While there are certain aspects of our emotional health and mental health that can overlap, these two are not one and the same. To achieve a better state of wellness , you should nurture both mental health and emotional health.
So how do you tend to both? Let’s start by learning the differences between emotional health and mental health.
What is emotional health?
Our emotions drive many of our daily decisions and actions. Emotional health involves the way we process and express our thoughts, feelings and behaviors. The ways that our emotional state can impact how we respond to challenges, stressors and positive events are profound, and can become imbalanced the same way one’s physical health can deteriorate due to a lack of nutrition, sleep, or exercise.
In times of compromised emotional health, one may adopt unhealthy coping techniques, such as self-medicating to avoid feeling certain emotions. Sometimes, individuals in this situation rely on the mood-altering effects of substances like alcohol or drugs to suppress or change their emotional state.
Some of the signs that you may be struggling with emotional health include:
- Fatigue
- Sleep problems
- Isolating from friends and family
- Change in eating habits
- Reduced work or school performance
- Relationship struggles
- Neglecting personal hygiene or appearance
- Increased substance use
What is mental health?
Mental health pertains to the overall functioning of the brain, encompassing cognitive thinking, processing of information, memory functions and information comprehension. In fact, our emotional, social and psychological wellness depends on maintaining a balanced state of mental health.
About 20% of U.S. adults struggle with a mental health disorder in any given year, and a significant number of these individuals have a co-occurring substance use disorder. A mental health disorder involves a condition that adversely impacts someone’s daily functioning. Some examples of mental health disorders are depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder.
Signs that you may be struggling with a mental health disorder include:
- Mood swings
- Thoughts of suicide
- Feeling hopeless or in despair
- Sleep problems
- Withdrawing socially or isolating
- Intense fatigue
- Hallucinations
- Paranoid thinking
- Neglecting personal hygiene or appearance
- Angry outbursts or violent behaviors
- Impaired functioning
- Increased substance use
3 tips to improve your emotional health and mental health
Although our culture places a great deal of emphasis on improving physical health, the fact is that nurturing emotional and mental health is as important to our overall wellness.
Here are some of the ways you can improve both emotional and mental health:
- Cultivate connection: As social beings, we have an inherent need to feel an emotional connection with others. If you find yourself spending too much time alone, it can lead to feelings of loneliness and isolation. Try to push through your comfort zone and reconnect with friends and family members. Find some new social pastimes, such as taking a cooking class or joining a running club. These can provide opportunities to make new friends and provide you with a social outlet.
- Manage stress: If we allow it to get out of control, stress can diminish our mental capacities and contribute to emotional unrest, as well as physical illness. Here are a few techniques to deal with stress:
- Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, yoga or meditation
- Get organized by using personal time management apps and planners
- Stop overwhelming yourself by promising more than you can deliver on, and learn how to say “no”
- Improve your quality of sleep: Our bodies require at least seven hours of quality sleep to stay healthy. Keep your mental health and your emotional health in tip top shape by giving your body and mind those seven or eight hours of rest each night. Stick to a regular sleep routine, taking steps to relax before bedtime. These might include taking a warm bath, listening to soothing music or reading.
In the event that none of these actions lead to an improvement in emotional or mental health, reach out to a mental health professional who can provide additional guidance and support.
Ashley Addiction Treatment, formerly Father Martin’s Ashley, is a nationally recognized nonprofit leader in integrated, evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders. Our programs are accredited by The Joint Commission, and result in frequent publications of ongoing research into effective treatment methodologies. We offer holistic care that encompasses the mind, body and spirit through inpatient and outpatient treatment, provide drug detox, relapse prevention plans, family wellness programs and a variety of other services tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Our driving principle — “everything for recovery” — reinforces our mission to transform and save lives through the science of medicine, the art of therapy and the compassion of spirituality, and is complemented by our philosophy of healing with respect and dignity. For information about our comprehensive programs, please call 866-313-6307.