By Nakikia A. Wilson, MHSA
It is not surprising to know that mental and emotional health can significantly impact our daily lives. They play major roles in how we function in our communities and society as a whole. They can affect relationships and how we perform at work or in school. Mental and emotional wellness can impact the stability of our physical health as well. In essences, mental and emotional wellness are key for experiencing a good quality of life. Whether you are ready to learn how to cope with a specific mental health issue, better deal with your emotions, or simply to feel better overall, there are many ways to take control of your mental and emotional health.
Let’s understand mental and emotional health. Mental health and emotional health are often used interchangeably and there are areas of mental and emotional health that are intertwined. Although, mental and emotional health may seem similar, the two terms are defined separately. Mental health refers to how the mind or Brain processes and manages information or experiences. Whereas emotional health refers to the awareness of self and how we express ourselves as a result of received information or experiences.
In addition, there are significant differences between mental and emotional health. One of those differences is the how mental and emotional health processes received information or experiences. Another difference is the varying ways mental and emotional health can influence a person’s ability to reason as a result of received information or experiences. Processing and reasoning are essential parts of who we are as human beings. These parts should be balanced in order to maintain stability. An imbalance between processing and reasoning can create instability in mental and emotional health and can cause dysfunction and loss of control.
At some point in life, many people will experience mental health issues that can negatively affect mood, thinking, and behavior. Keep in mind, people who may experience mental and emotional health challenges will not experience them the same way. However, you can take control and be proactive in your own personal care. In order to do this effectively, you need to create a personal plan to put into action in order to achieve and maintain stability. Make this a priority. Your overall wellness is dependent on you prioritizing your mental and emotional wellbeing.
As previously mentioned, there are many things you can do to begin your journey to mental wellness and emotional healing and successfully achieve and maintain good mental and emotional health. These tips and strategies will also help develop habits that will promote healthy and positive personal and professional connections.
Here are some of those tips and strategies you can use daily to help you achieve and maintain good mental health and emotional wellness:
- Develop (psychologytoday)– This is the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, empathize with others, overcome challenges and defuse conflict.
- Practice Mindfulness– Mindfulness is the practice of purposely focusing your attention on the present moment—and accepting it without judgment. Mindfulness is now being examined scientifically and has been found to be a key element in stress reduction and overall happiness.
- Create & maintain healthy (verywellmind)– Boundaries are limits people set in order to create a healthy sense of personal space, mind, body, and spirit. Boundaries can be physical or emotional in nature, and they help us to understand and communicate our desires, needs, and preferences as well as those of others.
- Self-Care– This is important to developing and maintaining a healthy relationship with yourself. It means doing things to take care of ourselves mind, body, and spirit by engaging in activities that promote overall well-being while improving our ability to live fully.
- Ask for help– It is sometime necessary to reach out to supportive people and resources for help when you’re experiencing mental and emotional health challenges. It is imperative to have a healthy support system that will empower, encourage, and motivate you while also holding you accountable as you GROW FORWARD!!
It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’re from, where you live, how much ora2wsZ how little money you have, how much or how little education you have, anyone can experience mental and emotional health issues. Stress is one of the most common symptoms that affect mental and emotional wellbeing. Unfortunately, we are unable to avoid stress all together. So, it is important to create and maintain a positive mental and emotional space using the tips and strategies provided in this article. Activating and making this part of your daily routine will help you achieve and maintain mental and emotional balance.
