The Difference Between Mental and Emotional Health
Most people assume that mental and emotional health are the same because they both handle non-tangible elements of human health. However, they involve different aspects of a person’s mind and senses. As such, regulating and taking care of both a person’s mental and emotional health is crucial for a recovering addict. However, these types of programs are very different. In fact, each treats different underlying problems that can lead to addiction. Knowing the difference between emotional health vs mental health can help people when they choose a rehab center.
We assume mental health as the ocean, with emotional health being the waves. With that comparison in mind, consider the differences.
What is Mental Health
Mental Health is the hardware, as emotional health is the software. Mental health is about the functioning of your brain. In that sense, it includes emotional health — along with your intellectual, spiritual, and social health. Among other things, mental health determines how you handle:
- Decision making
- Interactions with others
- Managing stress
Mental health deals with behaviors that relate to the mind or brain. Related problems that develop are typically the result of a chemical imbalance in the brain. There are a few ways that a chemical imbalance can happen in the brain. One way is a natural imbalance of chemicals. This typically happens when mental health conditions run within the family. Another way that a chemical imbalance can occur is via the abuse of mind-altering drugs. If you encounter mental health issues, these basic functions are impacted. Such problems may be caused by:
- Your family history
- Experiences you have lived through (e.g., abuse, trauma, etc.)
- Biological factors, such as brain chemistry or genes
What is Emotional Health
Emotional health deals with matters of the heart. The issues that develop tend to occur more often when people have to deal with traumatic or negative life events. Emotional health blends emotional intelligence with emotional regulation. How you process that incoming data is related to your mental health. Consider the elements constructing emotional health:
- Being aware of your emotions
- Accepting your feelings
- Processing and managing those feelings
- Expressing your feelings
- Appropriately doing all of the above
Emotional Health vs. Mental Health
Though mental and emotional health can be defined differently, multiple qualities separate them from each other. For one, mental and emotional health process different parts of your mind and conduct. The state of your mental health reflects how well your mind processes information and experiences. On the other hand, your emotional health revolves around how you express your emotions based on those experiences. In a sense, your mental and emotional health handles especially different parts of your mind. Mental and emotional health both have varying scopes, with mental health beyond your own experiences and surrounding your ability to reason your decisions. In comparison, emotional health focuses more on a person’s individual feelings, experiences, and how they manage them. In the end, maintaining both good mental health and emotional health are crucial to a healthy life. Balancing both can not only pursue overall healthier wellbeing but one that can avert the vices of addiction.
People often have different symptoms when they struggle with emotional or mental health issues. While it’s possible for people to suffer from both at the same time, one is typically the underlying issue. However, how can they tell the difference? Regarding behavior, people who suffer mentally typically stay quiet and calm in a corner. This makes it harder to understand their problems. People with emotional issues typically make loud moans and heavy sighs. Those who struggle with mental health often appear abnormal or unhealthy to those around them. Thankfully, this type of problem is much easier to notice than in cases where they’re quiet. For emotional problems, people typically have radical changes in mood. In a few seconds, they can go from having depressive to manic behaviors. It’s important to manage both emotional and mental functions during rehab effectively. Doing so optimizes overall health and treats many problems such as:
- Depression
- Anger
- Fear
- Anxiety
- Stress
- Worry
Oak Forest Recovery Can Help You Manage Mental and Emotional Health
The Oak Forest Recovery Center is the Best Mental Health Clinic in California understands the difference between emotional health vs mental health and knows how to help both. The only way to truly help someone get over addiction and other mental health problems is to manage both.
Oak Forest Recovery is the Best Addiction Treatment Center & offers Sober Living Houses for men & women, we understand this idea, which is why we offer both.
We focus on providing treatment for young adults between the ages of 18 and 30. We also provide gender-specific treatment, which makes our facility a great choice for both men and women. Our treatment center has unique treatment programs that deal with their individual issues. Are you unsure of the difference between emotional health vs mental health? Reach out to Oak Forest Recovery at 1-888-597-6257 or submit the form below to learn more.
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