Mental health in men: standards, significance, and maintenance methods

Men's mental health

Men not only need a healthy physique, but also a sound and perfect spiritual realm. To possess spiritual beauty, one must first have a healthy mental state. Mental health is a normal and harmonious mental state that people exhibit in adapting to social life.

So, what is mental health? What kind of person is considered mentally healthy? According to research by psychologists, the answer can be summarized as follows:

(I) Characteristics of mental health:

1. Rational understanding: Clear self-concept. Self-concept refers to a person's impression and evaluation of themselves, having a relatively comprehensive understanding of their own physique, appearance, physiological characteristics, as well as motivations, interests, emotions, abilities, personality, and qualities, and clearly knowing their own strengths and weaknesses.

2. Self-love: Facing reality. Having a clear understanding of one's own physical characteristics, psychological abilities, and interpersonal relationships, regardless of appearance, illness or physical defects, intelligence, or ability level, never being self-admiring or ashamed of oneself, and adapting to the external environment based on reality, regardless of the quality of the environment or conditions.

3. Self-control: Emotionally stable and optimistic. Emotional expression is moderate; emotions are rationally controlled; not driven by momentary impulses; not anxious about temporary difficulties; maintaining a consistently open, cheerful, stable, and optimistic state of mind.

4. Self-esteem: Able to get along well with others. Has good interpersonal relationships, respects oneself and others, and acts with neither arrogance nor servility.

5. Self-discipline: Strive to learn and work diligently. Be conscientious in studies, work diligently, adapt to and excel in work, and utilize your talents to achieve success.

6. Self-reliance: Having goals and lofty ideals. Continuously pursuing new life goals, seeking truth, goodness, and beauty, as well as love and friendship, based on one's own circumstances. Possessing a pioneering spirit and the ability to open up new possibilities.

7. Self-control: Abide by social morality and laws. Have a sense of morality and law, be able to strictly demand of oneself, abide by the law, and continuously adjust one's words and actions based on the evaluation of those around one.

(II) Standards for Mental Health:

1. Normal intelligence. This is one of the important indicators of mental health and a basic condition for normal life, study, and work. It is also a psychological guarantee for people to achieve balance with their surrounding environment. Psychologists abroad usually use intelligence tests to measure intelligence, with IQ representing the level of intellectual development. An IQ below 60 is considered intellectual disability, which is one of the most common mental illnesses in humans.

2. Emotional Health. Emotional stability and a cheerful mood are hallmarks of mental health, indicating harmony between mind and body. Enjoying learning, work, and life, and fully utilizing one's intelligence, experiencing the joy of success without being overly affected by setbacks and misfortunes, and maintaining a consistent level of interest in learning, work, and life. Being hopeful and resilient even when facing difficulties, quickly adapting to new challenges. Conversely, being moody, constantly mired in despair, depression, and distress, is a sign of poor mental health.

3. A well-rounded personality. Establishing correct values ​​and beliefs, being open and honest, consistent in word and deed, and true to oneself.

4. A correct self-concept. Understanding oneself correctly, proactively engaging in self-education, and striving to develop oneself.

5. Good interpersonal relationships. Human interaction reflects a person's mental health. Normal and friendly interactions between people are essential for maintaining mental health and are also an important way to achieve physical health.

6. Harmony between the individual and society. Maintaining positive contact with society, understanding and appreciating it. Being able to adapt to societal demands while simultaneously contributing to societal progress.

7. Behavioral Coordination. A psychologically healthy person's behavior is consistent, their thoughts and actions are coordinated, and they do things in an orderly manner. A psychologically unhealthy person's behavior is contradictory and fragmented; they start things but don't finish them, their thoughts are chaotic, their speech is disjointed, and they have difficulty concentrating.

8. Behave in accordance with age. When a person's behavior and speech are in line with the characteristics of their age, it is a sign of mental health. When behavior deviates significantly from one's age, it is often a sign of mental illness.

9. Moderate reaction. A moderate reaction is another sign of mental health. For example, if a person is slightly shocked when they suddenly hear a loud noise, this is a normal psychological reaction. However, if someone shouts or screams because of this, it is an excessive reaction.

(III) The significance of mental health:

1. The Impact of Mental Health on Physical Health. As the saying goes, "A broad mind leads to a healthy body," and "A smile makes you ten years younger," illustrating the benefits of an optimistic emotional state for physical health. Ancient Chinese medical texts also record that "uncontrolled joy and anger harm the internal organs." Clinical observations have found that fear, anger, irritability, or anxiety can increase gastric juice secretion and acidity, while sadness, depression, or disappointment can decrease gastric juice secretion and acidity, reducing gastric motility. If a person is in a prolonged state of anxiety or irritability, their gastric acid secretion will remain elevated, easily leading to gastric mucosal erosion and gastric ulcers. This demonstrates an intrinsic connection between emotions and the stomach. Modern psychiatric research also shows that 80-90% of mental illness patients are caused by psychological factors. In ongoing research into the causes of cancer, it is also certain that prolonged depression, suppressed emotions, excessive worry, and sadness are fertile ground for cancer cell development. Furthermore, deaths of heart patients due to euphoria, rage, extreme fear, anxiety, or other emotional upheavals are all too common. This demonstrates that psychological factors are not only contributing to mental illness but can also cause various physical ailments.

2. The impact of mental health on learning and work. A positive and cheerful mood leads to higher learning and work efficiency; conversely, a troubled and anxious state of mind results in lower efficiency. This is a well-known fact.

3. The Relationship Between Mental Health and Social Harmony. A mentally healthy person can maintain good contact with society, understand and recognize it, and their thoughts, beliefs, goals, and behaviors can keep pace with the times and meet societal requirements. When their own needs and desires conflict with societal demands or the happiness of others, they can promptly abandon or modify their plans to seek harmony with society. Conversely, if a young person adopts an antisocial attitude to satisfy personal desires, disregarding social moral norms and legal constraints, and making unreasonable demands, they will likely embark on a path of crime.

(iv) Methods for maintaining mental health:

1. Maintain good physical health. 2. Cultivate a positive and optimistic outlook on life. 3. Gain confidence through even small achievements. 4. Learn to get along well with family, friends, and classmates, and build harmonious and positive relationships with them. 5. Cultivate a variety of positive and beneficial interests and hobbies. 6. Face shyness squarely and try to overcome it. 7. Maintain a correct attitude in relationships. 8. Develop meaningful independence. 9. Live a regular life and balance work and rest. 10. Beware of tempting pastimes. 11. Face reality, no matter how embarrassing the situation may seem. 12. Strive for a balanced fulfillment of your needs in life. 13. Time is a great healer of emotional wounds; withstand failures, setbacks, illness, criticism, harsh environments, and other misfortunes and trials, and always look to the future.

Men, for the sake of your physical health, please always maintain your mental health.