IF taking care of yourself usually shows up on the bottom of your to be done list it’s time to make a change. Women especially are at risk for depression because we tend to be the first line of defense in our families to take care of others and not us. As a Licensed Independent Social Worker counseling nursing students, I deal with mental health issues every day at work. But what many of us don’t think of until we get depressed or suffer from anxiety is what mental health looks like? What is a definition of mental health as opposed to mental illness?
One definition of mental health is:

–noun

1. psychological well-being and satisfactory adjustment to society and to the ordinary demands of life.

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Origin:
1825–35
Dictionary.com Unabridged

My definition of Mental Health is the absence of disease and the enjoyment of life. I like to say the absence of dis-ease. Just like any other part of the human body the human mind can have illnesses. You can read up on all of these problems at the National Alliance on Mental Illness You can help stamp out the stigma against those with mental illness just by becoming informed and sharing your knowledge. I think Jesus demonstrated the objective of mental health when HE said: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 NIV

There are many ways to relieve stress in our lives (my top pick is massage, bet you couldn’t guess). I think other effective strategies are 1) Talking about your problems with someone you trust, 2) Pray and seek God’s wisdom for your particular concerns, 3) Set healthy boundaries, in other words, learn to say no. Resource: Boundaries (When to Say YES When to Say NO To Take Control of Your Life) Dr. Henry Cloud, and Dr. John Townsend, and 4)Exercise that releases endorphins and helps you feel better.

One of the biggest mental health disorders that we all know something about and many writers suffer from is depression. Did you know that Sir Winston Churchill suffered from depression; he called it his Black Dog. http://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/

British folklore talks about a ghostly black dog that has large glowing eyes. This made me wonder if that was the thought behind Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s, The Hound of the Baskervilles. I have not researched that idea but made a quick run of the question on the internet and found not surprisingly that Conan Doyle did suffer depression after his wife and several other family members died.

Why not search for a new scripture and use it to guide your wellness needs?

If mental wellness was a color, what color would your choose?