The Cognitive Dimension of Health

The cognitive dimension, better known as mental health, is the state of wellness and well-being in which we are aware of our own abilities, are capable of dealing with the normal everyday stress of life, and allows us to be productive in order to make a positive contribution to our communities. But most importantly, it is a state that allows us to enjoy life fully.

As of today, about 792 million people live with a mental health disorder. These include depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and others. About 3.8% of the world´s population is currently living with depression. With the world´s population today being 7.9 billion people, that would make it around 300 million people that struggle with depression as of this date.

If we take that amount of people and make some magnitude comparisons, we can start to picture the size of the issue. For this purpose, take a look at the population size of several countries: The current population of Europe is 748 million, that of the United States is about 329 million. The population of the United Kingdom is around 67 million, and the population of Mexico comes close to 129 million.

Let us take a moment to reflect the magnitude of the issue, and on the importance of mental health. Whether it be in regards to productiveness, the positive well-being of our communities, or the capacity to think clearly, interact positively with each other, earn the resources necessary for life; but most importantly, be able to enjoy life to the fullest.

This post is has been a short introduction to the cognitive dimension of health. In the near future, and on the weeks corresponding to the cognitive sphere, we will be diving into specific topics within this realm. In the following posts, you will find examples and useful habits that can be adopted in order to boost our mental health.

Regards,

Jorge Aguilar Cevallos, MD