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What is Mental Health?
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices. Mental health is important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
Over the course of your life, if you experience mental health problems, your thinking, mood, and behavior could be affected. Many factors contribute to mental health problems, including:
Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
Family history of mental health problems
Mental health problems are common but help is available. People with mental health problems can get better and many recover completely.
Early Warning Signs
- Eating or sleeping too much or too little吃的量以及睡眠时间的太多或太少
- Pulling away from people and usual activities远离人们和通常活动
- Having low or no energy没有活力
- Feeling numb or like nothing matters感觉麻木或者无所谓
- Having unexplained aches and pains有无法描述的疼痛
- Feeling helpless or hopeless感到无助和无望
- Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual吸烟，喝酒或者使用药物的次数增加
- Feeling unusually confused, forgetful，angry, upset, worried, or scared感到异常迷惑，健忘，愤怒，沮丧，担心或者害怕
- Yelling or fighting with family and friends对家庭或者朋友大吵大闹
- Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships经历剧烈情绪波动导致关系问题
Four Dimensions of Recovery
1.Health: Make informed, healthy choices that support physical and emotional well-being.做出明智的健康的选择来支持身体和心里的健康幸福。
2.Home: Have a stable and safe place to live.有一个稳定和安全的居所
3.Purpose: Engage in meaningful daily activities, such as a job or school, volunteering, caring for your family, or being creative. Work for independence, income, and resources to participate in society.从事有意义的日常活动如工作，学校，志愿工作，照顾家庭或者变得有创造力。为独立，收入和资源工作并融入社会。
4.Community: Build relationships and social networks that provide support.建立关系和提供支持的网络
In reality, what we refer to as “normal people” in our daily lives are not in their optimal state; rather, they exist in a state of suboptimal health—somewhere between peak condition and illness. We are actually far from realizing the full potential that nature has endowed us with. Living in such a complex and confusing world requires us to possess strong mental resilience in order to adapt to the demands of our times and society.
We must also apply the principles of psychological science to maintain our own mental health and that of our family and friends, so that we can work, live, and enjoy life in a state of optimal physical and mental well-being!