Emotional and Mental Wellness
Spring 2023
Emotional and mental health are no longer topics hidden from view. Today, emotional stress is the No. 1 cause of poor health. 70-90% of all visits to primary care physicians are stress and emotionally based. The financial burden of mental illness accounts for 15% of all disease, ranking 2nd to heart disease. Approximately 25% of all Americans suffer from a mental/emotional disorder in any given year.
There are many causes of stress. We cannot eliminate stress, and an appropriate amount of stress is healthy. We function best when we keep the degree of stress and change within acceptable limits. The major causes and basis for stress are the following:
Experiencing a high degree of mobility, entering a new environment, and severing old ties.
Major change in our situation and circumstances. The greater the change, the higher the incidence of stress.
Modern society has increased expectations. There is often frustration in not being able to meet them.
We live by the clock. Our time is measured in minutes. We all have time pressures. Too many pressures and deadlines produce excess stress.
These stressors produce a level of fear.
There are relationship issues, unresolved conflict, and the decrease of supportive relationships.
We all live in a competitive world. Winners excel and losers deal with not measuring up. This leads to frustration and anger.
These issues lead to the concept of margin. The effect of stress is cumulative. Margin is the power and resources we have minus the stress load we carry. This should result in a positive margin essential to emotional and mental balance. If we need it so bad, why is it often lacking? The emotional, psychological, social, relationships, and spiritual pain are hard to define and are hard to sort out. They are often not visible and reside in our subconscious.
What are some ways we can restore margin and increase our emotional resources, and obtain necessary energy levels? Some of these are obvious, but many are hidden from our typical outlook.
We need to be part of an active community. We all need a healthy support system and social network.
The reconciling of relationships and the power of forgiveness cannot be overestimated. Practice reconciliation.
The practice of becoming a servant and serving others is very healing and helpful.
Make sure you get enough rest.
Laughing and crying are very helpful actions.
There is definitely the need to create appropriate boundaries with your key relationships. Live peacefully.
Be positive and envision a better future. Get spiritual counsel to remove doubts and other issues.
Live in a manner that extends grace to others.
Be rich in faith, hold fast to hope, and above all love.
Keep our marriages strong. Shun divorce.
Good community and personal health habits and diet.
Realize you are aging and age well.
Lead a disciplined, temperate life.
Journaling.
We all are self-healers. There are several key tools of the healer:
Unconditional love. "While you were still sinning…"
Gratitude. "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving."
Certainty. "These things have I written to you that you know."
Presence. "I will never leave you."
Taking personal responsibility for choices and spiritual disciplines is perhaps the most important ingredient of positive mental and emotional health. It has been shown to be of critical importance. Some key spiritual disciplines are:
Daily scripture reading and study.
Regular prayer.
Meditation on truths of scripture.
Silence and serenity.
Fasting.
Compassion and virtue.
We must realize that we are a combination of body, soul, and spirit. And that there is "spiritual bacteria behind the physical bacteria." Ultimately, God is sovereign over all and He is in control. We depend on His grace and mercy, and out of love and respect for Him, we follow His laws and healthy principles for living. When we live in submission to Him and live in the power of the Holy Spirit, we know that whatever comes our way, it has a purpose and we can go through it with confidence. We are being changed to be like Him, and this provides hope.