Understanding Emotional Wellness, Mental Health, And Why They Matter

Medically reviewed by Paige Henry, LMSW, J.D. and Dr. April Brewer, DBH, LPC
Updated November 17, 2024by BetterHelp Editorial Team

In an ideal world, everyone would have the ability to care for their emotional well-being and navigate life’s challenges. However, maintaining emotional wellness is sometimes easier said than done.

If you’d like to improve your emotional well-being, your first step might be to learn more about it. This article explores why emotional health matters and how you might improve it in your own life.

What emotional wellness means

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Your emotional health matters

Emotional health can mean different things to different people, but some common factors might include: 

  • Happiness

  • Low levels of stress

  • Beneficial social relationships

  • Self-care 

Four reasons why being emotionally well matters

It may be valuable to understand why emotional health matters. Below, we’ll examine four of the reasons why it’s beneficial. 

Positive emotions affect overall life success

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Did you know research suggests that people who experience more positive emotions may achieve better life outcomes? One common misconception about the relationship between success and happiness is that the former is necessary to achieve the latter. On the contrary, research indicates that people who feel happy might be more likely to achieve success.

Your emotional health can impact how you move through the world and interact with others. Likewise, your interpersonal relationships and professional life may be affected by your emotional wellness levels, ability to overcome challenges, and much more.

Stress and other emotional struggles affect physical health

Research suggests that stress levels and other emotional struggles like anxiety can directly impact physical health. Possible side effects might include: 

  • Disrupted immune system

  • Hormonal imbalance

  • Digestive disorders

  • Hypertension 

Improved mental health can have a ripple effect that benefits your physical health and minimizes your risk of some of these physical health conditions.

Emotional wellness contributes to your confidence

Emotional wellness may contribute to your levels of confidence. Being confident may help you believe in yourself when facing tough times or uncertain circumstances, giving you the mental resilience to overcome them. 

Healthy habits often go hand in hand with emotional wellness

Like other forms of wellness, many benefits of emotional health come from consistency. When you can maintain emotional health, you may set yourself up to have healthy habits as you age.

For example, developing the practice of constructively handling stress can increase your likelihood of leading a low-stress life. Over time, a positive snowball effect may develop where you can subconsciously maintain your continued emotional health pattern. In other words, our continuous actions in the present can and often do become the habits of tomorrow.

Handling stress and difficult emotions to improve wellness

Everyone has good and bad days. But feeling good about your life and yourself can benefit your emotional health. 

Improving your psychological well-being may help you feel happier and more confident in your daily life. If you struggle with self-esteem or experience anxiety about pursuing your desires, you might benefit from implementing some of the practices highlighted below. 

Develop positive coping mechanisms for stress

Stress is a part of life. Still, how you handle stress can potentially impact your emotional wellness. By learning to respond to stress constructively, you might be able to improve your emotional health. 

However, this may be easier said than done. Many individuals can benefit from working with a mental health professional to find the best coping mechanisms. 

Choose your company carefully

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Your emotional health matters

The company you keep may also impact your emotional health. People can lift you up or drag you down. 

Some of us might be able to determine the quality of our company and its impact on our emotional health by considering how we feel when they’re around us. Do you feel happier and experience a better mood after spending time with your friends or family? Or do you feel negative, drained, or relieved when they’re gone?

If the latter rings true for you, consider discussing the situation with a mental health professional for advice on safeguarding your emotional well-being. 

Strive to live a balanced life

A balanced life means different things to different people. But, whatever it means for you, your emotional health and wellness can significantly improve when your life feels balanced. 

Finding balance can often be a matter of weighing our values and putting the appropriate energy into each one. For example, suppose you value family life more than participating in community events. In that case, you might find happiness by placing more effort into spending time doing activities with your family and less time doing things to benefit your homeowner’s association or neighbors. 

For most of us, this isn’t something we can achieve overnight. Finding balance may require time and consistency. If you believe certain aspects of your life lack balance, speaking with a mental health professional might help you discover ways you can begin to prioritize your values. 

Professional support for emotional and mental health and well-being

Certain life challenges can complicate reaching or maintaining a state of emotional health. Despite what you may be facing, you’re not alone. Help, support, and resources are available. You have the right to know your options and determine which path is best for you.

Seeking online treatment from the comfort of your home

People experiencing difficulty in their emotional wellness may hesitate to reach out for help in person. For instance, some encounter feelings of shame, embarrassment, or anxiety around this subject. Online therapy could be more beneficial in these circumstances. People often report feeling more comfortable talking about their emotions through a screen over in-person therapy. Online treatment may also be more convenient since it can be received from the comfort of your home.

Research on online therapy for emotional wellness

Online therapy has been suggested to be effective in many peer-reviewed studies. For example, consider a 2020 study that indicates that online cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) may offer comparable outcomes to in-person CBT.

Finding support online

BetterHelp is one popular option for those who are looking to receive support from a licensed therapist virtually. If you’re experiencing difficulties with emotional health, BetterHelp’s professional therapists can provide support and resources that may help you navigate your concerns.

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Takeaway

Emotional wellness can have different definitions, but it generally means that a person is adequately and healthily managing their stressors and has support and care to help them through life’s challenges. If you’re looking to cultivate emotional wellness, you might surround yourself with supportive people, learn healthy coping mechanisms for stress, and consider speaking with a therapist.

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