Eight Signs of Men's Health and Mental Well-being and Emotional Regulation

Indicators of Mental Health

Health, as mentioned above, is not only the absence of disease, but also the ability of the body and mind to adapt to changes in the internal and external environment, and to respond and adjust swiftly to various stimuli and harms. This includes mental health. So what are the indicators of mental health? According to the book 《Mental Health for Middle-Aged and Elderly People》, there are eight, summarized below:

① Physically healthy and mentally alert, with abundant energy. Generally speaking, the healthier the body, the more abundant the energy, and the more cheerful the personality, making it easier to cultivate a lively and optimistic character. Conversely, a lively and optimistic personality, with vigorous spirit, will promote physical health, thus forming a virtuous cycle.

② Cheerful personality and emotional stability. Another indicator of mental health is manifested in a cheerful personality and emotional stability. Abbas Hassa, the famous centenarian from Iran, said when discussing the secret to his longevity: "I have a happy personality." A healthy mind is also reflected in maintaining emotional stability even in adversity. Some say, "Those who maintain a calm state of mind, free from anger, impatience, excitement, or extreme joy or sorrow, will be able to handle people and things with equanimity." Traditional Chinese medicine also believes that an open and cheerful personality and stable emotions benefit the liver's function of regulating qi, promoting the digestion of the spleen and stomach (the foundation of acquired constitution), and ensuring the normal qi transformation of the three jiaos (upper, middle, and lower burners), thus maintaining normal bodily functions. Conversely, a narrow-minded, suspicious, and anxious nature, constantly suspecting others of plotting against or distrusting oneself, not only affects health but can also lead to depression. The opposite of emotional stability is "nervousness," an inability to respond appropriately to external stimuli, and unpredictable mood swings. If this forms a vicious cycle, it can cause severe psychological maladjustment, leading to a withdrawn personality and an inability to thrive in group settings. These are all pathological psychological states. People with these psychological states should cultivate themselves and strive to correct these pathological mentalities in order to achieve health and longevity.

③ A love of life and an optimistic outlook: Immanuel Kant, the founder of German classical idealism, was a long-lived figure in the 19th century. Despite being born with health problems and frequent illnesses, he was full of confidence in life. You would never hear words of frustration or jealousy from him, nor would you see sorrow, grief, or fear on his face. His longevity stemmed from his love of life. Nikolai Ostrovsky, the famous Soviet hero, despite being paralyzed and blind, remained optimistic and wrote his world-renowned masterpiece, *How the Steel Was Tempered*, with astonishing perseverance. People with unhealthy mindsets are often lazy, idle, and spend their days in idleness, turning their ideals into unrealistic fantasies and wasting their lives. We should take them as role models and love life.

④ Passionate about her work and competent in her duties: Zhang Haidi, an outstanding member of the Communist Youth League, suffered from a spinal hemangioma, resulting in high-level paraplegia. However, she remained mentally healthy and passionate about her work. Using the remaining third of her body, she learned several foreign languages ​​and translated hundreds of thousands of words of foreign language materials. She also studied acupuncture and treated over 10,000 patients. Zhang Haidi is hailed as China's "Paul," a model of healthy psychology—passionate about her work and competent in her duties. This is because she possessed a healthy mind.

⑤ Love for the collective and harmonious relationships: People with healthy minds love their collective, get along harmoniously with those around them, are selfless, put others before themselves, consider the overall situation, are not overly sensitive, have no jealousy or suspicion, can understand others' difficulties, are helpful, sincere, and humble. They do not compare their strengths with others' weaknesses, nor do they harbor resentment towards their peers. Conversely, people with pathological psychology cannot handle interpersonal relationships well. Such people harbor resentment towards those stronger than themselves and find others' achievements more painful than their own failures. Those with this pathological psychology should correct it promptly.

⑥ Adaptability and Contentment: Life is a long journey, not always smooth sailing. There will always be setbacks and frustrations, inevitably encountering things that cause anger and sorrow, even being forced into painful adversity. Some people adapt well, rise to the challenge in adversity, and prove themselves to be the "strong" of the times, right and resilient. However, many others succumb to setbacks and frustrations, collapsing, even contemplating suicide. From the perspective of healthy psychology, the former is clearly healthy, and the latter is unhealthy.

⑦ Remaining Unperturbed by Victory or Defeat: Pride and discouragement are completely opposite psychological activities, both essentially manifestations of pathological psychology. Pride can develop into arrogance, affecting not only interpersonal relationships but also physical health. Further discouragement can lead to despondency and inaction.

In real life, many young people have lofty ideals and are full of hope for the future, but they often underestimate the difficulties they may encounter. Therefore, when faced with setbacks in areas such as education, employment, or relationships, they are prone to emotional fluctuations, pessimism, and despair—an indicator of psychological health.

⑧ Skilled at self-regulation and transforming unhealthy psychology: "Humans are not plants or trees; how can they be without feelings?" Joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness are natural human emotions. However, psychologically healthy individuals are adept at using reason to control their emotions and employing appropriate methods to transfer and adjust them. When anger arises and an argument is imminent, they can use reason to calm down, avoiding rude language and escalation. This not only promotes unity but also prevents the situation from escalating, thus avoiding further negative self-stimulation. Modern science tells us that the power of reason can completely control emotional fluctuations, and mentally healthy people should regulate themselves and be good at transforming unhealthy psychological states.