Making Your Mental Health a Priority: You are not alone and you are worthy of living your best life.
“The term mental health is commonly used in reference to mental illness. However, knowledge in the field has progressed to a level that appropriately differentiates the two. Although mental health and mental illness are related, they represent different psychological states.”
Mental health is “a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community.”1 It is estimated that only about 17% of U.S adults are considered to be in a state of optimal mental health.2 There is emerging evidence that positive mental health is associated with improved health outcomes.
Mental illness is defined as “collectively all diagnosable mental disorders” or “health conditions that are characterized by alterations in thinking, mood, or behavior (or some combination thereof) associated with distress and/or impaired functioning.”2 Depression is the most common type of mental illness, affecting more than 26% of the U.S. adult population.3 It has been estimated that by the year 2020, depression will be the second leading cause of disability throughout the world, trailing only ischemic heart disease.4
Evidence has shown that mental disorders, especially depressive disorders, are strongly related to the occurrence, successful treatment, and course of many chronic diseases including diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, asthma, and obesity5 and many risk behaviors for chronic disease; such as, physical inactivity, smoking, excessive drinking, and insufficient sleep.” Source: https://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/basics.htm
Upon reading this information, we understand Mental Illness can stem from many factors and take on many different characteristics and the afflictions each person experiences varies in intensity. One of the things we do recognize is that Mental Illness critically degrades the quality of life of the one who suffers, as well as impacts the lives of those who love them.
Understanding and seeking help for Mental Illness is much easier these days due to the vast amount of information easily accessed simply by searching symptoms or behaviors. Finding proper support and therapy is important to increase the quality of life for those affected and those who love them.
There is no shame in Mental Illness. Release the self-judgement and stigma. It is our own thinking that proliferates the negativity around this topic. Freedom, joy and balance can be a simple step away if we believe we are worthy and open to receiving the proper help.
Be brave. Seek out the help that you need. If you find it is a loved one that suffers, offer your best support for their journey to well-being.
Everyone deserves wellness. You are worthy of living a happy, fulfilled life. The many afflictions within the myriad of disorders classified under Mental Illness can be managed. You deserve to live your best life!
The Wellness Universe believes if each person is happy, healthy and whole, they contribute those attributes to the world, ultimately creating world peace.
If every person incorporated practices into their lives that supported their personal well-being, allowing for a more balanced, health-filled life, we believe we can achieve world peace.
The Wellness Universe supports total well-being by bringing together the most eclectic, robust and supportive community of wellness practitioners supporting those who seek total well-being in 7 areas of wellness as described on www.TheWellnessUniverse.com.
Please support our mission to grow this epic space that is desperately needed as we witness more and more unrest, unhappiness and disease associated with lack of loving self care. It\’s up to us to make the change.
More than 2,500 WU World-Changers have come together since 2014 and the need is now to expand and reach more people and impact the world in a bigger way. You are invited to use The Wellness Universe to better your life or join us as a WU World-Changer resource for well-being.
Can we count on your support? If you feel more wellness is needed, and through supporting society with powerful wellness resources, one person at a time, we will achieve world peace, then please support our mission and vision now:
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Thank you.
Anna Pereira & Shari Alyse
Founders, The Wellness Universe
Your likes, comments and sharing on this article is appreciated and we are grateful for your support in spreading this message.
Real People. Real Resources. Really Changing the World.
The world needs hope, healing and support. One by one Wellness Universe World-Changers (WU World-Changers) create more happiness, health and peace throughout our planet. Together we make the world a more positive and peace-filled space.
In 2013, The Wellness Universe Founder Anna Pereira had an epic vision. Passionate about leaving the world a better place than she found it, she reached out to Shari Alyse and shared her idea of creating an unprecedented community of people, each one being a resource for well-being, who are just as passionate and dedicated to making the world a better place.
Wellness requires all areas of our life to have balance. The Wellness Universe has a community of wellness practitioners and professionals who support you in 7 areas of wellness: Environmental, Emotional, Intellectual, Occupational, Physical, Social and Spiritual. Completely member supported, all content is created by the members to support their personal messages to help make the world a better place. The Wellness Universe launched live on 1/23/15, first as a Facebook page directory, and now as a robust resource comprised of over 2,500 vetted members from around the world.
Our Vision
The Wellness Universe vision is, quite simply, world peace. We believe this is achieved by supporting, empowering and celebrating wellness professionals and World-Changer leaders around the globe. If we systematically and practically support leaders, provide them with a community and a platform through which to share their passion, message and expertise, they will be positively and profoundly affected and this in turn will increase their reach, impact and ability to educate and inspire true and lasting whole health in people the world over. The Wellness Universe is a catalyst for this.
Our Mission
The Wellness Universe (WU) mission is to revolutionize the wellness industry and ultimately what wellness means, how we incorporate it into our lives and how we access and share wellness resources. Through our leading-edge online directory and platform, we make resources for self-help and empowerment, and connection to an evolutionary global wellness community easily accessible, all under one WU umbrella. We believe that in connecting one another in the pursuit of whole health and well-being, personally and professionally, this causes a ripple effect that will ultimately inspire peace globally.
Founders Anna Pereira and Shari Alyse, along with their remarkable, dedicated team make this space possible.
References
- World Health Organization. Strengthening Mental Health Promotion. Geneva, World Health Organization (Fact sheet no. 220), 2001.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Center for Mental Health Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Mental Health, 1999.
- Kessler RC, Chiu WT, Demler O, Walters EE. Prevalence, severity, and comorbidity of 12-month DSM-IV disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2005;62:617–627.
- Murray CJL, Lopez AD. The Global Burden of Disease: A Comprehensive Assessment of Mortality and Disability from Diseases, Injuries and Risk Factors in 1990 and Projected to 2020. Geneva, Switzerland;World Health Organization, 1996.
- Chapman DP, Perry GS, Strine TW.The vital link between chronic disease and depressive disorders. Prev Chronic Dis 2005;2(1):A14.
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