning normally within their relationships. In terms of drug use, both physically and mentally ill people use drugs to mask symptoms of their conditions, which worsens the condition even further.

Health and well-being have a lot to do with preventing heart disease, preventing strokes, preventing diabetes and various other health concerns. In the United States, a very low rate of physical activity is recorded among the population. Although there are many medical reasons why more people don’t participate in physical activity, social pressures and lack of interest in physical activity are commonly cited as leading factors. In order to promote good health and well-being, it is important to choose activities that are fun, interesting and will help you burn calories and live a better life.