Simone Biles’ surprising decision to withdraw from all but one event at the Tokyo Olympics shined a bright spotlight on mental health. The heightened media attention has caused a muddying of the waters, particularly in regards to the language that has been utilized. The same term – mental health – has been applied to a wide variety of situations. While not necessarily wrong, using the same catchall phrase to describe different conditions sows confusion. Further complicating the matter, the field of psychology has long operated from a treatment paradigm instead of a wellness perspective. Consequently, it identifies and defines dysfunction well, but it’s not nearly as adept at describing the positive end of the spectrum.
Read on as I provide some clarity to mental health.