by Cuahutemoc Solorzano

Mental health matters, but what exactly do we know about it? Learn how to regulate emotions, create a positive perspective and how happy you are.

Mr. Basil Totah, St. John Bosco’s Lead Counselor shines some light on what mental health is.

“Mental health to people is having a positive and beneficial thought process – having a healthy mind,” said Mr. Totah. “Which means not [fixating] on negative aspects of your life or becoming trapped with anxiety.”

Mr. Totah expands on how anyone, not just a student here at Bosco could recognize the state of their mental health. Just ask yourself a simple question.

“How happy are you?”

Mental health doesn’t mean always being happy in life. It’s important to recognize all emotions in order to healthily deal with them.

“Everybody goes through certain things,” said Mr. Totah. “There’s no perfection. There’s no such thing as feeling happy all the time; it just doesn’t work that way.”

St. John Bosco’s Coordinator of Youth Ministry and theology instructor, Dr. Francesca Po, brings some more light on what shapes one’s mental health.

“What you eat and the people you surround yourself with and the activities you put in your life also add on to the stability of your mind, emotions and spirit,” Dr. Po said.

Mental health is influenced by external influences, but that also means your physical health is affected by your mental health.

“Your physical health could be affected by your mental health and your mental health can affect your physical health,” Dr. Po said.

Positive mental health allows an individual to create healthy routines and makes them more likely to have a positive perspective and improve their physical health, according to Dr. Po.

There are ways to mold positive mental health. Breathing exercises are a quick and easy way to get started.

“There is a lot of scientific research that demonstrates meditation brings your blood pressure down; it gives you mental clarity,” said Dr. Po. “The most basic aspect of meditation are breathing exercises – taking big deep breaths through your nose and slowly letting it out through your mouth.”

St. John Bosco’s Counseling Partners of Los Angeles (CPLA) intern counselor Octavio Campos provided some more insight on how physical health can be affected by mental health.

“Many people have different [indications] of anxiety: stomach pain, butterflies in their stomach or headaches,” said Mr. Campos. “There are coping skills. A lot of people listen to music or binge-watch a series – something to get them distracted.”

Though, there are instances when someone can’t change or fix what is causing them anxiety. In these situations, acceptance is vital to form a positive perspective.

Bosco science instructor Mr. Brian Miller, who has taught for decades, believes your mental health evolves over time.

“Your perspective changes throughout your life. Your perspective changes with each and every relationship. Your perspective changes based on who you’re with and when [you’re with them],” Mr. Miller said. “My perspective on things changed completely when my wife passed away. I value each and every day all the more.”

Loss is a part of life that everyone experiences and acceptance is the key to grow from it. But there are times when we feel overwhelmed by life. During these times, our mental health is tested, and it’s important to realize that these feelings are normal.

“It comes down to understanding it’s okay to have a problem. It’s okay to feel a certain way, and we don’t all have to be strong all the time,” Mr. Miller said. “[Emotions] are valuable. We have to accept the fact that we all have to experience [emotions] and [we] have to understand how to deal with them in our way.”

The steps toward forming positive mental health are difficult because it means facing our sources of anxiety, which can vary from person to person, and the first step can be the most difficult for people. When you’re dealing with a truckload of tasks or the most difficult part of your life, it’s important to remember: it only takes one action toward growth to form a healthier perspective and subsequently a healthier mindset.

“You can’t reach the top of the mountain unless you take your first step. Sometimes, when you have twenty things to do, you have to choose one thing to do and get it done,” said Mr. Miller. “Too often people see the mountain and think they have to climb it all at once.”

It’s important to focus on the present and be grounded in reality. The past has already happened, nothing can change it. The future will happen when the time comes, and there’s no way of predicting it, so there’s no point in worrying about it. 

“Tomorrow may not come, so you have to make the best of today,” said Mr. Miller.

Issues surrounding mental health are being recognized now more than ever. But perspective matters. An anonymous senior student reveals his own thoughts on the recognition of mental health.

“I feel as though students among my age, mental health isn’t commonly talked about. I don’t think a lot of them have been told by their parents that it is okay to do so,” said the anonymous senior.

The CPLA counselor’s office is located within the 200 building on the second level and beside the elevator. The counselor in the office alternates each day, and there will be a different counselor there everyday of the week. There is no need to set a schedule with the CPLA counselors, all that is required is that you knock before you enter. It is open during school hours.

The academic counseling office, located on the first floor of the 200 building across from the Front Office is commonly open during break and lunch hours. You can always feel free to reach out to your academic counselor via email and schedule a time to meet.

Dr. Po’s office is located in room 238 on the third floor of the 200 building near the center of the hallway. You can knock or enter if the door is open to talk about mental health or spirituality.

All of these sources are avenues for any students who want to talk about their mental health or get help in general.