Health Test #1: Mental & Emotional Health; Empathy and Resilience

Mental and emotional health

The health of your internal life

Mental health

How you observe and interpret information. Affects how you:

• make decisions

• solve problems

• examine situations

Emotional health

How you express yourself. Includes your:

• emotions

• mood

• thoughts

• feelings about yourself

Also includes your way of viewing the world.

Happiness

Refers to a variety of positive emotions. These can include:

• joy

• pride

• contentment

• gratitude.

The mental health continuum

healthy —> reacting —> injured —> ill

Mental health conditions

Thoughts and feelings that decrease your mental and emotional health.

“Patterns of thinking and feeling that decrease mental and emotional health; can be everyday worries or serious mental illnesses.”

Mental distress

When thoughts and feelings hurt your ability to deal with daily life.

• short term

• not a diagnosable mental health condition

“short-term mental and emotional state in which negative thoughts and feelings interfere with relationships, daily tasks, and enjoyment of life.”

Mental illness / mental disorder

Serious mental health conditions that do not go away. These conditions involve changes in:

• thinking

• emotion

• behavior.

Examples:

• major depressive disorder

• anxiety disorders

• bipolar disorder

• post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Genetic predisposition

Increased likelihood of developing a health condition due to genes inherited from biological parents.

Self-actualization

The feeling of reaching one's full potential through creativity, independence, spontaneity, and a grasp of the real world.

Maslow’s hierarchy of human needs

A model of understanding human needs, in which basic needs are met before higher-level needs.

• self-actualization

• esteem (the need to be liked and respected)

• love and acceptance (the need for support, reassurance, praise, etc.)

• security (the need to feel safe in surroundings)

• physical needs (food, water, shelter, etc.)

Mindset

Thought patterns, attitude, and mood that influence someone’s mental and emotional health.

Cognitive distortions

Unhealthy patterns of thinking that are not grounded in reality)

Purpose

An intention to accomplish something that is meaningful and contributes to the world.

Empathy

The ability to understand and share the feelings of another person.

Cognitive empathy

The ability to see the world from another person's perspective.

Emotional empathy

The ability to experience the emotions another person is feeling.

Resilience

The ability to recover from traumatic and stressful events.

Self-compassion

And attitude of kindness and understanding toward one's self, even when facing setbacks and disappointments.