The Difference Between Mental Strength and Mental Health

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsMental Strength vs. Mental HealthThree Parts to Mental StrengthHow to Build Mental Strength

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

Mental Strength vs. Mental Health

Three Parts to Mental Strength

How to Build Mental Strength

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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 amental healthissue. Mental strength involves your ability to think, feel, and perform at your best.

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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.

And while a health issue might make it a little more difficult to go to the gym and workout, you can still make choices that help you grow physically stronger even when you have a physical health problem.

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

Mental StrengthThe ability to cope with negative emotions in a healthy way.Understanding your emotions.Knowing when to engage with your emotions and when to take a step back.Mental HealthThe presence or absence of a mental health issue.The overall state of your mental wellness.

Mental StrengthThe ability to cope with negative emotions in a healthy way.Understanding your emotions.Knowing when to engage with your emotions and when to take a step back.

The ability to cope with negative emotions in a healthy way.

Understanding your emotions.

Knowing when to engage with your emotions and when to take a step back.

Mental HealthThe presence or absence of a mental health issue.The overall state of your mental wellness.

The presence or absence of a mental health issue.

The overall state of your mental wellness.

Mental strength has three parts:

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. In cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), this is known as the “cognitive triad.”

Fortunately, everyone has the ability to build mental strength. Developing bigger mental muscles takes exercise—just like developing bigger physical muscles. Building mental strength may, in turn, also improve your mental health.

While there are many exercises that can help you build mental strength, here are a few simple ones that can get you started.

Cognitive Exercises

Cognitive exercises are those strategies that help you think differently. This could include any exercise that helps you think more positively, reframe negative thoughts, or develop a more realistic mindset. Here are some examples of healthy cognitive exercises:

Emotional Exercises

Emotional exercises increase your self-awareness about your emotional state. They may help you recognize when your emotions are helpful or not helpful, they may assist you in identifying strategies that reduce the intensity of your feelings, or they may help you embrace uncomfortable feelings. Here are some examples of emotional exercises:

Behavioral Exercises

Behavioral exercises are about getting up and doing things that are good for you. These actions help you feel better and perform at your peak. Some examples of behavioral exercises include:

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A Word From Verywell

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 want to know how to build more mental strength, reach out for help. Talking to a mental health professional might help you develop the mental strength you need to think, feel, and do your best in life.

1 SourceVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Morin, A. (2017).13 things mentally strong people don’t do: Take back your power, embrace change, face your fears, and train your brain for happiness and success. New York, NY: William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins.

1 Source

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Morin, A. (2017).13 things mentally strong people don’t do: Take back your power, embrace change, face your fears, and train your brain for happiness and success. New York, NY: William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Morin, A. (2017).13 things mentally strong people don’t do: Take back your power, embrace change, face your fears, and train your brain for happiness and success. New York, NY: William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins.

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