What is mental health?
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
In order to understand mental health we first need to know some of the features of a healthy mind.
An optimally functioning mind is an editing mind. It's capable of keeping punitive and critical judgement at bay. It is able to filter those thoughts that might want to tell us how unworthy we are long after harshness ceases to serve its purpose.
A healthy mind is able to resist unfair comparison. It's easier to compare ourselves with others and to feel as if we come short.
A healthy mind does not become overwhelmed by emotions, such as fear, anger, love, jealousy, guilt or anxiety.
Mentally healthy people understand that you can’t control how you feel, but you can control how you react to your feelings by focusing on your thoughts.
A healthy mind knows how to hope despite grounds for despair.
Mental health problems are common but help is available. People with mental health problems can get better and many recover completely.
Some of the early warning signs of mental illness include
-Eating or sleeping too much or too little
-Pulling away from people and usual activities
-Having low or no energy
-Feeling numb or like nothing matters
-Having unexplained aches and pains
-Feeling helpless or hopeless.
Mental health should be treated just like physical health and people should be unashamed of seeking help.
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