The mind indeed is powerful enough to make our lives either hell or heaven. When we feel good, it seems that nothing can stop us from making a success of life. However, if we are feeling miserable deep inside, even small problems appear insurmountable and life seems to be a burden. The state of our mind is also intimately connected to our physical health. Our attitudes and emotional states can trigger chain reactions that affect blood chemistry, heart rate and the activity of every cell and organ in the body – from the stomach to the immune system. Emotions can also affect our body’s reaction to stress, which can cause headaches, backaches and other physical problems.

While we are very particular about our physical health and our social life, it is only rarely that we pay any attention to what our mind is doing. We keep our homes clean but do not think about decluttering our minds. Many times we do not even realise that our mind is tired or not performing well. We are unhappy, frustrated and miserable. We end up feeling tired and irritable, sleeping badly, not feeling hungry and not able to concentrate in our work which further adds to the stress. To help cope with the stress, we start using substances that make us feel better. These may range from the ubiquitous cigarette and alcohol to hard drugs like cocaine and amphetamine. We develop many medical problems like high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease and so on, all the while not realising how much our mind has contributed to these illnesses.

Having good mental health is therefore necessary if we wish live fruitfully and perform to the best of our potentials.