Emotional Hygiene

An interview by journalist GUNTA BARBANE: “How to Tidy Up Your Mind in Spring,” a shorter version of which was published in the newspaper “Latvijas Avize” on April 10, 2015. To reduce the risk of illness, everyone must observe hygiene. We wash our hands, brush our teeth, tidy up our clothes, home, and yard. Especially in spring, we organize clean-up events. It is equally important to take care of your mental self as it is to tidy up the physical space. What is mental hygiene and how important it is for everyone is explained by psychotherapist ANSIS JURGIS STABINGIS. - If physical hygiene recommendations and standards have been researched and implemented by doctors, then we talk much less about mental hygiene. Psychotherapists, psychologists, and clergy speak about it a little. Mental hygiene is comparatively a more personal process. Each person must understand for themselves what exactly spoils their mood and creates unwanted emotions. If we look at “ordinary” hygiene — we are talking about specific conditions (for example, illnesses) that are caused by specific actions (for example, uncleanliness). These conditions — illnesses — are followed by pain, suffering, financial costs, time expenditure, discomfort. Therefore, to avoid the undesirable consequences, we perform other actions (we observe cleanliness). It is similar in the mental, spiritual domain. There are undesirable states — worries, anxieties, depression, anxiety, etc. If we are in one of these states, it creates undesirable consequences for us — in relationships, at work, in personal well-being, as well as in physical health and finances. That is why it is worth taking certain actions in advance to avoid falling into undesirable states. This is the essence of mental hygiene. Specifically, this means that I must pay attention to my mood, state of mind, and sense of well-being. I must know what things, what activities bring me into a pleasant, enjoyable, productive, efficient, harmonious, bright mood and what — conversely — leads me into darkness, low energy, confusion, helplessness, depression. Although these things will be different for each person, some common directions can be identified. Physical hygiene requires keeping waste separate from food, and mental hygiene likewise requires distancing oneself from pollutants. What would mental pollution be? Information that does me no good — various depressing or alarming news, gossip, criticism, backbiting. Is it really worth watching the news, especially criminal, violent, misfortune-oriented news? Is it worth watching such films? Likewise in interactions with other people — backbiting, gossip, endless mutual complaining about how bad everything is? Is it worth participating in such conversations? Perhaps it is better to seek other conversation partners or other topics? And conversely — one should observe what it is that improves one’s mood and seek out these people, situations, and activities. Bright, inspiring, motivating conversations with wonderful people, positive time spent — reading, walking, observing nature, the spring that awakens. In this way, I can do something every day that changes my mood — for the better. This does not mean one should ignore what is happening in reality — and fall into uncritical rose-tinted optimism. Reality must be noticed, observed, and seen — but without exaggerating the negative and without ignoring the positive. While at the same time increasing the good things and reducing the not-so-good, it is also worth doing something similar in the mental domain to physical activities. Interestingly, as recently as the 1950s, physical culture — sports — was only the pastime of certain eccentrics. Most “ordinary” people did not exercise, did not particularly move, because there was no knowledge about how movement is connected to maintaining health. Drawing parallels with the mental domain, these would be certain daily activities that strengthen “mental immunity” — resilience against things that cannot be avoided, such as losses, unexpected changes in life. One such method can be a simple daily reflection, meditation, a certain mind exercise. Its goal would be to prepare one’s mind so that it reacts in the best, most effective way to unexpected events — when they come. One of the simplest meditations that can be recommended is mindfulness practice. Mindfulness is a gentle and calm paying of attention to what is happening right now — here and now, without judging, commenting, or analyzing what is happening. This skill is natural, inherent in every person, but usually undeveloped. There are several reasons for this. One of them is that people simply do not know about the benefits of mindfulness. Mindfulness practice can be considered a form of meditation that is gaining increasing popularity today. Although it is based on Buddhist meditation traditions more than 2,500 years old, in its essence it is a non-religious, non-sectarian, rationally grounded mind training that can be useful for a person of any faith, an atheist, or a spiritual practice advocate. Practicing mindfulness shows noticeable results in a short time, in both physical health and the psychological domain, as well as at work, in relationships, and in life. On the physical level, we have accepted the idea of hygiene — we no longer ask questions about why we should wash our hands, teeth, dishes, clothes, or rooms, or why it is worth exercising. Similarly — more and more people now understand that it is worth doing something similar in the mental domain — practicing mental hygiene. Gradually, it is becoming our daily norm. One opportunity to learn mindfulness is through the 8-week courses offered by the Mindfulness and Peace Practice. More information: http://aumprakse.lv/kurss/