What is mental health? Why is it important?

AMANDA: People often equate mental health with mental illness. However, this is very different. Mental health is like physical health — it can be both unhealthy and healthy; and there are things we can do to improve it. The definition I like to reference most is from the World Health Organization. It’s long, so I’ll share just the first two sentences: “Mental health is a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community. It is an integral component of health and well-being that underpins our individual and collective abilities to make decisions, build relationships, and shape the world we live in.”

DR. GOLOMBECKI: Mental health is the ability to manage day to day life without overwhelming emotional distress or drain. It’s the ability to pull from one’s resources to manage stressors. With my clients, I focus a lot of emotional energy, aspects in our control, and return on investment when we exert our energy (emotional, cognitive, or physical)

How do you emphasize the importance of mental health in your practice? What suggestions do you have to help people make mental health a daily priority?

DR. GOLOMBECKI: I think that “self-care” tends to have a negative connotation, such as “self-care is selfish.” I use the term “refueling” instead. I use the analogy of a NASCAR car. The car could be in the lead, outpacing many around it, and yet it still needs to go into the pit stop periodically to get more fuel and change the tires.

We need to incorporate refueling into our daily life. Refueling doesn’t need to be a week on a faraway beach with a drink with an umbrella in it, or a 90-minute massage (although both would be great). It can be small little bite-sized refueling throughout the day, like funny cat videos on YouTube, taking a nap, eating an ice cream sundae, or staring out the window. All these things can be refueling, and don’t require significant planning to incorporate into our day to day lives.

AMANDA: A common question I ask the clients I work with is, “What are you doing to take care of yourself?” This can be simple: deep breathing techniques, journaling, or taking a walk, and often these are things we do anyway. Recognizing that these are good for our mental health can adjust our focus from things we need to do to things we are currently doing that can help nourish us. I like to talk about how we are not necessarily adding things to our day — because who needs more to do each day? But finding things we are already doing on occasion and bringing that into our daily lives. And being intentional about these things.

What signs indicate a person may need to pay more attention to their mental health?

AMANDA: Every human has times of ups and downs in their lives. No one is free from pain and discomfort. Life is about learning to manage these times. It’s important to be aware of changes in ourselves that feel disruptive: exhaustion, irritability, energy shifts, and moodiness can be signs you want to explore what you are doing to take care of yourself or seek support from others.

DR. GOLOMBECKI: If we are noticing that we are getting out of our routine, we are having more difficulty with motivation, emotions are arising to the surface quicker than before, or that we are having difficulty concentrating, those might be some good signs that we need to change things up a bit, and focus more on mental health (and possibly reach out to others, such as a trusted friend, spiritual leader, or mental health professional for more support).

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

If you are feeling overwhelmed, helpless, alone, worried, or frustrated (or you know someone who is), there is local and immediate help.

CRISIS LINE –24 HOUR A DAY, 7 DAYS A WEEK Call: 218-828-HELP

Toll-free: 800-462-5525

Text: “MN” to 741741 (English) or “HOLA” to 741741 (Spanish)

WhatsApp: 442-AYUDAME (Spanish)

VISIT THE MENTAL HEALTH URGENT CARE CLINIC operated by Northern Pines Mental Health Center

Open daily 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. 823 Maple Street, Brainerd MN 56401 Call: 218-454-8001

Resources

For Digging Deeper Into Daily Mental Health Practices

APPS

Calm, Finch, How We Feel, and MindShift CBT

BOOKS

“The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brené Brown

“Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience” by Brené Brown

“The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma” by Bessel van der Kolk

“Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle” by Emily Nagoski & Amelia Nagoski

“Unfu*k Yourself: Get Out of Your Head and into Your Life” by Gary John Bishop

PODCASTS

“Hidden Brain”

“The Happiness Lab”

“10 Percent Happier”

“Happier with Gretchen Rubin”

“Life Kit: Health”

VIDEOS

Brené Brown: The Call to Courage

Brené Brown: The Power of Vulnerability TED Talk

What’s So Funny About Mental Illness? From Ruby Wax