Mental Wellness is happiness, peace of mind, enjoyment and satisfaction in life. Mental health affects your everyday life and physical well-being. It involves the way that you balance your needs, ambition, abilities, ideals, feelings and conscience in order to meet the demands of everyday life.

Feel good about yourself.
Your not overwhelmed by your own emotions. You can take life ’ s disappointments in stride. Your are tolerant, take pleasure in simple, everyday things and have an easy-going attitude toward yourself and others. You can respect and laugh at yourself, accept your shortcomings. You truly love yourself and forgive yourself.

Feel comfortable with other people.
You are able to give love and to consider the interests of others. You have satisfying and lasting personal relationships. You like and trust others and believe that others will like and trust you. You are able to embrace other people ’ s uniqueness. You do not take advantage of others, nor do you allow others to take advantage you. You feel that you belong.

Able to meet the demands of life.
You accept your responsibilities and take care of problems at they arise. You shape your environment whenever possible and adjust to it whenever necessary. You plan ahead and do not fear the future. You welcome new experiences and ideas. You make use of their talents and set realistic goals. You are able to make your own decisions and are satisfied with putting your best effort into what you do.

Think about your mental health and know that you have the power to change it.
Your realize that mental health is not something that is given to you at birth, it has developed and changed with you. You know that one of the most important steps you can take in life is accepting responsibility for your life; for your successes, your failures, your happiness.

Recognizing when you need help.
You keep telling yourself that it takes courage and strength to ask for help.

Successful Qualities

There are varying degrees of mental wellness and illness. For some people, naturally occurring chemicals in the brain get out of balance and cause mental illness. For other, research shows that very stressful, traumatic or violent events can make changes in the brain and result in a person developing mental illness.

You can feel better
Mental illness can be treated. People can and do recover. Individuals with mental illness are primarily treated with:
• Medication
• Therapy and counseling to resolve problems, change negative thought patterns and develop coping skills
• A combination of these as prescribed by a mental health care professional.
• Healthy lifestyle changes that include exercise, stress management, balanced diet, and developing a more positive attitude
• Community services and support systems

Definition of Recovery
In July of 2003 the President ’ s New Freedom Commission on Mental Health issued it ’ s final report: Achieving the Promise: Transforming Mental Health Care in America. The ultimate goal of a transformed system of care as identified by the Commission was summed in one word: RECOVERY. While the commission report focuses more on transforming the system of care, it is important to have some understanding of what is meant by “ Recovery ” .
The commission defines Recovery as: “ Recovery refers to the process in which people are able to live, work, learn and participate fully in their communities. For some individuals, recovery is the ability to live a fulfilling and productive life despite a disability. For others, recovery implies the reduction or complete remission of symptoms. Science has shown that having hope plays an integral role in an individual ’ s recovery. ”

Some key points to this working definition.
• Recovery is a “ process ” , an on-going series of stages which people go through. Recovery is not a “ cure ” nor is it an end-product. Recovery can also be ever-changing, in that individuals may choose or be able to do certain things at certain times, but not at other times.
• Each individual defines what “ recovery ” is for them, not others. This is a very fundamental point in that the individual is the driver in determining their recovery not clinicians, doctors or others deciding for them. Ultimately it should be an equal partnership between the individual and all those providing services in developing a plan of care with clearly defined goals. Again these goals should be driven by the individual and in partnership with the care providers.
• Recovery can be much more than just lessening of symptoms, medication and therapy. Frequently it can involve all spheres of the person ’ s life. Critical areas that should be considered include: Supportive employment: Research shows individuals with a mental illness disability have the highest rate of not working. Also many programs emphasize serving other disabilities for assistance.

Housing: This includes supportive housing programs, and being able to access affordable housing in the community.

Peer support services: This includes a full range of consumer run programs and services from clubhouses, to drop in centers, to peer supporters. Recent research has demonstrated improved outcomes and better recovery when individuals can access these peer run support programs in addition to their traditional therapy. This area is often overlooked and needs to be included in a person ’ s plan of care.

Recovery is a process that virtually everyone goes through each person defines it differently. While there is debate as to whether a person can “ fully recover ” or is “ always in recovery ” , it is a process that encompasses much more than just improving a person ’ s presenting symptoms. Recovery is the process of the individual, in full partnership with care providers to address all areas of a person ’ s life, to be productive and participate fully in their community.