Mental Wellbeing in the Here and Now

Mental wellbeing is a state of being. I posit that many of us conceptualize mental wellbeing as a goal. Perhaps, this is a natural product of modern society, in which we, as members of the society, espouse an insatiable desire for more of everything. Thus, being in the present moment is insufficient, despite our claim to strive for living in the here-and-now.

When the Here-and-Now Exists

Halt.

Take a moment to reflect on the term here-and-now. Explain the term.

Here-and-now. I could be here in the past. I can be here in the present. I may be here in the future. When I am here now, I am here at this very moment. I exist here, right now.

Now we know when the here-and-now exists.

Do we know how to exist in the here-and-now? That is an entirely different question. I participate here, right now, when I do not seek to reexperience the past, as if that were truly possible, and I am not preparing to be in the future.

Standing tall, right now, right here.

How does it feel to be present here, right now?

Mental Wellbeing: a State of Being and a Trait

To experience mental wellbeing, I need only be present. I tap into the core of myself, the essence of how I feel, and I find my mental wellbeing. Mental wellbeing can certainly be improved and may deteriorate. Nevertheless, my current state of mental wellbeing is uncovered by being in the moment.

But, do some people have an inherent ability to sense their mental wellbeing? Are some people more inclined to identify themselves as being in a state of mental wellbeing? Can some people not sense their mental wellbeing, a sort of alexithymia of mental wellness, an inability to capture the holistic essence of being in a state of mental wellness or mental less wellness?

I suggest we delve into the concept of interoception in order to understand these questions and the distinction between the state of mental wellbeing and a trait of experiencing mental wellness.

Interoception: Sensing What Happens Inside of Us

Interoception is the capacity to feel what is going on in our bodies and to be able to label these experiences. For example, if I hear noise coming from my belly, I say that there is gurgling in my stomach or in my intestines. I probably realize that whatever I ate that day is being digested. When I feel burning in my throat after eating, I likely recognize that stomach acid is being regurgitated into my oesophagus or part of my digestive tract near my throat. The perception that my hand is tingling and red after I touch a hot stove coil with my hand can be labeled as my hand is burning. The butterfly feeling in my belly means I am having anxiety and not that there are live butterflies in my stomach.

I suggest that being aware of what is going on in one’s body is a key to being able to be present, here and now.

Check out the 2021 article in The Guardian entitled Interoception: the hidden sense that shapes wellbeing. David Robson exposes research substantiating the benefits of strength training, certain mindfulness exercises, interoceptive training, and the investigational use of a device delivering a mild electric current to the ear to connect the vagus nerve in the gut and heart to the brain.

Interoception: the hidden sense that shapes wellbeing.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/aug/15/the-hidden-sense-shaping-your-wellbeing-interoception

Is there evidence to demonstrate NOW?

The podcast, The Social Brain, hosted and presented by Taylor Guthrie and Andrew Cooper-Sansone, provides a wealth of information related to neuroscience. In episode 40, entitled Where is NOW in the Brain? The Neuroscience of Time, Guthrie and Cooper-Sansone illuminate the concept of time.

Take a listen to the podcast:

The remarkable information presented by Guthrie and Sansone-Cooper includes the ideas of time being recorded in our brain differently, depending on the region of the brain, depending on what sensory or other information is being recorded, depending on the speed at which our senses receive information, depending on the speed at which our senses transmit signals to our brain, and depending on the circumstances in which we find ourselves at the time of a given experience (think, cognitive load under which we find ourselves).

I cannot do justice to the topic. I recommend you take a focused listen to the podcast at The Social Brain. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC92ipyM9i9Ilc6kpe4eer-8PVOfF-jdW

Mental Wellbeing Now

Why not, mental wellbeing now? I have no inclination to prepare myself for mental wellbeing, as if preparation is possible for a state of being. Mental wellbeing emerges over time. Mental wellbeing evolves, is not stagnant. Mental wellbeing is not exhaustive, deriving energy in order for a human being to achieve a status. The trajectory towards mental wellbeing does not culminate in an arrival, a landing somewhere.

Mental Wellbeing in the Here and Now

Mental wellbeing has been and will be a part of our lives, for as long we inhabit our worldly body. A person’s mental wellbeing morphs as the person takes on new challenges and acquires new skills and scales proverbial mountains along a process of evolving.

Everyone evolves.

Evolution proceeds differently for each one of us. There is no right way and there is no wrong way to evolve.

Similarly, there is no right way and there is no wrong way of being in the world. Mental wellbeing is a matter of opinion, particular to each human being, traversing time and space.

I have mental wellbeing now. I will have a different mental wellbeing tomorrow. Mindset will partially determine how I perceive my mental wellbeing. Interoceptive ability flavours my perception of mental wellbeing.

I choose to take claim of mental wellbeing now and here. Why? Because, this moment is the present. The future is not promised. And, the past is not retrievable.

Be safe. Be kind. Be present. Be determined to experience your mental wellbeing every moment of your life.

Selected References:

Taylor Guthrie and Andrew Cooper-Sansone. (June 10, 2024). Where is NOW in the brain? The Neuroscience of Time. The Social Brain. Accessed online on June 10, 2024, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mDuC0kX2jg

Robson, David. (August 2021). Interoception: the hidden sense that shapes wellbeing. The Guardian. Accessed online on June 11, 2024, at https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/aug/15/the-hidden-sense-shaping-your-wellbeing-interoception

Taylor Guthrie. (June 13, 2024). Five Lobes, Not Four: The Secret of the Insula. The Cellular Republic podcast: shorts. Accessed on June 13, 2024, at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrFJlbTdvq4

Disclaimer: The content of this post is not meant to substitute for a consultation with your healthcare team.

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