Dr. Darlene Powell Garlington
Positive mental health is a state of well-being in which we realize our abilities, can cope with life’s normal stresses, and can work regularly and productively. Good mental health is the foundation for a person’s effective functioning. As a member of the military, familiarity with stress management skills and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can hel
p you reduce depression, prevent a progression to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and may also reduce the chances of diminished work performance, obesity and injury. Check out Total Force Fitness for the 21st Century.
Focusing on mental health involves all the domains of Total Force Fitness: spiritual, psychological, behavioral, social, physical, nutritional, medical and environmental. As individuals, we must focus on the integration of mind, body and spirit in order to be balanced and strong, and to maintain our own good health. This means approaching your health as an integrated system, rather than one or more separate parts.
What is Psychological Wellness?
Psychological wellness is not just the absence of mental disorders. It is:
- Being comfortable with yourself
- Feeling good about yourself
- Being able to meet the demands of life
- Being able to express emotion in healthy ways
- Being able to cope with the stress of daily life
Our physical health is intimately connected to our psychological wellness. Research shows that our attitude affects our brain, body and emotions. Adopting attitudes that incorporate gratitude, appreciation and love can have a profound effect on our body’s health. A positive attitude should be part of our daily wellness practice. Easier said than done, right? This article outlines three ways to reduce stress and be more positive.
1. The Family Factor
Strong family relationships are vital to overall health. However, there is no perfect family or perfect relationship. Many military families struggle with common issues. The key to wellness is how you handle problems and support one another. There will inevitably be times when stress, adversity or trauma negatively affect your sense of well-being. During these difficult times, it is healthy, and advisable, to seek support and guidance. Sharing your challenges and problems with someone can lead to greater insight. You may think “how can a therapist understand my spouse and our relationship?” Actually, an outside person can often offer a valuable perspective that can only be gained through objectivity.
Service members and their families may also benefit from educational materials that aid in improving overall health and well-being. The Deployment Health Clinical Center (DHCC), a component agency of the Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and TBI, provides a list of programs and services that deal with post deployment adjustment, PTSD, combat trauma, military sexual trauma and other mental health issues.
2. Physical Health
Maintaining physical health means employing preventive practices including good nutrition, exercise, sleep, and regular medical and dental check-ups. Each area is important on its own, but positive improvements are even more powerful when they are combined. Like the attentive gardener, you must know the correct ways to feed and maintain your body so that it can thrive.
Focusing on our health, and the nutrients our bodies need to maintain that health, can get us through a crisis. Good nutrition and health are important for the foundation of resiliency. Learn what your triggers are for emotional and comfort eating. Knowing what leads you to emotional eating will help you stop the vicious cycle of overeating because you feel bad and then feeling bad because you overate. While comfort food may make you feel better temporarily, it won’t solve your problems. A body that receives the right nutrition and exercise can sustain the mind through times of extreme stress. Healthy eating habits such as eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and adding more whole grains into our diets strengthen us.
3. Spiritual Health
As spiritual human beings, we’re all on our own life journeys to discover and actualize our purpose, potential and passion (the three Ps of successful living). This applies to our family life, community and work environment.
- Purpose. Finding what gives your life meaning and purpose.
- Potential. Actualizing your gifts, talents and abilities to the fullest
- Passion. Experiencing excitement and reward in what you do and having a sense of fulfillment
The beginning of the year is a great time to commit to changes in your life. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a few extra dead lifts in the gym or miles on the treadmill are going to be the change you need. Effective change that will lead to optimal physical and mental health must be comprehensive. Be well!
Darlene Powell Garlington, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist, certified school psychologist and media psychologist and specializes in providing services to military members. She is a senior policy analyst at Altarum Institute, consulting with DHCC. She is the author of several books on a range of topics that include parenting, psychology and spirituality.
