What Is Well-Being?

Health is a condition of physical, emotional and social well being where infirmity and disease are absent. A number of definitions have previously been in use for the same purpose. In common usage, one would commonly refer to it as “being healthy” or “being fit”. The dictionary definition, however, clarifies that health is the condition of being well. It is the ability to function independently and in a socially acceptable way.

The word well-being comes from the Latin root – “well” and – “being.” It denotes the ability to benefit from one’s resources. In other words, it is related to the ability to attain goals and aspirations. The key elements of health issues are well-being and health care.

The first definition is “the overall quality of life attained through the total involvement of the physical environment.” This definition is inclusive of both physiological and psychological elements. By including these elements, it implies that there is an involvement of the person’s health-related services and activities. This definition includes the process of dealing with diseases as well as their effects. It also includes the prevention of diseases and the treatment of diseases when they occur. It further includes the promotion of health.

The second definition of well-being is “exceeding the capability of the human body to deal with disease or illness.” It is also inclusive of health problems and the impact these problems have on the functioning of the person. This definition focuses more on the public health. This is the aspect of public health that addresses issues that affect the general population as well as those with disabilities, elderly adults, and the mentally ill.

The third definition is “a reasonable balance of the total physical resources of the community.” This means that there should be provision for a reasonable variety of services and activities in order to achieve an acceptable level of overall health. The fourth requirement is to “provide adequate opportunities for social and mental development.” It is important to include the provisions of education, training, health care and employment among the general aspects of public health.

Well-being definition has three basic conditions. These are: (a) physical, (b) mental and (c) social factors. The first two are very much related to each other. The presence of one condition does not necessarily mean that there are no other conditions that may exist and vice versa. The presence of all these three conditions in a person cannot be ignored and has a great impact on his well-being.