From a simple perspective, health is divided into two different forms: physical and mental. Physical health deals with your body. It revolves around the food you eat, your sleep, and exercise. Mental health, however, deals with your mind and emotions. It focuses on thought processes.
Mental health can go much further than that, however. It can directly impact your emotional, psychological, and social behaviors and health. Mental health has a direct relationship not only to our thoughts and feelings but also to our beliefs and behaviors. As a result, it can dictate how we respond to daily situations. This includes stress, decision-making, and relationship-building with those around us.
Mental health is essential as it greatly affects your overall well-being. It can help determine how you can cope with stress and problems. Mental health can also determine how you respond to friends, loved ones, and your community.
When people cultivate positive mental health, they can work effectively through their emotions, thoughts, responsibilities, and social situations. However, mental health disorders and illnesses can still occur even when someone does their best to maintain good mental health. This can make it challenging to find balance in life and connect with those around you.
You may be familiar with physical health and mental health. However, this is the third term used to describe well-being: behavioral health.
Behavioral health is often used interchangeably with mental health. However, they are not the same. Instead, behavioral health is a blanket term that is made up of both physical health and mental health. This is because behavioral health focuses on the behaviors that impact your health, from what you eat to how you cope with stress.
This is another reason that mental health is significant. Because mental health is half of the equation that is behavioral health and wellness, the state of your mind greatly impacts you as an individual. Mental health deals with your mind; from your emotions to your beliefs. This is directly connected to your actions and behaviors, impacting your physical health.
Positive or good mental health in North Carolina can come in many forms. Some people have genetics and lifestyles that allow them to easily support mental health with little to no work. Other people, however, may need to utilize services for mental health in Raleigh along with hard work to achieve good mental health.
Mental health concerns can arise at any moment, and they’re not uncommon. In 2020, 21 percent of adults in the United States over 18 experienced some form of mental illness. While it can be difficult to navigate mental illness, reaching out for support for mental health in North Carolina is one step in recovery.1
Regarding mental health, every region presents its unique benefits and challenges. Mental health in North Carolina is no exception. In 2020, in North Carolina, around 30.1 percent of adults over 18 reported symptoms in alignment with either anxiety or depression.2
Mental health issues, including substance abuse, can also occur in adolescents. Between 2017 and 2019, it was reported that around 7.1 percent of youth aged 12 to 17 used recreational marijuana. This is higher than the national average of 6.8 percent. This is significant because of mental health and its impact on behavioral health, as discussed above. That same study found that 6.5 percent of young adults aged 18 to 25 suffered from mental illness.3
Although mental health may fluctuate, there are ways to improve your mental health and how you feel each day. Taking the time to better understand your feelings and ways to improve mental health can help prevent and treat mental health disorders. Some of the best ways to improve mental health include:4
Developing and improving good mental health can be daunting, especially if you approach this topic alone. However, with Advaita Integrated Medicine, you’ll find that our team of professionals is prepared to meet you where you are and provide high-quality care.
Whether you’re actively struggling with poor mental health or are looking for ways to maintain your current state of mind, we’re prepared to guide you through your mental health journey. Contact us today to learn more about mental health in North Carolina or the services we provide.
