What Is Mental Health?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines mental health as your emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health is an important aspect during every stage of life, from childhood to adulthood. As an aspect of yourself, mental health impacts the different ways you think, feel, and act. Your mental health can dictate how you process stress, interact with others, and make choices. Moreover, it should be noted that mental health and mental illness are not one and the same. You can experience physical, mental, and emotional wellness throughout your life, even when you struggle with a mental health disorder.
Risk Factors for Poor Mental Health
Over time, your mental health can shift and change based on family history and when the circumstances of your life exceed your mental resources and coping skills. The risk factors that can make one vulnerable to poor mental health include:
- Economic hardship
- Working overtime for an extended period
- Acting as a caregiver for a loved one
- Genetics
- Brain chemistry imbalance
- Family history of mental health disorders
- Early adverse experiences in childhood and adolescents
- Verbal abuse
- Physical abuse
- Neglect
- Witness to violence
- Bullying
- Chronic health conditions
- Cancer
- Chronic pain
- Diabetes
- Substance abuse
- Social isolation and loneliness
The Importance of Mental Health for Overall Health
There is an interconnected relationship between your mental and physical health as they influence each other. Research has shown that when you engage in physical activities, you also experience improvements in thinking and reduced symptoms of disorders such as anxiety and depression. In addition, researchers have seen how struggles with mental health disorders impact your physical health, from aches and pains to chronic health conditions. Therefore, as you take care of your body, you take care of your mind, and when you take care of your mind, you are taking care of your body.
Examples of Mental Health Disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Social anxiety disorder
- Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
- Depression
- Schizophrenia
- Bipolar disorder
- Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Eating disorders
- Substance use disorder (SUD)
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
The Relationship Between Mental Health Disorders and Chronic Health Conditions
As noted in an article from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), there is a co-occurring relationship between your mental and physical health in which certain mental illnesses are more likely to lead to the development of physical health issues and vice versa. Numerous chronic health issues are born out of mental health disorders. One example includes making poor health choices when you are struggling with depression.
In addition, there are countless mental health disorders that develop or are exasperated by chronic health conditions. For instance, it is common for one to develop depression and anxiety after being diagnosed with a serious chronic health condition. Some of the chronic health issues associated with mental health challenges include:
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Heart disease
- Chronic pain
- Stroke
- Heart attack
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Epilepsy
- Autoimmune diseases
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis
- HIV/AIDS
To learn more about how we can support you on your mental health journey at Grace Recovery TX and our sister center Emerge Recovery TX, visit our Resources page.
Mental Health House at Grace Recovery TX
At Grace Recovery TX, our mental health house is designed to support you on your journey to recovery. The minimum length of stay at our mental health house is six months. Within those six months, you will work in a small supportive community of women dedicated to helping you develop skills and goals, as well as learn to manage your medication for your long-term well-being. As a member, you will have a treatment plan designed for you and your specific needs. With the support of a case manager and recovery coach, you will develop short- and long-term goals, and your support team will help you hold yourself accountable for those goals. Moreover, while a SUD diagnosis is not required to be in the mental health house, you must remain sober as we work together to support you on your journey toward mental and emotional wellness.
Support Services
Some of our support services in the mental health house include:
- Houses two to four members
- Access to support staff
- You set your medication schedule
- The house manager helps you manage your medication schedule
- Staff will observe as you take your medication
- The house manager helps with daily logistics
- Regular onsite coaches and case managers
- Experienced tech staff
To learn more about our houses at Grace Recovery TX, visit our House Business page.
What Is Medication Management?
Medication management is an important part of supporting and treating mental health disorders. While medication is not always necessary for all mental health conditions, medication can be used as a support tool to help you live a life in which you have more control over how you feel, think, and act day-to-day. As a system of care, medication management is designed to help manage and stabilize the symptoms you experience with mental health disorders. In addition, if you are taking multiple medications for one or more disorders, it can feel overwhelming to keep track of when you should take your medications and how many you need to take.
Risk Factors
Without medication management, you can potentially encounter adverse outcomes such as:
- Taking too much of one or more medications
- Accidental overdose
- Adverse reactions to medications and other substances mixing
- Drug-to-drug interactions
- Drug-to-alcohol interactions
- Drug-to-food interactions
- Running out of medication before a refill or forgetting to take your medication
- Unintentional withdrawal
- Increased risk of symptoms
Mental health is important for your emotional, social, and physical well-being. At Grace Recovery TX, we can support you on your mental health recovery journey with medication management and access to support resources in our mental health house. Call us today at (737) 237-9663 to learn how our mental health house can support you on your journey to recovery.