Examining Your Emotional Health

Are you in good emotional shape? Isn't this a question that we should all consider? I know, it's easier said than done; we're all guilty of failing to check in with ourselves as frequently as we should. It should become second nature to us, much like checking our phones or brushing our teeth.

So, what exactly are emotions, and how can we get down to the nitty-gritty of them? An emotion is a natural instinctive state of mind generated by one's environment, mood, or interpersonal interactions, according to Oxford. It's frequently defined as a jumble of sensations followed by physical and psychological changes that affect our thinking and behavior.

Emotions are expressed through a variety of bodily activities that are important in our social interactions, social outcomes, and how we communicate our feelings to others (Calvo et al., 2015). Our impulses can tell us what is going on as a way of resolving the problem by involving brain activity because emotions are the psycho-physiological ways in which we react to an action (Van Dyck et al., 2014). Positive energies can restore reactions to other situations by reflecting our self-consciousness (D'Ascenzo, 2009), "since persons bodily resonate with emotions" (Collins, 2004, pg.6). Robert Pluchik, a well-known psychologist, invented the Wheel of Emotions in 1980 as a manner of explaining how emotions are related to one another.

In a thesis titled "Dancing, Mindfulness, and Our Emotions: Embracing the Mind, Body, and Sole," I go into greater detail regarding feelings and wellness, as well as how to use creative arts and mindfulness to identify, comprehend, and release our bottled-up emotions. The chart below shows how I broke down emotional responses from the Wheel of Emotions.

Since I mostly work with children, I frequently stress the importance of instilling in them a strong and healthy subconscious mind, as well as teaching them to recognize and control their emotions. What are some strategies for teaching our children to recognize and manage their emotions? Teaching your child to communicate their feelings will help in their mental development. Children who understand and control their feelings will be confident in their ability to deal with anything life throws at them. Instead of hitting, a child who can say, "I'm mad at you," or articulate, "that hurts my feelings," is more able to resolve conflicts in a civilized manner. Unfortunately, society frequently portrays expressing emotions as a sign of weakness when it is a sign of incredible strength. As an adult or authoritative person, consider describing a situation that caused you to experience a certain emotion. This is a fantastic way to teach kids about emotions and how they are normal to experience.

EX: A parent feels angry or depressed because their working hours have been reduced. At the dinner table, your child observes that you're not your usual cheerful self, and they occasionally wonder if they've done something wrong, or they'll ask. Being open and honest with your child or children will allow you to explain that you are angry because your work hours have been reduced, making it more difficult to pay expenses and buy them as many gifts as you used to.

Furthermore, encourage your child or children to talk about what makes them feel a certain emotion. Even though numerous shows, cartoons, and storybooks point it out or even ask children to connect the word with the emotion's face (EX: a red and frowning face would be matched with being angry). I'm not sure if children are understanding the true meaning of emotion and what prompted them to feel it, much less identify it. This technique should be promoted more regularly in households and classrooms.

EX: Timothy sat alone at lunch because he was upset with Brian. Brian backed up and stepped on Timothy's foot while lining up for bathroom time. Brian turned around and stared at Timothy when he said "oww," and then laughed. As a result of his anger, Timothy isolated himself. Both students should be taken apart in this scenario. One can wonder what got Timothy angry in the first place; was it the pain he felt when Brian stepped on his foot, the fact that he laughed, or the fact that he didn't apologize? This begins the dialogue, with Timothy, as far as Brian is concerned, it is a case of teaching children how to take responsibility for their acts, recognize when they are wrong, apologize, and be mindful of such situations in the future. Finally, rather than responding to Brian by saying, "Hey, that's not funny, you stepped on my foot, it hurts," Timothy separated himself in this scenario, which meant he didn't communicate the true emotions he was experiencing.

Mental health is important in all phases of life, including childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, as we all know. Emotional well-being allows you to work well and deal with the stresses of everyday life.

Be well, and don't forget to look after yourself.

There Are Systemic Concerns With Mental Health Care

Mental health is important at every stage of life. While most people believe that mental health discussions are important, not enough is done to fill in the gaps. Our mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It affects the way we think, feels, and behave. It also has an impact on how we handle stress, engages with others, and make healthy choices.

Making conscious, healthy choices can help us live the healthiest lifestyle possible. Let's take a look at what it means to make a healthy choice and how our social decisions affect our community and personal well-being. It's important to remember that the government exists to serve the people, so we should elect healthy people to represent us. Excessive government spending continues to slap Americans in the face, and raising taxes isn't the solution. The government is squandering public funds on pointless expenditures. To enhance the lives of Americans, we must address the problem at its source and allocate funds to critical services. Our mental health system is so flawed that it has a significant influence on the American people. Disparities exist between racial groups, as well as high-cost healthcare services and a lack of access to high-quality care.

According to the McKinsley American Opportunity Survey, 60% of Americans consider mental health care to be unaffordable. As a result, many people who have mental illnesses have been unable to receive therapy since it is "very expensive." So, how do we proceed from here? Let's look at ourselves first. Let's improve mental health treatment, encourage others to do so, initiate petitions, and discuss these issues at board meetings. The establishment of community mental health services should be promoted. Everyone should have access to high-quality health care, which should not be limited to specific communities or neighborhoods. Why would you want to separate primary care from mental health treatment? This has puzzled me for quite some time. Mental health treatment, in my opinion, should be incorporated in primary care. Mental health treatments are critical for prevention and intervention, yet they are deliberately out of reach and insanely expensive. Consider this: if mental health services were integrated into general hospitals, urgent care clinics, and doctors' offices, the number of psychiatric facilities would be reduced.

We forget that we don't have to be diagnosed with a mental illness to seek help; sometimes all you need is to debrief and check-in with yourself, and that's perfectly fine. Self-care means looking after oneself to be well, be productive, and assist and care for others. More funds should be invested into the construction of mental health pop-up clinics on more street corners, rather than having 2-3 alcohol stores on the same block or within a certain radius.

According to mental health America, the following major findings for 2022 have been uncovered thus far:

• In the United States, both adults and children continue to be disadvantaged.

• Mentally ill people who are uninsured make up 11.1% of the population in the United States. The indicator increased by 0.3% from the previous year's dataset, marking the second year in a row since the Affordable Care Act's adoption (ACA).

• A total of 950,000 youngsters, or 8.1% of all children, had private insurance that did not cover mental health care.

The advantages of creative art therapy on mental health

Creative art therapies are used in conjunction with traditional mental health treatment. Art, music, and dance are examples of creative art treatments that have long been used to help people suffering from mental illnesses (Lehofer & Stuppack, 2005). Incorporating these therapies into hospital operations can help create a positive and artistic atmosphere in the facilities.

In several studies, dance therapy was found to reduce negative emotions such as anger, frustration, depression, fear, tension, and anxiety (Rebollo, 2004). The goals have always been to manage behaviors, process feelings, reduce emotional distress, and boost self-esteem. The following are some of the reasons why children and adults benefit from creative art therapies:

• Self-discovery: These programs can help you recognize and accept feelings that have been buried deep inside your subconscious.

• Self-esteem: Participating in these programs will provide you with a sense of accomplishment, which can help you boost your self-esteem and confidence.

• Stress relief: Fighting anxiety, sadness, or emotional trauma can be mentally and physically exhausting. Making art can help you relax your mind and body and relieve tension.

• Emotional release: The most significant advantage of creative art therapy is that it provides a healthy avenue for expressing and letting go of all your emotions and concerns. Sadness or fury are examples of complex emotions that are difficult to explain with words. Making creative art therapy may assist you in expressing yourself when you are unable to do so but seek emotional relief.

Emotions are expressed through a variety of bodily activities that are important in our social interactions, social outcomes, and how we communicate our feelings to others (Calvo et al., 2015). Our impulses can tell us what is going on as a way of resolving the problem by involving brain activity because emotions are the psycho-physiological ways in which we react to an action (Van Dyck et al., 2014). This can help us adjust to new environments in the future. Emotions are mental feelings that can influence the mind, which act as a signal in a specific situation (Devon, 2016). Emotions can convey information about our environment's "friendliness or danger" by acting as indicators (Van Dyck et al., 2014, pg.1).

Rebollo claimed that creative art treatments are a vital aspect of modern health and that they should be employed in "clinical applications in hospitals, institutes, and private practice," based on demographics and patient histories of psychological and physiological disorders (Rebollo, 2004, pg.838). Dance therapy has been demonstrated to have a significant impact on helping people "accept and let go" of emotions, repair their bodies, and cultivate mindfulness through encouraging personal creativity. The table below highlights some of the data gathered on dance utilization:

At some institutions, dance therapy has been used to demonstrate its positive effects on self-efficacy, vitality, emotions, and increased coping capacities (Bradt, Goodill, & Dileo, 2011). Prisons have used creative art therapy to increase inmates' self-awareness and emotional growth, leading to good behavioral adjustments (Gussak & Ploumis-Devick, 2004). As a result, some of the detainees reported their spirits had improved and their coping abilities had improved. Stuckey and Noble mention previous study reviews on the outcomes of dance therapy use. Here at Creatively Releasing of NY LLC, we're working hard to make creative art programs in our communities and social institutions more accessible.