Mental Health Matters: What is good mental health?

By Erin Reeder on May 18, 2019.

People often believe that mental wellness or good mental health is a person without a mental illness. However, it is more than that – everyone has mental health. The lack of a mental illness doesn’t mean you have good mental health and the presence of a mental illness doesn’t mean you have poor mental health. A person with a mental illness may be managing their mental illness with education, support, medication and/or physical activity and therefore have good mental health.

Just as we look after ourselves physically by exercising, eating right, seeing a physician regularly, taking vitamins or prescriptions we need to do the same when it comes to our mental health. We need to keep a check on it regularly to make sure we are doing OK. Everyone can improve their mental health.

One way we can improve our mental health is by connecting with others. Technology of today can be both a great way to connect or a hindrance to connection. Texting and video chatting allows us the opportunity to connect easily with family and friends who live long distances away. However, if all we are doing is connecting through devices, we may be lacking in true connection to other people. Face to face connection is also important and something we need as human beings. This type of connection provides us with a sense of belonging and not feeling so alone. One thing you can do to improve your own mental health is find ways to connect with others by joining groups, activities or just spending more time with family and friends. Connecting with others will also provide you the opportunity to build a support network. When things in life are not going so well, it is helpful to have a list of people you can lean on and talk to. We can do things together we are often not able to do alone.

Having good mental health is also not about having no problems in life, as this is inevitable. We all encounter relationship problems, health issues, financial stress and work worries just to name a few. Having good mental health is having the ability to work through problems in healthy ways as they arise. Resiliency is the ability to overcome challenges and bounce back when you are struggling. Have you ever seen certain people who are just able to move though challenges easily, while others in the same situations struggle greatly? A big reason for this is resiliency. Resiliency is something that comes naturally to some people, however, the great thing about resiliency is it is a skill; this means it is something we can all learn. One way you can become more resilient is by seeing all challenges as opportunities to grow. What resilient people have the ability to do is to look at the problem and immediately say “What’s the solution to that? What can I learn and take away from this situation?” By going straight into problem solving mode you will be able to overcome the challenge easier.

A regular routine of healthy habits is also foundation to both good mental health and resiliency. It is important that we keep up with sleep, eat well, do something physical for our bodies and make sure we add some fun into our routines. Physical health impacts our mental health and this needs to be considered as well. Self-care can involve things like taking a walk in nature, having a relaxing bath at the end of a hard day, or occasionally splurging on junk food and reality TV. This is something that should be a part of your daily routine and not just when things start to get overwhelming. Self-care is also something that is different for everyone. Yoga may work great for one person at relieving stress, but for another not so much. As well, we often see self-care as being just the relaxing fun stuff. However, sometimes self-care is about setting limiting or boundaries, being assertive, and tackling the not so fun stuff on your to-do-list that you have been procrastinating. Whatever you need to do to make your life easier in the end is what self-care is all about.

These are only a few of the many things you can do for your own mental wellbeing. If you are struggling right now with your mental health, try adding some of these into your daily life or get creative and come up with your own ideas of how to help yourself. Good mental health will only come your way if you actively seek it.

One way you can support your own mental health and others is by joining in on CMHA’s Annual Poker Run for Mental Health happening on June 22 at 11 a.m. at the Redcliff Hylton. Kickstands up at noon. 1st Hand is $30; 2nd Hand(s) is $10; and Couples are $40. There will also be 50/50 and door prizes. This is a great way to have some fun, enjoy some fresh air, get to meet people and give back to mental health. If you have any questions, contact Amy Becker at 403-504-1811 ext 101.

Erin Reeder is the Programs Manager at Canadian Mental Health Association, Alberta Southeast Region and can be reached at 403-504-1811. To find out more about CMHA programs and/or events visit http://www.cmha-aser.ca. If you are in crisis, call the Distress Centre at 1-800-784-2433.

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