How to achieve a state of complete health. The relationship between physical and mental health, how to restore and strengthen your psyche

Good health is the most important blessing in our lives, but its condition depends on our attitude towards it. Everyone knows that maintaining health is much easier than restoring it, however, the fast pace of life and increased demands on oneself distract modern people from their condition - either there is no time for themselves, or desires. Speaking about health, most often they mean the reliable functioning of the heart, respiratory system and internal organs, a healthy appearance and strong muscles. Of course, this indicates the presence of health, but physical health, and says nothing about mental health.

The relationship between physical and mental health

There is a clear link between mental and physical health. If a person does not take care of his physical condition, then this is reflected on the mental level - he may experience apathy, dissatisfaction with himself, get tired quickly, etc. In the same way, if a person experiences nervous tension and emotional overload, then this cannot but affect his health. For example, constant unrest can cause stomach ulcers, and nervous stress in youth can lead to various mental disorders in adulthood. According to the World Health Organization, the number of people suffering from mental disorders exceeds 450 million. By the way, WHO notes the need to care equally about physical health and mental health, noting in its charter that mental health does not mean the absence of a disorder, but is a component part of overall health. Speaking about gender differences, it is important to note that men experience the first bouts of mental disorders during adolescence, while women begin to experience problems with their psycho-emotional state by the age of 25-30.

Maintaining mental health

The state of mental health is strongly influenced not only by a person's behavior and attitude towards himself, but also by socio-economic, as well as environmental factors. Good mental health, men and women should maintain equally. It is characterized, first of all, by the state of well-being, as well as the desire and ability of a person to realize his potential. Therefore, to maintain it, it is necessary to properly organize your activities - the alternation of work and rest, mental and physical labor. For work, as well as for recreation, it is necessary to create the most suitable conditions. The workplace should be comfortable and well lit, and rest should not take place in front of the TV screen. An important role in maintaining mental health is played by the regime of the day, healthy sleep and healthy eating. Weekly and annual rest also has a positive effect on health, and fitness classes can develop a person’s resistance to stress and strengthen immunity. In addition, a person who takes care of his health, by definition, cannot be dissatisfied with himself, because he invests time, effort and love in himself, and this is the main prevention of mental disorders.

Unfortunately, modern man is not familiar with the term "mental health", and most people do not know how to overcome neurosis and how to get out of depression without the help of a doctor. In the practice of psychological assistance, a number of activities are carried out aimed at the treatment and maintenance of mental health. Many people naively believe that beating depression or another disorder is much easier than starting a healthy lifestyle and adjusting your habits. However, both require full dedication and a sufficient amount of time from a person.

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Physical and Mental Health: Simple Secrets

Good day, dear reader! In this article, I will share my thoughts on the relationship between physical health and mental health. I have known this for a long time, but I managed to look at this problem from a new perspective. So, in this article:

• Consider the concept of "Physical Health";
• Let's talk about mental health;
• I will express my point of view on the relationship between the concepts of mental and physical health.
  So, let's begin.

physical health

Physical health is the ability of the human body to perform all the functions that were originally intended.

• strong bones and interosseous joints,
• flexible joints and strong muscles,
• stable systems of the body.

If all this is present in a person, then he is called “physically healthy”: he looks great and loves to help others. His speech is pleasant and clear. They also say that he is in great shape.

The main factor that contributes to this form is the right lifestyle.

Of course, the word “correct” can have many interpretations, but on average it implies the presence of certain factors:

1. Nutrition: regular and balanced. Many people say that proper nutrition is more than half of what is needed in order to achieve a good state. Indeed: if you eat right, then at least your shape will stabilize (without physical activity, we are not talking about tightened muscles, but it will turn out to look and feel normal for sure); if you provide an influx of nutrients into the body, then the body will return to its original state;
2. Rejection of bad habits(smoking, overeating, drug use, alcohol abuse). In the process of turning bad habits into reality, beneficial compounds in the human body are destroyed, and this is already bad. The body throws all possible internal reserves to restore damage, but often they are not enough - then the disease sets in. There can be no talk of any physical form with bad habits;
3. Physical activity which is replaced by rest. To stay physically active, you need to at least walk. But activity can be harmful if it is not alternated with rest. For example, every 40 minutes of work, 5 minutes of rest - in this way, the cells of the body can be renewed - and work will be more intense and productive. Physical education must necessarily alternate with rest;

We add that following even the most elementary instructions from this area can lead to wonderful transformations in your life.

mental health

Mental health (from the Greek phsycos - soul, that is, "health of the soul") is the internal state of a person in which the processes inside him are adequate, that is, at the proper level: a good memory, attention to detail, tactful and friendly relations with others and etc.

A mentally healthy person is one who is aware of the boundaries of his "I" and firmly defends them.

This state is also manifested in the fact that a person can realize his desires by adjusting the surrounding reality “for himself” or successfully adjusting to its changes. He endures failures and all life's hardships, conquers fears and always comes out victorious. They cannot stop its development in any direction.

Important: if we talk about the state of mind, then it involves the analysis of one's emotions - a look at oneself from the outside, which can help solve most problems.

How to determine that a person is healthy in soul and mind?

• He is in a good mood: the appearance of a cataclysm or the approach of a natural disaster cannot upset his internal balance. He always knows what to do;
• He is an optimist;
• He cares about other people; a sort of fighter for justice;
• He has no mental illness:
  - there is no psychosis - a violation of the vision of the world, a discrepancy between the perception of others and the real situation;
  - no neurosis - prolonged mental disorders, such as phobias, manias, disorders, anxiety;

And there are many other diseases.

The absence of mental illness is a reliable indicator of health.

Just as the tangible body needs to strengthen its state, so the psyche needs constant monitoring and adjustment of development - you need to start taking care of it from early childhood, continue these activities in adulthood, and finish in old age.

It is worth pointing out: “rose-colored glasses” are a sign of a disorder (psychosis), and not a characteristic of happiness and calmness; if you constantly see the world positively, then sooner or later you will have to meet a maniac who will break these glasses.

So, we figured out the concepts of "physical health" and "mental health"; now let's talk about how they are connected and how to achieve harmony in their development.

The relationship between physical and mental health

Let's start with the fact that a person is a unit where the physical and psychological principles are connected together.

This means that they can influence each other: if a quick recovery can be a reason for an improvement in mood, then vice versa is possible - a change in the internal state will be the reason for a change in the bodily state. This connection has long been known to everyone and it is pointless to deny this interaction.

The dependence of the states of the body and soul is explained simply: emotions, feelings are the result of nerve impulses of the brain. Most of the processes in the body are also controlled by the brain. It turns out that all processes in the human body are controlled from one center. He can direct mental forces to help physical organs and vice versa.

Let's illustrate:

• If the stomach is sick (or something else), then a positive look a la “a sick stomach is only temporary” will help the body find internal strength in order to improve its condition;
• If depression or a depressed state, then the best way to get out of this state is a good physical activity.

At the same time, it is not at all necessary to lift the barbell in the gym: a walk in the fresh air will be a completely adequate solution that helps both strengthen the psyche and the physical body, especially for children.

Thus, we examined the concepts of mental and physical health, saw the relationship between them - and established that the first inevitably affects the second, and vice versa.

One of the basic goals of the school is the formation of the child's health and training to maintain their physical and mental health. Various studies show that a very large percentage of children have poor physical health. Lessons of physical education, biology, psychology, valeology should help the child to be healthy both physically and mentally. At the same time, the question arises, at what level is the health of the teachers themselves?

For several years, UPM has been studying one of the indicators of mental health - the level of neurotic reactions of teachers. The urgency of this problem is explained by the fact that, according to WHO, mental health is deteriorating every year in the world. Between 1900 and 1983, the incidence of mental illness increased almost sevenfold. In cities, people get sick two to three times more often than in the countryside. We obtained the same data from students in the city of St. Petersburg and the suburbs. According to WHO, from 5 to 14 years old boys get sick more often, from 15 to 19 years old the same, after 25 years the number of diseases in women increases sharply. The maximum number of diseases occurs at the age of 40-49 years.

Our data showed that the level of neurotic reactions in teachers has the same tendency. The data were obtained using the Eysenck method. The study also showed that the level of neurotic reactions depends on the length of service and the subject taught. The lowest results on the scale of neuroticism were obtained from physical education and labor teachers. In one of the first places are teachers of literature and the Russian language. It can be concluded that the specificity of the subject affects the level of neurotic reactions in the teacher. At physical education lessons, teachers, performing physical exercises, are discharged from mental stress. In addition, since students usually have a fairly pronounced motivation to engage in physical education, this leads to less conflicts. Studies have shown that there are teachers in all subjects who have a normal level of neurotic reactions. They were able to adapt to the conditions of the school and, working quite effectively, maintain mental health in a relative norm.

There is a close relationship between the level of neurotic reactions and experience. Up to a year, the level of neurotic reactions is the same as in ordinary, non-stressful professions. After a year, the level of neurotic reactions increases.

Factors provoking neurotic reactions of teachers were identified: the teacher’s communication style, survey technologies, learning and consolidation technologies, pedagogical workload, nutritional habits, etc. With a positive communication style, the teacher listens to students, interrupts them less, accepts objections calmly and invites other students to the discussion of these issues, his speech contains more positive adjectives (good, excellent, excellent, etc.), his face expresses joy, satisfaction, etc. Teachers with this style of communication have a lower level of neurotic reactions. They are dominated by positive reactions, fewer categorical assessments of the actions of children, various types of surveys are observed. Teachers with a low level of neurotic reactions more often use various, interesting technologies for studying new material, their children are more active and free. When consolidating the material, when developing skills, there is also a greater variety. There is a connection between neuroticism and pedagogical workload. Teachers with a higher workload have a higher level of neuroticism. However, there are teachers with a high workload and low neuroticism. These teachers use technologies where students are more involved in the management of learning activities in the classroom, performing the functions of, for example, a consultant, checking with mutual control, etc.

When analyzing the relationship between neuroticism and nutrition, it turned out that those who consume coffee more often have a higher level of neuroticism, especially if coffee is consumed in the afternoon.

Analyzing the relationships, we can assume that teachers with low neuroticism choose technologies that reduce conflict in the classroom, which, in turn, does not provoke the teacher's neuroticism and even reduces it.

An analysis of the mental health of teachers shows that in order to form the health of children, it is necessary to create conditions for teachers so that they, not only with their knowledge, but also with their own example, show students the way to health.

Analyzing the mental health of students, a number of interesting facts can be noted. Surveys of adolescent girls have shown that straight A students are more likely to have female disorders. Quite often, violations are also observed in adolescent girls who are overly active in various sections. Our surveys of children in St. Petersburg and suburbs have shown that the latter have a much lower level of neuroticism than urban children.

Physical and mental health.

Probably no one will argue with the fact that mental health is no less important than good physical condition. But what are the evaluation criteria, and what should be done to maintain a person's mental health? After all, as we know, any disease is easier to prevent than to cure.

Criteria of mental health of the person.

1. Having an interest in yourself. A mentally healthy person always puts his own interests a little higher than the public.

2. The ability to self-control and self-management.

3. The ability to make plans for the future and implement them.

4. Awareness of the correspondence of one's physical and mental "I".

5. The ability to realistically, critically evaluate their mental activity and its results.

6. The ability to adapt to the surrounding reality.

7. Correspondence of reactions to social circumstances, strength and frequency of environmental influences.

8. Feeling of identity and constancy of experiences in the same type of cases.

Physical and mental health of a person.

Mental health problems and physical condition are inextricably linked. Often the cause of a mental disorder is some kind of physical illness. It could be anxiety, depression, or more serious illnesses. Therefore, physical activity is often used to prevent and promote mental health, to combat depression. But such therapy, like any other, should be carried out only by a specialist. It is also important to be able to relax in time to maintain a healthy psyche.

A person's health generally determines his place in life. affects his fate. The harmony of mental and physical health allows me to say about myself that I am healthy, that I am a full member of society, that I can do a lot.

Physical health.

Speaking of physical health, it is understood that a person does not have any physical defects, diseases. A healthy person, and we are talking about the physical side of the issue, you can immediately recognize. This is a straight posture, and gait, and gestures. On his face you will not find a grimace of pain, despair. How to maintain your physical health?

1. Regular medical check-ups will help identify emerging problems. It is very important to preserve what nature has given. Not to destroy, but to preserve.

2. Pay attention to strengthening your body. Regular sports, outdoor games, walks, exercises. Physical activity is essential at any age.

3. Absence of bad habits. Smoking, drugs, alcohol - all this destroys us from the inside. Contributes to the development of various diseases. Causes premature aging. Here you can add the abuse of watching TV, hobbies for computer games.

4. Rational nutrition.

5. Alternation of periods of activity, sleep, rest. Be sure to have a clear schedule of the day. It should have time for a full sleep, at least 8 hours. Otherwise, the human body does not rest and does not have time to restore strength. This, in turn, provokes the development of diseases, both physical and mental, which is why they say that not only physical, but also mental health depends on healthy sleep.

6. Positive emotional attitude.

mental health.

Physical and our mental health are closely linked. If you are not used to paying due attention to your physical health, then against this background you may experience various diseases and problems. Mental health is declining. And vice versa. Many diseases. For example, ulcers depend on our mental state. If you do not feel calm, confident, then stress arises. And on his soil and disease.

So, who can be considered a mentally healthy person. So, the one who feels the strength to create and implement his plans, the one who is not afraid to look to the future, who calmly communicates with people, while receiving feedback from communication, the one who considers himself happy is a mentally healthy person. .

Reserves for maintaining mental health.

1. Huge support should be provided by family and loved ones. Thus, the family and loved ones should support and show love to all their members. Difficult relationships with a spouse, delaying a showdown, postponing various unpleasant but necessary conversations for later, all this creates nervous tension, and it disrupts both physical and psychological health. Do not create such situations for yourself. In such situations, you need to share your emotions, experiences.

2. Our physical and mental health will be supported by a change of activity. From work to leisure, hobbies, exercise. To release negative energy, it is useful to walk, talk with friends and relatives.

3. Don't neglect vacations. They give the body the opportunity to unload itself from stress. Your weekends are such small holidays. Try to manage your work week. It unloads the body very well, gives relaxation to a change of activity. So, if you always sit, then walks and outdoor activities will be useful for you.

4. So, if you have the opportunity to leave the children and take a walk with your friends, use it. And a joint holiday with your spouse strengthens your faith in yourself and gives you strength.

5. Spiritual conversations with friends can become a kind of mental and emotional relief. Talk, laugh, discuss the problem.

By maintaining your mental health, you help to strengthen your physical health and, conversely, by maintaining your physical health, you also maintain mental health. So, everything in our life is connected. And if such a connection is shaken or destroyed, then the foundation will not stand, that is, our personality.

Preservation, strengthening and prevention of mental health is of great importance for a healthy lifestyle. Psycho-emotional state is one of the determining factors of our health, which is manifested in the ability to control emotions, think positively, maintain a balance between spiritual and physical development.

In this lesson, we will introduce you to the basics of mental and psychological health, consider the characteristics of the psyche of children and adolescents, and also offer some useful recommendations for maintaining mental balance and stress resistance training.

What is mental health

The World Health Organization defines mental health (spiritual or mental, sometimes mental health, from the English mental health) as follows:

It is a state of well-being in which a person is able to realize their own potential, cope with the normal stresses of life, work productively and fruitfully, and contribute to their community.

This term is quite broad, therefore, several criteria are usually distinguished to determine mental health:

• awareness of the continuity, constancy and identity of one's physical and mental "I";
• a sense of constancy and identity of experiences in situations of the same type;
• criticality to oneself and one's own mental production (activity) and its results;
• compliance of mental reactions (adequacy) with the strength and frequency of environmental influences, social circumstances and situations;
• the ability to self-govern behavior in accordance with social norms, rules, laws;
• the ability to plan one's own life and implement these plans;
• the ability to change the way of behavior depending on the change in life situations and circumstances.

In everyday life, these criteria are manifested in the degree of integration of the individual into society, the harmony of their assistance, balance, spirituality, the inclusion in the system of life values ​​of following the principles of kindness and justice, the desire for self-development. In other words, mentally healthy person adequately assesses reality, shows interest in the world around him, coordinates his behavior and reaction to what is happening with environmental conditions, is capable of introspection and reflection.

In the case when these qualities are not characteristic of a person, one can judge about mental ill health. It manifests itself in the disorientation of the individual, avoiding responsibility, dependence on bad habits, passivity, increased anxiety, loss of self-confidence, hostility towards others.

But mental health cannot be approached only formally, because quite often adherence to certain behavioral norms can be determined by a set of factors on the basis of which it is inappropriate to judge mental disorders. Among them - socio-cultural characteristics, customs, traditions and foundations of different societies, features of professional activity.

Mental and psychological health

Distinguish between mental and psychological health. The most generalized about the mental health of a person can be said as a set of mental attitudes that allow you to adequately respond and adapt to the conditions of the environment. This is the correspondence of subjective ideas to objective reality, an adequate perception of oneself, the ability to think critically, and much more. Despite the frequent use of the term "mental health" as a synonym for mental health, there are differences between them. Psychological health in its definition is a broader concept, it characterizes the personality as a whole, takes into account the characteristics of volitional, motivational, cognitive, emotional activity.

Why is it important to pay attention to your mental health?

Many, for sure, have heard the catchphrase that has become a catchphrase: "All diseases are from nerves." When a person has a flu or a cold, he takes pills, medicines, undergoes a course of treatment. However, in a state of stress, feelings of anxiety, he does nothing. Business coaches and practicing psychologists note that if company employees working on a busy schedule in constant stress take courses to strengthen stress resistance and get rid of anxiety from time to time, their productivity increases significantly. This has a positive effect not only on work, but also on relations at all levels within the team, and contributes to a healthy atmosphere in the company.

It is known that when people receive appropriate mental health care, they do not often seek medical help in general. For example, in the United States, observation of people suffering from anxiety disorders showed that people who received the help of a psychiatrist began to spend 35% less money on treatment for various diseases than those who did not turn to specialists. There is other evidence that people with unresolved mental health problems visit doctors twice as often as those who receive mental health care.

Excessive anxiety and stress can contribute to the development of certain heart diseases, weaken the immune system. Psychological problems also increase the likelihood of incorrect behavioral choices, which manifests itself in addiction to smoking and drugs, alcohol abuse. According to unofficial estimates, even in the United States, a country with developed psychiatry, about one in four adults suffers from a diagnosable mental disorder.

To sum up, or why mental health is important:

1. There is a close relationship between the psyche and the physical state of a person. Feelings of anxiety, constant stress and worries can lead to poor health (sleep disturbance, weakening of the immune system).
2. Narcologist, psychiatrist, MD D. Sack notes that people who care about mental health, as a rule, achieve greater success in their careers and earn more.
3. Mental health is very important in terms of communication, especially in the family. It allows you to maintain a healthy atmosphere among loved ones, to properly educate children, giving them the necessary care and a psychological model to follow.
4. Mentally healthy people are less likely to be influenced by negative social factors and less likely to commit illegal acts.
5. In 2012 in " british medical journal» published the results of a study according to which the average life expectancy of mentally healthy people is higher than that of people with disorders. Moreover, the risk of dying from diseases of the cardiovascular system is 94% higher in those who are prone to constant depression and anxiety and cannot cope with them.

Thus, when a person is free from depression, anxiety, excessive stress and worry, and bad habits, he is able to live fully, fully realized and enjoy.

Prevention and resilience

The pace of modern life and the conditions in many areas of employment are such that a person is constantly exposed to stress. If you do not know how to cope with them and neutralize their negative impact, the likelihood of depression, feelings of anxiety and anxiety increases. And they, in turn, are fraught with more serious mental disorders. But how do you determine your mental health status? Unlike Western countries, visits to psychiatrists and psychologists are not so common in our country, and people do not always have the opportunity to visit expensive specialists. To determine the exposure to negative influences and the ability to cope with them, you can use a set of some important symptoms. If you are constantly irritated, anxious and sleep poorly, constantly feeling dissatisfied or angry, dependent on sudden mood swings, this may indicate a stressful condition and its negative impact on your body. The first thing to do in such a situation is to seek the advice of a specialist doctor. You should also familiarize yourself with some recommendations that contribute to maintaining mental health and balance.

Most of us are familiar with the word resilience from job listings. This requirement implies the ability in stressful situations to concentrate and endure significant intellectual, volitional and emotional stress without harm to oneself and one's activities. We propose to look at this skill in a little more detail in order to determine the aspects necessary for the development of such an important quality. Let us turn to popular methods illustrating this problem.

Dale Carnegie, a renowned writer, psychologist, and educator, in his book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, offers readers the following tips:

1. Your concern should only be directed to the present, as we cannot accurately predict the future or change the past.
2. “Be busy. A person suffering from anxiety must completely forget himself in work, otherwise he will dry up with despair.
3. “Do not allow yourself to be upset over trifles that should be despised and forgotten. Remember that "life is too short to waste it on trifles."
4. “Learn the facts. Ask yourself, "What are the chances, according to the law of large numbers, that the event I'm worried about will ever happen?"
5. "Consider the inevitable."
6. “Let the past bury its dead. Don't cut sawdust."

Here are some modern ways to prevent mental health and reduce stress:

Method 1

1. Determine the nature of your stress: find the root causes. Try to look at the problem globally. If you do not have enough money, then it is most likely not a small salary, but a job that you do not like. Take time to be alone with yourself and write down everything that worries you in a notebook.

2. Make a plan to reduce the impact of stress on your life. This is necessary to make the fight against stress methodical. Include mandatory rest in your daily routine. Once you identify the sources of stress, try to spend less time on them. For example, if interacting with certain people causes stress, keep it to a minimum. Don't overload your schedule with work. Find time for hobbies, socializing with family and friends. Recognize that you can't control everything. There will always be stressful elements around you in life, but their impact can be minimized. By eliminating the causes of stress that depend on you, you can learn to overcome external negative elements.

3. Share your problems with other people. It can be relatives, friends or work colleagues. This way you don't have to deal with your stress alone, and an outside perspective will help you find an effective solution to the problem.

Method 2

1. Eliminate stress, solve anxiety situations immediately. Do not hold grudges against friends and loved ones - immediately openly discuss with them all the controversial points. In the same way, immediately resolve work conflicts and quarrels. If uncertain events and scenarios cause stress, think through them in detail and make a decision as quickly as possible.

2. Avoid socializing with people who cause you stress. If you are dating a person who only hurts and hurts you, it's time to break off such a relationship. If relationships with work colleagues cause stress, keep communication with them to a minimum. In general, spend less time interacting with negative people and make friends with positive people. They can make your life happier.

3. Minimize the manifestation of stressful situations. If you feel uncomfortable in crowded clubs, you should not go there with friends just for the company. If the commute to work is annoying, listen to light music on the way. Do not rush, give yourself enough time to prepare important events (weddings, vacations).

4. Learn to manage stress. In conflict situations, always think before you speak. Remember that other people are also affected by various negative factors, be kinder and more forgiving. It is better to be happy than right, so you need to be able to remain silent at a certain moment and refuse to criticize.

Method 3

1. Get physically active. This will help you be healthier and take control of your life. Swimming relaxes your thoughts, yoga teaches you to keep your mind under control, team sports promote communication and mutual understanding, hiking brings you together, tempers the spirit, and helps you to be closer to nature.

2. Meditate. Set aside 20 minutes a day for meditation. Relax completely at this time, concentrate on inhaling, clear your mind of restless, negative thoughts.

3. Get a massage. It's great for relaxing after a busy day. You can stretch your neck and shoulders yourself, or you can ask a family member to massage or go to a session with a specialist.

4. Eat right. Meals should be balanced. It is important to get enough energy at breakfast. It is worth avoiding excessive consumption of caffeine, alcohol, if possible, it is better to completely abandon bad habits.

5. Follow a sleep schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Most people need at least 7 hours of sleep a day. Don't watch TV before bed, read a good book instead.

If you feel that you are not able to use these tips and cope with the problems in your life on your own, be sure to seek professional help. This will help you avoid the possible negative effects of stress.

Coping strategy test

Stress is most often viewed by many people from a negative side. But you must understand that stress is a natural reaction of the body, which helps it to mobilize all the forces in a short period of time (this is connected precisely with the first two stages).

Stress is sometimes considered beneficial. For example, you have probably heard that a person develops when he leaves his comfort zone. This is a kind of stressful situation. And existentialists believe that a person reveals himself precisely in borderline situations. We came across this in the search for an answer to the question about the meaning of life in Lesson 6 of our course.

Despite all the beneficial properties of stress, it is very important to be able not to move from the second stage of resistance to the stage of exhaustion. To do this, there are various ways to resist stress, which in psychotherapy are called coping strategies (from the English "cope" - to cope, endure, cope).

Coping strategy- this is an adaptive form of behavior that maintains psychological balance in a problem situation, these are ways, produced consciously and aimed at coping with stressful situations.

To get acquainted with the types of coping strategies, we suggest you take a short test. To do this, click "Next".

This test was created on the basis of the methodological development of scientists R. Lazarus (R. Lazarus) and S. Folkman (S. Folkman) in 1980 - the Ways of Coping Checklist (WCC) questionnaire. The test is designed to determine how to overcome difficulties in various areas: difficulties in work, difficulties in learning, difficulties in communication, difficulties in love, etc. Within the framework of this concept, overcoming difficulties is possible with the help of 8 strategies (styles of behavior), which you will learn about after the test.

To correctly interpret the answers, you should follow several rules during the test:

• For the described statements, rate how often these behaviors in difficult life situations manifest themselves in you.
• Answer as honestly as possible, only what is true for you, do not try to impress others.
• Test data will be recorded after you answer the last question and see confirmation of the end of the test. If you finish the test before the last question and close the page, no data will be saved.
• The test can be taken any number of times, but remember that only the last one is saved. If you have already taken this test, a sign will be displayed in the left menu.

Mental health of children and adolescents

The psyche of children and adolescents is unstable and in its infancy, so it is very important to try to protect their vulnerable mental health from negative impacts. The transition from late childhood to adolescence is accompanied by emotional ups and downs against the background of hormonal changes in the child's body. Many adolescents are unable to cope with this condition on their own, so they need the help of adults.

School psychologists conduct educational activities in this direction. Their work includes the prevention of deviant behavior, the preservation, strengthening and development of the psychological health of students through the acquisition of specific knowledge and skills. However, much also depends on the degree of involvement of parents in the process of education, motivation, and the formation of the psycho-emotional state of the child. They must understand that teenage depression is not only manifested in a bad mood, but can sometimes lead to serious problems: drug and alcohol addiction, self-hatred and the world around, early pregnancy, violence, and even suicide.

It is important to identify mental problems in children in time and protect them from undesirable consequences through participation, advice, and, if necessary, seeking qualified help. The following symptoms may indicate the presence of such problems in a teenager: sadness, hopelessness, irritability, anger, hostility, tearfulness, loss of friends, interest in activities, changes in sleep and eating patterns, anxiety, agitation, feelings of worthlessness and guilt, lack of enthusiasm and motivation , fatigue or lack of energy, difficulty concentrating. The presence of these symptoms does not give 100% evidence of a mental illness. The best way to prevent unwanted consequences is to constantly monitor the adolescent and record the manifestations of symptoms, as well as compare his actions with the behavior of peers. The line between “diseases of age” and a mental disorder is often not obvious to unprepared parents, therefore, only by paying due attention to children and participating in their lives, one can reveal susceptibility to depression.

Many of the difficulties of adolescence can and should be learned to cope by following some expert advice:

1. Always take an interest in your child's activities. Be for him not a mentor, but a friend who does not force him to do something, but advises how best to do it.
2. Encourage physical activity, while taking into account the interests of the teenager. Both visits to the sports section, and walks on a bicycle or with a dog in the park will be useful.
3. Promote the social activity of a teenager. Observe whether your child has enough time to communicate with friends and peers “live”, and not through social networks, whether he is engaged in extracurricular work, participates in olympiads or competitions. Computer games and aimless Internet surfing should be kept to a minimum.
4. From an early age, children should be instilled with a desire for a healthy lifestyle, showing a negative attitude towards bad habits (smoking, alcohol, drugs), best by example.

The issue of the mental health of children and adolescents depends on many factors: upbringing, environment, the scope of the child's activities. By consciously controlling these elements of adolescence, responsible parents can effectively contribute to the normal psychological development of their children.

positive thinking

Any situation in life can be regarded differently: someone is critical of everything and notices flaws even in the most pleasant event, while someone, on the contrary, tries to color what is happening in cheerful colors and finds positive in the most difficult situation. The ability to easily and humorously experience all the problems that arise will help you maintain your mental health, protect you from the negative effects of stress and anxiety. You will learn to look for positive moments in any situation, to treat what happened as a life lesson, and not as a mistake or bad luck, to gain experience and new opportunities from what is happening, and not to lose heart and become depressed when obstacles and difficulties arise.

A great example of a positive-minded person is the famous philosopher Socrates, who treated any situation with humor. It is known that his wife Xanthippe was a terribly quarrelsome woman and once, in a fit of anger, splashed hot water in Socrates' face, after which he left a scar. Later, one of the philosopher's students, knowing about the problems in the sage's personal life, asked him a question about whether to get married. The scientist, without thinking for a minute, answered unambiguously: “It is worth it. If you are lucky, you will be happy, and if not, you will become a philosopher.”

1. Avoid negative influences. Learn to say "no" to things that you don't like and that make you uncomfortable. Surround yourself with positive people.
2. Look at things from different angles. Learn to draw useful experience from any situation and see bright moments in everything.
3. Smile more often. Remember that even smiling for no reason is sure to cheer you up.
4. Make time to do what pleases you, gives you pleasure. Walking, shopping, reading, watching a movie will help keep the mood in a positive way.
5. Find something that motivates you and lifts your spirits. For example, a good quote that you can print out and put in your wallet, or your favorite song, listening to which will make you more fun and easier to walk through life.
6. Set and reach them. Start small and gradually move on to bigger things. It will make your life interesting and meaningful.
7. Don't be afraid of failure. As F. D. Roosevelt said: “The only thing to be afraid of is fear itself.”
8. Do not give up. Perseverance certainly contributes to the achievement of positive results.

Of course, it is impossible to collect in one lesson all the principles and techniques for maintaining a healthy mental state of a person, so we advise you to pay attention to psychology, where you will find a lot of useful and interesting things.

Test your knowledge

If you want to test your knowledge on the topic of this lesson, you can take a short test consisting of several questions. Only 1 option can be correct for each question. After you select one of the options, the system automatically moves on to the next question. The points you receive are affected by the correctness of your answers and the time spent on passing. Please note that the questions are different each time, and the options are shuffled.