What is good emotional health?
People
who have good emotional health are aware of their thoughts, feelings and
behaviors. They have learned healthy ways to cope with the stress and problems
that are a normal part of life. They feel good about themselves and have
healthy relationships.
However,
many things that happen in your life can disrupt your emotional health and lead
to strong feelings of sadness, stress or anxiety. These things include:
1:-Being
laid off from your job
2:-Having
a child leave or return home
3:-Dealing
with the death of a loved one
4:-Getting
divorced or married
5:-Suffering
an illness or an injury
6:-Getting
a job promotion
7:-Experiencing
money problems
8:-Moving
to a new home
9:-Having
a baby
“Good”
changes can be just as stressful as “bad” changes.
How can my emotions affect my health?
Your
body responds to the way you think, feel and act. This is often called the
“mind/body connection.” When you are stressed, anxious or upset, your body
tries to tell you that something isn’t right. For example, high blood pressure
or a stomach ulcer might develop after a particularly stressful event, such as
the death of a loved one. The following can be physical signs that your
emotional health is out of balance:
1:-Back
pain
2:-Change
in appetite
3:-Chest
pain
4:-Constipation
or diarrhea
5:-Dry
mouth
6:-Extreme
tiredness
7:-General
aches and pains
8:-Headaches
9:-High
blood pressure
10:-Insomnia
(trouble sleeping)
11:-Lightheadedness
12:-Palpitations
(the feeling that your heart is racing)
13:-Sexual
problems
14:-Shortness
of breath
15:-Stiff
neck
16:-Sweating
17:-Upset
stomach
18:-Weight
gain or loss
Pooremotional health can weaken your body's immune system, making you more likely
to get colds and other infections during emotionally difficult times. Also,
when you are feeling stressed, anxious or upset, you may not take care of your
health as well as you should. You may not feel like exercising, eating
nutritious foods or taking medicine that your doctor prescribes. Abuse of
alcohol, tobacco or other drugs may also be a sign of poor emotional health.
Why does my doctor need to know about my emotions?
You may
not be used to talking to your doctor about your feelings or problems in your
personal life. But remember, he or she can’t always tell that you’re feeling
stressed, anxious or upset just by looking at you. It’s important to be honest
with your doctor if you are having these feelings.
First,
he or she will need to make sure that other health problems aren’t causing your
physical symptoms. If your symptoms aren’t caused by other health problems, you
and your doctor can address the emotional causes of your symptoms. Your doctor
may suggest ways to treat your physical symptoms while you work together to
improve your emotional health.
If your
negative feelings don’t go away and are so strong that they keep you from
enjoying life, it’s especially important for you to talk to your doctor. You
may have what doctors call “major depression.” Depression is a medical illness
that can be treated with individualized counseling,
medicine or with both.
How can I improve my emotional health?
First,
try to recognize your emotions and understand why you are having them. Sorting
out the causes of sadness, stress and anxiety in your life can help you manage
your emotional health. The following are some other helpful tips.
Express your feelings in appropriate ways. If
feelings of stress, sadness or anxiety are causing physical problems, keeping
these feelings inside can make you feel worse. It’s OK to let your loved ones
know when something is bothering you. However, keep in mind that your family
and friends may not be able to help you deal with your feelings appropriately.
At these times, ask someone outside the situation--such as your family doctor,
a counselor or a religious advisor--for advice and support to help you improve
your emotional health.
Live a balanced life. Try not to obsess
about the problems at work, school or home that lead to negative feelings. This
doesn’t mean you have to pretend to be happy when you feel stressed, anxious or
upset. It’s important to deal with these negative feelings, but try to focus on
the positive things in your life too. You may want to use a journal to keep
track of things that make you feel happy or peaceful. Some research has shown
that having a positive outlook can improve your quality of life and give your
health a boost. You may also need to find ways to let go of some things in your
life that make you feel stressed and overwhelmed. Make time for things you
enjoy.
Develop resilience. People with resilience
are able to cope with stress in a healthy way. Resilience can be learned and
strengthened with different strategies. These include having social support,
keeping a positive view of yourself, accepting change and keeping things in
perspective.
Calm your mind and body. Relaxation
methods, such as meditation, are useful ways to bring your emotions into
balance. Meditation is a form of guided thought. It can take many forms. For
example, you may do it by exercising, stretching or breathing deeply. Ask your
family doctor for advice about relaxation methods.
Take care of yourself. To have good
emotional health, it’s important to take care of your body by having a regular
routine for eating healthy meals, getting enough sleep and exercising to
relieve pent-up tension. Avoid overeating and don’t abuse drugs or alcohol.
Using drugs or alcohol just causes other problems, such as family and health
problems.
