Mentally healthy acquaintances

[krebscout]

As far as you can tell, who is the most mentally healthy person you personally know?

[Portia]

My little sister. (My brother is smarter.)

[Emiliana]

My college roommate/best friend.

[Whistler]

Probably my mentor psychologist in my undergrad years. Or my RS president.

[NerdGirl]

Probably my dad.

[bobtheenchantedone]

...

How are you defining "mentally healthy"? The person I know who I consider the most mentally healthy is also the one who struggles the most with depression. I also know several people who don't have any diagnosable mental issues (depression and the like) but who have very messed up ways of thinking nonetheless.

[Imogen]

my oldest brother

[NerdGirl]

...

How are you defining "mentally healthy"? The person I know who I consider the most mentally healthy is also the one who struggles the most with depression. I also know several people who don't have any diagnosable mental issues (depression and the like) but who have very messed up ways of thinking nonetheless.

I don't think having a mental illness excludes someone from being the most mentally healthy. I would define it as someone who is aware of their mental health and actively does things to try to maintain and improve it. To make an analogy with physical health, you could know someone who was in their 80s and has had cancer and arthritis and diabetes and a previous heart attack, but they eat a really healthy diet and sleep 8 hours a night and take the right medications to manage their health conditions and do all kinds of exercise and run marathons. They might be the healthiest person you know, even though they have health problems, because they are managing them and trying to improve their health. I would say that person is healthier than a 20 year old who doesn't have any health problems (yet) and is a normal weight and has normal blood pressure and all of those things, but who only eats junk food and never exercises and stays up all night surfing the internet instead of sleeping. That's how I think about it, anyway.

[Zedability]

a 20 year old who doesn't have any health problems (yet) and is a normal weight and has normal blood pressure and all of those things, but who only eats junk food and never exercises and stays up all night surfing the internet instead of sleeping.

That's me! Also, that's probably a pretty decent analogy for how I approach my mental health sometimes...