The World Health Organisation states that “Health is a state of physical, mental and social well-being. It involves more than just the absence of disease or infirmity. ” Health is evidently more than just the absence of disease, as achieving wellness requires an adequate balance of various aspects of the whole person. There are several crucial dimensions of health that need to be taken into consideration before forming the beliefs of the nature of health – physical, social, emotional and spiritually.
Physical health refers to the tangible structure of the body and the five senses which enable us to touch, see, hear, smell and taste the world around us. Though the physical dimension of health is closely linked to the absence of disease, there are many other aspects that can still be attained to improve and strengthen our physical health. With the existence of diseases and illness, devising a good nutrition diet, beneficial physical activities, appropriate weight and adequate rest can still help achieve a good physical health.
One’s ability to interact with other individuals and accepting diversity discusses the social dimension of health. The skill in building healthy relationships results in fostering a positive self-image, as well as improving and strengthening interpersonal social kills. Social settings such as family, friends and the community are some vital environments to improve social health. Poor social health may potentially lead to neurotic illnesses, isolation, stress, etc. Many health professionals have begun to realise the significance of social interaction in a person’s ability to overcome illness.
Hence, social health is vital in the overall concept of human health and well-being. Furthermore, the emotional dimension of health significantly impacts one’s health. One’s capacity to cope, adjust and adapt to challenges and changes is the state of being in control of one’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Such abilities include the ability to manage stress in an appropriate manner, the ability to be resilient, overcoming depression, having a well-developed sense of self, etc.
Emotionally healthy people can still suffer from mental/emotional illnesses, but they have learned to cope with stress and other problems, and have the ability to seek help from health professionals. Spirituality is unique and different for every individual, as spiritual health involves finding purpose and meaning to life. One’s ‘spirit’ provides the revealing sense of who they are, why they are here and what their purpose of living is. For example, this perhaps mean finding a religion to believe in, finding a sense of inner peace or strength, a connection with nature, optimism for the future, etc.
Spiritual health may not seem exceedingly important, but yet its impacts in one’s life are unavoidable. Physical, social, emotional and spiritual health is deeply intertwined and has a profound effect on one another on health. The key to good health is not just the absence of disease, but exercising each of the dimensions and maintaining a balance between them. This does not necessarily mean to devote each dimension of health the equal time, but rather combining them in such a way that a person gains an overall sense of wellbeing.