How mental health is like physical health

May 9, 2018

We are all human beings, and each of us has a physical body. We also all have a mind, and we all have emotions. In the same way that we all have a state of physical health, we all have a state of mental health. Mental health is more than the absence of mental illness.

Here’s something to think about: You might have an illness or a disease, say diabetes. Maybe you deal with the symptoms– through diet, physical activity, medication or in other ways. When it comes to your physical health, you might feel absolutely great.  

On the other hand, you might not have any illness or disease, but for any number of reasons, you might not feel physically well at all. Say you don’t sleep well, or you are rundown.  

All this to say that you might have an illness or disease on one hand, but feel well on the whole. On the other hand, you may not have a disease but are not feeling “well” at all. 

The same is true about your mental health. You might have a mental illness, but that doesn’t mean you’re mentally unhealthy. Or that you can’t feel well.  

And even if you don’t have a mental illness, you may at times feel mentally unwell. Stress, an overwhelming schedule, and difficult life events or circumstances can put pressure on your mental health. 

Mental Health Week is approaching, and we’re getting ready to #GETLOUD about what mental health really means. We can all have a state of mental wellbeing, whether or not we have a mental illness. Every single one of us.