In-depth analysis of factors affecting mental health, scientifically safeguarding men's healthy mindset.

Factors Affecting Mental Health

In real life, many men appear strong, but are actually quite vulnerable deep down. Due to the increasingly fast pace of life and work, many people feel psychologically overwhelmed. In modern society, a healthy mind is essential to meet the various challenges of life and work. So, what constitutes mental health? Mental health requires a balance of internal and external factors—externally, good interpersonal relationships and behavior that conforms to norms; internally, basic needs being met and normal psychological functions. The characteristic of mental health is behavior that conforms to external norms while also satisfying one's own psychological needs.

The key factor affecting mental health is one's attitude towards life. In essence, mental health is about holding a realistic attitude towards life.

Mental health individuals view the world and the things around them with a positive outlook. Such individuals are altruistic and can enhance their sense of self-worth through giving and self-development. They pursue noble life goals but do not have the desire to become a "perfect person" or a "superman" beyond their own capabilities. Therefore, a psychologically healthy person has goals, but these goals are not overly perfect. They are both proactive and realistic, and possess a degree of flexible moral principles. A lack of moral values ​​and an insistence on "beyond morality" are common characteristics of individuals with personality disorders and mental illnesses.

Many people believe that psychological balance equates to psychological health. This view is incomplete. Psychological health is not the same as psychological balance. Psychological health is not a state of equilibrium or adaptation, but rather a state somewhere in between. People often understand adaptation as conformity to the surrounding environment and balance as the absence of inner conflict, but this is not psychological health. If "balance" equals health, then a person who is content with the status quo, lacks ambition, and is unambitious will be perfectly balanced, as they will experience no frustration or conflict. Are they healthy? If "adaptation" equals health, then what about those in society who flatter everyone, are they? Are they healthy? In reality, neither of these types of people is necessarily happy, nor are they psychologically healthy.

Prolonged excessive emotional stress is also a factor affecting mental health. If the nervous system is constantly under tension, cholesterol and other lipids are more likely to accumulate on the blood vessel walls, eventually leading to coronary artery disease. Therefore, "behavioral prevention" has become one of the important measures for preventing coronary heart disease. Many experts believe that cancer is related to the patient's inner conflict. Long-term excessive tension and anxiety stimulate the central nervous system, leading to an imbalance in the excitation and inhibition of the cerebral cortex, weakening the body's immune system against cancer, and thus causing certain cells in the body to become cancerous. Scientists have also discovered that emotions have a significant negative impact on the digestive system. When a person is in a normal emotional state, the stomach lining is rosy; however, when stressed, the stomach lining becomes pale, and gastric juice secretion increases, disrupting the stomach's normal function and leading to diseases such as gastric and duodenal ulcers. Traditional Chinese medicine has long recorded the relationship between psychology and disease, stating that "anger injures the liver" and "sorrow injures the lungs." Therefore, it is crucial to control one's behavior and cultivate inner peace, which is essential for eliminating latent pathogenic factors and promoting physical and mental health.

People refer to achieving inner balance by eliminating excessive tension and anxiety as "negative" or "low-level" mental health. However, fundamentally, "positive" or "high-level" mental health should be promoted. This state implies having lofty goals, developing constructive interpersonal relationships, engaging in socially valuable creations, pursuing the satisfaction of higher-level needs, and seeking a fulfilling life. This is always a process of balance-imbalance-balance. Mental health is not about the absence of setbacks, conflicts, or pain, but rather the ability to effectively adjust psychologically and maintain high efficiency in various states.

Psychological maturity signifies the level of mental health. Careful observation reveals that different people react differently to the same things. Researchers have categorized psychological types by age.

One type is the "Childlike" type. People of this type are mostly spontaneous and excel in creative work, but are not suited for long-term planned work.

In interpersonal relationships, because they often lack patience and are prone to fickleness like children, "Childlike" people are usually difficult to trust. People with this psychological type should do some beneficial things for others every day without expecting anything in return to compensate for some of their personality shortcomings.

The second type is the "Adolescent" type. People of this psychological type are usually idealists, often passionate and even fanatical about something beautiful. They possess many appealing qualities such as adventurousness, optimism, focus, and a strong thirst for knowledge. However, their consistency and combativeness can quickly morph into stubbornness and inflexibility, easily leading to disagreements, arguments, and even fights among colleagues. Furthermore, they often distrust their intuition and are heavily influenced by their surroundings, frequently making poor decisions. People with this psychological type should set long-term goals and overcome short-sighted behavior.

Thirdly, there is the "adult type." Psychologists generally believe that this type of person is usually confident, goal-oriented, and highly ambitious, finding their greatest pleasure in career success. They are also often responsible partners or parents. However, people with this "adult" psychological state often become so engrossed in work or study that they forget their own needs, and their minds and bodies are prone to prolonged tension, especially when under excessive pressure, leading to overly sensitive or inappropriate reactions. People with this psychological type should learn to relinquish responsibility and relax at appropriate times. Human behavior and mental health are closely related. The most common manifestation of unhealthy behavior is mood swings, easily becoming enraged at the slightest displeasure; experts call this a "playboy personality."

Many studies have shown that this behavior can lead to various diseases, most notably coronary heart disease and cancer. A survey of American college students with different personalities revealed that the incidence of serious illnesses was approximately 26% for those with cheerful, lively, and stable personalities, while those with a "playboy personality" had a 77.3% chance of developing hypertension, heart disease, and cancer 30 years later, with a mortality rate as high as 13%.

Psychological research indicates that the closer a person's self-awareness is to their actual situation, the less defensive behavior they exhibit, and the stronger their social adaptability; conversely, the opposite is true. A person who understands and accepts themselves is relatively less prone to feelings of inferiority. However, with societal development and increasingly fierce competition, some inevitably fall short. Coupled with the combined influences of family, personality, and other factors, some develop strong feelings of inferiority. To achieve psychological balance, they resort to excessive defense mechanisms, projecting their dissatisfaction onto others, transferring their "I hate myself" to "others hate me." While others may tolerate such excessive defense once or twice, they will eventually distance themselves. The over-defensive individual, however, believes others look down on them and, to alleviate their own pain, harms others again. This creates a vicious cycle, damaging not only their own mental health but also straining interpersonal relationships and leading to poor social adaptation.

To prevent excessive psychological defense, one should comprehensively view their strengths and weaknesses and correctly handle the relationship between success and failure. Setting realistic life goals that align with one's abilities, fully utilizing one's strengths, and engaging in activities that bring satisfaction can help achieve balance. To build good interpersonal relationships, colleagues should treat each other with sincerity, avoid developing excessive jealousy, and objectively evaluate others and themselves. If you frequently find it difficult to control your emotions, you should seek timely consultation with a psychologist to help you fundamentally resolve your issues. In this way, you will discover that each day is a new day.