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What you'll explore: 
  • IWhat mental and emotional wellbeing mean
  • How thoughts and emotions influence daily life
  • The connection between mental and emotional wellbeing
  • Practical strategies to strengthen wellbeing
  • Healthy ways to cope with stress and life's challenges
  • Mental wellbeing reflects how we are doing, the outcome of how we think, learn, make decisions and handle life's challenges.

  • ​Emotional wellbeing relates to how we recognise, understand, express and manage our emotions. 
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  • Together, they shape how we experience life, build relationships and respond to everyday situations.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) proposed the following definition for mental health: "A state of well-being in which an individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to his or her community." (WHO 2016c) ​
  • Mental Health Matters
  • Affects every life aspect
  • & Phisical health
  • & Education
  • & Social life
  • & Income
  • & Exclusion
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Mental ill-health can have devastating effects on individuals, families and communities, with one in every two people experiencing a mental illness in their lifetime. Symptoms of anxiety and depression as much as doubled at the height of COVID-19 pandemic, and a confluence ofmultiple emerging and enduring crises – such as the cost-of-living and climate crises – continue to heighten the risk factors for poor mental health.
Mental ill-health also weighs heavily on societies and economies. The economic burden of mental ill-health can rise to up to 4% of GDP. Individuals experiencing mental-ill health have poorer educational, employment, and physical health outcomes than those in good mental health. Yet, historically, as much as two thirds of people seeking mental health support reported difficulties getting it.
The costs of mental ill-health for individuals, employers and society at large are enormous. Mental illness is responsible for a very significant loss of potential labour supply, high rates of unemployment, and a high incidence of sickness absence and reduced productivity at work. In particular, mental illness causes too many young people to leave the labour market, or never really enter it, through early moves onto disability benefit. Despite these very high costs to the individuals and the economy, there is only little awareness about the connection between mental health and work, and the drivers behind the labour market outcomes and the level of inactivity of people with mental ill-health. 

​Source: How to Make Societies Thrive? Coordinating Approaches to Promote Well-being and Mental Health
EMOTIONAL SKILLS gives the ability to recognise, understand/ express and process your emotions and others. this is the cornerstone of emotional intelligence, fostering healthier self-expression and communication. The first step is identifying emotions in you and in others around you. A useful tool is the emotions wheel (see below).
​EMOTIONS WHEEL ​organizes the different dimensions of feelings we may have into several categories and subcategories to help you pinpoint exactly how you’re feeling.
The Wheel is divided into primary emotions, secondary emotions, and tertiary emotions. Each layer delves deeper into the nuances of emotional experiences, allowing individuals to pinpoint their feelings with precision.
  • Primary emotions: the innermost circle of the wheel . These emotions serve as the fundamental building blocks of our emotional experiences. They provide a general sense of how we are feeling, acting as a starting point for further exploration.
  • Secondary emotions stem from the primary emotions and offer a more nuanced understanding of our feelings. 
  • Tertiary emotions [the outermost layer] are the most specific and detailed emotions one can experience. 
​How to use the emotion wheel
 1. Check-in with yourself. Identify the emotion closest to how you are feeling.
Take a moment to check in ​with how you feel in the moment. Then notice how your body feels. Do you have tension anywhere? How do you feel? Like you want to cry, hide, yell? Scan the wheel to discover what adjective best describes your state and then allow that understanding to empower how you want to meet the moment. Start with the primary emotion, then refine your search identifying the secondary and tertiary active emotions. Stay in it, let it / them be. Stay still, observing what you feel and your body responses.
2. Try to figure out the trigger.
Try to identifying the triggers and underlying causes of our feelings. This info will help you eventually to manage their emotional responses more effectively, reducing impulsive reactions and promoting thoughtful, measured responses.
SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING is the process to acquire and apply the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to develop healthy identities, manage emotions, show empathy, establish supportive relationships, and make responsible decisions.  SEL universal components:
  1. Emotion
  • Emotion Regulation: Techniques to improve one’s ability to manage and respond to emotions effectively.
  • Stress Management: Techniques to control levels of stress – especially chronic stress that interferes with everyday functioning 
  • Mindfulness:  Activities to enhance the individual’s ability to “pay attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally

2. Cognitive
  • Problem - solving: Techniques to identify and act on a solution to a challenge/difficult problem. 
  • Drug and alcohol knowledge: Education about the use of drugs/alcohol, or the effects of drugs/alcohol on development, lifestyle (including harm minimization approaches) and beliefs/ perceptions about drugs/alcohol. 

3. ​​​Social
  • Interpersonal skills: Improving skills to develop or improve close, strong, positive relationships with other people.
  • Assertiveness:  Improving skills to communicate one’s viewpoint, needs or wishes clearly and respectfully.
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​​4. ​Physical
  • Physical activity:  engage in sports and/or physical activity, either individually or in teams. 
  • Healthy food 
  • Good sleep 
SEL  five core competencies: 
  1. Self-Awareness: Identifying emotions, recognizing strengths, and having a well-grounded sense of self-confidence.
  2. Self-Management: Regulating emotions, managing stress, controlling impulses, and setting goals.
  3. Social Awareness: Showing empathy, understanding diverse perspectives, and respecting others.
  4. Relationship Skills: Communicating clearly, listening actively, cooperating, and resisting negative social pressure.
  5. Responsible Decision-Making: Evaluating the consequences of actions, considering the well-being of others, and making ethical, constructive choices
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Signs  a person is experiencing difficulties with their emotional well-being:
  • persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness
  • feeling irritable, tearful, or angry
  • withdrawing socially
  • loss of interest in activities that are usually enjoyable
  • changes to eating or sleeping patterns
  • feeling restless or agitated
  • fatigue or lack of energy
  • difficulty concentrating
  • neglecting self-care
  • difficulties with work or studies, or carrying out everyday tasks
  • mood swings
  • thoughts of death or suicide
  • self-harm
  • substance misuse
​Source: Medical New Today
Mental and emotional wellbeing are capacities that can be strengthened through awareness, healthy habits, supportive relationships and daily practice. Small, consistent actions often make the greatest difference over time.
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