Staying Mentally

Healthy
Personal Development
COR15 | Module 2
 “One small crack does not mean
that you are broken, it means
that you were put to the test and
you did not fall apart"
– Linda Poindexter
 What is Mental Health?

In an article written by Felman (2020), mental health refers to the cognitive, behavioral and emotional well-
being of a person. It pertains to how people think, feel and act. In most cases, mental health is understood
as the absence of mental disorders. It is also a person’s state of awareness of his/her abilities, his/her ability
to cope with the normal stress that one encounters in life and is not a liability to the community.

It is emphasized that maintaining a sound mental health is important to a human being because it
contributes to how a person is able to enjoy life. Once this is achieved, there can now be a balance among
the different aspects of a person’s life. However, maintaining a sound mental health is easier said than
done, for there are multiple factors that my affect mental health. MentalHealth (2020) expounds that a
person’s mental health may be affected by biological factors (genetics), family history or life experiences
(such as trauma or abuse).
 The Concept of Mental Health

• Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being.

• It affects how we think, feel and act as we cope with life.
• It helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
• It is very important at every stage of life, from childhood and adolescence through adulthood.
 Factors that Affect Mental Health

MentalHealth (2020) stated that there are three (3) main factors that may affect a person’s mental health:
biological, family history and life experiences.

1. Biological Factors
This factor includes the chemistry of the brain. Due to the fact that the brain is in charge of regulating the
function of the body and the release of certain chemicals and hormones into the body, an imbalance of
these chemicals and hormones may affect the mental health of a person. Some of these
chemicals/hormones are serotonin (the happy hormone) and dopamine (the hormone which allows a
person to feel pleasure).
 Factors that Affect Mental Health
2. Family History
While many argue that mental illness is not primarily hereditary, there is a huge chance that it may be passed on through
genetics. Mental health issue tendencies for illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are said to be transmitted
through genetics (Rethink Mental Illness, 2020). However, this does not mean that if one person in the family has it, then all
of the members have it as well.
3. Life Experiences
Experiences that cause trauma or experiences of abuse greatly affects the mental health of a person. Conditions such as
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is something that is not to be taken lightly. This is the reason why soldiers who come
home from war are usually debriefed and may need psychological therapy to process their experiences.
However, in today’s time, external factors can also affect the mental health of a person. Events such as the death of a loved
one, the separation of parents, experiences of bullying, persistent exposure to stress and stressful situations, such as the
pandemic quarantine may also affect the mental health of a person. As such, it is important to acquire knowledge on how to
do “mental health first aid” or the things and activities that a person can do in order to maintain a good mental health.
 Factors that Affect Mental Health
However, in today’s time, external factors can also affect the mental health of a person. Events such as the
death of a loved one, the separation of parents, experiences of bullying, persistent exposure to stress and
stressful situations, such as the pandemic quarantine may also affect the mental health of a person.
As such, it is important to acquire knowledge on how to do “mental health first aid” or the things and
activities that a person can do in order to maintain a good mental health.
 Maintaining Mental Health

Help Guide (2020) suggested six (6) ways in order to maintain a good mental health:

1. Maintain social connections

2. Stay active
3. Manage stress levels
4. Observe a brain-healthy diet
5. Get quality sleep
6. Find meaning and purpose
 Maintaining Mental Health

Maintain social connections. The key to acquiring sound mental health is not only a personal endeavor. In
time, you will need to consult other people and to socialize with them. As the saying goes: No man is an
island. Because humans are social creatures, we require the fulfillment of our need for relationships. As
such, it is important that we try to build a positive relationship with other people. These people may serve
as our “outlets” for our emotions and when we have good listeners in the group, then it is easy to let out
even harmful emotions and lessen emotional stress.
Stay active. Because the mind and the body are ultimately connected, improving your physical health may in
turn, improve your mental health. When one engages in physical activity such as exercising, one feels a
release of endorphins which can almost immediately improve your mood and relieve stress.
 Maintaining Mental Health

Manage stress levels. One must find ways in dealing with stress. Some would consider starting a hobby,
others shop, others go on vacation while others meditate. Whatever your method may be, what is
important is that once you feel that the stress is building up, nip it in the bud. Do not allow stress to
compound.
Observe a brain-healthy diet. There are certain food items that can change a person’s chemical make-up
which in turn, can have an effect on your mental health. Some of these food items include caffeine,
alcohol, trans fat, sugary treats, refined carbohydrates and fried food. However, there are brain-healthy
food items too. These include fatty fish that contain Omega-3 (such as tuna), nuts, avocado, flaxseed,
beans, leafy greens and fresh fruits.
 Maintaining Mental Health

Get quality sleep. When a person is sleep-deprived, the brain usually lacks oxygen (which in turn, causes a
person to yawn often). This lack of oxygen may have adverse effects on a person’s mood (as exemplified by
irritability when one has not had a good night’s sleep). That is why it is important to get 7-8 hours of sleep
every day.
Find meaning and purpose. How does one do this? One can start to care for a pet or do volunteer work for
other people. Others take up gardening while some decide to put their attention on being more efficient at
work. That way, a person may find validation in being able to perform the tasks successfully.
 The Five Life Tasks
An example of a mental health and well-being model
we can look into is the one developed
in 1991 by Witmer and Sweeney.
It includes what is referred to as The Five Life Tasks.

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 The Five Life Tasks
1. Essence or Spirituality:
It is finding oneness, embracing the inner life, having a purpose, optimism, and value.

2. Work and Leisure:

Work can be our vocation and involve our identity. It's how we choose to interact with the world. It is a life-span task (always
evolving) and has measurable psychological, economic and social benefits.

3. Friendship:
A basic need is a sense of belonging. This task relates to that need with social interest and connectedness, social support,
health and interpersonal relationships.

4. Love:
This task, involves more than the initial rush of infatuation. It is the deeper love that involves intimacy, trust, cooperation, and
genuine commitment.

5. Self-regulation:
It is taking care of oneself and being able to have emotional responsiveness while having self-control.
 Thanks!
Do you have any questions?

hrsvalencerina@mcm.edu.ph
+63 939 833 9833
Messenger: Hanna Regine Valencerina

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