Website owner: James Miller
On mental health and the kind of things that cause mental problems
What kind of things cause mental problems? If one asks oneself what kind of things cause mental problems I would say there is a strong connection between humility and good mental health and a strong connection between excessive pride (as in an unduly high opinion of yourself) and mental problems. For good mental health, what one needs is a proper sense of one’s own worth — neither an excessively high opinion of himself nor an unduly low opinion of himself. See On pride and humility. A humble person understands that he has weaknesses and that fact doesn’t bother him. He understands that there are other people who can do many things better than he can and that fact doesn’t bother him. It is just a fact of life. However, he does have a healthy opinion of himself. And to have a healthy opinion of yourself you have to do those things that you should do. You have to live right. You have to be honest, hardworking, perseverant. Life is about struggle. You must keep trying, keep struggling. You don’t accept defeat. With determination and perseverance, you learn your own powers. You learn how to succeed. There are many wild animals that provide good object lessons in that great virtue: perseverance. I think of the squirrel and all of the perseverance he will exhibit in trying to get bird feed out of a bird feeder. Many rodents provide great examples for us in the way of being hard working, determined, and perseverant.
And for good mental health there is one thing you don’t do. You don’t, in your own mind, grade people into different levels of superiority or inferiority on the basis of some number as is done by psychiatrists with the Intelligence Quotient. See
The IQ concept versus the philosophy of hard work
And for a good, healthy opinion of yourself you need to understand that what is most important in life is integrity, morality and goodness, not ability. For happiness, you need the right values. Jesus taught kindness, forgiveness, chastity, humility, and peacefulness. If you take his teachings seriously and actually consciously implement them in your life, I believe you will be on your way to mental health. See Adjectives describing a true Christian.
3 May 2022
Jesus Christ and His Teachings
Way of enlightenment, wisdom, and understanding
America, a corrupt, depraved, shameless country
On integrity and the lack of it
The test of a person's Christianity is what he is
Ninety five percent of the problems that most people have come from personal foolishness
Liberalism, socialism and the modern welfare state
The desire to harm, a motivation for conduct
On Self-sufficient Country Living, Homesteading
Topically Arranged Proverbs, Precepts, Quotations. Common Sayings. Poor Richard's Almanac.
Theory on the Formation of Character
People are like radio tuners --- they pick out and listen to one wavelength and ignore the rest
Cause of Character Traits --- According to Aristotle
We are what we eat --- living under the discipline of a diet
Avoiding problems and trouble in life
Role of habit in formation of character
Personal attributes of the true Christian
What determines a person's character?
Love of God and love of virtue are closely united
Intellectual disparities among people and the power in good habits
Tools of Satan. Tactics and Tricks used by the Devil.
The Natural Way -- The Unnatural Way
Wisdom, Reason and Virtue are closely related
Knowledge is one thing, wisdom is another
My views on Christianity in America
The most important thing in life is understanding
We are all examples --- for good or for bad
Television --- spiritual poison
The Prime Mover that decides "What We Are"
Where do our outlooks, attitudes and values come from?
Sin is serious business. The punishment for it is real. Hell is real.
Self-imposed discipline and regimentation
Achieving happiness in life --- a matter of the right strategies
Self-control, self-restraint, self-discipline basic to so much in life