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I think that in our search for a definintion of mental health we are ignoring something critical. A great number of us assume that the individual in question KNOWS what their life goal is and better yet, has a more complete understanding than anyone else out there (doctor, friend, family).

The 'ideal' of health is by nature an aspiration and many people live their lives aspirationally. We live trying to be the best in a highly competitive society and competition would not function without the notion of some 'ideal'. It may take an individual years, if ever, for them to really listen to what they want and then to take charge of that feeling and channel it into a way of life. What I'm trying to say is that asking someone to listen to their storyteller may be easier said than done and constructing a mental health system based on this notion overlooks the complex way that people understand themselves. So yes, from a perspective of a mental health professional it would be ideal to judge each case from a unique perspective with the interests of the patient as the number 1 priority. What happens though, when the interests of the patient are conflicting and unsure? When even they do not understand what it is they want.

I just want to argue against putting too much pressure on any one individual or groups of individuals. That the dichotomous relationship between patient and doctor, individual desire and societal desires, should be challenged because putting too much trust in one negates the presence and possible benefit of the other.  I don't believe notions of mental health can be entirely individualised because, as we have discussed previously, nobody lives in complete isolation. We are constantly interacting with eachother. Yet, as we have also discussed indepth, society can damage the ways in which we relate to ourselves and to others and social norms can prevent individuals from living in the best possible way for themselves. So each relationship between doctor and patient may have to be unique, but I do not believe that a person, by benefit of being the one in control of his/her life, necessarily has the ability to understand themselves better than someone on the outside.