What is the difference between mental and emotional health?
Mental health relates to the health of our minds and the content of our thoughts. Emotional health describes the state of our emotions, how we feel. Yet the way we think influences the way we feel, and the inverse is also true – our feelings can inform our thoughts too.
More on mental health
What do you really think about yourself, other people, the past, the present and the future? What thoughts instinctively develop when something good or bad happens? Do your thoughts help or hurt you and others?
Questions like these can build awareness around the quality of our thoughts. While it is often assumed that our thoughts randomly surface – seemingly from nowhere – in most cases, they follow an automatic pattern that has developed based on previous experiences which can date all the way back to childhood. Becoming aware of our thoughts can provide us with a more aerial view so that we can break unhelpful cycles. It can also help us to self-regulate, prevent negative thoughts from becoming negative emotions, and, if necessary, prompt us to reach out for professional help.
More on emotional health
Emotional health is just as important as mental health. Our emotions can function as traffic lights, providing signals to ourselves and others. Once we experience a signal, it is useful to track it to the source. If you feel happy, ask yourself where it came from. Did it come from a thought, or maybe a person? Are there ways that you can recreate this positive feeling and even share it?
With negative feelings, it is still useful to track the emotion and understand where it is coming from. It can signal that there are parts of ourselves that are still sensitive to certain experiences – these parts of ourselves may require extra love and hard truths.
In some cases, we will not be able to track the feeling, or the emotional load feels too heavy. This is where support from a loved one is most helpful. They can bear the weight with you, or maybe just provide a neutral perspective.
Whether it is a positive or negative feeling, emotions have to be expressed. If they are not expressed, they can cause damage to our thought patterns and to our physical bodies. Repressed emotions also affect our relationships.
Since emotions are a means of communicating to others, silencing them can lead to miscommunication. There are healthy ways to express your emotions to others, and healthy ways to listen to someone when they express their emotions to you.
How to achieve mental and emotional balance
Breathe: deep breathing is a simple, proven way to bring a sense of calmness to both mind and body.
Release: journal, have a long phone call with a friend, cry, laugh. Let your thoughts and emotions go. Try to view repressed thoughts and emotions as toxins. You can detox from them by expressing them
Listen: provide a non-judgmental platform for other people to share their emotions with you. This cultivates a supportive environment. And in the process, you may find that you are not alone.
Move: feelings of glee or stress can come with a surge of energy. That energy has to be released, whether through exercise, dance, jumping around, or going for a run.
Eat well: the hormones that regulate mood are made from the foods we eat. Ensure that your diet consists of a variety of fibres, proteins, fats and sufficient micronutrients.
Conclusion
Our minds and emotions are the lenses through which we experience life. And when faced with challenges, it is our minds and emotions that determine our responses, leading to either negative or positive outcomes. The more mentally and emotionally balanced we become, the better our physical health, as well as our relationships, careers and life in general.
Chiva-Som’s Natural Renewal Retreat
Sometimes timeout and a reset are needed to restore mental and emotional balance. Chiva-Som’s tranquil beachfront provides the ideal setting. Time to reflect is combined with a relaxing programme of massage, acupuncture and other holistic treatments, helping restore balance to your mind, body and spirit. Click to view our retreat.