Mental health refers to a person’s overall psychological and emotional well-being. It includes how we think, feel, behave, and our ability to cope with challenges and stressors we experience. The state of our mental health also affects our daily choices and how we relate to others. Fortunately, as more and more research and personal stories of mental illness surface on social media and other platforms, awareness concerning mental health problems has increased. However, we wanted to share some common signs of good mental health as well as treatment options offered at our facilities for those who need support.

Characteristics of Good Mental Health

Good mental health is more than just the absence of mental illness. Good mental health involves managing one’s emotions, coping with stress, maintaining healthy relationships, and making sound decisions. Conversely, people with poor mental health tend to struggle in these areas.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, many people developed mental health issues, and others with existing problems were further triggered. As a result, more and more talk about becoming more mentally healthy or sound started happening. But how do we know that our efforts toward positive mental well-being are working?

If you’re wondering, below are some signs of good mental health that indicate your efforts might be working:

• Positive mood: People with good mental health generally have a positive outlook on life, regularly participate in activities they enjoy, and have a good sense of humor.
• Emotional resilience: Mentally healthy people tend to have the ability to cope with stress and adversity and can quickly rebound from setbacks.
• Self-esteem and self-worth: Another sign of good mental health is having a positive sense of self and feeling good about who you are.
• Good relationships: Other common characteristics of good mental and emotional health are positive relationships with others and assertive and effective communication skills.
• Self-care: Individuals with good mental health also tend to prioritize their physical and mental well-being by engaging in self-care activities and practicing good habits like eating well, getting enough sleep, and exercising regularly.
• Productivity: These individuals can also maintain a good level of productivity in their work and personal life and can set and achieve their goals.
• Flexibility: Mentally sound people can adapt to new situations and challenges and see different perspectives.
• Ability to seek help: Recognizing when someone needs support and seeking help when needed are signs of positive mental well-being.
• You say ‘no’ when you need to: Mentally strong people are also able to create healthy boundaries. This includes saying ‘no’ whenever necessary. If you’re mentally strong, you’re aware of your limits. You also don’t guilt yourself for saying no when it’s inconvenient or harmful to you to say ‘yes.’

When to Get Help for Mental Health

While no one’s mental health is perfect, there is a major difference between good and bad mental health. A significant difference is whether or not one has the ability to function on a day-to-day basis. People with bad mental health may struggle to cope with the simplest tasks, such as leaving the house to buy groceries or showing up to work consistently.

Serious mental health challenges can negatively impact a person’s relationships and ability to perform at work or school. Anyone who’s hit this point should seek out mental health treatment immediately. If you suspect that you’re mentally unwell and might need help, here are some major signs of bad mental health that may indicate the need for treatment:

• Feeling down or sad for long periods without a specific reason
• Constantly or excessively worrying about an event or incident
• Feeling empty or apathetic about life
• Emotional outbursts of anger, hostility, or violence
• Difficulty relating to others’ thoughts and feelings or feeling empathetic toward others
• Suicidal thoughts or behavior
• Self-harm
• Withdrawing from loved ones
• Experiencing delusions, hallucinations, or sensory experiences that feel real but aren’t
• Disturbed sleep patterns, such as sleeping too much or too little
• Noticeable changes in sex drive or sexual activity, including engaging in risky sexual behavior
• Feeling fatigued no matter how much sleep you’ve gotten
• Noticeable changes in eating patterns, such as restricting your eating or binge eating

If you or someone you care about is struggling with one or more of the above symptoms, it may be time to get help. Banyan has numerous facilities for mental health that offer PHP and residential mental health care to help patients with all kinds of disorders recover. Our therapists and specialists help clients understand their disorders and symptoms and how to properly cope with them.

Whether you’re battling depression, anxiety, PTSD, or any other mental illness, we’re here to help. Call our Banyan mental health center today at 888-280-4763 or send us your contact information to learn more about our adult mental health services. 

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