#MENTAL HEALTH 4 LDS: HOPE AND SOLUTIONS

                                                                                           

MENTAL HEALTH:  HOPE AND SOLUTIONS

Stephen ZoBell, PhD

September 2015

1.  People are complex and complicated:  spiritual, physical, chemical, relational, environmental,

mental, emotional, lifestyle.  Then add agency making people hard to define and predict.

          2.  We focus on mental health issues to learn self-management, to prepare to face future challenges, in order to understand and help others in their trials and to ensure potential faulty views don’t creep in.  Almost all General Conferences in the past 30 years have referenced, in one way or another, mental health issues.

                3.   Levels of mental health severity include: 

        FUNCTIONAL *   MILD *  MODERATE *  SEVERE *  EMERGENCY

          4.  In the scriptures, thoughts are often represented as bipolar opposites.  It is often the same with feelings.

          5.  The gospel covenants and doctrines that are centered on the Atonement of the Savior provide a strong foundation upon which to study, learn and apply the ‘how to’ of mental/emotional well being.

          6.  Mental/emotional disorders or challenges can be assessed and approached either formally or informally.

          7.  If possible it is better to prevent or deal with mental health problems early rather than ignore them until they deteriorate into serious challenges.

          8.  It is our responsibility, regarding mental/emotional health, to act rather than to be acted upon.

          9.  It is helpful to consider the individual’s spiritual resources as assets prior to finding the ‘how to’ and ‘what’ of mental health hygiene.

        

          10.  Some sources of helpful information regarding mental health may be:  books, seminars, consultation with trusted others, counseling/therapy, workshops, internet, courses/classes, personal observation/study, examples of others, recovery programs, writing:  goals/scripts/journaling.  It is a buyer beware market so any ‘how to’ should be approached carefully and considered within the context of the gospel.  Be a critical thinker not a person who criticizes what is available.

     11.  What are technical sources going to promote?:   taking charge of and responsibility for personal health care management, uniqueness of your circumstances, replacement strategies, creating solutions, managing self-talk, learning about self, learning new processes, practicing, evaluating, keep trying, never quit on self.

         12.  Analyze/agonize less and synthesize/create more regarding mental health solutions.

         13.  Focus on ‘what you want’ and ‘how to get it’ rather than spending excessive amounts of time asking ‘why did this happen?’

         14. What is your next step in developing a personal mental health hygiene program?

   15.  Remember:  THERE IS HOPE!