Mental Fitness

Physical fitness is a common subject and can be described relatively easily as a state of well being without pain or disease and an ability to participate in physical activities.

Mental fitness is more subtle but equally is a state of mental comfort, without stress or psychological disturbance, and an ability to participate in intellectual exchange and activity.

Both aspects of health are expressed in an abundance of energy both in physical vitality and in mental interest and enthusiasm.

Although there are many factors to consider in the concept of a healthy mind, basically it is a state where all mental faculties are functioning well. The mind is capable of rational decisions as well as being able to utilize its creative faculties. We would also include in our expectations, that a person who is mentally well is relatively free of stress, is inclined towards optimism and is kind, and able to express the finer qualities of human character.

Most certainly mental fitness is a condition where the mind is also free of fear, violence and moods of depression. The owner of such a mind knows no inward mental or emotional disturbance and finds their inner world comfortable.

Mental health is a positive and pleasant state of being when life seems good, when we are enthusiastic about our life enjoyments and enterprises and can face its challenges without shirking.

We express our vital mind by evidence of its creative ability in planning or designing, or just producing wonderful, new ideas.

Personal fitness of mind we display by our intellectual ability, our common sense, emotional control, kindness, humour in a confident, decisive and balanced personality. Are you in that category?

Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: The Complete Self-Help Guide”, offers simple and timely solutions. Read more…

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Thousands of people suffer from stress, depression and mental disorders of various kinds. There are many attempts by individuals and groups in the community to answer their calls for help. But if we are personally seeking assistance we must have confidence that the doctors, psychologists, therapists and organizations offer treatment methods that have proven to be effective. We must explore the nature of their services and use discrimination in our selection of professional therapy.

Some organizations offer systems based upon technology that works with the brainwave patterns of consciousness with promises to ‘increase longevity, slow ageing and lower stress’ and we can understandably be a little sceptical. However new approaches may advance to have the answers and perhaps will be able to  ‘…put you safely, quickly and easily into states of deep relaxation and stress release’ so that we will have immediate ‘increased feelings of well being.’

However with basic systems upon which we have relied for decades and that have proven to be effective we cannot go far wrong. We would not be inclined to doubt a system of mind training that was based upon simple disciplines embracing relaxation, concentration and meditation. Relaxation therapy is always a pleasant learning experience and effectively reduces stress in our psyche. Concentration helps us improve in self confidence as we gain in mental strength and positive self image. Meditation helps us to arrive at new and stimulating states of mind as we allow our ego tensions to melt away to enjoy the peaceful consciousness of just being.

Whatever system we choose to follow, we must undertake some form of mind training that will equip us to maintain our mental faculties and intellectual structure, as we must do when training for physical fitness. Just as we must have a picture of our aim for physical fitness, we must also have a concept of our aim for mental fitness. As exercise plays a dominant role in keeping physical health, so it is important in acquiring mental fitness as we seek through movements and contractions of thought to extend both our strength and our flexibility as we acquire greater development of our minds and consciousness.

 We cannot however expect instant success as we have to have time to develop different habits of thinking and feeling. Above all, we need to learn to be good friends with ourselves.

Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: The Complete Self-Help Guide”, offers simple and timely solutions. Read more…

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The healthy state of a child’s mind begins at home. Early years are very important both for the development of emotional life as well as thought patterns and intellect. All development is easier if there is a foundation of robust physical health.

When infants display signs of irregular or erratic behavior, stress reactions and nervous problems that are indicative of some imbalance in the psyche it can cause parents great concern as to the means of correction. Sometimes the causes are not known or whether the problems are the result of physiological chemistry or deeper neurological or psychological factors.

In seeking a remedy, the obvious first attention is to nutrition. Although parents try their best to provide good food and sufficient for their children’s health, basic poor nutrition is frequently unrecognized but must be addressed. For decades the familiar cry of nutritionists that American and Australian children are ‘overfed and undernourished’ has failed to be generally understood as being based upon the necessity for quality. It refers to the need for natural, fresh, wholesome and unprocessed or vitamin -rich food that provides nutrients for the brain as well as body.

The psychological needs of children although simple and well known in theory, are sensitive issues in practice when family life is generally complex.

Comparatively little quality time is given by busy parents to nurturing the subtler aspects of each individual soul in the family group, through private discussion, generous affection and personal encouragement to each. How to accomplish this is the task of each family aided by the hard won experiences of previous parents, grandparents and by reference to the enduring values common to every generation.

However, without discipline in the home it is not possible to fulfil any parental plan and modern life presents many opportunities to exercise extensions of it in dealing with such new factors as mobile phones, television, electronic games and all other technological toys and ‘advances’ that we are persuaded will make our life happier.

There are some people who offer hints to remind us of some success in households that have instituted quiet meal times and disciplined conversation to provide one answer as does the bedtime story tradition, now often rejected because of television.

It may be easier to consider the nature of our home care opportunities to fulfill the child’s needs than be able to find the time and the wisdom in applying the theory. It is our ability to achieve time management that will influence the results and give evidence in happy, well adjusted children.

Reminders are simple –

Need to give and receive affection

Instill the values you believe are a priority – kindness, truth, helping others etc.

Encourage the exercise of their natural skills and talents Provide opportunities for them to develop constructive and creative hobbies

Nurture their self understanding and self confidence Give them a concept of potential careers and work requiring present and future skills

Help them to formulate simple mental affirmations to strengthen or assist their needs and desires

Read to them thoughts that will help them later formulate their own philosophy

Provide a sense of security in the home that protects them and encourages a sense of self worth both as an individual and within the bounds of family life.

Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: The Complete Self-Help Guide”, offers simple and timely solutions. Read more…

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Mental illness in our young people is a serious problem with 27,000,000 postings on the internet under ‘Mental Disease in Children’.

Symptoms of mental illness range from nervous tension or stress, temper, crying, hyperactivity, digestive disorders, to more serious signs such as hallucinations, nightmares, fear, anxiety, depression, self-arm and intellectual impairment.

Baffled by the extent of psychological disturbances or behavioral irregularities, psychiatrists and doctors are now prescribing potent drugs for many mental health problems diagnosed in infants and children even before the age of puberty. This is a dangerous practice that cannot replace the long term needs and simple disciplines that are possible within a loving home environment.

We are now hearing more about bipolar disease that manifests in symptoms of mood changes that fluctuate between depression and mania, or euphoria.  It is not hard to apply these symptoms to an adult and that possibly many in our population are suffering in this way as a result of stressful modern conditions, but in the U.S. there are 800,000 children diagnosed as suffering bi-polar disease and given drug medication accordingly, even though they are aged less than ten years of age.

In Australia at a forum involving child psychiatrists from Australia and New Zealand, 90% were of the opinion that Bipolar disorder is over-diagnosed and therefore overmedicated. We are fortunate that there is a more conservative attitude that allows common sense to remind us of the many contributory factors influencing young minds and the psychological make up of pre-puberty infants and that our professionals are still capable of being shocked to think that there is basis for a report of bipolar being diagnosed in babies of only 2 years of age.

All psychiatric drugs have a downside, both in the immediate and long term side effects. In addition, many cause severe reactions when withdrawing from their use.

We trust that it is the majority of both professionals and members of the public that remain cautious about exposing children to mind changing chemicals that could stimulate future litigation based on the possible claim of physical violation or medical abuse of children.

Not only for ourselves, but as parents we should demand to know the statistics related to any drug prescribed, as with any other health measure, including vaccinations. We should have this information before allowing action so that we can assess for ourselves the risk and degree of risk of side effects and long term use of any medical technique offered in general use by the medical or naturopathic profession.

Sally Janssen’s wonderful book “Mental Fitness: The complete Self-Help Guide”, offers simple and timely solutions. Read more…

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