Ran across this definition of mental health, supposedly from the WHO [View all]

[HereSince1628]

The World Health Organization defines mental health as "a state of well-being in which
every individual realizes his or her own potential,
can cope with the normal stresses of life,
can work productively and fruitfully,
and is able to make a contribution to her or his community."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ross-szabo/lets-stop-assuming-people_b_5865634.html

It was presented in an article about a contribution to a conference during suicide prevention week...

Personally, I am not so certain about this definition ... it reminds me of the "keep it positive" statements from university committees in the 90's.

It certainly sounds very rosy, and a person with these attributes might appear mentally well, but, honestly setting aside the geo-cultural ambiguity of what normal implies in criteria 2, I'm leary of the 3rd and 4th criteria.

These criteria aren't strictly personal attributes but are also matters of social acceptance and opportunity provided by others. A mentally well person with interests/life-style deviant from cultural norms could be pathologized. A person's history, rather than current mental health status could interfere with social acceptance and socio-economic opportunity. Moreover, these criteria are quite subject to change with 'normal' physical decline associate with senescence.

It also seems to me that working productively and making contributions to society can be done in spite of the presence of illness. Does doing so negate/diminish a illnesses/disorders that don't impact the workplace or social area, and give institutions (both public and private) an excuse to ignore a need for assistance?