Mental Wellness Podcast
Physical health isn't the whole story.
BayCare wants you to be well, and wellness is more than just your physical health. It’s also about being “mentally well.”
Mental Wellness
Being “mentally well” is not “the absence of disease, illness or stress, but the presence of purpose in life, active involvement in satisfying work and play, joyful relationships, a healthy body and living environment and happiness”¹.
When you feel mentally well, it means you can understand how things or situations affect your ability to think or focus. You understand how you feel (your emotional state) and how you act (your behavior). When you are mentally well, you also recognize how your ability to think, feel and act affect your ability to:
Things That Impact Mental Wellness
It’s important to know there are many things that can impact your mental wellness and health:
Starting the Mental Wellness Conversation
Just as you talk to your doctor about physical symptoms you’re experiencing, it’s important to let your doctor know about how you’ve been feeling or any major changes that may be happening in your life.
Here are some tips to start the conversation with your doctor during you next checkup. Need a doctor? Let us help you find a doctor.
When to Ask For Help
If you notice you or a loved one is having a hard timehandling emotions,struggling to think or focus clearly, or experiencing a change in behavior or physical well-being, it may be time to reach out for additional help. Below is a list of some early warning signs and symptoms²:
For more information or a referral to a behavioral health practitioner, contact TampaBayBehavioralHealth@baycare.org. All information is confidential. If you need immediate assistance, please call 2-1-1 to reach the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay for free, confidential help or call 9-1-1.
¹ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (2017). Wellness Overview. Retrieved from https://www.samhsa.gov/wellness
2 National Alliance on Mental Illness (2017). Know The Warning Signs. Retrieved from https://www.nami.org/Learn-More/Know-the-Warning-Signs