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Since becoming active in the mental health care industry, I have spent a lot of time helping others to deal with both their thoughts and actions. And it is clear to me that the popular definitions of "mental health" (reflected somewhat in the postings here) are based almost exclusively on what I would not consider to be "mental" activities at all, but rather behaviors. Almost every DSM-IV diagnosis is based primarily on behaviors: duration, number, frequency, intensity, as opposed to thoughts, feelings, etc. So I wonder if when we say "mental health" what we're really saying is "behavioral health," and is it possible that they can exist independently from one another? Case in point: the "recovered" alcoholic who hasn't had a drink in 10 years but still craves it when he feels stressed or sad. Or any person (myself included) who has had violent fantasies in moments of anger that they have not acted upon. Behaviorally healthy, mentally unhealthy? What about a highly functioning sex addict who engages in risky liasons but doesn't think she has a problem? Behaviorally unhealthy, mentally healthy? Is behavior a true gauge of mental health? Or is it just the only one we really care about?

Hope to make it for the discussion tomorrow night.

Hmmm.
Sarah