What is mental health?

October 2022

By: Remi Mankes, Clinical Intern

What is mental health?

We visit the doctor for a yearly physical health check-up, so why do we often neglect our brain health? Mental health and wellness involve emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Our mental health state can strongly influence our cognition, perception, and behaviors. It also determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. Mental health is something we aren’t always thinking about, but it’s undoubtedly part of our physical health. If you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, there are ways to work towards identifying and managing it. Taking care of yourself can mean engaging in mindfulness exercises to calm down or taking some time out from work or school so that you can think clearly again and reach emotional regulation. Sometimes, self-care is as simple as taking a break and doing something you like. Self-care can help improve physical and mental health by allowing people to focus on themselves without worrying about other things. Take a moment today for self-care, however that may look for you. Mental health matters, have you checked in on yours?