Promoting Mental Health

Mental health is more than the absence of men­tal illness. There are degrees of mental health, just as there are degrees of physical health.

Here's an illustration of what we mean by degrees of mental health. Roberto is an average student but a gifted artist. Ever since he was old enough to hold a crayon, he has been draw­ing. And he draws very well. Even though he is very talented, however, he never lives up to his promise. Somehow, whenever he is entered in a drawing competition, Roberto is late getting his work in. Or it is not the right size. Or it is done sloppily. His art teacher knows he could do better. But Roberto just won't—or can't— apply himself

One characteristic of mental health is a per­son's desire to achieve goals that he or she knows can be attained. In Roberto's case, something is holding him back. We can't say that Roberto is mentally ill; he isn't. He has good relations with his family and good friends in school. His academic record is fair. He is not destructive of himself nor of anyone else. Yet, he is not all he could be either.

Kelly, on the other hand, is an average stu­dent and an outstanding soccer player. She is one of the smallest girls in her class. Yet, de­spite her size, she is able to play against much bigger girls. She has quick reflexes and great speed. She works hard at developing her play­ing skills. At practice she is almost always the last one off the field. She enjoys playing and does it with enthusiasm.

People like Kelly, who enjoy what they do, seem to get more out of life. Perhaps the most

obvious sign of a good state of mental health is a certain zest for what one is doing. Without this zest, you may do reasonably well, be moderately popular, feel relatively secure, and yet find that it is all a little flat. When you have a high degree of mental health, you are better able to reach your maximum potential. You are at your best in your work, your play, and with your friends. In short, you are enjoying your­self more.

How to Improve Your Mental Health

Enjoying oneself is not the goal of mental health. It is a by-product of mental health. Gaining mental health does not mean complete freedom from everyday problems. This is not realistic, nor possible. What mental health in­volves is the ability to cope with problems while keeping a good psychological balance.

How can you go about improving your men­tal health? There is no single easy answer. Still, there are some things you can do to promote your mental health. A number of important ones are listed below.

1 Set realistic goals for yourself, then achieve them.

2 Practice being alone without outside distrac­tions. Learn to be comfortable with yourself.

3 Identify your good qualities. Be proud of them and of yourself.

4 Make the most of your physical appearance.

5 Be yourself. Express yourself openly and hon­estly.

6 Recognize and face your fears, guilts and hos­tilities. Accept these as part of being human.

7 Try to see the value in both good and bad emo­tional experiences.

8 Practice sharing your feelings with others.

9 Build friendships by giving and accepting affec­tion.

10 Join in family, club, or other group activities. Share goals and values.

11 Maintain your physical health.

12 Accept responsibility for what and who you are and for what you do.

13 Develop worthwhile skills.

14 Take advantage of opportunities for new ex­periences. Learn to enjoy good experiences.

15 Learn from both successes and failures. Make full use of all your experiences.

16 When someone upsets or annoys you, try to put yourself in that person's place.

17 Allow yourself to be pleased with what you are and excited about what you are becoming.

18 Ask for help when you feel you could use it. Understand that accepting help may be good for the person who helps you as well.

19 Recognize that nobody's perfect, including yourself.

Helping Others

You can often help yourself by helping other people. You can help by your behavior. Be warm and honest with others. Accept them for what they are. Listen to other people, weighing carefully what they say. If they seem under stress, try to help them define the problem. Work with them to figure out possible solutions to what is troubling them. Help those close to you to face the consequences of their deci­sions. Do not, however, be quick to judge another's actions. Finally, you can help others to find positive ways of expressing their emo­tions. You may find that in acting as a good friend or family member, you yourself have grown.