Rethinking Mental Health: Framing, Feelings, and Function
Rethinking the “Mental Health Epidemic”
Much of what is now described as a mental health epidemic may be better understood through a different lens. Many adults today are living in environments that naturally produce discomfort. When these natural states of unease are too quickly labeled as mental health conditions, we risk pathologizing what may in fact be understandable human responses.
In my professional experience, clients frequently face challenges related to managing complexity rather than directly confronting psychopathology. They must navigate the inherent uncertainties and demands of modern life. This observation does not undermine the vital contributions of clinical practitioners or the importance of the rigorous theoretical frameworks that guide my work. Instead, it highlights an often-overlooked aspect of human experience: the natural tension between adaptation and feeling overwhelmed. As Rick Rubin aptly notes, “It’s all lies, back to Nature.”
The Role of Anxiety
Consider anxiety, for example. Anxiety is not inherently harmful; it actually serves a crucial adaptive purpose. It alerts us to potential dangers, motivates us to prepare, and can even promote personal growth. However, anxiety rooted in uncertainty presents a paradox—it can feel both destructive and essential. The real issue arises when anxiety lacks a clear context or reference point, which can lead to confusion or misinterpretation. Often, we are not suffering from the feeling of anxiety itself, but from how we frame and interpret it.
Beyond “Feeling Good”
A popular but limited notion of mental health equates it with feeling good, calm, and relaxed. This view oversimplifies the human emotional landscape. Proper mental health is less about the absence of discomfort and more about having emotions that are appropriate to the circumstances—and managing them effectively. The central question is not “Am I comfortable?” but “Is this situation unmanageable, or simply uncomfortable?”
Emotional Strength and Resilience
It is also essential to distinguish between being emotional and being fragile. Experiencing strong emotions does not equate to a lack of resilience. Still, baseline emotional reactivity can heighten, particularly when protective factors are scarce or early attachment patterns were inconsistent. Individuals raised with unpredictable caregiving may not have developed robust emotional regulation skills, leaving them more vulnerable in adulthood.
Reframing Mental Health
Ultimately, reframing how we discuss mental health allows us to normalize discomfort without dismissing suffering. The objective is not to eradicate difficult emotions but to build the capacity to face them with perspective, context, and resilience.
Rather than applying a static ideology to life’s ever-changing dynamics, we should learn to surf change—to move with it rather than resist it.
Resilience over happiness, always. Our emotions contain valuable information; they are not enemies to overcome, but signals to be interpreted and integrated.
