What is Behavioral Health?

Studies have found that seven out of 10 people visiting the doctor have issues related to behavioral health. Behavioral health is the term that describes the connection between behaviors and health and well-being of the body, mind, and spirit. These behaviors include common activities as drinking, eating habits and exercising. Such behaviors either immediately or over time have an impact on our physical and mental health. Depression, anxiety and even mental conditions are some of the symptoms that may need behavioral health services by a specialist. Stress also has an impact on behavioral health but on a broader level. A person often requires a behavioral change to manage chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiac conditions that occur as a result.

There are numerous benefits of behavioral health. These include;

Quality of Life

A life free of depression, anxiety, addictions, stress and worry and other psychological problems is a dream for everyone. The truth is most people never realize the need for peace of mind until they go through depression.

Reduced Medical Costs

It is factual that behavioral health reduces the medical costs individuals would have incurred seeking medication from the same. Studies have even shown that when a person is in the right mental state, their need for medical services declines proportionately.

The opposite is also true. People with negative behavioral health often have mental problems that require them to visit a medical doctor regularly. This, regardless to say translates to high medical bills that quite honestly, add more stress to the individual

Good for Business and People Around You

People are not happy hanging around a depressed person. Be it your colleagues, clients and even your family.

When it comes to work and businesses, behavioral health behaviors impact productivity more than you can imagine. Positive mental health influences higher productivity, improved performance, fewer accidents in the workplace and consistency in work attendance

Both inputs by the employer and employee can achieve this goal together. Employee health plans are such measures employers take to improve behavioral and mental health and eliminate absenteeism, work accidents, and productivity.

Healthy Relationships

As I have mentioned, your relationship’s happiness depends on the state of your mind. Positive behavioral and mental health sure influences the relationship’s stableness with your spouse. Stress and depression impact relationships in a negative manner

Physical Health

Eating habits that may be developed from negative behaviors often have a negative influence on our physical health. People suffering from depression often go into drinking sprees to forget their troubles. This may cause drinking problems and have a negative impact on the health of the individual in question. It is necessary for them to seek medication before the problem escalates to liver issues.

Reaching Our Potential and Making Good Life Choices

We cannot achieve our potential and make better life choices when we are going through mental disorders that may harm our health. A peace of mind is essential to positive feeling and perspective in life.

Behavioral Health vs Mental Health

There is no big difference between behavioral health and mental health. In fact, they mean more or less the same; the difference is that behavioral health is a general term. It includes mental health too and implies behaviors that impact physical and mental being of an individual

There may be a noticeable difference between the two. An instance of a professional looking at behaviors that may have contributed to a person’s obesity is a good example. The individual’s behavior certainly has contributed to their physical health. However, some behavioral health topics do not fall into the same category as mental health

On the other hand, mental health can include behavioral health. Some people have mental issues that can be solved by behavioral health principles. Changes in behavior by individual, family, and community in the way of thinking help people to cope better with mental health conditions.

Whichever way you refer to it, whether mental health or behavioral health if you are suffering from depression, stress, and symptoms that may have made you pick up ill behaviors, you need behavioral health services for treatment.

If you have more questions, contact Five Acres today and learn more about Five Acres community based behavioral health options for you and your family.