Posts Tagged ‘Emotional’:


What is Your State of Mind Today?

Published by in Corporate Wellness on May 27th, 2014

Physical health is often the focus when discussing health and well-being. Exercise and healthy eating are frequent priorities, but when does mental health receive attention? Professor Barbara Sahakian from the University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine recommends mental health be a priority similar to physical health to decrease mental disorders.

An estimated 25 percent of adults experience a mental condition each year—a large portion of the disorders stemming from depression and anxiety. Maintaining brain health is important to decrease psychological health risks as well as improve well-being. If mental disorders go untreated, conditions can worsen and become more difficult to treat. While physical activity has benefits on cognition and physical health, being aware of one’s mental health is important to maintain psychological well-being.

Regularly reflecting on one’s overall health can decrease the incidence of mental disorders and help an individual to recognize when certain dimensions of wellness need more focus. Setting aside time every month to journal, meditate, or contemplate the current state of individual mental health can prevent conditions before other aspects of life are affected.

A few symptoms of mental disorders can include extreme mood changes, excessive anger, feelings of sadness, and changes in eating habits. For more information on signs and symptoms of mental disorders, visit the Mayo Clinic website.

While only health professionals can give a diagnosis of mental disorders, review this overview on depression from the Mayo Clinic to help understand mood symptoms and options for treatment.

Posted By National Wellness Institute, Friday, March 01, 2013
Updated: Thursday, February 28, 2013

Article by Kelli Oligney, Associate Editor

Reference: Maul, G. (February 17, 2013). Get your brain fit. Bio-Medicine. Retrieved on February 18, 2013, from http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine-news-1/Get-your-brain-fit-100293-1

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Does Daily Stress Affect Mental Health?

Published by in Health, Stress on April 8th, 2014

Is it true that what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger? Many people believe daily stress builds strength and helps endure future obstacles; however, University of California, Irvine, psychological scientist Susan Charles suggests that daily stress may not build strength and actually negatively influences long-term mental health.

Charles’s study (released April 2, 2013) used data from two national surveys that focused on daily obstacles and the mental health impacts on participants after 10 years. Researchers discovered that mental health was affected similarly by small life experiences compared to major events. Small issues such as an argument at home influenced the future of participants’ mental health.

Those who properly manage daily stress lead happier and healthier lives. Managing stress takes practice as the pressures of life can be overwhelming at times. Incorporating daily stress management can benefit future mental health and decrease psychological distress. Use the following ideas and methods to help manage everyday stress:

  • Determine whether stress is internal or external. If you are constantly dwelling on the negative and worried about things beyond your control, this is internal (self-generated) stress. Recognizing the form of stress you have can help you control stress.
  • Engage your senses for immediate stress relief. Using sight, sound, scent, taste, and touch can decrease stress levels. While some individuals may relax to music, others may find the scent of a candle helps them unwind.
  • Stress relief takes practice, so if one management technique does not work for you, try something else.
  • Is stress keeping you awake at night? If so, using a white-noise machine may be beneficial and help you conquer stressful tasks the following day.
  • Maintain a network of friends who you can talk to about your stress. Surrounding yourself with positive friends can decrease anxiety and increase optimism during stressful events.

Posted By National Wellness Institute, Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Article by Kelli Oligney, Associate Editor

Reference:
Mikulak, A. (April 2, 2013). Negative emotions in response to daily stress take a toll on long-term mental health. Retrieved on April 2, 2013, from http://www.psychologicalscience.org/index.php/news/releases/negative-emotions-in-response-to-daily-stress-take-a-toll-on-long-term-mental-health.html

Segal, J., Smith, M., and Robinson, L. (March 2013). Quick Stress Relief. Help Guide. Retrieved on April 17, 2013, from http://www.helpguide.org/toolkit/quick_stress_relief.htm

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