What It Means To Be Healthy | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

What It Means To Be Healthy

Health isn't all physical.

1030
What It Means To Be Healthy
BostInno

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you here the word "healthy"? Do you think of a model or someone with big muscles? Do you think of fruits and vegetables? Do you think about bodies? While health has to do with physicality, it is not limited to physical health. Mental health has become a huge part of being healthy, but what does it mean to have good mental health?

When you have good physical health, you feel good. But what is defined as good? Well that varies from person to person. Some people feel energized, some may have a skinny waist or glowing skin. Some may feel like they can wake up in the morning without caffeine. There are so many different signs for physical health.

The same applies to mental health.

There are many different ways to tell if you are mentally healthy. Do you feel good? Not in the way you feel about your body, but in your mind. Do you like yourself? Do you feel happy? Do you feel calm? Many people believe that having mental disorders are "bad". Well they aren't good to have, but they should not be something people feel ashamed about.

One in five adults suffer from mental health issues. We have put our mental health on the back burner. Many people are very gun-ho on ensuring that people are pushing to be their very best, healthiest selves. Unfortunately they do not consider mental health. Mental health has become a more prominent topic in the last ten years.

I did not address mental health until I was in college. That was the first place I ever saw people talking about taking care of your mental health. I had always suffered from mental disorders, but I never accepted them. I saw them as flaws in my personality. For seven years I pushed those feelings and thoughts away, and pretended that they were not real. I finally visited my doctor and talked about these feelings I had. The overwhelming anxiety, the relentless sadness. The great emotions in both directions, but never in the middle. She explained to me that like a disease we can see, mental diseases need to be taken care of too. I had a high release of serotonin.

So what does it mean to be mentally healthy?

It means you know how to deal with your feelings. It means you enjoy life. It means you are happy. It means that bad days are just bad days that happen here and there. And like physical health, that varies from person to person. Anyone can have mental health issues. It does not mean you are "messed up," it simply means you may need a little help. Counseling, therapy, and even medicine are ways to treat physical health, and it's okay to be treated these ways for mental health too.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

193952
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

17113
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

459489
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

27535
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments