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Psychiatrists say that meditating and eating healthily are key to mental health.
But meditating is not a Western practice, at least it's not something related to Christian spirituality. And healthy eating? Loll....... Millions eat fast/junk food everyday.
What essentially is good mental health, when what is proscribed most don't even follow?
Psychiatrists say that meditating and eating healthily are key to mental health.
But meditating is not a Western practice, at least it's not something related to Christian spirituality. And healthy eating? Loll....... Millions eat fast/junk food everyday.
What essentially is good mental health, when what is proscribed most don't even follow?
I don't think that psychiatrists normally recommend meditation although if they were wise they would indeed meditate themselves and so then be able to be truly helpful.
As you can tell, i don't have much respect for psychiatry.
Did you mean to say "psychologist"?
Also, it's not true that meditation is not related to Christianity.
It may not be associated with the kind of main stream or fundamentalist Christianity that you're familiar with but Christian mystics (inwardly directed, ie; "The kingdom of God is within you", and not ruled by dogma) have always partaken in contemplation and meditation.
Yes, millions of people eat junk food everyday and millions are unhealthy whether or not their lack of health is manifesting in any obvious way although it often is.
Proper nutrition is really important for the health of the brain (i distinguish between mind and brain) and if you're struggling with mental imbalances it certainly wouldn't hurt to optimize your diet so that your brain can be as healthy as possible.
For the mind:
Yes, meditation ... nothing better although it can be very, very difficult to meditate when the mind is extremely disturbed and imbalanced and when the nervous system is weak and when the entire system is "out of whack".
Severe mental health issues can be an obstacle to meditating but there are ways to deal with this problem.
And the reason that yogis and others who are sincere about their spiritual devotion practice hatha yoga (the branch of yoga that involves asanas, ie; yoga postures) is not so that they can develop a beautiful, healthy body (although that is often a result) but rather the practice of hatha yoga is to prepare the body to sit for long periods of time in meditation.
Good mental health for me involves having a mind that is quiet as often as possible.
That's one of the benefits of meditation ... one learns to quiet the mind.
Actually, it's the essential reason.
If you are a Christian and you want to meditate and you are not too attached to traditional imagery / symbolism, perhaps this image will be helpful to you.
If a patient chooses not to follow a pyschiatrists advice, it doesn't invalidate therapy. Same as if a patient ignores doctors orders to avoid sugar if they are diabetic or avoid alcohol if they have a stomach ulcer. If a patient doesn't listen to their physician that doesn't "invalidate" modern medicine.
jaijai...I think you're right...sounds like a psychologist...not a pyschiatrist(or shrink)....and a shrink wouldn't care that you're eating healthy or not, and would probably NEVER even consider meditation......but a psychologist would...a good one....but if good mental health can be prescribed but the recipient chooses not to follow that "prescription", then all that can be done has been done......it's the same with physical health....... inevitably it all boils down to our choice.
Good Mental Health? Interesting question, since I work with so many who are not mentally healthy. I don't think one needs to meditate to be mentally healthy. But, you do need to make time and space for your own needs. I also think you have to have the ability to adapt, rigid thinking is not going to work, if things change. Accept the things you cannot change, focus on the things you can change.
Good Mental Health? Interesting question, since I work with so many who are not mentally healthy. I don't think one needs to meditate to be mentally healthy. But, you do need to make time and space for your own needs. I also think you have to have the ability to adapt, rigid thinking is not going to work, if things change. Accept the things you cannot change, focus on the things you can change.
Well, "good mental health" is relative.
I'd say that most people on the planet are not mentally well.
Human beings are destroying themselves and their own habitat.
That is not an indication of mental balance and wellness.
It's also possible to see that many who are manifesting more overt symptoms of mental imbalance are the canary's in the coal mine of the human dilemma.
So many children who are in these times experiencing severe emotional / mental issues are a perfect example of this.
They come into a world that is severely out of whack on so many levels and then are diagnosed by a bunch of idiots and drugged when all they're doing is expressing the sickness of a sick culture.
i have known many mental health professionals. none of them felt meditation and diet were key to good mental health.
a healthy life style does not hurt, drugging and drinking and sleeping around are not conductive to good mental health.
anything that prevents agitation and supports the body, good sleep proper diet, exercise ok meditation or pray are all good
and therefore will help with the mental state.
none of these aids are magic cure alls.
I agree that you cannot say that meditation is not related to Christian spirituality. Medieval monks used meditation as part of their prayer practices. As the other poster said, it quiets the mind, and sometimes that is what is needed to be able to hear "the still small voice".
Too many psychiatrists now are solely in the business of writing prescriptions.
Psychiatrists say that meditating and eating healthily are key to mental health.
But meditating is not a Western practice, at least it's not something related to Christian spirituality. And healthy eating? Loll....... Millions eat fast/junk food everyday.
What essentially is good mental health, when what is proscribed most don't even follow?
No such thing as a real psychiatrist these days - these people simply prescribe all sorts of compounds...most of which are experimental...The key to good mental health is to understand that the world in general is quite nuts..and that you MUST have a spiritual life to rise above the insanity..rest - good food - privacy and personal security are a must....Most intelligent shrinks know that their buisness is a crook and no one has the answers to todays stresses and problems....Years ago I was having a legal problem - and knew that I should get a mental health report of my own..before the court possibly ordered one -
So my mother had used a shrink for a law suit - I made a few appointments with the guy - by the third visit - I met him by chance in the elevator - He was literally staggering from being over medicated..later in his office he started to cry - he weeped openly saying that he had some serious finacial and marital problems - at that point I lost all respect for the profession - It was not my job to be his doctor...end of story.
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