It’s a new year. January is most often associated with new beginnings, where after weeks of hectic holidays, relaxing vacations, and quiet reflections, people are rejuvenated and ready to achieve their resolutions. January is also Mental Wellness Month — so before you start working on any new goals or habits, here is the difference between mental wellness and mental health.
The public is quick to make the mistake of thinking that mental wellness and mental health are synonymous, yet we should avoid conflating the two. There are obvious differences. The Global Wellness Institute defines mental wellness as “a dynamic, renewable, and positive resource, and as an active process that requires initiative and conscious action. It recognizes mental wellness as an internal experience that encompasses multiple dimensions.” Put another way, mental wellness encompasses a range of activities, mental or otherwise, that contribute to your overall well-being and personal satisfaction. Even then, there is nuance to the concept. It is not strictly a continuum of happiness with one end being happy and the other end depressed. Mental wellness can be practiced through activities that are mostly benign such as bathing, getting a massage, listening to music, going out, and socializing. All of these activities are taken for granted but do wonders for your overall mental wellness.
Included in mental wellness is mental health. Mental health still contributes to a person’s overall well-being. A lack of mental illness does not equate to mental wellness. About 15% of the world’s population suffers from a diagnosed mental or substance use disorder, but that does not mean that the other 85% of the population is “mentally well” or leading healthy, happy, productive, and satisfied lives.
Growing awareness has destigmatized mental illnesses to some degree. There are still many who deny that they exist or that they could possibly have one. This has been changing as governments and institutions have been realizing the importance of providing resources to those who suffer from mental illnesses. According to the 2022 Employee Wellness Industry Trends Report by Wellable Labs, 76% of companies are investing more in stress management and resilience resources for their team members, all of which can be used for work situations as well as in their personal lives.
So then, how do we achieve mental wellness? Mental wellness isn’t something you achieve, it is a process, it is the cumulative effort and actions we take that will contribute to our overall well-being, whether or not you have a mental illness or not. Dr. Robert Waldinger, Director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development—the world’s longest-running study on human happiness—said “the people who have the warmest relationships and the people who are most connected to other people in their lives are the people who stay healthier and live longer.” If you are to have any resolution for the new year, it should be to take care of yourself, and most importantly, to build those deep connections with family and friends — you’ll thank yourself later.
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