We all tend to take care of our body. We like to keep ourselves clean, wear clean clothes, try to be healthy all the time but what about the mind and our mental well being!
Have you ever given a thought as to what goes on in the mind. It is said that our brain generates an equal amount of negative and positive thoughts. But as humans, we only nourish the negative for we live in the constant threat about the future and the consequences of the unseen. We all live in this ‘what if’ world and with so much going around, it’s our mind and mental health that is at stake. Therefore as much as physical health, mental health is equally important and one of the most important factor to have a healthy mental well- being is to have a healthy environment.
Imagine working in a place with unreachable deadlines, strict environment, no breaks, no social life, constant nagging, politics and a lot of work pressure. How would it feel to be in a situation like this? Whether we believe it or not, most of our lives have become a rat race and it is in this constant struggle to move ahead the we forget what it does to our mind.
As a psychologist, I have clients coming to me preparing for Civil services, CA and aim to study for 15 hours a day where the main aim is not to clear the civil’s exam but the fact that when his/her friend can study for 15 hours why can’t they. In the process of wanting to reach that goal, one ends up scarifying their sleep, nutrition and meeting people, some of the essential needs of being a human. Yes, reaching greater heights is important but on the cost of what?? Having a good night sleep, giving your body the right nutrition, some fresh air and being around people are basic human needs. The more you suppress, the more is the urge to engage in them thus leading to frustration, building up stress, lack of motivation and negative thoughts.
It is we who create this unhealthy environment for ourselves and push ourselves through the mental stress. What is needed instead is a healthy environment where one is able to strike a balance between the academic / professional and personal life.
In my research titled ‘Relationship between religiosity and spirituality with mental health’ was focused on a similar approach. The study was conducted on the Indian population where one aspect of the study, spirituality, mainly focused on how personal beliefs, as well as daily chores and mainly one’s environment, can affect the individual’s well-being.
The result of my study suggested how the environment is a big factor in determining our mental health and in turn, a major factor affecting the individuals well being. Be it a housewife, a college student or the working class, what influenced them was their surrounding and the culture they are in. It was seen that higher spirituality was related to higher and positive mental well being for it helped them feel more relaxed and peace with oneself. This sense of satisfaction and peace came with the fact that they had a positive and healthy living environment. Therefore, it is rightly said, “To be healthy as a whole, mental wellness plays a role.”
