What Is Good Mental Health?
{ By Emily O’Connell, Editorial Coordinator }
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, but what does having good mental health actually mean? I am not a therapist by any means (but have worked with a few) and have spent a decent amount of time figuring out what mental health is and what it is not.
To me, I believe that having strong mental health is the ability to feel everything – whether pleasant or unpleasant – and keeping on. It’s no surprise that emotions can sometimes derail us but I feel like having strong mental health is the ability to keep going; to realize that emotions are fleeting.
If you are like me, you know it takes a team to help monitor your thoughts and emotions. Great therapy can help create a haven inside of yourself and can give you the tools to support you through situations so you can bounce back. Strong mental health does NOT mean that you never feel triggered, react hastily or harshly or feel grief, anxiety or even anger. Strong mental health means that you feel these emotions but have the ability to compartmentalize them.
I find therapy to be quite – therapeutic (see what I did there?) and encourage everybody to try it! You don’t have to have a specific problem to see a therapist. In fact, you shouldn’t wait until you have a problem to see one. Below are some reasons to I believe you should see a therapist:
- Begins the journey of self discovery
- Work on habits that you want to change and provides a different perspective
- Builds self-reflection and awareness
- Improve and understand communication of relationships and self
- Allows you to see the humor in situations that might be otherwise anxiety-inducing
If you think you are ready to begin therapy, I have also listed some resources to help you begin your journey. Working with a therapist or counselor can give you an opportunity to expand on your thoughts, feelings and patterns of behavior and can help you learn new coping skills and techniques to manage daily stressors.
To get started on your journey, find a therapist from BetterHelp’s network. Take a quiz, get matched and start getting support needed via phone, video or chat.
