Symptoms And Treatment Of Health

In 1946 the World Health Organisation (WHO) defined health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. This definition integrates the main concepts of health and identifies that health can be viewed differently by individuals and groups (Bowden, 2006). Health and well-being are the result of a combination of physical, social, intellectual and emotional factors (Dunkley, 2000a).

Health is not limited to a physical illness that can be cured or alleviated but must encompass the entire individual. It includes spiritual, emotional, social, mental and physical aspects of the individual. All of these areas must be assessed and evaluated when caring or a patient and their families (Chitty, 2007, p. 303).

There are a lot of different definitions of health and ill health all of which are socially constructed; meaning that social issues usually influence a new theory or alter an old definition of health. In this section I will be analysing different definitions of health and ill health.

The definition of health is the state of being free from illness and injury, it can also be used to explain a person’s mental or physical condition.

But over the past few decades, the definititon and concept of health has evolved to encompass more elements than just the physical well-being of a person. This is partly attributed to various researches and studies that have taken place around the world in the last 60 years. Already in 1948, the World Health Organization declared that health is “a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not

This continued until the late 1800’s and early 1900’s until many types of sickness became quickly curable with antibiotics or surgery. Now, in recent times and current events, when people hear or think of the word sick, their mind may go to cancer or influenza, two of the most common illnesses in our country. However, the definition includes more than that. The loose definition is “affected by physical or mental illness.” Our generation is used to almost all sickness being treated by going to a doctor or to the hospital. Mental illness is much different. Many mental illnesses can not be cured, unlike physical ailments. Individuals with a disease of the mind may choose to take medication, but the problem could still remain. For example, teenagers and young adults can be especially prone to developing mental illnesses such as depression or anxiety due to extreme stress from family and school. Living in the United States, we are also at high risk for heart disease, obesity, and diabetes. Our country has advanced medical treatment, technology, and education, and we have many citizens in need of this treatment. Like beauty, the meaning of the word sick has not changed much, but it has evolved to be a larger issue in our

Under the medical model, health is defined as a complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being, and not just the absence of disease or infirmity.

By looking at what different people say about health, it is clear that each one look at it differently. Therefore, there are many ways to define health. When we look at health, all physical, intellectual, emotional and social aspects should be considered because they all affect our health equally. Health can be defined in many ways, positively, negatively and holistically. It depends on how the individuals look at their health and how concerned they are about it. Our state of healthiness will depend on many things such as where do we live, what job do we do, what do we eat, who are our friends and everything else related to our lifestyle. Our choice about our lifestyle can make a difference to our health. If we are interested enough in ourselves, we can improve our own health. Some people think, that it depends only on the health care we obtain; however, it doesn't only depend on this. It is connected to our lifestyle as well.

With there being such a plethora of cultures in the world, there are so many different beliefs and practices involving health and wellness, that almost everyone has a different definition of health, and different views on disease and illness in general. My definition of health involves many different aspects, but most importantly living a healthy lifestyle overall; being free from illness, and doing everything possible to stay that way. Eating a well-balanced diet, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of sleep along with protecting your

In modern society there is a general consensus that ‘good health’ is something that everyone wants to experience and that each individual knows what this involves. Because there are so many different definitions of health and ill health it can become a very complicated concept. Walsh (2011) states that “In sociological terms ‘health’ and ‘illness’ are contested concepts. This means that the general meaning of these words should not be taken for granted.

For example if you look at a 5ft 4 woman at 10 stone could been classed as having a healthy weight however if you have a 6foot male weighing 10 stone this would be classed as an unhealthy weight. This can apply to the individual who says they feel unwell could be that they have a few aches and pains however a terminally ill patient could state that they feel well as they may not be aching or in pain at that moment, when in fact they are still dying. “Illness is a disease or period of sickness affecting the body or mind” (Oxford dictionaries, 2015) Some individual’s may not be aware that they are unwell, so in this aspect, illness could be subjective. This could be an undiagnosed cancer patient that is currently not suffering from any of the side effects from the illness, yet they would be classed as being unhealthy as in fact they have cancer.

Health means to me a person's physical, mental/emotional and social well being. At the beginning of the summer health meant to me a person who is not ill or injured. What has changed from the my definition at the beginning of the summer to now is that I have taken into account more than the physical factor of someone's health. Mental/emotional health and social health are also key factors. All these factors make up a person’s wellness and that is the overlying thing that is important.

Many people know what it feels like to be sick, but do they know what an illness is? Do they realize the deeper meaning? Illness is a frequently used word that by dictionary definition means, “A disease or period of sickness affecting the body or mind.” This definition may be accurate, but people suffering from illnesses know there is so much more to it. It is like an emotional roller coaster providing several challenges that must be fought through and unfortunately, some people’s journeys do not have as happy endings as others.

Illness is a process in which the functioning of a person is diminished when compared with the person’s previous condition. The ability to interact successfully with people and within the environment.

Health can be described as one of the most important things that you need in your life to able to lead a happy life even more so than money. You could be poor, but still be happy because you have your health, but what exactly is health? Most people would say that health is about being a healthy weight, not having a disease but , health is something much more deeper than those simple definitions. Health is about homeostasis, specifically in three important areas. To have good health, you have to be balanced in physical, mentally and social well-being.