Preventive approach of Abu al-Zayd Balkhi to the field of mental health

People and the human societies can not continue their personal and also social lives if hygiene practices are not considered to preserve their health. Nowadays one of the major issues is the case of human body and mental health. Considering the fact that the most important factor in mental health preserving is prevention, we survey and discuss the approaches of abu Zayd al-Balkhi to this topic. This study is based on descriptive-analytic method by using a documentary research approach, and it considers not only "Masalih alAbdan wa al-Anfus" of Balkhi as the main text, but other references related to Balkhi’s ideas as well as to history of medicine. The results are pointing to the fact that, in the field of body and mental health, Balkhi’s emphasis was on the necessity of prevention and privileged it to the cure and heal. In the field of mental health, he considers human body health, environment and also spirituality to be very important. Based on his ideas, self awareness is the main tool to prevent disorders and improve mental health, while it also helps the sick people to overcome sickness.