I have been thinking a lot about the question, “What is good mental health?”
I don’t know if something specifically triggered my new curiosity around this question, or if it’s something always ruminating in the background as a therapist.
But in a relatively short period of time historically, we pivoted from talk about mental health (at least openly) being a stigma, to everyone talking about mental health. It’s really impossible to get away from discussion around mental health. Which in many ways is great. But in some ways, poses problems. Because with all the talk about mental health comes a lot of misinformation around it. And a lot of advice is given online out of personal/relational context, which can often become destructive.
And what I have noticed coming out of COVID the last few years, is that we have almost created a situation where good mental health is only described in terms related to someone feeling happy and good, and with the absence of stressors.
So I have been playing around with my own definition of mental health recently and it is simply this.
Good mental health is one’s ability to effectively navigate the emotional landscape of their lives in healthy ways.
That’s it really.
Good mental health is not the absence of painful emotions like feeling alone, inadequate, unloved, or insecure (just to name a few), or the absence of destructive coping behaviors like anxiety, depression, anger and addictions (just to name a few).
Good mental health is not indicative if one is happy or sad, up or down, depressed or joyful, anxious or elated. Good mental health is our ability to effectively navigate the emotional landscape of our lives…especially in ways that allow us to thrive personally and relationally.
Here are a couple of sources that led me to healthily ruminate on this topic of good mental health:
I do know that a couple of short videos by Lisa DaMour on Instagram triggered some of my curiosity. I find her approach to mental health refreshing, and as a parent of two teenagers (one about to head off to college and the other about to head into high school), I find myself hanging on her every word when it comes to varying aspects of parenting. Her Instagram is full of insightful and helpful instruction. Here is one clip that inspired my wrestling with this topic.
I also read Ethan Kross’s new book Shift earlier this year, and I found his own research on emotions, and his synthesis of the data into practical application, super insightful and helpful as well.
