Emotional Health vs Mental Health
By | April 26th, 2023
A common misassumption is that emotional health and mental health are one and the same. While they do share some similarities from a psychological standpoint, they are two very different types of health and should be treated independently of one another.
Knowing the differences between emotional health and mental health can allow you to address both in the proper manner. In the event that you may be struggling with one or both, knowing the difference between emotional health vs mental health can allow you to seek the appropriate treatment at a treatment facility such as Evolve Wellness in California.
Emotional Health vs Mental Health
Emotional health refers to our ability to recognize, understand, and manage our emotions in a healthy and constructive way. It involves being aware of our emotions, expressing them appropriately, and coping with stress and challenges effectively. On the other hand, mental health refers to our psychological well-being, which includes our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. It encompasses our cognitive abilities, our ability to think, reason, and make decisions, as well as our emotional well-being.
As we touched on in the intro, while the two are separate, since they are both psychological in nature, both emotional and mental health can play off one another. Our emotions can affect our mental state, and our mental state can influence our emotions.
An example of this is chronic stress or trauma. Both of these emotions, when left untreated, can lead to mental health struggles such as depression or anxiety. On the flip side of that, those battling mental health issues such as depression or anxiety may experience emotional upheaval as a side effect of their mental health condition.
The Value of Healthy Mental Function
Healthy mental function is crucial for our overall well-being. It allows us to think clearly, make sound decisions, cope with stress, and maintain healthy relationships. When our mental health is not good, it can significantly impact our daily lives, in some cases even making it difficult to complete daily tasks and responsibilities. This, in turn, can lead to problems at work or school, or even problems within our relationships, all of which can have a negative impact on our overall quality of life.
Symptoms of Negative Mental Health
While the symptoms one might experience as a result of negative mental health can vary based on a number of factors, some of the more common symptoms associated with poor mental health include:
- Mood swings
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Changes in appetite
- Feelings of sadness or hopelessness
- Difficulty concentrating
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Substance abuse
- Suicidal thoughts or actions
It’s important to be able to properly understand and identify these symptoms. While some may be able to be managed on your own, many of these symptoms require professional mental health treatment to properly address.
The Value of Healthy Emotional Function
Much like mental health, a healthy emotional function is also crucial for our overall well-being. Good emotional health allows us to understand and manage our emotions effectively, express ourselves appropriately, and cope with stress and adversity. When our emotional health is suffering though, it can often make it difficult to manage our emotions, which, in turn, can negatively impact our ability to properly manage our stress and anxiety.
Symptoms of Negative Emotional Health
Other symptoms of poor or negative emotional health to keep an eye out for may include:
- Mood swings
- Difficulty managing emotions
- Unexplained outbursts
- Negative self-talk
- Substance abuse
- Avoiding certain situations
- Engaging in destructive behavior
Emotional Health Awareness is Vital
As we’ve touched on, your emotional health is a key component when it comes to your physical and mental health as well as your overall well-being. Being truly emotionally healthy involves being in tune not just with our emotions, but also being able to understand them so that we can develop healthy ways to manage them.
If you are someone that is emotionally healthy, you are likely someone that does the following:
- You practice daily self-care
- You talk openly and honestly about your feelings
- You are resilient
- You feel as though your life has purpose
- You regularly practice mindfulness
However, being an emotionally unhealthy person can affect more than just your overall mental and emotional health, it can actually have physical consequences as well.
Unresolved emotional issues such as stress and anxiety can lead to the development of physical ailments such as:
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Stomach pain
- Insomnia
- Weakened immune function
- Changes in eating habits
- Chest pain
- High blood pressure
- Sweating
Managing and Caring For Your Emotional and Mental Health
Because your emotional and mental health both play a vital role in not just your psychological health but your mental health too, being able to properly identify along with managing both your emotional and mental health is crucial. Doing so involves a combination of self-awareness, self-care, and knowing when to seek help and support when needed, whether it be by talking to a trusted friend, family member, or loved one, or seeking treatment from a professional.
Evolve Wellness Can Help With Emotional Health vs Mental Health
If you feel that you are struggling with your emotional health, your mental health, or both, it’s important not to ignore the warning signs or symptoms. Doing so can just make matters worse as well as lead to physical health issues.
At Evolve Wellness, we understand the importance of mental and emotional help. We also know that not everyone that is in need of help wants to go to a facility to seek treatment. That’s why all of our mental and emotional health treatment services are available via telehealth, allowing you to seek treatment wherever it’s most comfortable and convenient for you.
For more information about our treatment programs, contact us today.