In mental health, both strengths and weaknesses exist within individuals, and recognizing them is crucial for overall well-being and treatment. Strengths are positive traits, abilities, and resources that help individuals cope with challenges, while weaknesses are areas where individuals may struggle. Identifying both can empower individuals, promote positive therapeutic outcomes, and guide the development of personalized support strategies.

Mental strength and mental health are sometimes used interchangeably but they’re not the same thing. Many dictionaries define mental health as being “the absence of mental illness.” But not having depression, anxiety, or another illness doesn’t mean you’re mentally strong.

In fact, you might still be mentally strong even if you’re dealing with a mental health issue. Mental strength involves your ability to think, feel, and perform at your best.

The difference between mental strength and mental health becomes easier to understand when you compare it to the difference between physical health and physical strength. Building bigger muscles can improve your physical health. However, big muscles don’t guarantee you won’t ever deal with a physical health problem, like high cholesterol.

The exercises that build mental strength will also improve your mental health. And better mental health makes it easier to grow mentally strong.

There are 3 parts to mental strength:

1) THINKING: This involves the ability to think realistically. That means knowing how to recognize irrational thoughts and replace them with a more realistic inner dialogue. It’s also about speaking to yourself with kindness. So when you’re tempted to be overly critical of yourself, mental strength allows you to respond with self-compassion.

2) FEELING: Mental strength doesn’t involve suppressing your emotions or denying your pain. Instead, it’s about acknowledging how you feel. Sometimes that means accepting an uncomfortable emotion or even calming yourself down before having a tough conversation.

3) DOING: Mental strength is about taking productive action. Whether that means working out even when you’re tired or it means allowing yourself to engage in self-care, it involves ensuring that your behaviors are good for you.

The way you think affects how you feel and how you feel affects how you behave. Your behavior, in turn, affects how you think. There is a mind-body connection that links our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

If you would like to build your mental strength, here are some cognitive, emotional, and behavioral exercises to try. Write in a gratitude journal. Talk to yourself like a trusted friend. Argue the opposite. Label your feelings. Use healthy coping skills. Take deep breaths. Schedule positive activities. Engage in hobbies.

A lot of people misunderstand mental strength. They think being strong is about not crying at sad movies or not acknowledging hurt feelings. But experiencing and expressing normal human emotions takes more strength than suppressing them. So, don’t believe that showing emotion means you’re weak.

Similarly, don’t buy into the notion that mentally strong people don’t ask for help. It takes incredible mental strength to admit you don’t have all the answers or to recognize when you might need help.

If you would like to work on building your mental strength and don’t think you can do it by yourself, call Becky or Deb at Together We Can, (515) 391-3233. You can also stop by our office at 8 West Church Street, or send us an email at twc50158@gmail.com. We would be glad to help you work on building your mental strength.

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Becky Brown and Deb Williams are the cofounders

of Together We Can, a mental health nonprofit

organization based in Marshalltown.