Why Does Mental Health Matter?

Personally, I can’t think of any aspect of life that is not impacted by mental health. You have probably heard people say mental health matters. Though they are right, how often do people share their mental health struggles and successes in a way that helps the people in their life know why mental health matters? So, let’s talk about why mental health is such a big deal. Mental health impacts more than just our mind; it impacts our bodies and our relationships!

Firstly, let’s focus on what happens internally. When we are feeling overwhelmed, depressed, dealing with grief, coping with anxiety symptoms, having an excessive amount of restless energy, etc. how our body feels is a big indicator of what is going on on a deeper level. When people are experiencing mental health concerns their body communicates that to them. For example you may note how your mood is connected with your energy level and posture. Don’t get me wrong, there are also other valid reason people experience feeling low energy and poor posture. A mental health counselor would use a holistic approach that would take into account all of the influences that come together to create these symptoms, and assist you in coming up with a plan to address them. We know we often behave the way we feel, and how we behave often has interpersonal consequences.

Now let’s talk about how our mental health can play a role in our relationships. When you do not feel like your best self it can be a challenge to engage with others. You may feel burdensome because you feel so low, or you may feel like you are too much because your anxiety is out of control. These feelings get in the way of maintaining relationships, or creating new meaningful connections. Then the stories you tell yourself about why and how morph into a prophecy. How do you set yourself free from this vicious cycle?

Taking care of your mental health can improve your relationship with yourself, and in turn your relationship with others. Have you heard the saying: hurt people hurt people? There is truth to the opposite too: healed people heal people. That is why mental health matters!