Mental and Emotional Health Neglected?

Whenever we hear about health, news and studies are usually focused on the physical side of life, but rarely addressed having a healthy mental and emotional state.

With most people feeling the pressure of the horrible economic disaster and losing hard earned savings and retirement plans, do you think we should be hearing more about mental and emotional health, that doesn't involve physical activity but encourages peace of mind?

 

I agree! They don't even have to bring religion into it. Just give people the tools to hold onto faith.

There are so many ways other than physical ways to deal with stress and emotional issues.

~reading
~drawing
~meditating
~yoga
~even woodworking!

The list is endless

 

I've been hearing about the mental and emotional health issues pretty much in the media lately. I think people are understanding that much of how they handle the impending hard times will depend on strong emotional health.

 

You are so right! I've always been frustrated about that. I'm lucky enough to have a job right now, and it's a stressful one. At times, I find my mind needing a hardcore break so it doesn't shut down. I'm always frustrated that it's so tough to use sick days when I feel like that. I think sick days should not only when you are feeling physically 'off', but mental, as well.

 

Those stressful things really makes people frustrated often times but I believe that one can avoid that by just having positive outlook in life and looking forward that their are still beautiful opportunities that will come because at the end of the day, we will be the loser and will be the one to suffer if we keep on thinking those things instead of thinking how we can live out of it.

 

Which of these outlets is the least expensive?

IF someone is grappling with financial issues, they need something that is really inexpensive!

 

That's a good idea in theory but I think the potential for abuse of a system
like that would be very high... it would be too easy for people to cheat such
a program... and that's very unfortunate.

 

As far as I am concerned, there's no such thng as "sick time abuse". Once I have earned that time, it is mine to use as I see fit.

 

I agree, SageMother.
As to your mental and emotional health, your body can be as fit as all get out, but if you're suffering in your soul, you are not fit in reality.

 

I've definitely heard of people losing sleep because of the economy, and I've experienced that a bit myself.

I think that exercise can be very beneficial. Walking in an area you enjoy can be helpful, I'd say. Also getting a good book from the library costs nothing or in my case I dig through our old DVDs to find a good escape for an hour or two without putting out more money.

 

The last "outside" job I had had started out really well, but degenerated into a stressful ordeal. I begin to have alot of trouble sleeping; I'd dream about working, and then wake up, and then I'd stew for awhile until I could drift back off. Work, with it or without it, can really mess up your sleep!

 

There are some great ideas already listed. The thing is, when things are truly tough, it's hard for most people to get their minds off of what's going wrong (like with the economy, money is pretty much always on their mind). Even with trying to find peace-invoking activities, it can be frustrating to really relax.

 

Whenever I’m feeling stress, I would just watch some movies or play some computer games.

 

I keep hearing that humans weren't meant to live under constant stress, but are built for short bursts of stress followed wiith longer times of relaxed activity.

Do you think doctors will start telling folks they should leave their jobs if the stresses become to great?

Ther was a time when doctors did that, but they stopped.

 

I think what people are generally told now is "take a vacation"....hoping that they even have vacation time available without losing their jobs.

 

That's the "flight or fight" instinct built into humans, isn't it, SageMother. It is only supposed to manifest in moments of high stress, but people now feel so much prolonged stress that this instinct is nearly a permanent condition. That's why high, prolonged stress is bad for people, I believe.

 

I wonder how much of the stress many feel is actually necessary and how much is imagined or self created due to a high demand for wants and because so many seem to think that they are supposed to be under stress.

 

Our society runs on the need for more, and has to keep finding ways to stimulate the anxiety that leads people to spend money to get more.

Problem is, some of that more is demanded of you at a job that controls basic needs like food, clothing, and housing.

It's a mistake to think that all of the anxiety is the product of frivolous desire.

 

Very true statement. I know a few people who, to the rest of the world looking in at least, seem to have "perfect" lives. Love their jobs, great kids, loving family, strong in beliefs, etc. and anxiety is still a horrible problem.

I do think that often "anxiety" is almost a ... I'll call it a "designer illness" that's in style because everyone else has it, so why not... but that's very different from the actual disorder that doesn't necessarily have much rhyme or reason.

 

Sage,
Oh, I don't think it's all based on desire. I just think that the level is heightened artificially.