What is 'mental health'?

    Welcome back! I've decided it would be best to start with the most basic question: what is mental health? As a mental health therapist, when I ask people what they want to work on or why they've come to therapy, I get answers like "because of my depression" or "my PTSD" or "my anxiety". Don't get me wrong, those are all valid answers, but to me it shows a need for more education about mental health. So let's get started.

It's easiest to think of mental health as a parallel to physical health. You have a physical body, and let's say for the sake of argument that you have an emotional body (kind of a yogic idea, but stay with me here). In both cases, when you notice a problem then you go to the doctor. When the doctor asks you what's wrong, what do you tell them? a gall bladder infection or that you have pain in your side? Strep throat or that you have a fever and a sore throat and maybe even white polyps? You may tell the doctor you *think* it's your gallbladder, strep throat, etc. You may even tell them if you have a history of strep throat or gallbladder issues. The point is, when it comes to physical health we are a lot more likely to be clear about what we are actually experiencing in our bodies versus the label for a cluster of sensations. 

What we are talking about here is the difference between a diagnosis and a symptom. A diagnosis is something like 'gall bladder infection', 'strep throat', 'depression', or 'ADHD'. A diagnosis is a label that gives people (doctors, friends, coworkers) an idea of what you're experiencing and how to treat it. The pitfall in 'diagnosis-based language' if you will, is that people then make assumptions about what a person is experiencing based on their knowledge of the symptoms included under that diagnosis. A symptom is a person's real life experience - the actual sensation. Symptoms include: difficulty concentrating, mood instability, irritability, sleeping and appetite changes, lack of motivation, suicidal or homicidal ideation, physical pain, body heaviness, fatigue, depressed mood, elevated mood, hallucinations, tearfulness, racing thoughts, sweating, nightmares, muscle tension, breathing changes, and the list goes on and on. 

    The purpose of this information is two-fold. First, I urge you to become more aware of your mental health symptoms. When we are more aware, accurate, and specific with our embodied experience not only do we feel more connected to ourselves, but we are also better equipped to use tools that are more helpful for our specific experience. Imagine trying to use a hammer to cut a piece of wood, or a crochet hook to sew a shirt sleeve. This is the same concept as using journaling to help with muscle soreness associated with anxiety. Yes, it may work, but probably not as well as a progressive muscle relaxation or soak in the bath tub. Increasing your awareness of your own body, reaction, and sensations gives you the power to choose coping tools that are specific for you. Every person's experience is different. Every person feels different symptoms, and the same symptoms differently. Be curious about yourself. 

    Secondly, when we become more aware of our own symptoms then we are able to communicate them more effectively to other people such as therapists, doctors, family members, and friends. Not being able to share your experience is a lonely, frustrating, and sometimes dangerous place to be. But how can we help someone else understand our embodied experience when we don't even know what it is? I urge you to move away from speaking in terms of diagnosis and to get into the habit of sharing your unique experience in terms of symptoms. Misunderstandings are common enough as it is, and people can only understand from their history of experience. If you want someone to understand how you're feeling then you have to actually tell them how you're feeling. Look at the image above. If I tell you that I'm feeling "anxious" or "my anxiety is high", you really only have a very vague idea of what I'm actually experiencing. 

    Hopefully you have a better understanding of what mental health means and why it's important to be aware of symptoms rather than jumping to a diagnosis or label. I've included information and language for describing symptoms associated with anxiety and depression as they are the most common mental health diagnoses. You may notice some overlap and you may notice that you experience some of these symptoms even though you don't consider yourself "depressed" or having a disorder. Great observation! It is totally possible that you feel some or all of these things without being "diagnosable", and here's why. We are humans. We have a full range of emotions and experiences. For something to be considered a disorder, it means that it is significantly impacting your functioning and your quality of life. A diagnosis is something that deserves treatment. If you are perfectly functional and able to do what you want to do in life without impairment from your mental health symptoms - you're good to go! If, however, you have problems in your personal life, relationships, jobs, school, etc due to mental health symptoms, then perhaps it's time to get the help you deserve. The Psychology Today website lets you "find a provider" and you can search by area and insurance type. 

Here's your Action Item. 

Take a moment to sit by yourself with a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Ensure you feel safe, comfortable, and cozy. Maybe grab a blanket or a cup of tea. Draw a line and label one end "mild" and the other end "severe". You can use other words such as "typical" and "problematic", or "okay" and "uh oh" or even draw faces. It really doesn't matter, as long as you understand it. Next, consider times when you felt mildly uncomfortable - giving a speech, writing a blog for strangers, or having a small disagreement with a partner could be examples. Write down what you felt on the mild to moderate end of the spectrum depending on your experience. Feel free to use the symptoms above, or look up other lists on the internet for inspiration. Next - and only if you feel comfortable - consider a time when you were really struggling emotionally - a break up, a car accident, or a time when you felt completely overwhelmed perhaps. WARNING: recalling these events to mind will cause your body to mimic parts of the reaction, so unless you feel totally comfortable, stay away from anything such as a trauma which could cause issue for you. The most important part of this exercise is to just start to notice how your mind and body try to tell you that something is wrong. Note: you can continue to add symptoms throughout your day, week, life as you increase your personal awareness. 

Once you've completed the above activity (either on paper [which I recommend] or in your mind), consider the following questions:

• What are my warning signs that I'm about to enter a problematic state of mind? (moderate symptoms)
• What are things that I can do at the mild and moderate symptom level to keep myself from getting to severe?
• Where do I spend most of my time? (experiencing mild, moderate, or severe symptoms)
• Would it be a good idea for me to get some help managing my symptoms?

Thank you for taking the time read this, and I wish you well on your journey to self-discovery. Please leave any questions, experiences, take-aways, or insights in the comments section.

Namaste.