When matters related to overall wellness are concerned, physical and mental health go together. Inferior mental health results and physical health issues, as well as healthy living habits, help lower the risk of mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety. That is why overall health means caring for the body and mind. 

This article will provide information about nurturing better corporate mental wellness and how it positively impacts your overall well-being. 

The Differences between Mental Health, Mental Wellness, and Mental Well-Being: 

While the above three terms are often used interchangeably, there are primary differences in their meanings. 

Mental health can affect everyone from childhood to adulthood, impacting a person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health may include emotional, psychological, and social well-being, which affects how we think, feel, and act. When mental health is impacted, it results in mental illness that includes diagnosable conditions negatively affecting how a person thinks, feels, and behaves. While controversies exist on the definition of what is and isn’t an official mental illness, most are found in people globally. This indicates that mental illnesses are biological conditions instead of behavior going against societal and cultural norms. 

While not everyone struggles with mental illness, everyone has mental ups and downs. In contrast to mental health, mental wellness refers to how we respond to positive and negative emotions and handle the stress occurring in our everyday lives. People suffering from mental illness can achieve better mental wellness by learning new skills with help from talk therapy or by responding well to medication. The stressors and issues affecting a person’s mind do not necessarily impair mental wellness, which is generally related to how a person deals with emotions, thoughts, and actions over the long term through good times and bad times. 

The general feelings and attitudes you feel about yourself and your life are called mental well-being. People with good mental well-being have a satisfying life, a strong sense of purpose, and display positive emotions despite the inevitable life challenges. 

Factors Impacting Mental Wellness 

Mental health terms are often used or misused by people casually when it comes to their thoughts and emotions. For example, people may say they were depressed when they were having a bad day or they got bored in class because their ADD kicked in. However, differences exist between feeling depressed and having depression or feeling anxious versus having generalized panic or anxiety disorder. 

Similarly, not everyone suffering from distraction is affected by attention deficit disorder (ADD). Doctors are best suited to diagnose clinical mental health disorders such as depressed mood, ADD, and anxiety. Unfortunately, even though you may not have a clinical condition, you may still confront problems with coping due to problems that impact your life, situation, body, and mental outlook. The following sections will provide you with mental health tips to help manage the above factors effectively. 

Many Factors Impact Mental Wellness, Which Is a Complex Issue. Some of Them Include: 

Biological: Many biological elements impact mental well-being, including chemical imbalances, poor nutrition, inflammation, genetics, brain injuries, congenital disabilities, substance abuse, etc. Physical alliances also impact mental wellness. 

Environmental: Mental wellness from the world beyond can and does impact mental well-being. Elements like your living environment, workplace stress, finances, safety, and other issues, such as the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, can all cause mental distress. 

Social: Having excellent relationships with family, colleagues, and friends, contributing meaningfully to and being part of a support system, and having a sense of belonging all contribute significantly to mental and emotional wellness. Workplace mental wellness programs are also helpful in this regard. 

Individual: Strong communication skills, the ability to deal with outside stressors, and a personal sense of purpose can positively impact a person’s mental state. 

10 Strategies To Enhance Positive Mental Wellness 

While some mental health problems necessitate the use of prescription medications along with psychotherapy from licensed experts, there are also steps other people can adopt to help improve their own physical and mental well-being. Some of them include: 

1. Nutrition: Numerous studies have confirmed that eating excessive refined sugar and processed foods can impact brain function and stress organs like the pancreas. They create negative insulin responses, causing surges in stress hormones such as cortisol to increase inflammation. These biological responses exacerbate anxiety, resulting in depressed and negative moods. However, good nutrition and only eating when necessary, help regulate blood sugar and energy levels to result in better moods and concentration. 

2. Good Quality Sleep: People struggling with inferior mental wellness often battle with sleep, suffering from issues like insomnia and sleep apnea, compared to people with better mental wellness. According to research, a good night’s rest — especially REM sleep helps the brain process emotional information. The lack of sleep hinders the ability of the brain to merge positive emotional data, which results in additional negative thinking and behavior. 

3. Exercise is considered a natural stress reliever. Physically active people find their bodies’ chemistry changing positively. The exercise boosts dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine levels, which help improve mood and focus. Exercise also relieves tension in the body, helping relax muscles and promoting good sleep. 

4. Smoking: People with poor mental wellness tend to smoke more than people with better mental wellness. Physical reasons generally contribute to this behavior because people struggling with mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, produce lower dopamine levels, which are responsible for influencing positive brain feelings. Nicotine in tobacco triggers dopamine production, making people achieve temporary relief. Unfortunately, smoking is not just bad for physical health, but it also worsens depression and anxiety according to research. 

5. Alcohol: When coping with stress, anxiety, and depressed feelings, many people use alcohol as a coping strategy. Unfortunately, alcohol functions as a depressant to disrupt neurotransmitters, impacting feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. While a drink or two may temporarily relax or make people feel less anxious, the effects wear off, resulting in enhanced negative feelings. Research states that people who consume more alcohol are at risk of having symptoms of depression, anxiety, and psychosis more frequently. 

6. Remaining Connected: There is nothing more beneficial than having a friend. This is why HR initiatives encourage employee well-being by promoting companionship to maintain corporate mental wellness. Robust relationships and positive social connections help enhance physical and mental health. Additionally, remaining connected to others helps reduce anxiety and depression, strengthens the immune system, and reduces inflammation. Technology can help if you are not in a position to develop face-to-face relationships. Research reveals that online friendships can provide health benefits similar to in-person relationships. An alternate method to connect with people is to look for online communities that share your unique interests. 

7. Pets: Dogs and cats are not just for safeguarding you or eliminating the rodents from your place. They are excellent stress relievers and help reduce anxiety and depressive moods. Even having a fish tank and watching it helps lower blood pressure to improve mental wellness. Pets also help you get more exercise by playing with them to increase your brain’s good chemicals, such as dopamine and oxytocin. However, keeping a pet is a long-term commitment, and it is best that you do not get one unless you are willing to care for the animal appropriately. 

8. Stress Relievers: You don’t have to look for a psychologist near me to help relieve stress and anxiety. You can practice yoga, journaling, meditation, breathing exercises, or even take a brisk walk to ensure you reduce stress and improve your mental state. 

9. Work-life Balance: While your culture might encourage you to work, it is best that you set boundaries for your physical and mental health. You must set working hours and remain determined not to work beyond a certain time or let work interrupt your regular routine to ensure you avoid burnout. You can separate yourself from work by choosing or partaking in hobbies to make it easier for yourself to stay away from work. 

10. Professional Help: While the suggestions mentioned in this article are helpful to improve mental wellness, occasionally they are just inadequate. In such cases, you may need immediate help from a mental health professional. Therefore, if you find yourself struggling even after adopting our suggestions, please do not hesitate to look for a mental health professional near you and contact them for an appointment as soon as possible. 

Check with your employer if you are unsure where to turn. Numerous companies provide employee assistance programs (EAPs) to help employees deal with workplace stress, apart from addiction, depression, anxiety, and other familiar mental health problems. 

Occasionally, when dealing with mental health problems, you may be required to take time off for weeks or even years. Taking extended time off can result in loss of income and increase stress on you. In such cases, disability insurance can help protect your income if you are unable to work, and many policies provide benefits for disabilities due to mental health issues. Therefore, we suggest you consider all options while you start working on the suggestions mentioned above.