Know the link between emotional intelligence and your mental health

In today's world navigating life has become a challenge as there are numerous ups and downs that each one of us encounters. With families becoming smaller facing emotional ups and downs is becoming more and more difficult. We need to surf our emotional turmoil just like a surfer surfs the ocean waves with resilience. Emotional Intelligence helps us to understand and navigate through life's ups and downs. This article will help you understand the link between emotional intelligence in mental health.

What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence or EI is the ability of an individual to perceive and manage the emotions of both oneself as well as people around you. Emotional Intelligence involves 5 key elements that need to be understood to perceive and manage emotions they are:

1. Self awareness: Realising and recognising one's own emotions and their impact on one's thoughts and actions

2. Self regulation: refers to managing one’s emotions effectively by preventing them from controlling oneself.

3. Motivation: using emotions positively to fulfil one's goals and aspirations.

4. Empathy: perceiving and understanding the emotions of people around oneself with compassion.

5. Social skills: skills that help you build and connect with numerous people and have healthy relationships.

What is the difference between emotional intelligence and Intelligence quotient?

EQ and IQ are two different aspects of mental health. EQ or emotional intelligence deals with perceiving and managing emotions oneself while Intelligence quotient as the name suggests deals with cognitive abilities of the brain i.e. grasping of concepts, application of knowledge, etc.

Relationship between emotional intelligence and mental health

The link between emotional intelligence and mental illness is deep-rooted and mental health is incomplete if you lack emotional intelligence. Human beings are a species with high emotions therefore having control of your emotions will help in better interpersonal relationships and better conflict management. Research says people with high EQ showcase positive mental health. Let us understand how:

1. Control over one's emotions results in creating better emotional coping skills thereby resulting in managing stress effectively as it prevents you from getting overwhelmed

2. When one has good control over emotions then one can uplift oneself from setbacks and challenges of life.

3. A high EQ can help to overcome mental illnesses like depression, sadness, hopelessness, anxiety, etc.

4. Higher EQ enables individuals to understand the emotions of people around them with this they can easily build healthy social connections as they treat people around them with compassion and empathy.

5. EQ is one part of the overall mental wellness, having a high EQ helps to understand emotional negative triggers so that one can develop coping mechanisms like calming techniques, yoga, breathing exercises, etc. and be in a state of happiness and motivated even in the highs and lows of life.

The conclusion

In India, life has become fast-paced, and competitive and the size of families is shrinking these are a few of the main reasons that put immense pressure on mental health. Understanding emotions and the way to deal with expression and communication helps in navigating positively in family dynamics, it also helps in managing stress thereby excelling at the workplace. Thus, with the rising importance of emotional intelligence in mental health in India, Zurich Kotak General Insurance is creating potential scenarios to incorporate mental well-being in India’s health insurance sector.

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