Mind Matters

Steps to Understanding Mental Health and Developing Mental Well-Being

Mental health is a serious topic and also very important to understand the definition. Mental well-being is also a very important topic, this is not the absence of mental illness, but it is the presence of positive mental health, feeling good, functioning well, and being able to handle life's challenges. It involves emotional, psychological, and social life like self-esteem, resilience, emotional regulation, and relationships. Mental well-being is an evolving thing, and it's shaped by a variety of internal and external factors.

The road to mental well-being is by all means not easy, it is very important to know that there will be setbacks and obstacles along the way to achieving mental well-being. Your journey to mental well-being will be unique to you. The most important thing to think about is that it will not happen overnight. You need to take baby steps to assure that you are making efficient progress. 

Step 1: Understand Your Feelings

The first step in understanding mental health and getting familiar with mental well-being is to understand your feelings without judgment. It can be easy to just ignore your emotions, especially in a world where people are expected to hide their emotions and are considered weak if they show signs of struggle. However, avoiding or ignoring your emotions only deepens the struggle. By facing your feelings like sadness, anxiety, frustration, or even joy, you begin the process of understanding yourself better and recognizing what you need.

Journaling is an excellent way to begin this process. Writing down your thoughts and feelings helps you process them, making it easier to see patterns or triggers. It can also provide a safe space for emotional expression, allowing you to release built up stress without fear of judgment.

Step 2: Creating Healthy Coping Exercises

There are so many challenges we face every single day in life. What matters is how we react to the challenges and deal with them. 

Though very common, physical activity is one of the most beneficial things for you to do to increase your mental health and well-being. The feeling you have after being physically active is self rewarding and also very motivating. This also is proven to help reduce depression and anxiety. It can be as simple as going to the gym, staying home and doing yoga, or even going for a walk. It does not have to be a super intense workout, just something to get your blood flowing and heart pumping quicker. 

On the flip side of it, lets take a look at the non-physical coping strategies. Mindfulness and Meditation is the best non-physical way of coping with stress or anxiety. This allows you to feel grounded and connected with yourself, while also taking time to yourself to calm your emotional state of mind. Deep breathing allows for your body to relax and calm your muscles down which results in you feeling so much better after the fact. 

Step 3: Establish Your Supportive Relationships

Having healthy relationships with your friends, family, and the community can present you with a source of support to help your mental well health. Having someone you can talk to that you trust can be the most beneficial thing to your mental state of mind. This is why it is so important to have and maintain tight relationships with people. If you are ever feeling upset or uneasy, do not hesitate to reach out to someone to talk about your feelings. 

Therapy is a great source for you to lean on. There are concerns with therapy but you can be sure that therapists are 100% trustworthy for you to share you struggles and problems with. They will help you figure out the best thing to do and how to handle whatever it is that it going on in your life.