Emotional Health and Wellness: Mental Health

Mental Health

• Improving mental health involves taking steps such as building a support network, engaging in regular exercise, practicing mindfulness, and seeking professional help when needed.
• Approximately 1 in 5 Americans suffer from a mental illness.
• Risk factors for suicide include feelings of hopelessness, social isolation, and a history of mental health conditions.
• Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) differ in that depression is characterized by feelings of sadness and hopelessness, while GAD is marked by excessive and persistent worry.
• Anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder are all eating disorders, but they differ in their symptoms: anorexia involves severe food restriction, bulimia involves cycles of bingeing and purging, and binge eating disorder involves recurring episodes of binge eating.
• A person with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) may experience recurring, unwanted thoughts (obsessions) and feel compelled to perform specific rituals or behaviors (compulsions) to alleviate their anxiety.

Social and Sexual Health

• Social health refers to an individual's ability to form and maintain healthy relationships, and is influenced by factors such as social support, communication skills, and conflict resolution.
• Sex refers to biological characteristics, gender refers to social and cultural roles, and sexual orientation refers to an individual's emotional and romantic attraction to others.
• Sexual harassment involves unwelcome behavior, sexual bias involves discriminatory attitudes or behaviors, and sexual assault involves physical violence or coercion.
• Methods of contraception include hormonal birth control, condoms, intrauterine devices (IUDs), and sterilization.

Emotional Wellness

• Emotional wellness involves being aware of and able to manage one's emotions, and is characterized by self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-motivation.
• Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize and understand emotions in oneself and others, and is shaped by factors such as genetics, upbringing, and life experiences.
• Risk factors for emotional distress include chronic stress, trauma, and social isolation.
• The stages of grief include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
• Strategies for improving emotional wellness include practicing gratitude, mindfulness, and self-compassion.

Substance Use and Abuse

• Substance use involves using a substance for its intended purpose, substance abuse involves using a substance despite negative consequences, and addiction involves a physical dependence on a substance.
• The major classes of drugs, including stimulants, depressants, and hallucinogens, can have different effects on the body, such as increased alertness, relaxation, or altered perception.
• Warning signs of drug addiction include neglect of responsibilities, continued use despite negative consequences, and withdrawal symptoms.
• Strategies for treating addiction include medication, counseling, and support groups.

Stress

• Types of stress include acute, chronic, and episodic stress, each with different effects on the body, such as increased heart rate, blood pressure, and immune system suppression.
• Strategies for managing stress include exercise, relaxation techniques, and time management.
• Stress can have negative effects on physical and mental health, including anxiety, depression, and cardiovascular disease.