Evolving Magazine

Journey to Wholeness​

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The Balancing Act of Mental Health

 

By Jude LaClaire, Ph.D.

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Two recent articles in the New York Times have caught my attention: Are Schools Too Focused on Mental Health? By Ellen Barry (5/6/2024) & The Endless Quest to Max Out on Happiness by Jessica Grose (8/8/2024). The theme resonated with my own questioning of what kinds of things help or hinder our positive mental health.

           

As a long-time practitioner, I have seen the shift from an analytical, more intellectual approach to mental health therapy to a more personal, feeling-based approach. As with any change in history, we become aware of the deficits of certain ideas or approaches and overcorrect in the opposite direction. We began focusing on feelings, which had been neglected in the culture and in mental health. Over time this was modified to include other approaches but the emphasis was on personal happiness, lessening or eliminating depression, anxiety, and stress.

           

Think of a person with both feet stuck to the floor. As we learn to recognize and express feelings one foot is released. Now, we are going in circles. Noticing this dilemma in my approach I realized the other foot was action, learning skills, and finding a way forward. Then we have a way to walk forward.

           

With good intentions we have overfocused on happiness as a result and the belief that learning about something changes it. Current thinking and research calls both of those approaches into question.  Jessica Grose says, “As the weeks of survey-taking (about happiness) went by, I had another more paralyzing thought: that this focus on my feelings was instilling a new kind of anxiety.” She cites a study about tracking happiness, “texting about happiness seemed to be particularly distressing among those with more negative emotional tendencies (depression and neuroticism) and may have drawn attention to their typically unpleasant state, thus bearing the potential of perpetuating a downward spiral of satisfaction.” Some studies suggest that in some cases overvaluing happiness can lead to excessive rumination.

           

Martin Seligman is an American psychologist, educator and author of self-help books promoting his theories of well-being and positive psychology. He believes that his theories have been misapplied. “I think it’s a serious mistake to think that what life is about is your moment-to-moment mood. I think that’s a recipe for depression and anxiety.”

           

It seemed we have gone from guilt about feeling happy to guilt for not being happy enough. Neither extreme works very well. Another area of concern is the emphasis on mental health among young people has led to self-labeling, wanting a diagnosis, and feeling they need to be on psychotropic medication. It is a juggling act to help people of all ages with awareness of good mental health and resources that are available without getting stuck in over-emphasizing this and not thinking of solutions, positive actions and skills to be learned.

           

The other truth that we overlook is that life is hard, full of challenges, stressful things, and losses, along with good things, So, what we are learning is that ignoring problems does not make them go away while getting stuck in the hole of questing happiness and perfection is not helpful.

           

In working with people of all ages I find that many people may be aware of their issues but have very few skills in how to help themselves. Our culture has taught them to reach for a medication for the quick fix. This is rarely the answer. As an educator, I have always advocated for teaching skills, giving people tools and making sure they master them, practice them and want to use them moving forward.  Many years ago, I learned these two principles which guide our learning and recovery. One is to tell ourselves, whether we believe it or not, that we have all the time we need and can call on all the help we need. With awareness of the problem, we move quickly taking time, taking deep diaphragmatic breaths. Then we are more open to connecting with our internal and external resources (calling on help).

           

By finding a safe space within ourselves, taking time and breathing, we can begin to access possible resources. Some people revisit old interests, find new ones, reach out to those they know, and possibly make new connections. I try to help people identify resources, new and newly discovered, in their healing process.

           

I do not think we should stop talking about mental health but teach skills, help people develop resources, and learn to use them habitually. We also, as a society, need to have more resources for people with moderate to severe mental health issues. There are not enough in patient and out-patient treatment facilities. There are not enough mental health resources for those who cannot afford or access therapy. There are people in underserved communities and populations, like prisons, who do not get the mental help services they need.

           

Take time to think about where you are focusing and putting your energy. Be proactive, thinking of discovering and utilizing your resources in the process of healing. Take an interest in your personal growth and development, and that of the community in which you live. It is a balancing act worth learning.