mental health. Scientific-practical conference “Mental health of a person and society. Actual interdisciplinary problems

mental health

We all know what health is – this concept is most capaciously reflected by the phrase “absence of disease”. You can call a healthy person who does not have any disorders in the functioning of organs and systems, diseases, however, in relation to mental health, it loses its meaning, because this definition is not limited to the absence of pathology.

Mental health is a state of psychological and social well-being in which a person realizes his potential, effectively resists life's difficulties and stress, carries out productive conscious activities and contributes to the development of society.

First of all, this is realized due to the stable, adequate functioning of the psyche, as well as the main mental cognitive processes: memory, attention, thinking. There are no clear norms for the concept of mental health, since each of the components can be interpreted subjectively.

Undoubtedly, there is an approved list of mental illnesses, but, as mentioned earlier, their absence does not guarantee full health, and therefore one is interpreted ambiguously. Despite this, there are certain determinants - social, psychological factors, the presence of which allows us to assert good health.

The functional state of the psyche is determined by such aspects as:

1. Mental performance. Cognitive processes at a high level are an indicator of health.

2. The desire for the implementation of conscious activity. Education, professional, creative activity, self-realization in a different capacity are evidence of the presence of interests, motivation.

There are several opinions about what may indicate mental health and what its components are mandatory. Most researchers have recognized the following features.

What characterizes mental health?

1. The ability to build relationships with others. These relationships are mostly positive, trusting (with a narrow circle of people). The same category includes the ability to love - to accept a person as he is, to avoid idealization and unreasonable claims, to effectively resolve conflict situations, the ability not only to take, but also to give. This applies not only to marital relations, but also to parent-child relationships.

An important point is the health of the relationship itself: it should not be threatening, violent, disturbing, destructive. healthy relationships bring only productivity. This also includes "environmental friendliness" - the ability of a person to choose for himself a mostly comfortable environment.

2. Desire and ability to work. It's not only professional activity but also creativity, contribution to society. Creating something that is valuable for the individual, his family, society is important for a mentally healthy person.

3. The ability to "play." Game is a rather broad concept in relation to an adult, so it is important to clarify what it includes:

3.1. free use of metaphors, parables, humor - playing with symbols;

3.2. dance, singing, sports, some other types of creativity - to be not an outside observer, but an active player.

4. Autonomy. A healthy person does not do what he does not want to. He independently makes a choice and bears responsibility for it, does not suffer from addiction, does not try to compensate for the lack of control over one of the spheres of life by hypercontrol in another.

5. Understanding ethical standards. First of all, a healthy person is aware of the meaning and the need to follow them, but is flexible in this regard - in certain circumstances, he can afford to change the line of behavior (within reason).

6. Emotional stability. It is expressed in the ability to endure the intensity of emotions - to feel them, not allowing them to control oneself. In all circumstances, be in contact with the mind.

7. Flexibility of application of protective mechanisms. Each person is faced with adverse life circumstances, and, being the bearer of such a delicate construct as the psyche, uses the means of its protection. A healthy person chooses effective methods and in different situations makes a choice in favor of the most suitable one.

8. Awareness, or, in other words, mentalization. A mentally healthy person sees the difference between true feelings and other people's imposed attitudes, is able to analyze his reactions to the words of another, understands that the other person is a separate person with his own characteristics and differences.

9. Ability to reflect. Turn to yourself in time, analyze the reasons for certain events in your own life, understand how to proceed and what it will entail - these skills also distinguish a healthy person.

10. Adequate self-esteem. One of the components of mental health is a realistic self-assessment, self-perception of oneself according to actual character traits and characteristics, attitude towards oneself with warmth, a real understanding of the weak and strengths character.

As a rule, the absence of one or two points is a rare case, since this leads to the destruction of the entire “construction”. So, inadequate self-esteem provokes overestimated or underestimated expectations, interferes with building harmonious relationships with others, and effectively reflecting. Emotional instability does not allow to show awareness in a given situation, to control oneself, and also affects the ability to work.

In fact, the presence of all items is quite rare and only in a certain environment, this does not mean at all that people are basically mentally ill. With regard to the psyche, the “health-deviation (trend)-borderline-disease” scheme is more applicable, so many “omissions” are formed at the stage of a tendency to certain disorders, and the disease itself is still far away. However, the psyche is a rather unstable construct, and even in the absence of disturbances during life, it is high risk development of negative tendencies, therefore it is very important to pay enough attention to mental health.

How to improve mental health?

1. Nutrition- the basis of physical health, which, as we found out, has an impact on the psyche. Excess amount foods, foods containing a large number of sugar, fat, as well as provoking hormonal imbalance in the body can quite noticeably affect the mental state. There are a number of diseases that provoke emotional instability - pathologies thyroid gland and the exchange of her hormones, reproductive diseases, heart disease, etc., and in this case it is very difficult to remain calm and analyze one's own thoughts and behavior.

2. Physical activity. It not only forms the above-described ability to "play", but also has a positive effect on health. Full-fledged sports allow you to saturate the body, and, importantly, the brain with oxygen, cause the release of “happiness” hormones, tune in the right way and eliminate the depressed state.

3. The desire to understand yourself. This is an important component, which forms several processes:

3.1. accepting your strengths and weaknesses- an open recognition to oneself of what one likes and dislikes;

3.2. learning to control your emotions - for this it is important to understand the cause of their occurrence;

3.3. revealing hidden talents and potential for solving certain problems - for this it is important to start trying yourself in several areas of activity, to do what is interesting.

4. Overcoming addictions. First of all, explicit physical ones - smoking, alcohol abuse, even in some cases unnecessary "automatisms" - all this has no place in the life of a healthy person. Here you need to act very carefully, possibly with the help of a specialist, especially if the addiction has become stable and pronounced.

Psychological dependencies are more complex connections, therefore, they also require the intervention of a specialist. As a rule, they are represented by painful relationships with another person.

5. Stress resistance. Stress management is part of learning to control yourself and emotional manifestations, but it is separated into a separate category because it also includes training in relaxation techniques. What is the use if a person understands what events caused certain emotions in him, if he cannot do anything with these events? It is only in his power to effectively resist adverse factors, and this is the key to success.

6. Change the way you think. Performing each of the points, a person, without noticing it, is already starting this process. However, changing your mindset from negative to positive is a comprehensive process that requires daily effort. Important:

6.1. protect yourself as much as possible from negative information- stop watching sentimental programs, communicate with negative people, etc.;

6.2. search positive sides in the surrounding circumstances;

6.3. stop criticizing everything from neighbors and bosses to the government;

6.4. do not give in to despondency, no matter how difficult the circumstances are;

6.5. do not compare yourself with anyone else - except perhaps with yourself yesterday and today;

6.6. positively perceive life in all its manifestations.

It should be remembered that positive thinking is based not so much on the events of the world as on the reaction to them, and we have the power to change it.

The article was prepared by psychologist Poltoranina Margarita Vladimirovna

Preservation, strengthening and prevention of mental health is of great importance for a healthy lifestyle. Psycho-emotional state is one of the determining factors of our health, which is manifested in the ability to control emotions, think positively, maintain a balance between spiritual and physical development.

In this lesson, we will introduce you to the basics of mental and psychological health, consider the characteristics of the psyche of children and adolescents, and also offer several useful advice to maintain mental balance and stress resistance training.

What is mental health

The World Health Organization defines mental health (spiritual or mental, sometimes mental health, from the English mental health) as follows:

This is a state of well-being in which a person is able to realize his own potential, to cope with ordinary life stresses, to work productively and fruitfully, and to contribute to the life of their community.

This term is quite broad, therefore, several criteria are usually distinguished to determine mental health:

• awareness of the continuity, constancy and identity of one's physical and mental "I";
• a sense of constancy and identity of experiences in situations of the same type;
• criticality to oneself and one's own mental production (activity) and its results;
• compliance of mental reactions (adequacy) with the strength and frequency of environmental influences, social circumstances and situations;
• the ability to self-govern behavior in accordance with social norms, rules, laws;
• the ability to plan one's own life and implement these plans;
• the ability to change the way of behavior depending on the change in life situations and circumstances.

AT Everyday life these criteria are manifested in the degree of integration of the individual into society, the harmony of their assistance, balance, spirituality, the inclusion in the system of life values ​​of following the principles of kindness and justice, the desire for self-development. In other words, mentally healthy person adequately assesses reality, shows interest in the world around him, coordinates his behavior and reaction to what is happening with environmental conditions, is capable of introspection and reflection.

In the case when these qualities are not characteristic of a person, one can judge about mental ill health. It manifests itself in the disorientation of the individual, avoiding responsibility, dependence on bad habits, passivity, increased anxiety, loss of self-confidence, hostility towards others.

But mental health cannot be approached only formally, because quite often adherence to certain behavioral norms can be determined by a set of factors on the basis of which it is inappropriate to judge mental disorders. Among them - socio-cultural characteristics, customs, traditions and foundations of different societies, features of professional activity.

Mental and psychological health

Distinguish between mental and psychological health. The most generalized about the mental health of a person can be said as a set of mental attitudes that allow you to adequately respond and adapt to the conditions of the environment. This is the correspondence of subjective ideas to objective reality, an adequate perception of oneself, the ability to think critically, and much more. Despite the frequent use of the term "mental health" as a synonym for mental health, there are differences between them. Psychological health in its definition is a broader concept, it characterizes the personality as a whole, takes into account the characteristics of volitional, motivational, cognitive, emotional activity.

Why is it important to pay attention to your mental health?

Many, for sure, have heard the catchphrase that has become a catchphrase: "All diseases are from nerves." When a person has a flu or a cold, he takes pills, medicines, undergoes a course of treatment. However, in a state of stress, feelings of anxiety, he does nothing. Business coaches and practicing psychologists note that if company employees working on a busy schedule in constant stress take courses to strengthen stress resistance and get rid of anxiety from time to time, their productivity increases significantly. This has a positive effect not only on work, but also on relations at all levels within the team, and contributes to a healthy atmosphere in the company.

It is known that when people receive appropriate mental health care, they do not often seek medical care generally. For example, in the United States, surveillance of people suffering from anxiety disorders, showed that people who received the help of a psychiatrist began to spend 35% less money on treatment for various diseases than those who did not turn to specialists. There is other evidence that people with unresolved mental health problems visit doctors twice as often as those who receive mental health care.

Excessive anxiety and stress can contribute to the development of certain heart diseases, weaken the strength immune system. Psychological problems also increase the likelihood of incorrect behavioral choices, which manifests itself in addiction to smoking and drugs, alcohol abuse. According to unofficial estimates, even in the United States, a country with developed psychiatry, about one in four adults suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder.

To sum up, or why mental health is important:

1. There is a close relationship between the psyche and the physical state of a person. Feelings of anxiety, constant stress and worries can lead to poor health (sleep disturbance, weakening of the immune system).
2. Narcologist, psychiatrist, MD D. Sack notes that people who care about mental health, as a rule, achieve greater success in their careers and earn more.
3. Mental health is very important in terms of communication, especially in the family. It allows you to maintain a healthy atmosphere among loved ones, to properly educate children, giving them the necessary care and a psychological model to follow.
4. Mentally healthy people are less likely to be influenced by negative social factors and less likely to commit illegal acts.
5. In 2012 in " british medical journal» published the results of a study according to which the average life expectancy of mentally healthy people is higher than that of people with disorders. Moreover, the risk of dying from diseases of cardio-vascular system 94% higher in those who are prone to persistent depression and anxiety and cannot cope with them.

Thus, when a person is free from depression, anxiety, excessive stress and anxiety, as well as bad habits, he is able to live fully, fully realized and enjoy.

Prevention and resilience

The pace of modern life and the conditions in many areas of employment are such that a person is constantly exposed to stress. If you do not know how to cope with them and neutralize their negative impact, the likelihood of depression, feelings of anxiety and anxiety increases. And they, in turn, are fraught with more serious mental disorders. But how do you determine your mental health status? Unlike Western countries, visits to psychiatrists and psychologists are not so common in our country, and people do not always have the opportunity to visit expensive specialists. To determine the exposure to negative influences and the ability to cope with them, you can use a set of some important symptoms. If you are constantly irritated, anxious and sleep poorly, constantly feeling dissatisfied or angry, dependent on sudden mood swings, this may indicate a stressful condition and its negative impact on your body. The first thing to do in such a situation is to seek the advice of a specialist doctor. You should also familiarize yourself with some recommendations that contribute to maintaining mental health and balance.

Most of us are familiar with the word resilience from lists. necessary qualities from job advertisements. This requirement implies the ability in stressful situations to concentrate and endure significant intellectual, volitional and emotional stress without harm to oneself and one's activities. We propose to look at this skill in a little more detail in order to determine the aspects necessary for the development of such important quality. Let us turn to popular methods illustrating this problem.

Dale Carnegie, a renowned writer, psychologist, and educator, in his book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, offers readers the following tips:

1. Your concern should only be directed to the present, as we cannot accurately predict the future or change the past.
2. “Be busy. A person suffering from anxiety must completely forget himself in work, otherwise he will dry up with despair.
3. “Do not allow yourself to be upset over trifles that should be despised and forgotten. Remember that "life is too short to waste it on trifles."
4. “Learn the facts. Ask yourself, "What are the chances, according to the law of large numbers, that the event I'm worried about will ever happen?"
5. "Consider the inevitable."
6. “Let the past bury its dead. Don't cut sawdust."

Here are some modern ways to prevent mental health and reduce stress:

Method 1

1. Determine the nature of your stress: find the root causes. Try to look at the problem globally. If you do not have enough money, then it is most likely not a small salary, but a job that you do not like. Take time to be alone with yourself and write down everything that worries you in a notebook.

2. Make a plan to reduce the impact of stress on your life. This is necessary to make the fight against stress methodical. Include mandatory rest in your daily routine. Once you identify the sources of stress, try to spend less time on them. For example, if interacting with certain people causes stress, keep it to a minimum. Don't overload your schedule with work. Find time for hobbies, socializing with family and friends. Recognize that you can't control everything. There will always be stressful elements around you in life, but their impact can be minimized. By eliminating the causes of stress that depend on you, you can learn to overcome external negative elements.

3. Share your problems with other people. It can be relatives, friends or work colleagues. This way you don't have to deal with your stress alone, and an outside perspective will help you find an effective solution to the problem.

Method 2

1. Eliminate stress, solve anxiety situations immediately. Do not hold grudges against friends and loved ones - immediately openly discuss with them all the controversial points. In the same way, immediately resolve work conflicts and quarrels. If uncertain events and scenarios cause stress, think through them in detail and make a decision as quickly as possible.

2. Avoid socializing with people who cause you stress. If you are dating a person who only hurts and hurts you, it's time to break off such a relationship. If relationships with work colleagues cause stress, keep communication with them to a minimum. In general, spend less time contacting negative people and find friends among positive personalities. They can make your life happier.

3. Minimize the manifestation of stressful situations. If you feel uncomfortable in crowded clubs, you should not go there with friends just for the company. If the commute to work is annoying, listen to light music on the way. Do not rush, give yourself enough time to prepare important events (weddings, vacations).

4. Learn to manage stress. In conflict situations, always think before you speak. Remember that other people are also affected by various negative factors, be kinder and more forgiving. It is better to be happy than right, so you need to be able to remain silent at a certain moment and refuse to criticize.

Method 3

1. Get physically active. This will help you be healthier and take control of your life. Swimming relaxes the mind, yoga teaches you to keep your mind under control, team sports promote communication and mutual understanding, hiking trips bring together, temper the spirit, help to be closer to nature.

2. Meditate. Set aside 20 minutes a day for meditation. Relax completely at this time, concentrate on inhaling, clear your mind of restless, negative thoughts.

3. Get a massage. It's great for relaxing after a busy day. You can stretch your neck and shoulders yourself, or you can ask a family member to massage or go to a session with a specialist.

4. Eat right. Meals should be balanced. It is important to receive enough breakfast energy. It is worth avoiding excessive consumption of caffeine, alcohol, if possible, it is better to completely abandon bad habits.

5. Follow a sleep schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Most people need at least 7 hours of sleep a day. Don't watch TV before bed, read a good book instead.

If you feel that you are not able to use these tips and cope with the problems in your life on your own, be sure to seek professional help. This will help you avoid the possible negative effects of stress.

Coping strategy test

Stress is most often viewed by many people from a negative side. But you must understand that stress is natural reaction organism, which helps him in short period time to mobilize all forces (this is connected precisely with the first two stages).

Stress is sometimes considered beneficial. For example, you have probably heard that a person develops when he leaves his comfort zone. This is kind of stressful condition. And existentialists believe that a person reveals himself precisely in borderline situations. We came across this in the search for an answer to the question about the meaning of life in Lesson 6 of our course.

Despite all beneficial features stress, it is very important to be able not to move from the second stage of resistance to the stage of exhaustion. To do this, there are various ways to resist stress, which in psychotherapy are called coping strategies (from the English "cope" - to cope, endure, cope).

Coping strategy is an adaptive form of behavior that maintains psychological balance in problem situation, these are ways, produced consciously and aimed at coping with stressful situations.

To get acquainted with the types of coping strategies, we suggest you take a short test. To do this, click "Next".

This test was created on the basis of the methodological development of scientists R. Lazarus (R. Lazarus) and S. Folkman (S. Folkman) in 1980 - the Ways of Coping Checklist (WCC) questionnaire. The test is designed to identify ways to overcome difficulties in various fields: difficulties in work, difficulties in learning, difficulties in communication, difficulties in love, etc. Within the framework of this concept, overcoming difficulties is possible with the help of 8 strategies (styles of behavior), which you will learn about after the test.

To correctly interpret the answers, you should follow several rules during the test:

• For the described statements, rate how often these behaviors in difficult life situations manifest themselves in you.
• Answer as honestly as possible, only what is true for you, do not try to impress others.
• Test data will be recorded after you answer the last question and see confirmation of the end of the test. If you finish the test before the last question and close the page, no data will be saved.
• The test can be taken any number of times, but remember that only the last one is saved. If you have already taken this test, a sign will be displayed in the left menu.

Mental health of children and adolescents

The psyche of children and adolescents is unstable and in its infancy, so it is very important to try to protect their vulnerable mental health from negative impacts. The transition from late childhood to adolescence is accompanied by emotional ups and downs due to hormonal changes. child's body. Many adolescents are unable to cope with this condition on their own, so they need the help of adults.

School psychologists lead educational activities in this direction. Their work includes the prevention of deviant behavior, the preservation, strengthening and development of the psychological health of students through the acquisition of specific knowledge and skills. However, much also depends on the degree of involvement of parents in the process of education, motivation, formation psycho-emotional state child. They should understand that teen depression is not only manifested in bad mood, but sometimes it can lead to serious problems: drug addiction and alcoholism, hatred of oneself and the world around, early pregnancy, violence and even suicide.

It is important to identify mental problems in children in time and protect them from undesirable consequences through participation, advice, and, if necessary, seeking qualified help. The following symptoms may indicate the presence of such problems in a teenager: sadness, hopelessness, irritability, anger, hostility, tearfulness, loss of friends, interest in activities, changes in sleep and eating patterns, anxiety, agitation, feelings of worthlessness and guilt, lack of enthusiasm and motivation , fatigue or lack of energy, difficulty concentrating. The presence of these symptoms does not give 100% evidence of a mental illness. The best way prevent undesirable consequences - constantly monitor the adolescent and record the manifestations of symptoms, as well as compare his actions with the behavior of peers. The line between “diseases of age” and a mental disorder is often not obvious to unprepared parents, therefore, only by paying due attention to children and participating in their lives, one can reveal susceptibility to depression.

Many of the difficulties of adolescence can and should be learned to cope by following some expert advice:

1. Always take an interest in your child's activities. Be for him not a mentor, but a friend who does not force him to do something, but advises how best to do it.
2. Encourage physical activity, while taking into account the interests of the teenager. Both visits to the sports section, and walks on a bicycle or with a dog in the park will be useful.
3. Promote the social activity of a teenager. See if your child spends enough time interacting with friends and peers “live” rather than through social networks whether he is engaged in extracurricular work, participates in olympiads or competitions. Computer games and aimless Internet surfing should be kept to a minimum.
4. From an early age, children should be instilled with a desire for a healthy lifestyle, showing a negative attitude towards bad habits(smoking, alcohol, drugs), best by example.

The issue of the mental health of children and adolescents depends on many factors: upbringing, environment, the scope of the child's activities. By consciously controlling these elements of adolescence, responsible parents can effectively promote normal psychological development their children.

positive thinking

Any situation in life can be regarded differently: someone is critical of everything and notices flaws even in the most pleasant event, while someone, on the contrary, tries to color what is happening in cheerful colors and finds positive in the most difficult situation. The ability to easily and humorously experience all the problems that arise will help you maintain your mental health, protect you from the negative effects of stress and anxiety. You will learn to search positive points in any situation, treat what happened as a life lesson, and not as a mistake or bad luck, gain experience and new opportunities from what is happening, and not lose heart and become depressed when obstacles and difficulties arise.

An excellent example of a positive thinker is the famous philosopher Socrates, who treated any situation with humor. It is known that his wife Xanthippe was a terribly quarrelsome woman and once, in a fit of anger, splashed hot water in Socrates' face, after which he left a scar. Later, one of the philosopher's students, knowing about the problems in the sage's personal life, asked him a question about whether to get married. The scientist, without thinking for a minute, answered unambiguously: “It is worth it. If you are lucky, you will be happy, and if not, you will become a philosopher.”

1. Avoid negative influences. Learn to say "no" to things that you don't like and that make you uncomfortable. Surround yourself with positive people.
2. Look at things from different angles. Learn to draw useful experience from any situation and see bright moments in everything.
3. Smile more often. Remember that even smiling for no reason is sure to cheer you up.
4. Make time to do what pleases you, gives you pleasure. Walking, shopping, reading, watching a movie will help keep the mood in a positive way.
5. Find something that motivates you and lifts your spirits. For example, a good quote that you can print out and put in your wallet, or your favorite song, listening to which will make you more fun and easier to walk through life.
6. Set and reach them. Start small and gradually move on to bigger things. It will make your life interesting and meaningful.
7. Don't be afraid of failure. As F. D. Roosevelt said: “The only thing to be afraid of is fear itself.”
8. Do not give up. Perseverance certainly contributes to the achievement of positive results.

Of course, it is impossible to collect in one lesson all the principles and techniques for maintaining a healthy mental state of a person, so we advise you to pay attention to psychology, where you will find a lot of useful and interesting things.

Test your knowledge

If you want to test your knowledge on the topic of this lesson, you can take a short test consisting of several questions. Only 1 option can be correct for each question. After you select one of the options, the system automatically moves on to the next question. The points you receive are affected by the correctness of your answers and the time spent on passing. Please note that the questions are different each time, and the options are shuffled.

Moscow 2005

UDC 159.9 BBK 88.5 F91

Philosophy Series

Translation from German Compiled by A. Laktionov Serial design by A. Kudryavtsev

Signed for publication on 13.10.04. Format 84x1087 32 . Conv. oven l. 30.24. Circulation 5000 copies. Order No. 2988.

The book was prepared by the publishing house "Midgard" (St. Petersburg)

F91 Healthy society. Dogma about Christ: [per. from German] / E. Fromm. - M.: ACT: Transitbook, 2005. - 571, p. - (Philosophy).

ISBN 5-17-026540-9 (LLC Publishing House ACT)

ISBN 5-9678-1336-2 (Transitbook LLC)

The relationship between man and society has long attracted philosophers who sought to determine which of the elements of this binary opposition is primary. Is the individual antisocial by nature, as 3. Freud argued, or, on the contrary, is a person a social animal, as K. Marx believed? An attempt to reconcile these opposing points of view was made by the founder of "humanistic psychoanalysis" Erich Fromm. Society is infected with the depersonalization of the individual: Mass culture, mass art, mass politics are determined by the totality of all the conditions of life of modern industrial society. This disease can be cured only through the acquisition of positive freedom, freedom not in itself, not destructive, but "freedom for something", through the transition from the state of "to have" to the state of "to be". And only a society whose members have positive freedom can be called healthy.

UDC 159.9 BBK 88.5

© Compilation. A. Laktionov, 2005 © Design.

LLC "Publishing House ACT", 2005

FROM RELAXATION

NEGATIVE FREEDOM OF A PRISONER OF NATURE

The relationship between man and society has long attracted philosophers who sought to determine which of the elements of this binary opposition is primary and to explore the nature of the relationship between the individual and society. The culmination of the "social" approach to the analysis of these relationships was the theory of K. Marx, who proclaimed man a social animal. According to Marx, a person is a set of social relations, so the opposition of the individual to society is meaningless. The “biological” theory of 3. Freud, who believed that a person is endowed with fundamental antisociality, became a counterweight to the Marxist theory. Society is repressive; threatening sanctions, it suppresses the free expression of instincts, which, expressing the biological nature of man, are immoral from the point of view of society. An attempt to reconcile these opposing points of view on the relationship between man and society was made by the founder of "humanistic psychoanalysis" Erich Fromm.

Fromm saw Freud's mistake in the fact that Freud passed off a contemporary person as a person in general. There is no immutable human nature (namely, this is how Freud approached a person) does not exist. Of course, all people have common and constant needs: hunger, thirst, the need for sleep. But the aspirations and feelings built on top of them: love, hatred, the thirst for power, the craving for pleasure are products of the social process.

Marx, on the other hand, absolutized the social in a person and considered the mind to be decisive, and when approaching society and history, he underestimated psychological factors. Contrary to Marx, who believed that social life (being) determines social

consciousness, Fromm believed that between economic relations and human consciousness there is another element - social character. Its content is the psychological properties of a person, in which his abilities for critical thinking, for subtle experiences are realized and which are expressed in the desire for freedom and justice.

Widespread definitions of man: “man is a rational animal”, “man is a political animal”, of course, reflect certain aspects of human nature, but miss its essence. And the essence of a person is not a certain “thing” that is “hidden” behind phenomena, the essence of a person is determined by his existential situation. And this situation is unique: on the one hand, man is an animal and as such he is an inseparable part of nature, and on the other hand, man is a social being, that is, he is separated from nature by an impassable abyss. This duality of man is the essence of his existence. As Fromm wrote: “A person faces a terrible abyss of becoming a prisoner of nature, while remaining free inside his consciousness; it is predestined to be separated from it, to be neither there nor here. Human self-consciousness has made man a wanderer in this world, he is separated, alone, seized with fear.

This fear gives rise to irrational destructiveness in a person, a craving for destruction as a form of “escape from nature”. This "negative freedom" results in a global catastrophe of relations between people in society and between a person and society as a whole - in other words, in a crisis of society as an institution.

Marx, according to Fromm, was right in pointing out the crisis of human society, but mistakenly considered economic relations and private property to be the cause of the crisis. Society is infected with the depersonalization of the individual: mass culture, mass art, mass politics are conditioned by the totality of all the living conditions of modern industrial society. This disease can be cured only through the acquisition of positive freedom, freedom not in itself, not destructive, but "freedom for something", through the transition from the state of "to have" to the state of "to be". And only a society whose members have positive freedom can be called healthy.

Igor Feoktistov

HEALTHY SOCIETY

©T.V. Banketova, S.V. Karpushina, translation, 1992

ARE WE NORMAL?

There is no more commonplace thought than that we, the inhabitants of the Western world of the 20th century, are perfectly normal. Even with the fact that many of us suffer from more or less severe forms of mental illness, we have little doubt about our overall mental health. We are confident that by introducing better methods of mental hygiene, we can further improve the state of affairs in this area. When it comes to individual mental disorders, we consider them only as absolutely special cases, perhaps a little wondering why they are so common in a society that is considered quite healthy.

But can we be sure that we are not deceiving ourselves? It is known that many residents of psychiatric hospitals are convinced that everyone is mad, except for themselves. Many severe neurotics believe that their obsessions or hysterical fits are a normal reaction to not quite ordinary circumstances. Well, what about ourselves?

Let's look at the facts from a psychiatric point of view. In the last 100 years, we in the Western world have created more wealth than any other society in the history of mankind. And yet we have managed to destroy millions of people in wars. Along with smaller ones, there were major wars of 1870, 1914 and 1939. 1 Each participant in these wars firmly believed that he was fighting to defend himself and his honor. They looked upon their opponents as cruel, devoid of common sense enemies of the human race, who must be defeated in order to save the world from evil. But only a few years pass after the end of mutual extermination, and yesterday's enemies become friends, and recent friends - enemies, and we again, with all seriousness, begin to paint them in white or black colors, respectively. At the present time - in 1955 - we are ready for a new mass bloodshed; but if it happened, it would surpass any that have been accomplished by mankind so far. It was for this purpose that one of the greatest discoveries in the field of natural sciences was used. With a mixed sense of hope and fear, people look at the "statesmen" different peoples and are ready to praise them if they "manage to avoid war"; At the same time, they lose sight of the fact that wars have always arisen precisely through the fault of statesmen, but, as a rule, not through malicious intent, but as a result of their unreasonable and incorrect performance of their duties.

Nevertheless, during such outbursts of destructiveness and paranoid 2 suspicion, we behave in exactly the same way as the civilized part of humanity has done over the past three millennia. According to Victor Cherbulier, in the period from 1500 BC. e. to 1860 AD e. at least 8,000 peace treaties were signed, each of which was supposed to ensure a lasting peace: in fact, each of them lasted an average of only two years! 3

Our business activity is hardly more reassuring. We live in an economic system where too much harvest is often an economic disaster - and we limit productivity. Agriculture in order to "stabilize the market", even though millions of people are in dire need of the very products we are restricting. Now our economic system is functioning very successfully. But one reason for this is that we spend billions of dollars every year on arms production. With some anxiety, economists think about the time when we will stop producing weapons; the idea that, instead of producing weapons, the state should build houses and produce necessary and useful things, immediately entails the charge of encroaching on the freedom of private enterprise.

Over 90% of our population is literate. Radio, TV, movies and daily newspapers are available to everyone. However, instead of introducing us to the best literary and musical works past and present, the mass media, in addition to advertising, fill people's heads with the most low-grade nonsense, far from reality and replete with sadistic fantasies, with which the least cultured person would not even occasionally fill his leisure time. But while this massive corruption of people from young to old is going on, we continue to strictly ensure that nothing “immoral” gets on the screens. Any suggestion that the government fund the production of films and radio programs that educate and develop people would also be outraged and condemned in the name of freedom and ideals.

We have reduced the number of working hours by almost half compared to the times of a hundred years ago. Our ancestors did not dare to dream of such an amount of free time as we have today. And what? We don't know how to use this newly acquired free time: we try to kill him and rejoice when another day ends.

Is it worth it to continue the description of what is already well known to everyone? If a single person acted in this way, then, of course, serious doubts would arise - whether he is in his mind. If, nevertheless, he insisted that everything was all right and that he was acting quite reasonably, then the diagnosis would not raise any doubts.

However, many psychiatrists and psychologists refuse to admit that society as a whole can be mentally unhealthy. They believe that the problem of the mental health of society lies only in the number of "unadapted" individuals, and not in the possible "malfunction" of society itself. This book considers just the last version of the problem statement: not an individual pathology, but a pathology of normality, especially in modern Western society. But before embarking on a difficult discussion of the concept of social pathology, let's take a look at some very telling and suggestive evidence that allows us to judge the extent of the prevalence of individual pathology in Western culture.

How widespread is mental illness in various parts of the Western world? The most surprising thing is that there is no data at all to answer this question. While we have accurate comparative statistics on material resources, employment, births and deaths, we do not have relevant information about mental illness. At best, we have some information for a number of countries, such as the US and Sweden. But they only give an idea of ​​the number of patients in psychiatric hospitals and cannot help in determining the comparative frequency of mental disorders. In fact, these data point not so much to an increase in the number of mental illnesses, but to the expansion of the capacity of psychiatric hospitals and the improvement of medical care in them 4 . The fact that more than half of all hospital beds in the United States is occupied by patients with mental disorders, on which we spend over a billion dollars annually, may rather indicate not an increase in the number of mentally ill people, but only an increase in medical care. However, there are other figures that indicate with greater certainty the spread of rather severe cases of mental disorders. If during last war 17.7% of all recruits were found unfit for military service due to mental illness, then this certainly indicates a high degree of mental distress, even if we do not have similar indicators to compare with the past or with other countries.

The only comparable figures that can give us a rough idea of ​​the state of mental health are the data on suicides, murders and alcoholism. Suicide is without a doubt the most complex problem, and no single factor can be considered its sole cause. But, without even going into a discussion of this problem, I think it is quite reasonable to assume that high percent suicide in a given country reflects a lack of mental stability and mental health. This state of affairs is by no means due to poverty. This is strongly supported by all the data. The fewest suicides are committed in the poorest countries, at the same time, the growth of material well-being in Europe was accompanied by an increase in the number of suicides 5 . As for alcoholism, then it, without a doubt, indicates a mental and emotional imbalance.

Murder motives are perhaps less pathological than suicide motives. However, although in countries with a large number killings observed low level number of suicides, the sum of these indicators leads us to an interesting conclusion. If we classify both murders and suicides as "destructive actions", then from the tables given here we find that the total indicator of such actions is by no means a constant value, but fluctuates between the extreme values ​​- 35.76 and 4.24. This contradicts Freud's assumption about the relative constancy of the amount of destructiveness, on which his theory of the death instinct is based, and refutes the conclusion that follows from this that destructiveness remains at the same level, differing only in its orientation towards itself or the external world.

The tables below show the number of homicides and suicides, as well as the number of people suffering from alcoholism, in some of the most important countries in Europe and North America. In table. I, II and III are data for 1946.

A cursory glance at these tables reveals an interesting fact: the countries with the highest

Table I

Destructive actions

(per 100 thousand people adult population, %)

Table II

Destructive actions

Table III

Approximate number of alcoholics

(with or without complications)

suicide rates - Denmark, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden and the United States - also have the highest overall homicide and suicide rates, while other countries - Spain, Italy, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland - also have the lowest homicide rates, and the number of suicides.

Table data. III indicate that the countries with the most a high number suicides - the USA, Switzerland and Denmark - account for the highest rates for alcoholism, with the only difference being that, according to this table, the USA takes the 1st place, and France - the 2nd place, respectively, instead of the 5th and 6th th place in the number of suicides.

These figures are truly frightening and alarming. After all, even if we doubt that a high suicide rate in itself indicates a lack of mental health in the population, then the significant overlap in the data on suicide and alcoholism, apparently, shows that we are dealing here with signs of mental imbalance.

In addition, we see that in the countries of Europe - the most democratic, peaceful and prosperous, as well as in the United States - richest country of the world, the most severe symptoms mental deviations. The goal of all socio-economic development of the Western world is a materially secure life, a relatively equal distribution of wealth, a stable democracy and peace; and it is precisely in those countries that have come closest to this goal that the most severe symptoms mental imbalance! True, these figures do not prove anything by themselves, but they are at least staggering. And before going into a more detailed examination of the whole problem, these data lead us to the question: is there something fundamentally wrong in our way of life and in the goals to which we aspire?

Could it be that the well-to-do life of the middle class, while satisfying our material needs, causes us a feeling of unbearable boredom, and suicide and alcoholism are just painful attempts to get rid of it? Perhaps the given data is an impressive illustration of the truth of the words “man does not live by bread alone” and at the same time shows that modern civilization is not able to satisfy the deepest needs of man? And if so, what are those needs?

In the following chapters, we will try to answer this question and critically assess the influence of Western culture on the spiritual development and psyche of people living in Western countries. However, before discussing these problems in detail, we seem to need to consider the general problem of the pathology of normality, since it is this that is the starting point for the entire line of thought in this book.

CAN SOCIETY BE SICK?

PATHOLOGY OF NORMALITY 7

To argue that society as a whole may lack mental health is to start from a controversial assumption, contrary to the position of sociological relativism 8 shared by most representatives of the social scientists of our time. These scientists proceed from the fact that every society is normal insofar as it functions, and that pathology can only be defined as an individual's insufficient adaptation to the way of life of his society.

To speak of a "healthy society" means to be based on a premise different from sociological relativism. This only makes sense if we accept that a mentally unhealthy society is possible; this, in turn, presupposes the existence of universal criteria of mental health applicable to the human race as such, on the basis of which one can judge the state of health of any society. This position of normative humanism 9 is based on several main premises.

Man as a species can be defined not only in terms of anatomy and physiology;

representatives of this species are characterized by common mental properties, the laws governing their mental and emotional activity, as well as the desire for a satisfactory solution to the problems of human existence. However, our knowledge of a person is still so imperfect that we cannot yet strictly define a person in psychological terms. The task of the "science of man" is, finally, to compile an exact description of what is rightly called the nature of man. What was often called human nature turned out to be just one of its many manifestations (moreover, often pathological); moreover, as a rule, these erroneous definitions were used to protect this type of society, presenting it as an inevitable result, corresponding to the mental make-up of a person.

In contrast to this reactionary use of the concept of human nature, liberals since the 18th century. emphasized the variability of human nature and the decisive influence on it environment. Such a formulation of the question, for all its correctness and importance, prompted many representatives of the social sciences to assume that the mental make-up of a person is not determined by his own inherent properties, but is like a blank sheet of paper on which society and culture put their writings. This assumption is just as untenable and destructive to social progress as the opposite. The real problem is to establish from the many manifestations of human nature (both normal and pathological), as far as we can observe them in different individuals and in different cultures, to establish its basis, common to the whole human race. In addition, the task is to reveal the laws immanent in human nature, as well as the inalienable goals of its transformation and development.

This understanding of human nature differs from the generally accepted meaning of the term "human nature". Transforming the world around him, man at the same time changes himself in the course of history. He seems to be his own creation. But just as he can only transform and modify natural materials according to their nature, so he can only transform and change himself according to his own nature. The unfolding of potentialities and their transformation to the extent of one's abilities - this is what a person really accomplishes in the process of history. The point of view presented here cannot be considered either exclusively “biological” or only “sociological”, since these two aspects of the problem should be considered in an inseparable unity. It rather overcomes their dichotomy 11 by assuming that the basic passions and urges of man stem from the totality of human existence, that they can be identified and defined, some of them leading to health and happiness, others to illness and unhappiness. No social system creates these fundamental aspirations, but only determines which of the limited set of potential passions is to be manifested or prevailed. Whatever people appear in any given culture, they are always a vivid expression of human nature, but such an expression, the specificity of which, however, is its dependence on social laws the life of this society. Just as a child at birth has all the potential human capabilities that have to develop under favorable social and cultural conditions, so the human race develops in the course of history, becoming what it potentially is.

The normative humanist approach is based on the assumption that the problem of human existence, like any other, can be solved right and wrong, satisfactorily and unsatisfactorily. If a person reaches full maturity in his development in accordance with the properties and laws of human nature, then he acquires mental health. The failure of such development leads to mental illness. It follows from this premise that the measure of mental health is not individual fitness for a given social system, but a certain universal criterion valid for all people - a satisfactory solution to the problem of human existence.

Nothing is more misleading about the state of mind in a society than "unanimous approval" of accepted ideas. At the same time, it is naively believed that if the majority of people share certain ideas or feelings, then the validity of the latter is proved. Nothing is further from the truth than this assumption. Unanimous approval in itself has nothing to do with reason or mental health. Just as there is "folie a deux" 12 , there is also "folie a millions" 13 . Indeed, because millions of people are subject to the same vices, these vices do not turn into virtues; from the fact that many people share the same delusions, these delusions do not turn into truths, and from the fact that millions of people suffer from the same forms of mental pathology, these people do not recover.

There is, however, an important difference between individual and social mental illnesses, which implies a differentiation between the concepts of inferiority and neurosis. If a person fails to achieve freedom, spontaneity 14 , true self-expression, then he can be considered deeply flawed, as long as we admit that every human being objectively strives to achieve freedom and immediacy of expression of feelings. If the majority of the members of a given society do not achieve this goal, then we are dealing with a socially predetermined inferiority. And since it is inherent not to one individual, but to many, he does not realize it as an inferiority, he is not threatened by the feeling own difference from others, similar to rejection. His possible loss in the richness of life's impressions, in the genuine experience of happiness, is compensated by the security that he gains by adjusting himself to the rest of humanity, as far as he knows him. It is possible that this inferiority itself is elevated by the society in which he lives to the rank of virtue and therefore is able to strengthen his sense of confidence in the success achieved.

An example of this is the feeling of guilt and anxiety that the doctrine of Calvin aroused in people 15 . A person filled with a sense of his own powerlessness and insignificance, constantly tormented by doubts whether he will be saved or condemned to eternal torment, is hardly capable of genuine joy, and therefore can be considered deeply flawed. However, it was precisely this inferiority that was set by society: it was especially highly valued, since with its help the individual was protected from neurosis, inevitable in the framework of a different culture, in which the same inferiority would cause him a feeling of complete inconsistency with the surrounding world and isolation from it.

Spinoza 16 very clearly formulated the problem of socially given inferiority. He wrote: “Indeed, we see that sometimes one object acts on people in such a way that, although it does not exist in cash, they are sure that they have it in front of them, and when this happens to awake person, then we say that he is crazy or insane ... But when a miser thinks of nothing but gain and money, an ambitious man thinks of nothing but fame, etc., then we do not recognize them as crazy because they are usually painful to us and are considered worthy of hatred. In fact, stinginess, ambition, debauchery, etc., are types of madness, although they are not ranked among diseases.

These words were written several centuries ago; they are still true, although at present different kinds inferiority is predetermined by society to such an extent that they usually no longer cause irritation or contempt. Today we are confronted with a man who acts and feels like an automaton, he never has an experience that is really his own; he feels himself exactly as he thinks others think he is; his artificial smile replaced sincere laughter, and meaningless chatter took the place of verbal communication; he experiences a dull sense of hopelessness instead of actual pain. There are two things to note about this person. First, he suffers from a lack of spontaneity and individuality that may be irreparable. At the same time, he is not significantly different from millions of other people in the same position. For most of them, society provides behavioral models that enable them to maintain health, despite their handicap. It turns out that each society, as it were, offers its own remedy against the outbreak of obvious neurotic symptoms, which are a consequence of the inferiority generated by it.

Let us suppose that in Western civilization the cinema, radio, television, sporting events were canceled for just four weeks, newspapers were stopped. If in this way the main escape routes are blocked by flight, what will be the consequences for people left to their own devices? I have no doubt that even in such a short time, thousands of nervous disorders and many thousands more will find themselves in a state of intense anxiety, giving a picture similar to that which is clinically diagnosed as "neurosis" 18 . If, at the same time, we eliminate the means that make it possible to suppress the reaction to socially given inferiority, then we will face an obvious disease.

For a minority of people, the model of behavior offered by society turns out to be ineffective. This usually happens to those who are more susceptible to individual handicaps than the average person, with the result that the funds provided by the culture are insufficient to prevent an open outbreak of the disease. (Take, for example, a person whose life goal is to achieve power and glory. Although this goal in itself is clearly pathological, there is nevertheless a difference between one person making an effort to practically achieve what he wants, and another more seriously ill who remains in the grip of infantile claims, does nothing to fulfill his desire in anticipation of a miracle, and, experiencing more and more impotence as a result, comes in the end to a bitter sense of his own uselessness and disappointment.) But there are also such people who, by the structure their character, and consequently their conflicts, are different from most others, so that the means effective for the greater part of their brethren cannot help them. Among them, we sometimes meet people who are more honest and sensitive than others, who, precisely because of these properties, cannot accept the “soothing” means offered by culture, although at the same time they do not have enough strength or health to, in spite of everything, live peacefully in their own way. .

As a result of the considered difference between neurosis and socially determined inferiority, one may get the impression that it is only necessary for society to take measures against an outbreak of obvious symptoms how everything turns out to be in order, and it can continue to function without hindrance, no matter how great the inferiority generated by it. However, history shows that this is not the case.

Indeed, unlike animals, man exhibits an almost limitless adaptability; he can eat almost anything, he can live in almost any climatic conditions and adapt to them, and there is hardly a mental state that he could not bear and in which he would not be able to live. He can be free or a slave, live in wealth and luxury or lead a half-starved existence, he can lead a peaceful life or a warrior's life, be an exploiter and a robber or a member of a brotherhood bound by ties of cooperation and love. There is hardly a mental state in which a person could not live, and there is hardly anything that could not be done to a person or for which he could not be used. It would seem that all these considerations support the assumption that there is no single human nature, and this would actually mean that "man" does not exist as a species, but only as a physiological and anatomical being.

« mental health »

Completed by: Ivanov I.I.

Voronezh, 2010

Introduction

Chapter 2. Features and nature of the functioning of the human psyche

Chapter 3

Conclusion

Bibliographic list

Introduction

At the present stage of development of society, in the period of the process of gradual worldwide globalization and the increasing level of scientific and technological progress in the world, research in the humanities fields of scientific knowledge is becoming increasingly relevant. In science, there is a return from science-intensive technologies to the humanitarian sphere. Psychology is a typical example of this phenomenon. Since psychology, although it is one of a number of humanities, today it occupies a strong position among all humanities. The reasons for this are in the scientific "outlook" and "foresight" of psychology, which allows a person to be subjected to a comprehensive psychological analysis, as well as to study his behavior, life, and besides this, the whole society as a whole. Let us note the fact that a person is still a social being, therefore psychology directs its scientific view also on society. The importance of this science is that it allows you to identify and reveal problems psychological nature in a person and society, and besides this, solve them and predict them.

Today, the problem of mental health in modern society appears relevant. The relevance is due to many factors. Thus, having crossed the threshold of the 21st century, mankind has reached unprecedented heights in the scientific and technical sphere, industrial, medical (pharmacological). But at the same time, humanity has lost its truly "human" face. The current situation in Russia continues to testify to many unresolved social problems: social stratification against the backdrop of the economic crisis of recent years, widespread alcoholism and drug addiction, the spread of deviant behavior among young people, extremism, and much more. The level of mentally ill people in society is increasing more and more. Urbanization, the acceleration of the pace of life, information overload, increase nervous tension which often contribute to the emergence and development of neuropsychiatric pathology. The syndrome of "emotional burnout" at work and many others is becoming the norm. etc. Therefore, based on all of the above, the study of mental health issues will allow, from our point of view, not only a more correct approach to solving pressing problems in the mental area of ​​a person, but also possibly solving problems in the social sphere of the whole society.

General purpose of the study is - carrying out a structural analysis of the phenomenon of "mental health";

Tasks research: 1) explore the possibility of objective use of the concept of "mental health"; 2) analyze the features and nature of the functioning of the human psyche; 3) to conduct a structural analysis of mental health through the prism of the relationship between the psyche and the surrounding world, as well as human physiology.

The research methodology is based on such general scientific methods as: analysis, synthesis, comparison and theoretical generalization will be used.

The general structure of the work consists of an introduction, three chapters, a conclusion and a bibliography.

Chapter 1. Mental health as the norm

Mental health is a collective concept that consists of several components: the psyche and health - thus creating a synthetic object for study.

Health is a state of complete physical, spiritual (mental) and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and physical effects. So physical health is the natural state of a person, due to the normal functioning of all his organs and systems; it depends on the propulsion system, on proper nutrition, from the optimal combination of oral and physical work.

Mental health, as defined by the World Health Organization, is a state of well-being in which a person can realize their own potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and contribute to their community. From this definition there is one important thought that if physical state health is the health of something material, then mental health is the normal functioning in fact mental processes in a person.

Thus, mental health is an integral characteristic of the full value of the individual's psychological functioning. The definition of mental health in modern science is closely related to general idea about personality and mechanisms of its development.

In psychology and medicine, there are different approaches to the problem of mental health, addressing different aspects of normal and abnormal functioning. The traditional medical model sees mental health as a measure of the likelihood of developing disease (a "negative" definition of health as the absence of disease). In psychoanalysis, there is no concept of health as such.; each person acts as a carrier of a potential disease, the transition of which into an actual disease is hindered by a balanced mode of functioning of the mechanisms of psychological protection and compensation in individual psychodynamics.

Behaviorism is characterized by reducing the personality to its social functioning and to the definition of a norm or health through the concept of equilibrium with the environment, using such criteria as adaptation, stability, success, and productivity. Modern theoretical, experimental and applied approaches in personality psychology and psychotherapy characterize mental health as a maturity, safety and activity of personal self-regulation mechanisms, a measure of a person’s ability to transcend (“bring beyond”) his biological, social and semantic determinism, acting as an active and autonomous subject of his life in a changing world.

Returning to psychoanalysis, we note the fact that psychoanalysis was the first modern system psychology, the subject of which is not some single aspect of a person's problem, but a person as a whole person. For a more complete understanding of mental health, let us briefly consider the study of the psyche by the founder of psychoanalysis, Z. Freud. So in the course of his research, Freud established that the psyche is initially regressive.. Regression is one of the most commonly used concepts in psychoanalysis and its meaning is not unambiguous. This is, firstly, the transition from "secondary", conscious forms of mental activity to primary, unconscious, instinctive ones. Secondly, from complex ones to simplified, childish ways of reasoning or returning to obsolete, passed stages of development. Thirdly, it is a lively, interested desire to express with the help of words, images, gestures the hidden non-articulated content of the psyche. Fourthly, the return of the libido, the sexual instinct, to its primary, earliest objects. Similarly, Freud also singled out such features of the functioning of the psyche as: resistance, repression, transfer, etc.

In addition to Freud, to whose activities there are also negative opinions in the scientific community, the studies of K. Jung and E. Fromm should be noted. Acting as successors to the work of their teacher and being representatives of the psychoanalytic school, they also established that, in fact, the concept of a norm, a standard in the field of psychology is not acceptable. So, for example, according to K. Jung, the unconscious, and in particular the collective unconscious, is the basis of the psyche common to all representatives of the human race, while occupying the largest area in the process of human functioning. Mental disorders, according to Jung and Fromm, can act as a result of an internal contradiction between internal (“most human”) messages and external ethical norms and foundations. In this vein, an attempt to define the standard of mental health is unthinkable. Our unconscious, as primitive, archaic thinking, which is the initial stage of human world relations, is in irreconcilable contradiction and hostility with those cultural limitations of the individual that make him a social unit, a participant in the cultural construction of man. Reality shows that the thinking of the mentally ill and neurotic, to a greater or lesser extent, differs precisely in such features that bring them closer to “archaic” people, that is, in fact, to people who, at some stage in their development, could not resolve these internal contradictions. Therefore, even if we try to conditionally formalize mental health, the problem will be urgent and relevant, either constantly and accompanying all of humanity, or will be resolved with a new round of development of psychology as a scientific discipline. But research in the field of philosophy of science (for example, the work "The Revolt of the Masses" by José Ortega y Gasset) rather confirms the first.

Touching upon the issues of the mental health standard, it will be interesting comparison of boundaries between human character traits (accentuations) and pathologies. So the accentuation of character is a concept introduced by K. Leonhard and meaning the excessive severity of individual character traits and their combinations, representing extreme variants of the norm, bordering on psychopathy. It is on the descriptions of these accentuations that modern classifications characters. We will not bring them into the work due to the minimum amount of work. Accentuations as temporary states of the psyche are most often observed in adolescence and early adolescence.

Dear colleagues!

We invite you to take part in scientific and practical conference Mental health of an individual and society. Actual interdisciplinary problems”, which will take place October 30, 2017 in Moscow.

Conference Venue:

Moscow, Lomonosovsky prospect, 27, building 1, Lomonosovsky building of the Moscow state university

named after M.V. Lomonosov, metro station "Universitet".

Registration of participants: from 08:00.

The event will be broadcast online on the website.

Attention! The number of participants in the online broadcast is limited.

To register for the online broadcast, please follow the instructions below:

"Complies with the Requirements for CMO" (in addition to "Intersectoral interaction in the prevention of additive behavior", hallB-113, time 11.30-14.15)

List of sections for broadcasts:

Organizers:

Moscow State University named after. M.V. Lomonosov

Moscow Department of Health

Russian Foundation for Basic Research

National Medical Chamber

Russian Society of Psychiatrists

Russian Association for the Promotion of Science

National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology. V.P. Serbian

Science Center mental health

Presidium

Co-chairs:

Academician Sadovnichiy V.A., Academician Velikhov E.P., Academician Panchenko V.Ya., Professor Khripun A.I.

Organising Committee:

Fedyanin A.A. - Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor, Vice-Rector of the Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov

Neznanov N.G. - Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Director of the National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology named after V.M. Bekhterev, President of the Russian Society of Psychiatrists.

Kekelidze Z.I. - Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, General Director of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “National Medical Research Center for Psychiatry and Narcology named after N.N. V.P. Serbsky" of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, chief freelance psychiatrist of the Ministry of Health of Russia.

Klyushnik T.P. - Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, Director of the Federal State Budgetary Scientific Institution "Scientific Center for Mental Health".

Kostyuk G.P. - Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor, chief physician GBUZ "PKB No. 1 named. ON THE. Alekseeva DZM, chief freelance psychiatrist of the Moscow Department of Health.

Zinchenko Yu.P. - Academician of the Russian Academy of Education, Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University

Kirpichnikov M.P. - Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Dean of the Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University

Golichenkov A.K. - Doctor of Law, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Law of Lomonosov Moscow State University

Vartanova E.L. - Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Journalism of Lomonosov Moscow State University

Osipova N.G. - Doctor of Social Sciences, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Sociology, Lomonosov Moscow State University

Tkachuk V.A. - Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor, Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Dean of the Faculty of Fundamental Medicine of Lomonosov Moscow State University

Remneva M.L. - Doctor of Philological Sciences, Professor, Dean of the Faculty of Philology, Lomonosov Moscow State University

The conference is expected to be attended by about 1,000 researchers and psychiatrists, narcologists, psychotherapists from all regions of Russia. Speakers are leading Russian scientists and practitioners in the field of psychiatry, narcology and psychotherapy.

During the conference, an exhibition of leading pharmaceutical companies producing medications, as well as an exhibition of samples of medical equipment.

Conference program

The Organizing Committee invites you

take part in the exhibition and work of the scientific conference!