What is mentality

Updated July 23, 2021 622 Author: Dmitry Petrov
Hello, dear readers of the KtoNaNovenkogo.ru blog. There are words and terms that most of us understand only in general terms. But often this is not enough.

Today I want to draw attention to such words - mental and mentality, and explain their essence in simple words.

To some they may seem connected with something mystical (such as the astral body), but here everything is mundane and connected with ordinary people, like you and me.

Moreover, in this publication we will talk not only about mentality in general, but also about the problems of mental health, which not everyone is fine with. And, of course, we will touch upon the issue of identifying mental disorders and their treatment.

The word “mentality” from Latin (“mens”) means mind, mental resource, consciousness, way of thinking. In the modern explanatory dictionary, this term is synonymous with the word “mentality” (from the Latin mentalite - mental). Both are deciphered as a combination of reason and feelings, reflected in a set of mental and spiritual attitudes of an individual or group.

Simply put, mentality is the prism through which we look at the world. It includes moral values, a set of mental and behavioral reactions, adaptive traits, upbringing, attitudes towards religion and culture.

It should be remembered that the mentality of an individual person is the experience of many generations of his family, people, country, therefore it is a mixture of the deep collective unconscious and individual consciousness.

In psychological terms, mentality is a reflection of the content of a person’s psyche: in what categories he thinks, how he interacts with the environment and what kind of life he leads. Habits, actions and attitudes are a reflection of mentality. The determining factor is the person’s environment - family and society.

Analysis of the concept “mental”

The meaning of this word in a broad sense should be considered as a complex concept that affects many aspects of a person’s spiritual life; the term itself is quite difficult to define. This is due to the fact that this term refers not only to historical and anthropological sciences, but is also inseparable from philosophy. What “mentally” means can be analyzed for a long time. Much depends on what sources of information you turn to, but no matter where you turn, there are common features that characterize this term.

The concepts of mentality actively developed in the spiritual sphere and for this reason are characterized by a refusal and departure from the centralization of historical development on European culture as a whole. Instead, the focus is on the stability of the individual's inner self, leading him to desire unification with historical and social communities. Based on this, the term “mental” can be understood in different ways. The meaning of a word can now be considered as a means of analysis and interpretation of humanities knowledge.

Mentality is considered by many sciences; it is given special importance in philosophy

Story

There is a cause-and-effect relationship between somatic diseases and the psychology of a particular person, but it is ambiguous, indirect and does not fit into elementary diagrams. Any practicing doctor is faced with various stories. One of them told the following story: “A certain woman was raised by religious parents in such a way that she treated sex as a terrible phenomenon that must be excluded from her thoughts at all costs. She came to me with a complaint about the excessive growth of hair on her stomach, chest and back, with a parallel decrease in the amount of hair on her head. She also had irregular and painful periods. When she got married, she began to suffer from severe headaches.

Here, the sexual instinct was suppressed at the mental level, which caused an imbalance of estrogen and testosterone. As a result, the hair on the body was distributed according to the male type. This oppression over time caused another symptom on the mental level - aversion to sex. The marriage created additional stress, causing changes in the physical and emotional spheres - excruciating headaches (replacing baldness) along with feelings of irritation in the marriage.

At first the defense mechanism was able to establish a balance, limiting symptoms to the endocrine system, but the added stress of the marriage disrupted it. So the defense mechanism had to recreate the symptoms on a deeper and more destructive level.”

The mental level of the woman in this case played an important role. As you can see, defensive tools always try to create a protective wall, which is embodied in symptoms and signs in the peripheral tier.

Mentality of society

Mentality is not material, like thinking and imagination, so it cannot be quantified, it cannot be felt, tasted or heard. It cannot be directly observed, it is considered as an equal component of interaction, and does not have a direct influence on the formation of phenomena and processes.

Mentality is the content of the internal sphere of the subject, which is formed in the process of life, as a result of the transformation of the natural and social world into acts of subjectivity.

Mentality does not exist outside of its material carriers. Living in one place for a long time, people organize themselves into social groups, their mentality begins to change in the same way, because they are constantly influenced by the same factors. The existence of this fact confirms that the mentality is uniform, inherent in every social formation, but it can be radically different from the mentality of another society (for example, a group of people of a different religion).

The content of the mentality of society is greatly influenced by the traditions and values of a given environment of subjects. The mentality of society is the cultural environment in which we were raised, studied, received an education and currently live. It is a major factor influencing the thinking of every individual in the community, his/her daily behavior and decisions.

The mentality consists of two levels:

genetic: natural resources with which a subject is born - a level that cannot be changed.

acquired: our upbringing, our environment - a level that can be changed.

Mentality, as a subjective form, constitutes the spiritual world of the individual, reflecting the dynamics of the internal mental states and mental properties of the individual, which he manifests in specific reactions to the unique influences of culture and society. The mentality of the entire society, as a set of actions of subjects, forms a set of motivational norms of behavior in a given social group. In its subjective form, mentality transforms an individual into a personality, and a group into an integral society, united by values and culture. The etymological meaning of mentality is “soul,” or more precisely, “the composition of the soul.” However, modern usage of the term does not identify it specifically with the soul. The concept of the soul extends only to half of those phenomena and their properties that are included in the concept of the psyche. In the incarnation of the soul, it plays the role of the subject’s mental state, expressing the personal characteristics of behavior.

Mentality, as a way of seeing the world, is not identical to the concept of ideology. This is not a scientific, philosophical or ethnic system, but a psychological level of information reproduction, in which emotions are one with thoughts. Currently, the concept of mentality is used not only to designate cultural stereotypes and the unique thinking of large social groups, but also to interpret specific beliefs and ways of thinking of small groups. Psychical researchers believe that its formation begins at the age of 3 years and lasts about 12 years. At the same time, they highlight the most important factors influencing its formation:

Parental behavior. At a very early age, the child unconsciously assimilates, to a certain extent, the worldview of his parents;
Media, literature, cinema - all these elements leave their mark on the behavior, and therefore the mentality, throughout the subject’s entire adolescence;
The influence of idols: real or imaginary figures, imitation of which influences the formation of mentality;
State policy: foreign and domestic. This directs the vector of human development in the economic and cultural spheres, respectively, of each subject individually;
Public organizations that influence the subject in one area or another
Schools, churches, universities have a great influence.

Of course, this list can be continued, but it should be noted that the mentality of an ethnic group, which is formed over a long period of time, to its extent influences the formation of absolutely all these conditions, which then have a great influence on each subject.

Mentality forms a set of characteristics of a certain ethnic group or social stratum. And the key word here is not quantity, but quality, as a social and national structure formed historically and absorbing centuries-old traditions and culture.

The navel is considered to be the mental body. The practice of sound begins only when the resources necessary to expand this body into all spaces exist. Mental opens all time zones. This is the absolute maximum and minimum of what exists in human life on Earth. This is a non-judgmental period of unlocking "time" behind which kundalini is channeled.

It is also necessary to note the thought in which the structure of the vision of time is revealed. The entire informative cycle of life is stored by the mental body; this concept includes the absolute minimum for the Earth.

Illustrative examples of mentality

What is mentality using simple examples.

In Russia, at the beginning of every spring, people celebrate Maslenitsa: they bake pancakes for a week, and then organize festivities during which they burn an idol, symbolizing farewell to winter. In India they do not know about this and, most likely, will treat such a tradition with understanding.
Russian platforms are full of people bidding him farewell with hugs and kisses. In France, such behavior at train stations is strictly prohibited - you can even be fined. This is due to the fact that railway platforms used to be very narrow, and people hugging each other interfered with the movement of traffic.
If you have a guest, you will probably offer him a cup of tea with something nice as a gesture of hospitality, or you can even set a rich table with something stronger. In China, they serve a cup of tea instead of saying, “Shouldn’t you go home?” This is the difference in mentality.

Psychological prerequisites for diseases

Illness is a signal of a violation of harmony and balance in the Universe. It outwardly reflects our harmful thoughts, behavior and intentions, that is, our worldview. This is an instinctive defense of ourselves from our own destructive actions and thoughts. Sick people are those who have an unhealthy worldview. In fact, to cure an illness, you need to change your outlook on life.

Most people, experiencing pain, rush to swallow the “magic” pill, hoping for healing. They do not think about the cause of the disease, which most often remains unresolved.

Types of mentality

If you settle a group of people on a desert island: they will settle, they will have their own rules and norms of interaction, values, views on certain events inside and outside their society.

Subsequent generations adopt their worldview: this is how a mental connection between people of different times is historically formed.

There are different types of mentality:

in accordance with the type of structure of society - people of the Middle Ages had a different worldview than modern people;
by race (Asians, Europeans);
gender mentality (female, male) - women are more inclined to show emotions, males tend to keep their feelings to themselves;
age (children, teenagers, adults, elderly) - childish infantilism and senile wisdom;
religious beliefs (Buddhists and Catholics think differently);
by level of intelligence: intelligentsia, peasants - if you look at them in a restaurant, you can see a significant difference in their behavior at the table.

It cannot be said that mentality is a fixed phenomenon. The historical change in mentality over time can be represented in the form of the game “Broken Phone”, when people pass a word or gesture to each other in a chain.

At the same time, everyone brings something different, and the last participant demonstrates something completely different from what was originally intended. Therefore, the worldview of modern people is radically different from the worldview of people who lived several centuries ago.

The mentality is always about culture, about historical values, moral principles

Inhabitants of the mental

The mental level, like the astral level, covers all space. Therefore, every irritation, including at other levels, is reflected on him. The activity of the mental is perceived by a person as a process of spontaneous thinking - these can be any mental images that are the perception of thought forms (isolated objects located in the mental plane of the subtle world and independent of people). Sometimes some thought forms combine into a larger type, which followers of occultism call an egregor.

What is an egregor? This is an energy-informative creation caused by a group of people typed according to a certain characteristic. There are religious egregors: Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and so on, egregors of nations (demons of empires), clans, families, professions, homes. Thought forms and egregors are the main inhabitants of the mental level.

What is mental health

Mental health is a concept that describes an internal state that reflects a person's emotional and mental well-being and the absence of mental problems.

This is spiritual or mental health, indicating mental maturity. What is mental health:

Integrity of mind and body;
Healthy self-criticism (I know what is right and wrong, I respect the law and moral principles);
identity consistency (I know who I am, what I am, why I am);
lack of internal tension (fears, anxieties, prolonged psychological suffering);
harmony with yourself and the world around you - satisfaction in relationships with people and in yourself;
ability to plan, set goals and work to achieve them;
good mood, optimism;
control over one's own behavior, the ability to consciously change it
calmness, self-confidence.

If a person’s mental level is “at the right level,” he is able to maximize his potential - realize his abilities and turn them into talents.

Such a person has a high degree of stress resistance, so he easily adapts to changes in the environment and effectively copes with difficulties. A person's work brings him pleasure and at the same time makes a quality contribution to society.

In conclusion

Let's summarize the topic:

mental level is the level of a person’s thoughts. It is also a special dimension along with the astral plane;
Esotericists believe that all diseases are created by our wrong thoughts. And changing thoughts can heal illnesses;
mental connections are established between loved ones, lovers and relatives. They can persist for a very long time, often requiring work to break them completely (there are special practices for breaking mental connections).

Finally, I offer a thematic video:

Why is it important to maintain your mental health?

Mental health is essential for living a fulfilling life. You may be physically ill, but mentally healthy, enjoying life and feeling good.

But if a person is mentally ill, no amount of physical health will make him happy. Mental suffering is the most severe. And they are not easy to cure, magic pills will not help, only long-term work with yourself. This requires at least willpower.

If a person’s memory, attention, or thinking deteriorates, he is considered sick, even if he has no physical disabilities.

Symptoms that indicate that a person is mentally ill:

Constant tension, stress. Inability to relax and let go of a situation
Frequent mood swings. Emotional instability.
Excessive aggressiveness. Reaction to other people's actions, and often unreasonable
fatigue, constant fatigue, laziness. Lack of energy, often in a state of lemon exhaustion.
Constant feeling of guilt. Feelings of unhappiness, anger, unwantedness and strangeness. Often blame yourself for your actions, scold yourself, perhaps even punish yourself.
Panic attacks, fear of the dark, closed spaces, certain objects
Detachment from people, isolation, closedness, loneliness
Constant feeling of anxiety. Feeling depressed and stressed for long periods of time.

Treatment

Many people do not seek medical help because they are not aware of their problem. It is impossible to independently recognize mild forms of diseases with a wide range of abnormalities. They are often disguised as fatigue, laziness, emotional burnout, as well as various symptoms that make everyday life difficult.

For full social adaptation and improving the quality of life, the help of specialists is necessary. Neurologists, psychiatrists and psychotherapists treat pathologies. Sometimes psychotherapy and auto-training methods are sufficient to correct the condition.

In severe cases, especially during crises, the patient requires hospitalization and drug therapy. Drugs are selected strictly individually. The prognosis is more favorable for those who undergo treatment.

MR manifests itself differently in people due to the variety of mental characteristics. It all depends on the type and severity of functional disorders. A person may be completely independent or require constant support.

Many disorders can be successfully corrected. By taking care of mental health, you can again experience pleasure in life and feel joy.

How to help yourself maintain your mental level

Practice self-reflection. This helps you look inside yourself and see your reactions to different situations. Self-analysis helps identify feelings and emotions. Why do you behave one way in one situation and another in another?

Surround yourself with good people. It is important that the environment is positive, that you feel comfortable being around them, that you can trust them. Toxic people must be cut out of your life, you must say goodbye to them, avoid them.

Get physically active. Sport helps you feel better, you have more time to do things, and you sleep less. Your mind is not clouded, and you have more and more energy for new achievements.

Give yourself more fresh air and oxygen to your brain. You will feel better within a few days.

Do new things. Try to explore the unknown, read more, think, learn. In general, feed your brain with useful information. Don't allow yourself to degrade, always move forward, reach new heights.

Accept people with their flaws, weaknesses and problems. If someone is dear to you, don't remember him, don't try to change him, accept him. The struggle takes a lot of energy, a lot of negative emotions will spill out. There will also be stress, anger, anxiety, guilt. Don't torment yourself with these feelings, free yourself from them. Tell yourself: “Yes, he is like that, but I’m not going to play his game and get angry at his overprotectiveness, I’ll just accept him for who he is, because he’s the one I care about.”

Train your confidence. Don't be afraid to speak, express your thoughts and feelings. You are an individual, which means you have the right to your own opinion. To remain silent means to throw your needs, feelings and desires into the corner. This leads to mental suffering and feelings of inferiority.

Ask for help. If you can’t cope, don’t take on this burden, don’t torment yourself with guilt, excessive responsibility, or fear that you won’t be able to cope. Just ask a loved one for help, trust him, share the burden. This is not a sign of weakness, it is self-love.

Analyze situations. Negative emotions make things worse, don't let them consume you. Analyze why you feel irritated, angry, and furious at one time or another. What or who is the problem? You need to find the reason. Is it lack of sleep, fatigue, or is it a matter of a specific person? Change your daily routine, schedule, or try to minimize your interactions with this person.

Plan, set goals and strive to achieve them. Chaos in your head leads to destruction in your life. Organize your thoughts. Create a plan and routine to make it easier to follow. Don’t accumulate a lot of unnecessary information in your head, it’s better to write it down. Don't overload your head with unnecessary worries.

If you cannot do this on your own, then a psychologist, psychotherapist, and sometimes a psychiatrist are the people who will help you sort out your thoughts. Don't be afraid to turn to professionals.

Causes of diseases

Some psychologists believe that any illness appears at the mental level. They say that there is a connection between the physical and the spiritual, between the state of our body and our thoughts. It follows that, having decided to end any disease, you must first find out the mental (mental) reason for its occurrence. After all, the symptoms of the disease only reflect internal hypogenic processes. A person needs to delve deeper into himself to find and neutralize the spiritual cause of the disease.

If people create illnesses for themselves, it means that only on their own can they get rid of them. The causes of illnesses are as follows:

lack of understanding of the purpose, purpose and meaning of one’s life;
non-compliance and misunderstanding of the laws of the Universe and nature;
the presence in the subconscious and consciousness of aggressive, harmful feelings, thoughts and emotions.

Reception. Simplification.

Simply put, throw away everything unnecessary. You can do it in two ways. The first is to break the sentence into several statements. The second is to make one statement out of a long sentence.

Examples:

Original proposal:

“It would be good to be able to notice situations in which you see things not as they are, but as you want to see.”

Result:

You have want .

Reality is replaced by what is desired .

You want to notice it.

One sentence was divided into 3 simple statements. Why 3? Because an attempt to make only one statement leads to the fact that the rest must be implied or conjectured. Implicit means not explicit. But with the implicit it is more difficult to work and it is easier to make mistakes.

Or another example:

“Julia Galef called motivation and the ability to see things as they really are the “scout mindset” and wrote a book about it, “The Scout Mindset.”

Simplified to:

Seeing reality is the intelligence of an intelligence officer .

Why is that? Because every narrative has a purpose. In this case, Julia in her book talks about certain thinking techniques. Do last names, book titles, dates have anything to do with how these techniques work? Obviously not. Therefore, we take out a saber and, with a dashing whistle, without regret, we cut it all off into the trash.

Mentality and mental health - How are they interconnected?