Korean society is increasingly exposed to mental health problems such as high prevalence of depression and anxiety disorder and high incidence of suicides.

In order to meet the mental health problems, the Korean government has implemented various policy measures focusing on psychiatric treatments. However, it is recognized that multi-disciplinary approaches should be developed for the clients with various socio-economic backgrounds and characteristics. In this context, this study introduces the concept of mental habits in relation with mental health, and discusses such mental
habits as cognitive errors, rumination, anxiety, hopelessness, escape from the self and negative thinking for the self.

One of the findings of this study is that a large proportion of Koreans holds various mental habits that are strongly correlated with mental health issues such as depression and anxiety disorder. This study also finds that factors influencing mental habits and mental health includes self-esteem, social support and social networking.

This study compares the mental habits between mental patients group and control group, and finds that the prevalence of the hopelessness and the escape from the self is higher among the mental patients group.

The study recommends that the programs to improve negative mental habits based on multi-disciplinary approaches should be developed at community levels.