What is Mental Health?
Mental health refers to a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and behave, and it influences how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. We all have mental health, is our ability to engage with our emotions, thoughts, interactions with others, and the world around us.
Key Aspects of Mental Health:
- Emotional well-being: The ability to understand, manage, and express your emotions in a healthy way. It involves feeling happy, content, and having positive self-esteem.
- Psychological well-being: This relates to your ability to think, learn, and make decisions. It also covers how you cope with stress and manage your thoughts.
- Social well-being: The ability to form and maintain healthy relationships, connect with others, and feel part of a community.
Experiencing poor mental health is not the same as having a mental health condition. A mental health condition, or mental illness, refers to a set of symptoms that have been identified by a health provider.
We all have tough days and weeks, and everyone manages their mental health every day. In difficult times is normal that we experience change in emotions, thinking, and/or behavior. For some, this means extreme and unexpected changes in mood, like feeling more sad or worried than usual. For others, it means not thinking clearly, pulling away from friends and activities you used to enjoy. This does not necessarily mean that we have a mental health illness, but we could still benefit from the support of a professional than can help us to identify the resources for coping with our daily life challenges.
Mental health challenges don’t define who we are. Just as someone with a physical illness isn’t defined by their condition, someone with mental health struggles is more than. Mental health problems can affect anyone, regardless of age, background, or circumstances. It’s normal to face mental health challenges, and seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Receiving support from a professional can make a huge difference. Listening, showing compassion, and offering help can go a long way in someone’s recovery.
Mental health and physical health are equally important. Taking care of your mind is just as necessary as taking care of your body.