Emotional Health vs Mental Health

A person’s behavior, response to certain situations, and general outlook in life are mostly governed by both emotional health and mental health, although there is a good deal of confusion about these two health aspects. Many are wondering if it would be more important to focus on emotional health vs mental health or vice versa to ensure that a person stays well within the boundaries of what could be considered “normal” or proper behavior.

What is the Difference Between Emotional Health and Mental Health?

Emotional Health Defined

Emotional health is defined as having the ability to discern what a person feels at any given moment or towards a situation or person. Also, it’s being able to manage whatever feelings or reactions the situation might elicit from the person. This is defined in this manner because there are many instances when a person could be fully aware of how they feel about something but are completely incapable of controlling their reaction to it.

This reference to an inability to control one’s emotions is not simply limited to anger, but to other aspects of the emotional spectrum as well. Having no control over emotions could manifest in a person suddenly bursting into tears or even going into hysterics when they are sad. Or suddenly behaving inappropriately or saying inappropriate things when they feel a strong attraction toward someone.

Emotional health is directly linked to either how a person expresses or controls their emotions. Some people express their emotions in a manner that many would consider unacceptable, while others display little to no emotion at all. Both of these extremes could be attributed to poor emotional health, as the person could be completely clueless about how to express their emotions.

On the other hand, some people have an unhealthy practice of stifling their emotions. These people suppress their emotions even up to the point where they can no longer control whatever it is they feel. The danger here is that once they reach their tipping point, they could either succumb to an emotional breakdown or even lash out blindly.

Mental Health Defined

Mental health, on the other hand, is the person’s ability to think and process information properly. Mental health has to do with the psychological, social, and behavioral aspects of a person. Mental health is not something that is restricted to age, as it is manifested by people of all ages, from childhood and even to the advanced years.

Mental health is peculiar in that it is both resilient and vulnerable at the same time. It is the resilience of mental health that helps people get through some of the toughest periods in life, and learn from them as well. A person’s mental health, however, could also be quite vulnerable to certain things, such as trauma, which could have a lasting and deeply damaging effect on it.

Proper cognitive function is also quite dependent on mental health. Things that many people tend to take for granted, such as:

• Learning
• Being able to remember things
• Having the ability to properly understand
• Approach and solve a problem in multiple ways

The above are all manifestations of properly maintained mental health. Just as the body gets stronger with physical exercise, a person’s mental health also improves with mental exercises that engage the mind in deep and challenging thought.

How Important is Awareness of One’s Mental and Emotional Health?

Knowing what emotional or mental state a person might be in is immensely important for both the person and the people around them. This is because a person’s mental and emotional health would affect how they interact with others, including how they communicate.

A person could have a completely unexpected and inappropriate reaction to something someone else might have said or done, all brought about by ailing emotional or mental health. A person making a completely innocent comment could be taken in the worst way possible by someone who is not in the best of moods. In other cases, a person having a bad day could suffer from it greatly once it affects their mental or emotional health, causing them to make harsh judgments and take unnecessary risks.

This is why people who work in law enforcement and peacekeeping are mandated to consult with a therapist regularly, as a moment of bad judgment for someone in their position could result in injury or something far worse for those around them.

How Can a Person Maintain Their Mental and Emotional Health?

It is always best to not take anything for granted when considering mental or emotional health. Many often mistakenly think that mental or emotional issues will just “go away” if they ignore or stifle them. These issues have a high likelihood of “festering” and becoming bigger problems the more they are ignored or stifled.

Perhaps one of the best examples of this is when people who are bullied suddenly lash out blindly at others, hurting even those who did them no wrong. Another example is when people who have seen the horrors of combat and crime decide that they could process these things given enough time. Veterans who have taken to drinking or even substance abuse are proof that these things do not simply go away.

Talk therapy is known to be a big help for people who might be burdened with some emotional or mental issue, as many admit that “letting it all out” is far better than keeping everything bottled inside.  Support groups are also instrumental in helping people manage their emotional or mental burdens, as it gives people the benefit of receiving help and support from others who could truly empathize with the person.

Orlando Treatment Solutions Can Help You Through Your Emotional and Mental Health Concerns

Many people go through their lives in silent agony. They carry the weight of emotional or mental issues every day, and as each day passes, they lose a little more of themselves in the process. We here at Orlando Treatment Solutions believe that people deserve better lives than this.

There is an answer to both mental and emotional health issues, and all that is needed is to seek those who care enough to give support where it is needed. We understand how difficult it is because we have helped countless others through it. We can help you too. Talk to us now.