Character and Wellbeing

What is the role that character plays in mental, emotional, social, moral and spiritual well being?

What mitigating influence does strong character have on mental illness?

Mental illness is a thought disorder, a perceptual distortion of reality. Those experiencing mental illness tend to attach a negative bias or perspective or draw erroneous or unfounded conclusions based on inaccurate or inadequate information.

Mental wellbeing includes congruence between actions, beliefs and values.  It is the capacity to maintain a reasonably functional and hopefully accurate perspective on events.  Additionally it is the timely engagement of attributes of character that provide a buffer to the challenges, demands and stressors of circumstance.

Emotional wellbeing includes the capacity to introspect, to acknowledge and accept what one is feeling, to be in tune with our inner selves and to allow those feelings to guide decision making and explore more fully the underlying thoughts generating the affective response.  Empathy and compassion stem from a burgeoning self-awareness and the dawning realization others feel these sensations as well.

Social wellbeing acknowledges the inherent benefits of our social connectedness, our natural desire to interact, build relationships, socialize, support and succor one another.

In the hierarchy of moral character certain attributes offer greater resistance against the buffetings of stress.

When it comes to psychological hardiness or dispositional resilience a few attributes stand out including; open-mindedness, honesty, zest, patience, capacity to love, empathy, commitment, gratitude, hope and humility.

Meeting a challenge involves a rational exercise of bringing to bear particular attributes of character while balancing the emotional burden the situation imposes. Stress inducing situations then offer opportunities to gain skill, new insights and understanding.